How Common Are Truck Accidents in California?
California drivers face constant risks on the road from other vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, and a litany of other distractions. While this is also true of all other drivers, California’s highways tend to be particularly dangerous.
Highway 99, for instance, is considered the most dangerous road in the US. While this highway is relatively short compared to others on the list, it has the highest number of fatal accidents per 100 miles in the country. Large trucks are generally the most dangerous vehicles on any highway and California is one of many states where truck driving is the most dominant job.
Semi-trucks are approximately 20 times heavier than most cars on the highway, meaning the occupants of other vehicles involved are far more likely to be injured or killed during accidents. They’re also less stable than most vehicles because of their height, while their length creates particularly bad blind spots for the driver. These factors, combined with any number of mechanical issues and unsafe driving practices, make truck accidents frighteningly common.
In 2017, there were 4,761 fatalities and over 9,000 injuries involving trucks across the US. Understanding the common causes of truck accidents will be key in lowering these numbers in the future:
Accident statistics
With over 3.5 million licensed truck drivers in the US, it may seem like accidents are inevitable, but that isn’t true in the vast majority of cases. In fact, it’s estimated that 88 percent of truck accidents are preventable. These are defined as “Any accident involving the vehicle, unless it is properly parked, which results in property damage or personal injury and in which the driver failed to do everything that could reasonably be done to prevent the accident.” Under this definition, the majority of truck accidents occur due to simple negligence.
California’s highways contribute a significant amount to each year’s truck accident statistics. In fact, both I-5 and I-10 average over a thousand truck accidents each per year. In the past decade, California has averaged well over 250 truck accident fatalities per year, underscored by the fact that the national average increased 16% in 2017.
Performance causes
A performance cause for an accident is anything related to the driver’s state or actions that contributed to the crash. Of these causes, speeding is by far the most common. In fact, speeding is the most common cause for a fatal vehicle accident in general, resulting in over 25% of all traffic fatalities each year. In large trucks, speeding is even more dangerous because these vehicles tend to have long stopping distances, and going too fast just increases the problem. Speeding also reduces the vehicle’s stability due to moving cargo and makes it more difficult for the vehicle to successfully turn.
Over the counter drugs that cause drowsiness, as well as prescription painkillers, are noted to be correlated with truck accidents. However, their role in direct causation is still debated. Poor visibility due to bad weather and other conditions also contribute to truck accidents and, while no one can control the weather, protective eye gear like prescription sunglasses may help prevent these accidents.
Mechanical causes
A mechanical cause refers to any problems with the vehicle itself that caused or contributed to the accident. Of these, tire problems are a frequent offender. Tire blowouts are an extremely dangerous and another common cause of rollover crashes and other accidents (despite being entirely preventable with proper vehicle upkeep).
Brake problems are also a huge factor in truck accidents and are attributed as a factor in 29% of total accidents. Such problems can include outright break failure or worn breaks that increase stopping time. With proper maintenance, there scenarios are almost certainly avoidable.
While a small percentage of trucking accidents may be unpreventable, following stricter maintenance guidelines and ensuring safe driving practices can hopefully decrease the number of accidents in coming years. If you find yourself involved in a truck accident, it’s generally best to contact a truck accident lawyer in California to receive the best possible help for your situation.
Top Tips to Find the Best Car Accident Lawyer for Your Claim
Like any other US city, car accidents occur in Baltimore every single day. In fact, according to the Baltimore Sun, 520 deaths were reported in 2015 alone.
While some accidents are fender benders, others are fatal and a bigger percentage involves injuries. Unfortunately, most drivers seldom admit fault. They often come up with tons of excuses about why the accidents are not their faults.
As you’ve probably guessed, insurance companies then get involved. And the situation even becomes worse! Insurance companies handle tens of car crash claims in a day. If you have never handled a car wreck before, you will begin to realize that your focus and that of the insurance company representative are completely different. While you want your life back, the insurance representative is focused on how the company can pay as little as possible or shift blame to you where it is possible. It is literally a battle zone.
Even more unsettling is when you call your family physician (in case you are hurt) and you get this kind of reply: “Unfortunately, I don’t handle car accident cases”. Now, you can’t go to work, your car is damaged and sitting in some tow yard and they are charging you by the day! What can you do?
You will definitely look for a car accident lawyer.
The good news is that car accident lawyers are everywhere. You’ve probably seen their signs all over Baltimore and heard their catchy slogans on podcasts, but just because they have the money to push these adverts doesn’t mean that they are best in the industry.
By now, you are probably thinking, “So, how do I find the best and I am a greenhorn when it comes to hiring lawyers?”
Don’t fret; here are practical tips that you can leverage to find the best car accident lawyer for your claim:
1. Start with Referrals
What is the first thing that you do when you want to try a new restaurant or when you want to hire an electrical company? You will first ask your family and close associates for a recommendation, right?
Referrals are one of the most important steps for finding any kind of contractor, including car accident lawyers. Considering that so many accidents happen in Baltimore every year, it is quite a safe bet that someone you probably know needed the help of a car accident attorney at some point.
What’s more, getting recommendations can help you narrow your options. Sometimes, what’s important is a place to start.
2. Avoid Jack-Of-All-Trades
Whenever you search for “best car accident lawyers in Baltimore,” you’ll come across tons of websites. The truth is, some of the attorneys that you’ll find on these websites are jacks-of-all-trades. They are ready to defend you today in a car accident case, and tomorrow if your neighbor’s teenager is caught with a pound of marijuana, they will still be ready to represent them.
Avoid such lawyers when you can because they simply lack a deep understanding of the car accident industry. You may not get all the compensation that you deserve because such lawyers might end up filing evidence the wrong way, ultimately creating an opportunity for the defense team.
3. Contact Past Clients
When you are doing your search online, you will come across review sites or forums where lawyers brag about their “high” success rates. Don’t fall for such gimmicks; take your time and speak to their past clients to verify whether or not the claimed success rates are true. But how do you find a lawyer’s past clients? Simply check whether there are people who have left reviews about the lawyer and send them a brief email detailing your intentions.
4. Visit The Lawyers Website
One of the simplest ways of telling whether a business is legit or a scam is spending a few minutes on their websites. Check how the website is organized, their blog activity, the types of articles that they post, how people interact with their articles and whether their posts are presented in polished grammar or formatted professionally. Are the internal links on various pages active and directing you to the right landing pages?
Dubious websites have weird structures and unusually bright colors. You’ll be bombarded with tons of ads and pop-ups that are even irrelevant to the services you are looking for. You will also get tens of broken links and navigation buttons that don’t work. And when you read the articles that they post, you’ll notice glaring errors that make you question the attorney’s seriousness.
5. A Lecturer Or A Published Car Accident Lawyer Is A Good Bet
Ask the lawyer you plan to work with to share a few of his or her works that have been published in magazines or personal injury journals. Alternatively, enquire if they have been interviewed on any TV show or whether they have a presentation they are proud of. If the lawyers have not been published anywhere, never given any personal injury-related presentation, and never been hosted on any TV show, take keen interest of anything that they claim to know about the industry.
In fact, you can ask them to share their education and qualifications, especially if their online portfolios don’t list such details. If they hesitate to get you this information, then you should definitely know that they may not be the best lawyer for your Baltimore car accident case.
6. Are They Active Members Of Any State Or National Trail Lawyers Organization?
Another important tip that’s closely related to education and qualification is a membership to industry groups and organizations. Any serious Baltimore attorney collaborates with and learns from other stakeholders in their industry. In today’s difficult environment where insurance companies are not afraid to use dubious means to make their clients look bad, it pays to hire a lawyer with network and one who understands the ins and outs of the industry. A lawyer who is not affiliated to any reputable industry group or organization cannot promise much.
7. Is The Attorney Ready To Go To Trial?
Find out if the car accident lawyer you plan to hire is ready to go to trial if necessary. If the lawyer prefers to refer cases to other trial attorneys, you should know beforehand lest you get in a contract that you don’t understand. Strive to know, for instance, whether referral to a trial attorney will increase the fees that you will finally pay. Most importantly, you need to know who will see your case through to the jury verdict.
8. Know The Firm’s Fee Structure
Most car accident lawyers in Baltimore tend to create their fee structures on a case by case basis. Before you sign any contract with an attorney, understand the fee structure that they will use in the case. Will they charge hourly, contingency, or a mixture of both? Note that if they are charging on a contingency basis then they shouldn’t expect any payment until they win you money in the settlement. In other words, there is no cost that you will incur if they cannot get you any money in the end. It can be a good offer compared to an hourly basis because it will always incentivize your attorney to focus on your case and ensure that you get a good outcome.
Parting Thoughts
Picking a car accident lawyer in Baltimore isn’t different from choosing any other contractor or professional. Start with referrals, get someone with experience, talk to their past clients, do some background check on their services, and go with a specialist.
The above-highlighted tips are just the proverbial tips of the iceberg when it comes to secrets of finding the best Baltimore car accident lawyer. Most importantly, and irrespective of the attorney you choose, always remember that you are a client and ultimate decision rests with you. Don’t allow anyone to arm-twist you.
How to Prove Negligence in a Car Accident Claim
In most personal injury cases, judging who is at fault often relies on a legal concept known as negligence. Negligence refers to a third-party failing to provide you with a succinct amount of care. There are four key elements to a personal injury negligence claim; duty of care, breach of duty, cause, and damages. We are going to take a look at those in this article and explain how they can help you to prove negligence in a car accident claim.
Duty of Care
Everyone has a duty of care to avoid placing someone else in the path of danger or injuring them. In some situations, there are no set guidelines on what this duty of care should entail, but when driving, all drivers are bound by the laws of the road. If a driver neglects to follow the rules of the road, they can be deemed to be ignoring their duty of care.
Breach of Duty
It’s one thing to understand that every driver has a duty of care towards other drivers and pedestrians, but proving that they breached this duty is another thing entirely and often requires the help of a Miami auto accident attorney to prove. In some cases, determining this is straightforward. For example, if a driver isn’t following the speed limit and this leads to an accident, it is easy to prove that they were negligent, especially if the offense was caught on a speed camera. However, in other cases, it can be hard to prove a breach of duty. One example of this is a driver failing to stop at a red light. The accused driver may believe that they passed through the light on orange, and thus it requires further evidence to prove negligence.
Cause
Usually, proving that someone has breached their duty of care towards you is enough to prosecute in a personal injury case. However, sometimes the other party may claim that even though they were negligent, this was not the cause of the accident. An example of this is Driver A accusing Driver B of negligence for failing to indicate when Driver A should have stopped due to a stop sign anyway. In cases like this, lawyers usually need to get involved to find out exactly what caused the crash and determine who is the most at-fault party, if any.
Damages
Damages don’t just refer to the damage of any property, it also refers to physical and emotional injuries and any lost income that someone suffers due to an accident. When negotiating a settlement for the accident, all of these things will be taken into account. Damages are usually the main point of contention once one party has admitted to being at fault, and again, this is why it’s worth having a car accident attorney on your case.
Proving negligence in a car accident came isn’t always straightforward as it depends on many factors. Taking legal advice is always advised.
Should You Go See a Doctor Even If You Don’t Notice Any Health Issues After a Car Accident?
Even a minor car accident can be very traumatic and upsetting and it is the sort of incident that can easily leave a mental as well as a physical scar.
The mental trauma can be immediate in the aftermath of an accident but it is possible that the physical impact of the incident might not be immediate.
It could be that your car accident will result in a personal injury claim and one issue that you will need to consider if this is the case, is how you can protect your health as well as your legal rights if your accident injuries are not immediately apparent.
Here is an overview of what might be happening to your body after suffering a car accident and some suggestions on what medical action you might need to take.
Your body will react to an accident
A fundamental point about being involved in such a traumatic event as a car accident is that there is a clearly defined physical response to the event that could delay the onset of a reaction to the incident.
Your body will initiate a physiological reaction to something as frightening and challenging as being involved in a car accident and this means that your levels of adrenaline and endorphins will be much higher than normal.
What this means is that this natural chemical reaction will be trying to block the feelings of pain and giving your body the opportunity to delay its reaction to the trauma.
Inevitably, your adrenaline level will subside and this is the point where you might start to experience a level of physical pain that you were not immediately aware of shortly after the crash.
You might think you feel fine straight after the accident but it could be that your body is delaying the reaction, so it makes sense to seek medical attention if you think you don’t need it because your body is protecting you.
Soft tissue injuries take longer to impact
If you break a leg or arm in an accident you know about it immediately in terms of physical appearance, but you can suffer soft tissue damage on impact and that could take a while to come to the surface.
When you are involved in a car accident you are subjecting your body to a violent impact, even when you were not traveling at much speed, and it is this scenario that inevitably puts a great deal of stress on your joints.
It also has the potential to affect your ligaments, muscles, and tendons, all of which are classed as soft tissue.
A very typical example of this sort of reaction would be when you develop what is known as a whiplash injury.
This occurs when your head and neck are jolted suddenly and violently on impact and a whiplash injury can take days or even weeks to fully develop.
Don’t ignore any pain or discomfort you are experiencing after the accident, as there is a chance that these could be symptoms of whiplash or similar injury.
Something going on inside your head
Head injuries can be notoriously challenging to identify, especially in the immediate aftermath of a car accident.
The major issue with a concussion injury is that there could some serious problems developing within your skull and brain but it may not be obvious straight away.
Symptoms you have to look out for included a noticeable deterioration in your ability to think clearly and concentrate, and some physical reactions such as nausea, constant headaches, blurred vision, and feeling dizzy.
This is not an exhaustive list of symptoms and the main point to remember is that you should always be mindful that you may have suffered a concussion after an accident and it pays to be vigilant and act if you suffer any symptoms associated with concussion.
Get a professional opinion
Even if you think you feel fine or only experience a mild level of pain and discomfort after the accident it is still considered prudent to get your injuries and general physical condition evaluated as soon as possible.
Although you may not be thinking about any compensation claim at such an early stage after the crash it should be noted that your actions could have a big impact on the outcome of any subsequent claim you make.
It is best practice to cover all the bases by getting a doctor to evaluate your condition as it provides some reassurance that you are going to be fine and the fact that there is a documented history that you sought medical attention should help substantiate your claim at a later date.
Not going to see your doctor or visiting a hospital after the accident is not a good move on two counts.
Firstly, you could be risking a delayed physical response to your injuries going undetected and that means you may be vulnerable to a head injury, for example, that should have been treated and could develop into something more serious if left unchecked.
Secondly, you could be harming your ability to make a claim for compensation if you can’t subsequently demonstrate that you sought medical attention for your injuries, as this could be viewed that you didn’t suffer that badly, even if it turns out you did.
The overriding point to remember is that just because your body and mind are telling you that you feel perfectly fine, even if you are bit shaken by the incident, there is always the chance that you are not in as good a shape as you might think.
It is never a pleasant experience when you are involved in a car accident and it’s only natural that you might want to try and put the situation behind you as quickly as possible, but that is a feeling that you should work hard to resist.
Get your body checked over to make sure that everything is actually ok and then you can focus on getting some compensation for the accident to help you get back on track as quickly as possible.
How to Determine Who’s at Fault in an Accident and What to Do Next
The average person will be involved in 3-4 accidents in their lifetime. If you’re a driver, chances are you’ll have to deal with the aftermath of an accident more than once.
When an auto accident does occur, it must be determined who’s at fault in order to deal with the resulting expenses. If you’ve recently been in an accident, there are a few things you should know about this process.
Read on for our guide on how to determine who’s at fault for an accident.
Negligence: Who’s At Fault Here?
Determining who’s at fault for an auto accident all comes down to negligence. Who’s negligence led to the accident? Depending on the case, there could be more than one guilty party in the equation.
Here are the main situations that could happen here:
- Comparative negligence is used in some states. This means that each driver is assigned a percentage of guilt. If this system is used, the guilty party’s liability can be reduced based on the actions of the other driver(s).
- Contributory negligence means one person is at fault. In these cases, one driver is responsible for all the liability and expenses incurred.
Depending on the system used, each driver is determined to be wholly or partially at fault. This becomes the foundation for the accident investigation.
Gathering Evidence
When an accident is being investigated, all evidence is taken into consideration. This includes statements made by the drivers involved, statements from witnesses, and any traffic violations that occurred.
The combined evidence will tell the story of the accident, ultimately determining who’s at fault for damages to property and personal injuries. If you’re involved in an accident, take photos and videos of your own and gather as much information as you can. It may help your case while the fault is being determined.
Observing the Aftermath
When determining who’s at fault for an accident, there are circumstances that almost always lead to an indication of guilt. For example, if it’s a rear-end collision, it’s usually the driver who does the rear-ending at fault. Left-turners are often determined to be at fault as well.
However, there are special occasions that deviate from the usual liabilities. If someone runs a red light and hits a left-turning vehicle, then that driver is at fault. A rear-ender may also have occurred if the vehicle in front stopped too quickly.
To figure out who’s at fault for an accident, the aftermath is observed as well as the events that caused it. Once all the facts are considered, the decision is made.
Avoid Admitting You’re At Fault
When you’re in an accident, it can be tempting to smooth things over by apologizing to the other driver, even if you’re not at fault. However, it’s important that you avoid apologizing or otherwise admitting guilt at any point during the investigation.
When you’re cooperating with authorities, it’s also important that you stick to objective facts and observations. Don’t admit to any negligence or oversights on your end, whether or you’re at fault or not.
Save your thoughts and concerns for your auto accident lawyer while you’re figuring out your case. Regardless of the circumstances, they’ll be able to help you achieve the best possible outcome.
Get Legal Assistance Today
If you’ve been in an accident, don’t panic. Even if you’re found to be at fault, a good lawyer can help you navigate the proceedings. By seeking good counsel, you can receive the best outcome from your case.
Check out our lawyer directory today to find lawyers in your area.
The Steps to Take if You Are Injured by an Impaired Driver
None of us wants to find ourselves in a car accident. Whether as a driver, passenger or pedestrian, car crashes can be terrifying experiences. It is because of the potential severity of these crashes that drivers are required to be licensed and to follow certain rules of the road.
One of the most important of these rules and regulations is the requirement to not drive while drunk, intoxicated or otherwise impaired. When drivers overlook this very important rule, they are putting themselves and others in harm’s way.
If you are injured in a car accident by someone who has been drinking, there are certain steps you can take after the event to ensure that you are compensated and justice is served.
Call the Police
The first thing you need to do if you are hit by a drunk driver is to call the police. Notifying them will generate a record of the incident, which will help when you are claiming insurance or compensation. Not calling the police doesn’t just let a drink driver off the hook, it will also deprive you of vital evidence going forward.
Even if you aren’t seriously injured and are able to walk away from the incident, you should still make sure that you let the police know.
Cooperate with the Police
After you make a report to the police, they will then need to conduct an investigation. As part of this process, they will need to interview you about the accident and gather as many details as possible. Accidents are often stressful and it can be traumatic reliving them again. However, it is important that you do your best to give investigators the details they need.
Make sure that when you are giving your account to the police, you don’t embellish or exaggerate your story. Stick to the facts and let them speak for themselves. If things are as simple as the driver was drunk and you have been injured, that’s more than enough for you to report it and seek compensation. There’s no need to make things seem more dramatic than they are.
Seek Medical Treatment
Even if you feel physically fine, you should still get checked out by a doctor. In car crashes where you experience a sudden deceleration, you can give yourself internal bleeding. This can be symptomless until you eventually suffer the ill effects of blood loss.
It’s also normal for a car accident to have a negative impact on someone’s emotional health. If you feel more stressed and upset than usual following a car crash, make sure you tell your doctor.
Seek Compensation
Whenever you are injured due to someone else’s actions, there is usually a good case for compensation. You will need to speak to a personal injury lawyer, preferably one that specializes in the type of injury you have suffered. For example, if you need a Jersey City law firm, Greenberg, Walden & Grossman are the perfect choice to handle your case.
None of us wants to have to experience the trauma of a car accident. However, it is something that could happen to any one of us and so it is important that we know how to deal with it ahead of time.
How to Choose a Car Accident Attorney
Finding yourself a victim of a car accident is a frightening time to say the least. Even when the accident isn’t extremely serious, there can still be plenty of damage that you’re left to deal with. Things such as a damaged vehicle, medical bills, and even a loss of income while you take time off work to recover can all become your reality very suddenly.
With so much to deal with, it’s usually quite wise to hire on a car accident attorney who will fight for your rights and compensation. This will allow you to focus on other things, such as your recovery, without all the stress of dealing with the details such as insurance companies. But did you know that choosing just any old attorney isn’t exactly the best way to go about things? In fact, there are a number of key things that you should consider as you look for that ideal car accident attorney, as we will discuss.
Find One with Experience
The first tip is by far the most important – you want to find a car accident attorney with experience in the state in which the accident occurred. This means they will understand the law, the process, and what your expected outcome will likely look like. The best way to know for sure if the attorney you are considering using is experienced is to ask. Ask how many car accident cases they have taken on, as well as what their record of success has been. Think of it as a job interview and you are the employer.
You may also want to inquire into if the attorney has experience taking cases to trial. Sometimes this is necessary, so you want to know the attorney will be able to stand up for you in the court.
Discuss What Their Plan Would Be for Your Case
You can also ask the attorney what their plan would be, how they would approach your case and what your options are. You want to be sure that their plan matches up with your expectations so that you aren’t left feeling disappointed in the end. Sometimes it’s good just to hear what your legal rights are. This alone can help you to determine your course of action.
Questions are something that a good car accident attorney should welcome, according to car accident attorney Bell and Pollock who are always happy to discuss their clients’ possible courses of action. It’s a way of ensuring both client and attorney are on the same page.
Do You Feel Comfortable Talking to the Attorney?
Then there is the attorney-client relationship. This is something that is extremely important as you want to feel comfortable talking to them, have trust in them, and believe they are looking out for your best interests at all times. Obviously, this isn’t something you can determine through an email or a quick phone call, so an in-person consultation is usually best.
At the end of the day a car accident attorney can very much help you through a rough period in your life, making sure that you get all the compensation that you deserve.
In a Car Accident? Preserve your Right to Compensation
When life throws you a major curveball, especially one that comes out of left field, it can be difficult to think on your toes quickly enough to react with grace and stay levelheaded. And one of the most sudden and, often literally, physically jolting examples is a car accident.
If you are involved in some sort of automobile wreck and the other driver is at fault, you are almost always owed some level or form of compensation. But this does not just come to you without any work. You must remain vigilant during the process, from the moment you step out of the car on the scene of the accident, in order to reap the full benefit of your legal rights.
Here are a few key considerations to follow immediately after an accident.
Document the Scene ASAP
Thorough documentation of an accident is paramount in your efforts to get compensation after a wreck. In the heat of a stressful moment, it can be really easy to skip some of the important steps. Even though you may be feeling frazzled, try your best to remember a few key things:
- Contact the Police. While there are many situations wherein contacting the police may seem unnecessary, when it comes to seeking compensation for damages a police report is a huge benefit. When all goes as it should, law enforcement serves as an unbiased party that will objectively record data and gather accounts from all perspectives. Documentation of objective truth in this way will come in handy later on.
- Take photographs. Photo evidence is also incredibly helpful when making a case for financial compensation. Pictures of any physical damage to property or to your person are helpful, as well as pictures of the surrounding area and relevant traffic signage.
- Talk to witnesses if available. While there will not always be eyewitnesses when an accident occurs, if there are it makes a big difference to seek them out and ask for their testimony. Collect their contact information if they are willing to share it.
- Collect all contact info from involved parties. This primarily means getting the insurance information, driver’s license number, and phone number of the other person involved in the accident. Take a picture of their license plate as well.
Seek Medical Attention if Necessary
In a perfect world, seeking medical attention will be totally unnecessary. But if you were caused any sort of physical harm or believe there is any chance that you may develop injuries as a result of the accident, visit a medical professional with urgency. This way there is a specific paper trail tracing any future ailments to the accident. Being proactive medically now means it will be harder for anyone to argue that your injuries are from sources other than the accident.
Get Estimates for Property Damage
Many people involved in traffic accidents in Sarasota and cities across the country with high accident rates often overlook the critical step of seeking estimates for damage after an accident. If you wait to get estimates until you are asked by the insurance adjuster, you may miss out on some compensation. Building a strong case ahead of time for the financial damages makes a big difference when it comes down to getting the money you deserve.
Contact an Experienced Lawyer
At the end of the day, it is always advisable to seek the support and guidance of an experienced legal team. With the help of skilled experts, you can rest easy knowing that you will get the compensation you deserve.
What Compensation Can You Expect in an Auto Accident Case?
When you are in an auto accident, the last thing you want to worry about is how you will cover your losses. Yet the compensation you receive when you are injured by someone else’s negligence is important. To protect yourself and your finances, it is a good idea to contact an attorney to represent you. First, you need to understand what compensation is available for those injured in auto accidents.
Medical Treatment
If you are injured in an auto accident that was the fault of another driver, you have a right to compensation for all of your medical treatment. This includes prescriptions, physical therapy, and any ongoing medical treatment that will be required relating to the accident. Some car insurance companies will try to only compensate you for your initial medical bills, without taking into consideration the additional costs you may be facing. This is one reason you should hire an attorney to represent you.
Loss of Wages
If your injuries from the auto accident were severe enough that you missed work, you can be compensated for loss of wages. You can only get compensation for the hours that you missed directly due to the auto accident, generally for recovery or medical treatment. If you are placed on restrictions due to your injuries that cause you to miss time at work, these wages should also be included in your total compensation.
Property Damage
Property damage is the most cut and dry of the compensation you will receive from an auto accident claim. You should be compensated for all of the necessary related repairs to your vehicle. If your vehicle cannot be reasonably repaired, you should receive compensation for the total value of the vehicle. This will allow you to purchase another vehicle as a replacement. If you had aftermarket parts that were damaged in the accident, these should also be repaired or replaced.
Pain and Suffering
You may be able to get additional compensation for pain and suffering, particularly if your injuries are going to lead to a lasting disability. If your injuries are so severe that you will require ongoing medical treatment and extended time off from work, you should be compensated for the costs and lost wages that will result. If you are unable to continue working in your current field you may be entitled to additional compensation.
If you have been injured in an auto accident, it is important that you contact an attorney as soon as possible. You will need to have someone fighting in your corner, negotiating with the car insurance companies, and protecting your rights to compensation for all of your losses. Do not hesitate in contacting an attorney, as many lawyers will give you a consultation at no charge. You can also typically get your legal fees covered in the settlement with the car insurance company or the at fault party.
When Should You Contact an Attorney After an Auto Accident?
When you are in an auto accident, you may think you’re covered because you or the person responsible for the accident has car insurance. However, there are several situations in which the existence of a car insurance policy does not guarantee your fair and reasonable compensation. If you have been in an auto accident, you should consider contacting an attorney for a consultation, especially if any of these scenarios apply.
The Other Driver Doesn’t Have Insurance
If the other driver in an auto accident does not have car insurance, you need to contact an attorney. In order for the negligent party to be held accountable, you must have someone fighting on your side to get compensation. Typically, these situations end in a courtroom. If you don’t have a lawyer working for you, you may not get the compensation you deserve. While you can file small claims without an attorney, having an attorney is the best way to guarantee that you will receive the required compensation for your injuries.
Car Insurance Isn’t Paying
Car insurance companies are in the business of offering insurance, not paying out claims. Most of them will do everything they can to prevent paying on a claim. If your car insurance company or the company of the other driver is refusing to compensate you for your injuries and damages, you may need an attorney to negotiate with the insurance company for you.
The same is true if you do not feel that the compensation being offered by the car insurance company is fair and covers all of your costs. When you are injured in an auto accident, you have a right to compensation for your property damage, medical bills, and any ongoing treatments, as well as lost wages due to missed work from your injuries. Many car insurance companies will attempt to only pay a fraction of your total losses.
Before signing anything, you should contact an attorney for assistance. Once you sign documents accepting an insurance settlement or cash their check, you will be unable to get any further compensation for the incident. If you have any questions about whether or not the settlement you are getting from the insurance company is fair, it is best to discuss it with an attorney before signing.
Your Injuries are Disabling
If your injuries from an auto accident caused a disability that will affect the rest of your life, you need to contact an attorney to represent you. In these cases, compensation may be available for your loss of job and income, your ongoing medical treatment, and medical appliances such as canes or walkers. You may also be able to get additional compensation for pain and suffering, as well as loss of a caregiver if you are unable to care for an elderly or minor family member.
If you have been in an auto accident, the best option is to contact an attorney right away. Many of them will offer a free consultation.
