Auto Accident Attorney
Getting into a car accident can be a frightening and devastating experience, especially if you have been injured. Let us help you get the settlement you deserve. We are here to answer your questions, fight for your rights, and help you get the justice you deserve. If you are in need of an auto accident attorney, Don’t wait – Call Us Today.
Auto Accidents In United States
Auto accidents cause more than two million injuries and over 35,000 deaths every year in the United States. With the cost of medical expenses, loss of wages from inability to work and the price of repairing your damaged car. Motor vehicle accidents can cause a huge upheaval in your life. You may also have to deal with the devastating loss of a loved one, or a tough road forward in the case of significant personal injury. Without the help of an Attorney, someone else’s mistake can put you on the hook for millions of dollars in damages.
Many different terms are commonly used to describe vehicle collisions. Other common terms include auto accident, car accident, car crash, car smash, car wreck, motor vehicle collision (MVC), personal injury collision (PIC), road accident, road traffic accident (RTA), road traffic collision (RTC), and road traffic incident (RTI) as well as more unofficial terms including smash-up, pile-up, and fender bender.
Why You May Need to Hire Auto Accident Lawyer
If you’ve been involved in auto accident, you may need to hire auto accident lawyer. An experienced injury attorney can help you recover losses resulting from a motor vehicle accident and/or reduce the hefty amount of paperwork and hassle often associated with auto accident insurance claims.
Most personal injury claims in the United States are a result of an accident involving a car, truck, or other motor vehicle. Many of these accidents result in minor vehicle damage in the form of a “fender bender,” and can generally be handled alone through direct contact with an insurance company. However, auto accidents that involve physical injury, fatality, or other significant damage may warrant the legal representation of experienced counsel.
An experienced attorney can help you get compensation to cover any losses incurred due to the accident, such as medical expenses, lost wages, and car repairs. In some states, a car accident lawyer may help you recover when a loved one is killed, especially if reckless driving, speeding, distractions such as mobile phones or drunk-driving was involved.
When to Hire Auto Accident Lawyer
It is best to hire auto accident attorney early to avoid any costly mistakes. The deadline for filing personal injury claims varies from state to state. Because you may need to pay for medical bills and/or cover lost wages, the sooner you contact an attorney the better. In general, a person should contact an attorney shortly after the accident occurs or within a week or two of the accident. But before reaching a settlement with the insurance company.
Legal Fees: Overview
Most auto accident cases are handled on a contingency or “no win-no pay” basis. This means that if the attorney does not win or settle the case on your behalf, he or she does not collect a fee. On the other hand, if the attorney wins the case, they will get a percentage of the personal injury award. The attorney’s percentage varies from case to case, but can equal approximately one-third to 40 percent of the total award, with different limits imposed from state to state. It’s important to note that attorney fees are different from costs, and you may be responsible for certain out-of-pocket expenses associated with your case.
Ready to Hire Auto Accident Lawyer?
An auto accident lawyer can be invaluable to your claim and ability to be fairly compensated. Learn more about your legal options by speaking with an experienced auto accident attorney in your area. But before calling check out the list who qualifies.
Motor Vehicle Accident Qualifiers:
- Injured in a car, truck or motorcycle accident.
- Date of accident is less than two years.
- The accident resulted in injury that resulted in hospitalization, medical treatment, surgery, missed work.
- The accident happened with in the last 72 hours.
- The accident was all or partially the fault of another party.
- And finally if you are not represented by an attorney for this matter.
Can I Handle My Own Car Crash Personal Injury Claims? Do I Specifically Need a Car Accident Attorney?
It is understandable for individuals to want to settle matters quickly and move on as soon as possible after a car crash. As a result, many people are tempted to try to take care of all issues—including legal issues—without getting help from a car accident attorney with a focus on personal injury claims.
Before proceeding on your own, it is crucial to understand the pitfalls of trying to handle your case without legal representation.
You can be sure that those representing the negligent party—usually an insurance company—will be investigators, adjusters, and lawyers working to pay out as little as possible. Insurance companies and their attorneys will often calculate the value of your claim based on how aggressive they feel the injured party will fight for full compensation. When you retain a car accident lawyer to fight for you, you are essentially ensuring that you will not be taken advantage of by the other side.
You should seek the help of an injury attorney with vast experience handling car accident cases that can stand up to insurance companies. If the other side is not cooperating and your case requires litigation, the attorney must be prepared to take the case to trial for full and fair recovery.
If the opposing side sees that you are willing to go as far as necessary to ensure justice, they will often deal more reasonably right from the start. Obtaining experienced legal counsel with a focus on car accident claims will show the defending insurance company that you are serious about your case.
How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Claim?
The statute of limitations applies to every potential car accident lawsuit. Even if you hope to resolve your case through a negotiated settlement without the need for legal action, missing this deadline could prevent you from negotiating a settlement in your case—even if the facts are on your side.
The consequences of noncompliance with the statute of limitations are the same everywhere. If you wait too long to pursue your personal injury claim, you could miss out entirely on your chance for compensation. In addition, the law bars you from filing a lawsuit, which means the other side has no reason to negotiate a settlement in your case. While the time frame differs, the statute of limitations exists in every state in the country. To ensure that you protect your right to negotiate an insurance claim or pursue an injury lawsuit, let our firm advise you on the deadline that applies in your case.
Should I Accept the Insurance Company’s Settlement After My Auto Accident Injury?
Adjusters often come ready to make payments immediately to convince you to accept less than what you actually deserve. Typically, insurance agents’ settlement offers are less than 5% of the value of your car accident case!
For this reason, an insurance adjuster will contact you immediately after your car accident and may even visit you in the hospital after an auto accident injury to get information from you.
There is no reason to rush into accepting a settlement offer from an insurance company without first seeking the help of a personal injury lawyer. A lawyer can help you through your case to get you the highest compensation you deserve. Your lawyer will make sure that you never sign away your legal rights without being fully informed of the consequences.
What Kind of Compensation Can I Get after A Car Crash?
The law allows recovery for a wide range of situations. A lawyer can help you get money for past medical bills, future medical bills, rehabilitation costs, therapy, lost wages, future lost income, and often most importantly, pain and suffering. Pain and suffering after a crash can include the loss of enjoyment of your life and the mental anxiety of dealing with pain, trauma, and/or a disability caused by a crash.
A car crash attorney may also help you obtain compensation for your family members who were adversely affected by the crash. Harm to spouses or children can often be recovered separately from the damages awarded to the injured individual. Your car accident attorney will explain whether damage awards to your spouse or children applies in your case.
What Is a PIP Claim and How Does It Work?
If you live in Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, or Utah, you may be eligible to make a personal injury protection (PIP) claim following a car accident. PIP coverage and claims have to do with “no fault” car insurance, which means that your own insurer will pay a portion (or all of) of your medical bills and lost earnings if you get into an accident, regardless of who was at fault.
No fault car insurance is typically enacted by states as a way to streamline accident insurance claims. Every state’s law is different; some limit the amount of compensation that your insurance company is allowed to pay you, and some do not. Once your medical bills exceed your state’s no fault limit, it becomes your responsibility to pay the remaining balance. Understanding how PIP insurance can work for you after an accident can be confusing, and you should contact an attorney to help you navigate the process.
What Are Some of the Main Causes of Car Crashes?
Car accidents can be caused by a number of factors. These can include driver negligence, reckless or intentional misconduct, and defective car parts such as airbags, seat belts, and lack of crashworthiness. Some of the most common causes are:
Negligence
Driver Negligence is perhaps the number one cause of auto accidents. Negligence generally means that the driver who caused the accident did not exercise reasonable care under the circumstances on the road. The driver’s actions are compared to what a reasonable person would do under similar circumstances.
Examples of negligent driving include speeding, distracted driving (talking on a cell phone, texting, smoking, eating), carelessly ignoring traffic signals, or not taking conditions like rain or snow into account. There are many areas in which negligence can occur, but the common thread is that negligence is a failure to act reasonably under the circumstances.
Impaired Driving: Drugs, Alcohol and Fatigue
Drowsy driving and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol are all impairments that heighten a person’s likelihood of getting into an auto accident. Of course, no one should drive if they feel they are impaired by medication or the use of recreational drugs.
In most states, auto accident injuries caused by drunk drivers could result in liability for the business or host who supplied the alcohol and allowed the patron to drive in an impaired condition. The rules related to these issues are often referred to as “dram shop” laws, and they are currently implemented in 38 states
Finally, a person should not be driving if they are feeling overly tired or did not get enough sleep. Lack of sleep can have the same effects on a person as being drunk, and. symptoms of drowsy driving include
- Trouble keeping focus on the road,
- Performing careless or thoughtless driving behaviors
- Drifting in and out of lanes, and
- Falling asleep behind the wheel.
For commercial drivers and truck drivers, it is federally mandated that workers take sufficient breaks between shifts to get enough sleep.
Recklessness or Intentional Misconduct
Intentional misconduct, on the other hand, is an act committed when the person knew that doing so could cause harm and did not care, or actively desired to harm others. Someone who drives drunk or impaired, or at a high rate of speed, cutting in and out of traffic, is intentionally putting himself and others at risk.
Defective Auto Products
Under strict liability, a manufacturer of a product can be held liable for damages caused by its products if the product is shown to be defective. Defective car products can lead to dangers on the road for the driver and other drivers around them. Dangerous car products that can cause accidents include faulty tires, airbags, seatbelts, seatbacks, blinding headlights, and other products that affect the driver and occupants.
In addition, road conditions may cause a crash. Be sure to advise the responding police officers if there were dangerous road conditions at the time of the crash.
What Are Some of the Most Common Car Accident Injuries?
When you are involved in an auto accident, it is extremely important to be evaluated by medical personnel to ensure you are injury-free as internal damage may not be apparent immediately following the incident. It could take days for symptoms to begin to show, if they even show at all. There is no limit to what type of physical injuries may be sustained from a car crash, but some of the most common include:
- Soft tissue injuries including damage to tendons, ligaments, or muscles.
- Scrapes and cuts
- Neck and back injuries
- Head and brain injuries including concussions, traumatic brain injuries, or internal bleeding
- Burns
- Broken bones
- Spinal injuries
It is important to see a health care provider as soon as you begin to experience symptoms so you can be sure to make a claim and get your medical costs paid. Regardless of your insurance coverage, if you didn’t immediately seek medical attention, insurance companies can and will dispute your claim.
If you have been in a car accident and think you have sustained an injury, contact us as soon as possible so we can provide a free case evaluation and help you determine how much you may be owed.
Ready To Hire a Car Accident Attorney? Get Started Today
If you or a family member has suffered as a result of another party’s reckless or negligent driving, a car accident lawyer may be able to help. Seeking financial awards for your injuries, pain and suffering, and other losses may help you avoid further hardship and move on with your life faster. To learn more about what a car accident lawyer can do for you, Call Today!
