Do I need a lawyer after a car accident in Vermont?
Every rule below is quoted from Vermont law or a state agency, with a link. Checked September 17, 2026.
The short answer
We can't tell you whether you need a lawyer. We can show you the Vermont rules that usually decide it: how fault is split, how long you have, and how injury lawyers are allowed to charge. Many people with only car damage settle directly with the insurer. People with injuries, disputed fault or a claim near a deadline often talk to a lawyer first.
How fault changes your claim
If you were partly at fault
Vermont uses modified comparative negligence. You can recover damages as long as your share of fault is not greater than the fault of the person you are suing. If your fault is more than the other side's, you recover nothing.
“Contributory negligence shall not bar recovery in an action by any plaintiff to recover damages for negligence resulting in death, personal injury or property damage, if the negligence was not greater than the causal total negligence of the defendant or defendants”
How long you have
- 3 years
- to sue for injuries12 V.S.A. § 512
- 3 years
- to sue for car or property damage12 V.S.A. § 512
- 2 years
- for a family to sue after a death14 V.S.A. § 1492
- 20 days
- to notify the government if a public vehicle or road was involved19 V.S.A. § 987
Deadline to sue for injuries
You have three years from the date you are injured, or from when you discover the injury, to sue over injuries from a car crash.
“Actions for the following causes shall be commenced within three years after the cause of action accrues”
If a government vehicle or road was involved
If a town bridge or culvert caused the crash, you must give the town written notice within 20 days of the injury or damage. Vermont's Tort Claims Act, which covers the state itself, does not set a separate notice deadline, so the normal injury lawsuit deadline applies to state claims.
“notice is first given in writing, signed by the party injured or damnified or by the party's agent, to one or more of the selectboard members of the town in which the bridge or culvert is situated, within 20 days”
How injury lawyers charge in Vermont
Contingency fee rules
Vermont has no cap on personal injury contingency fee percentages, but the fee must be reasonable and the agreement must be in writing, signed by the client, and state how the fee is calculated.
“A contingent fee agreement shall be in a writing signed by the client and shall state the method by which the fee is to be determined, including the percentage or percentages that shall accrue to the lawyer in the event of settlement, trial or appeal”
Questions to ask any lawyer before you sign
- What percentage do you charge, and does it change if the case goes to trial?
- Who pays case costs like records and expert fees if we lose?
- Will you handle my case yourself, or pass it to someone else?
- How long do cases like mine usually take here?
- What is the deadline for my claim, and when will you file?
If the insurer is the problem
File a complaint with the state
You can file an insurance complaint with Vermont's Department of Financial Regulation online, or by mailing or faxing the Insurance Complaint Form.
“Filing a complaint online allows you to more easily and quickly communicate with the Insurance Division and electronically upload documents to support your complaint.”
Sources on this page
Each one was opened and checked on September 17, 2026.
Know My Claim is not a law firm or a government agency, and this page is not legal advice. Laws change, so check the linked source before you rely on a deadline.