Should my friend hire an attorney?

My friend “Maggie” was involved in a minor automobile collision a while back. There was minimal damage to either vehicle, and Maggie wasn’t hurt. As far as she could tell, neither was the other driver.

Now the other driver is coming forward with a lengthy list of medical complaints, claiming that they were caused by the accident. Maggie doesn’t see how it’s possible, given that there was very little impact between the two vehicles and barely a mark on them.

The other driver has hired a lawyer who specializes in “getting you the settlement you deserve.” Maggie has been asked to come and give a deposition at the law office, accompanied by an attorney who works for her insurance company.

Should Maggie hire an attorney of her own who represents no interests other than hers? If you have knowledge of cases like this, is Maggie heading for trouble if she relies on her insurer’s representative to advocate for her?

Tags as I wrote them: automobile accident, attorneys, civil law, insurance, liability, damages.