Tag: car accident

All You Need to Know about Car Accident Injury Attorneys

Victims of severe vehicle injuries often find themselves faced with mounting hospital bills and at times, the need for extensive care. This is further exacerbated by having to deal with insurance providers. Attempting to navigate this complex process on your own can be time consuming and puts you at risk of not getting the compensation you justly deserve. Car accident injury attorneys are critically important to ensuring you get the best representation possible. Car accident injury attorneys level the playing field for you since the moment insurance coverage providers receive a claim, they dispatch their team to determine whether you should receive compensation. Your attorney will help make sure they are held accountable.

A personal injury lawyer often times represents complainants who claim to have been injured to the negligence of another. They operate using the tort laws dealing with claims including car accidents and other types of motor vehicle collusions. They take the time to understand the immediate and long-term financial ramifications of the accident. In a nutshell, personal injury lawyers offer their services to the plaintiffs with the end goal of enabling them to receive compensation for their losses. These include not only physical injury but also loss of earning potential during the recovery period. They handle the cases from inception to the appeal court when need arises. 

How they work 

In handling claims, the personal injury attorney works like any other litigator in the legal field. They collect proof, work on various legal hypotheses and finally evaluate the client to determine the validity of the claim. They interview witnesses, work with law enforcement and file motions including discovery requests all in an effort to get fair compensation for the aggrieved parties. Some of the most common kind of personal injury claims includes:

  1. Car accident claims– These are responsible for a majority of personal injury cases filed in the United States. Personal injury lawyers seek to prove that the accident was caused by a careless driver or a breaking of traffic rules. 
  2. Medical malpractice claims– These arise when health care providers fail to provide the best medical care resulting in injury to the patient. 
  3. Slip and fall claims– In these type of claims, property owners are usually the defendant. The personal injury lawyer investigates the claim determining whether the property owner complied with the law and kept their premises reasonably safe and free of hazards. 
  4. Libel and slander claims– The litigant aims to prove defamation of character to the extent that their client has suffered injury both to their self or their reputation. 
  5. Animal attacks and dog bites. – The lawyer tasks the owner of the dog to take on the financial responsibility for the bites and any other financial losses that result from the attack by their animal. 

Why do you need to hire a car accident lawyer

  • Notably, most accident lawyers offer free consultation therefore there is no need to shy away in spite of the size of the case. 
  • Establishing negligence can be difficult at times. To gain an upper hand in any claim, it is paramount to provide sufficient proof of negligence. A car accident lawyer will know where and how to look for evidence that will strengthen your case. 
  • Dealing with insurance companies especially when you have no prior experience can damage your case. When all is said and done, insurance companies are in the business of making money and without care, you may end up admitting fault and damaging your chances at a fair process. 
  • Reputable personal injury attorneys have honed the skill of establishing and fully proving the extent of damage caused to you be the accident. They will successfully identify harm that you may not have thought of before. A good lawyer will breakdown the past and future losses incurred on wages, potential and extent of future earning potential and future costs of medical care and rehabilitation. 
  • Delay in getting legal representation may affect the merits of your case. This is of course dependent on the facts of the incident. 

Hiring a personal injury lawyer

When looking for a personal injury lawyer, go for aggressive legal representation that will not only provide you with personalized attention but ensure you get a reasonable payout from the insurance provider. It is advisable to go for a reputable firm that has a success track record in getting their clients a fair claim. Search in your local directory for tort law firms and check online for reviews. If possible, consider getting a referral from individuals who have sort litigation for car accidents. 

Costs 

Seek to discuss the fees before signing a contract. Notably, the fees will depend with whether you choose to settle before or after filling the claim. In most cases, personal injury lawyers work with contingency fees. This means that the client does not pay by the hour but instead pays a percentage of the settlement. If you decide to settle before, the lawyer is usually entitled to a third of the settlement fee. When you settle after the filling, the attorney is usually entitled to 40-50% of the fee.  Civil litigation can prove to be a hustle especially if you lack the technical understanding. That is where personal injury lawyers step in. They not only have the know-how to fight insurers in low impact cases but also extensive knowledge in insurance laws. They will hold your hand throughout out the process advising you on whether to settle or file suit and cushion you in the occurrence of downside financial consequences that may occur during the suit. Get yourself a reputable car injury attorney and save yourself the stress of dealing with insurance companies directly.

Everything You Should Know Before Hiring a Car Accident Lawyer

Traffic accidents always occur unexpectedly. Car accidents can be caused by various reasons, but the most common thing is negligent driving. The most common driver errors causing accidents are lack of attention, exceeding speed limits, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, aggressive behavior, failure to yield or sleep-deprived driving. If you have suffered from a car accident caused by a driver’s distraction, alcohol intoxication, drowsiness or simply lack of attention, the best way out of the situation will be hiring a proficient lawyer specialized in handling car accident cases.

Once you are involved in an accident, consider planning an appointment with an experienced lawyer. A real professional will help you deal with recovering losses caused by the accident and will take care of all the paperwork and insurance issues. If you know which steps you should take to receive legal aid, you can avoid unnecessary hassle, time and money loss. Take your time reading the tips below and learn everything you should know about getting legal assistance from a law specialist.

Main Reasons Why You Should Consider Hiring a Car Accident Attorney

It’s sad but true that vehicle accidents occur daily. In the USA, a great number of personal injury claims are related to traffic accidents caused by cars, motorcycles, and trucks. In many cases, only small damages occur, and the problem can be solved with a few phone calls through an insurance service. Minor damages include scratches, dings, or a cracked headlight, for example. More serious car accidents that cause bodily injuries or even death are important reasons why an experienced lawyer should be involved as soon as possible. A competent legal advisor should be able to help you claim compensation to pay back the losses dealing with the accident: repair service, medical costs, salary loss, etc. In some situations, depending on the state, a vehicle accident attorney can help you get financial compensation in case of a family member’s death.

What You Should Expect from an Experienced Traffic Accident Attorney

You can hire a car accident lawyer depending on the issue you are having. It can be property damage, bodily injury, wrongful death or determination of liability. In order to hire a reliable specialist, take into account their skills, pricing, experience, and look for the feedback from previous clients. It is important that your lawyer is well informed about the local and national laws about transportation infrastructure. The attorney has to know how to handle insurance procedures and paperwork, as well as everything about case settlement. Take your time making sure the attorney is certified, has a decent background and positive reviews from other customers. Last but not least, a reliable lawyer with strong skills works based on the principle of “no win, no fee”. Simply put, this means that if you don’t get any compensation, you don’t pay. So, check their pricing before hiring. In most cases, if your lawyer wins, you have to pay a certain amount of your compensation, depending on the total sum paid back to you. It may vary between 30 and 50 percent of the money you receive in case of success.

When Is It Better to Hire a Traffic Accident Attorney

The earlier you find a lawyer, the more money you save in the end. In the US, there are different terms of registering personal injury claims depending on the state. Try to call the lawyer as soon as you can, because you may start covering various expenses right after the car accident. The best time for contacting your attorney is about 1-2 weeks after the accident. But make sure to do it before the insurance negotiation process starts. Prepare all necessary documentation to show your lawyer. You will need your car insurance policy, medical papers, and information dealing with the accident itself.

Types of Car Accidents, and their Consequences

Accident caused by a truck: If your car, you or/and your passenger have suffered in an accident caused by a truck, the case should be thoroughly investigated to find potentially responsible parties. Sometimes, transportation companies may come up with a settlement offer. In this case, your lawyer should make sure if this offer is fair before you sign any agreements. You might also need a lawyer’s advice if the insurance company of the party at fault is trying to dispute your claim.

Personal injury in a car accident: In case bodily injury is caused by the error of another driver, the victim can get compensation depending on the severity of their injury. The work of an experienced lawyer should result in covering medical expenses, aches and suffering, emotional pain, appearance defects caused by scars, burns, or amputation. Loss of income due to inability to work and loss of a family member should also be compensated with the help of a professional legal advisor. It is a rare case if only one person is totally responsible for a car accident. In some situations, both drivers are responsible to different degrees for the car crash. You can still get compensated for your losses if your fault is no more than 50%. The sum of your compensation will depend on the degree of your liability. If you are 30% responsible for the accident, you will receive 70% of the initial amount of your award.

Motorcycle accident: Being less protected, motorcyclists are more often exposed to the risk on the road than car owners. That is why, when a motorcycle-car collision occurs, the car driver is usually at fault. Motorcycle accidents are the most likely to result in severe personal injuries or even death. That is why it is extremely important to hire an experienced accident attorney to thoroughly investigate the case and make sure that the rider, or their family receives a decent compensation.