A car accident is traumatic enough battling an insurance company alone only adds to your stress. If you suffered severe injuries due to the negligence of another driver and their insurance company refuses to pay, you may want to hire a lawyer. A personal injury lawyer can help you by fighting for the compensation you deserve.
- Negligence 101
- Dangerous Drivers and Liability
- Proving Negligence
- The Dangers of Accepting a Settlement Without a Lawyer
- Car Accident Injuries: Your Medical Expenses
- Types of Compensation
- Why You Must Act Quickly
- Lawyer Fees: How Contingency-Based Fees Work
- Reluctant Insurance Company Fighting You? A Car Accident Attorney Can Help
Negligence 101
Operating a motor vehicle of any type requires training, skills, and a license. Obeying traffic laws, rules, and regulations is the responsibility of each driver. When one driver fails to maintain control of their vehicle, causing another driver bodily harm, they are generally negligent.
Negligence is a crucial component in personal injury claims and lawsuits. Your lawyer must prove that the careless driver was negligent in pursuing compensation for your damages. Simply put, the driver responsible for your harm failed to use the same care a reasonably careful person would use in a similar circumstance.
Dangerous Drivers and Liability
Reckless actions and careless behavior can cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles. Unfortunately, there is generally nothing one can do to escape impact with a drunk, distracted, or otherwise negligent driver.
Driver distraction is a growing concern, as smartphones become an increasingly main form of communication. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), texting behind the wheel involves all three primary forms of distraction: visual, manual, and cognitive.
Distracted driving is not limited to smartphone use. A study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety noted drivers’ programming of navigational devices as a significant distraction. Other distractions include applying makeup, eating, and passengers.
Aggressive driving is another concern as more and more drivers take to the roads.
Research shows that millions engage in such reckless actions as:
- Speeding
- Purposely tailgating
- Running red lights
- Honking or making rude gestures at other drivers
This type of dangerous driving can escalate into road rage, resulting in a severe accident. If your accident injuries result from a driver who failed to share the road, you may want to contact a lawyer without delay.
The driver responsible for your injuries is most likely liable for your damages. Most personal injury lawyers offer free case evaluations, leaving you nothing to lose by reaching out to one today.
A free case evaluation is an essential first step toward holding the driver accountable for your harm. If the driver faces criminal charges for the accident, you may still pursue compensation via a civil claim and lawsuit.
Proving Negligence
Insurance companies want to protect their bottom line. To do so, they sometimes deny claims or offer accident victims an unfair settlement. Hiring a personal injury attorney as soon as possible is a critical step when it comes to your claim and lawsuit.
Chances are your serious injuries afford you no time for phone calls, paperwork, and aggressive insurance adjusters.
While you rest and recover, your attorney can:
- Review police reports
- Examine accident scene photographs
- Interview witnesses
- Build a strong case for compensation
These are just a few examples of the types of evidence and information gathered after a car accident. Most personal injury cases settle without going to trial. However, negotiating a fair settlement is imperative, and best left to an experienced attorney.
Any attempts at handling your claim alone can leave you without the compensation you desperately need. Your attorney can easily spot attempts by the insurance company designed to underpay your claim. Then, if necessary, a lawyer with trial experience can take your case before a judge and jury.
The Dangers of Accepting a Settlement Without a Lawyer
The few seconds of a traumatic car accident can forever change your life. Lying in a hospital bed can leave you feeling frustrated and overwhelmed by your situation. Mounting medical bills and an inability to work can cause you sleepless nights. Unfortunately, most accident victims do not realize that accepting a settlement offer now can affect their lives later.
A settlement offer may seem like a large amount of money. However, it is most likely the least amount of money they want to pay to the insurance company. The most crucial factor to note is that once you accept a settlement, you cannot pursue a lawsuit later. Your claim is now closed, and no further action regarding compensation is possible.
Car accidents can result in severe and sometimes permanent injuries. While your future medical costs are difficult to predict, fighting for a fair settlement now is imperative should your medical condition worsen.
A car accident lawyer can protect your best interests by negotiating a settlement that:
- Provides for your damages now
- Covers any future medical needs relating to your injuries
Car Accident Injuries: Your Medical Expenses
Medical care is not cheap; in fact, it is costly. From air ambulance transport to the hospital or trauma center to continuous care for a permanent injury, the costs can quickly surpass your net worth.
A violent car accident can leave victims with one or more of the following serious injuries, all of which involve extensive and expensive care:
Traumatic brain injury (TBI): A bump, blow, jolt to the head, or penetrating head injury disrupts normal brain function. Memory problems, loss of sensations, and muscle weakness are just a few examples of how TBI affects accident victims.
A severe TBI may require around-the-clock care. A skilled nursing facility averages thousands of dollars per month. This cost is impossible for most accident victims and something the responsible driver not you should pay.
Spinal Cord Injury: The spinal cord is something most of us take for granted. It performs a vital function of sending and receiving messages from the brain regarding movement and sensation. When the spinal cord experiences damage, this communication becomes limited or stops.
According to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, the lifetime costs of such an injury can reach millions of dollars. In addition, home modifications and other related needs contribute to a patient’s expenses. As with the TBI, the responsible driver is liable for the expenses associated with a spinal cord injury caused by negligence.
Broken bones: An especially traumatic crash can result in more than a broken arm. With hundreds of bones in the human body, multiple fractures are possible in a car accident.
The type of break and the care needed determine the length of your recovery. Broken limbs alone can impact your ability to work and complete basic tasks. In addition, personal and medical care costs can quickly build and exceed more than you can afford.
Internal injuries: Severe injuries that are invisible to the naked eye are hazardous. Internal bleeding, for example, can cause organ damage and result in death if left untreated. Only a medical professional using imaging equipment can determine if you suffered internal harm.
These injuries are a small list of the types of harm possible in a severe car accident. An insurance company representing the responsible driver may not want to pay your expenses. An insurance adjuster may attempt to blame you for the accident. Consider hiring a personal injury lawyer if you face a challenging and reluctant insurance company.
Types of Compensation
The damage you experience due to a negligent driver includes more than your injuries. Serious injuries and medical bills are a vital component of personal injury claims and lawsuits. However, many car accident victims experience a variety of damage.
No civil case is alike, and your lawyer cannot promise or guarantee compensation.
Your lawyer can, however, fight for compensation regarding such damages as:
- Lost wages: The income missed due to your recovery.
- Future earnings: The income possible if your injuries prevent you from returning to your job.
- Medical bills: The cost of care for your immediate transport to the hospital, doctors’ fees, and more.
- Ongoing medical costs: The expenses associated with long-term care such as therapy, prescription medications, and rehabilitation.
- Pain and suffering: The mental, physical, psychological, and emotional impact of the driver’s negligence on your quality of life.
Your injuries and significant life changes are unfair. The damage you experienced due to another driver’s negligence deserves fair compensation. You can rest easy knowing your case is in good hands by hiring a lawyer.
Why You Must Act Quickly
Insurance companies can purposely drag out the legal process. Unreturned phone calls and other tactics can affect your case. The statute of limitations requires that personal injury lawsuits reach court promptly.
Failure to file your civil lawsuit within the required statute of limitations can leave you with no further legal options. In addition, the statute of limitations provides no second chances for pursuing compensation. Therefore, you must contact an attorney as soon as possible.
Building a solid case for compensation takes time something not on your side. Your lawyer must act quickly to review the evidence and determine the best approach to your case. The sooner you contact a law firm for a free case evaluation, the faster they can get to work on your behalf.
A reluctant insurance company is a headache you do not need during this stressful time. Your injuries and life changes are more than enough to deal with as you endure treatments, procedures, and pain.
Your lawyer can keep you informed about the status of your case. If you suffered severe injuries due to another driver’s negligence, consider hiring a lawyer now.
Lawyer Fees: How Contingency-Based Fees Work
Do not let fear and uncertainty about legal fees prevent you from seeking help with your claim and lawsuit. Most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, meaning they only collect their fee if they secure compensation for you. In other words, if they do not win, you do not pay.
Insurance companies are too skilled to take on alone. Most insurance companies have lawyers by their side, helping them fight to pay accident victims what they deserve.
Hiring a lawyer to help you does not require a deposit or a retainer. Instead, a free case evaluation and contingency-fee representation provide an opportunity for you to pursue justice from those responsible for your harm.
You cannot afford not to hire an attorney to help you through this challenging time. Your health and recovery are paramount allowing a lawyer to represent your best interests can save you time and precious energy.
Reluctant Insurance Company Fighting You? A Car Accident Attorney Can Help
The time following a tragic car accident is overwhelming and confusing. However, if you feel anxious about your mounting medical bills, along with your inability to work, an attorney can help you.
Reluctant insurance companies do not want to go to court, if possible. A trial is expensive and time-consuming. Most insurance companies will negotiate to settle your claim out of court. A personal injury lawyer with experience in insurance company negotiations can help you with your case.
What happened to you was most likely preventable had the other driver used care. However, if your drive to work or the store resulted in life-altering harm, an attorney can help you fight a reluctant insurance company for compensation.
While life may never return to the way it was before the accident, possible compensation can ease your stress. Your lawyer will work hard to secure the best possible outcome of your case.
There is no quick solution to your situation. A settlement offer can harm more than help. It is in your best interests not to sign or accept any offer without consulting a lawyer first.
Time is of the utmost importance. If your injuries forever changed your life, consider making a call to a lawyer for a free case evaluation today. It is an important first step toward pursuing compensation for your damages.