OBTAINING COMPENSATION AFTER A CAR ACCIDENT
What damages can you recover after a car accident?
An insurance company may make you a low-ball settlement offer after a car crash. However, a car accident attorney can help you get maximize compensation for the following:
- Medical costs
- Rehabilitation
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Physical limitations
- Disfigurement
- Loss of consortium
- Property damage
- Car rental and towing
What Should I Do After a Car Accident?
Seek Medical Treatment
Even if your injuries don’t appear right away, seek medical attention as quickly as possible. In the aftermath of a car accident, you may experience a rush of emotions and adrenaline, which could mask symptoms of serious injuries. Car accident injuries often take time to manifest themselves. After a few days, what initially seemed like a minor ache could become a much bigger problem.
Prompt medical treatment serves many purposes. First, it may shorten your recovery time by allowing you to identify your injuries quickly and treat them properly. Second, every time you see a doctor or medical provider, he or she will create records that describe your symptoms and record their diagnosis and treatment recommendations. These records serve as valuable evidence in your car accident claim.
When you meet with a doctor, give them an honest, accurate description of your accident and symptoms. The doctor should record this information in your medical records, linking the crash to your injuries. Both insurance companies and the courts rely heavily on these records when they review claims.
In addition, you also should call a car accident lawyer. Insurance companies frequently delay or deny valid injury claims. An experienced attorney can ensure that you don’t fall prey to bad faith practices.
Collect Your Evidence
If you are able to get out of the car and move around, you should gather as much information as possible. Make sure you get the name and contact information of the other driver and any witnesses. Take pictures of the scene and write an account of what happened. Call the police and make an official report of the crash.
You’ll also want to review all of the insurance policies involved in your accident. Depending on the circumstances surrounding your crash, you may have multiple claims, including:
- Liability claim against a negligent driver
- Med-pay or personal injury protection (PIP) claim with your insurance company (if you have this optional coverage)
- Uninsured and underinsured motorist claim with your insurance company
- Product liability claim if your accident was caused by a defective or dangerous vehicle or auto part
- Dram shop liability claim if a bar or restaurant knowingly overserved a drunk driver
Identifying these claims and reviewing insurance policy documents can be an intimidating process. An attorney can examine your case, explain your options, and help you with the process of filing a claim for compensation.
Consult with an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer
To sum it up, if an insurance company tries to contact you right after the accident, be careful about making statements that could hurt your case later. The insurance adjuster might seem sympathetic, but his or her job is to review car accident claims and deny as many of them as possible. Without the guidance of a lawyer, you could easily make mistakes that lead to a denied claim. Your lawyer can help you prepare for a recorded statement, if one should be done at that point, and ensure that your forms are completed correctly.
It’s also important that you act quickly. Car accident claims involve relatively short filing deadlines. If you miss these deadlines, you’ll lose your right to compensation – no matter how strong your claim would have been. In other words, the sooner you speak with Hall-Justice Law Firm, the sooner he or she will start investigating your claim, collecting evidence, and filing the appropriate paperwork.
Common Causes of Car Accidents
Car crashes may be caused by driver error, mechanical malfunction, or environmental situations. They include:
- Distracted driving
- Drunk driving
- Driver fatigue
- Speeding
- Reckless or aggressive driving
- Failure to obey traffic signals
- Failure to follow traffic laws
- Defective parts
- Potholes and broken roads
- Construction zones
What Do You Need in Order to Prove Negligence?
Most car accidents claims focus on negligence, meaning that you must prove that the at fault driver:
- Owed you a duty of care (such as a driver’s duty to operate a vehicle in a reasonably safe manner or a manufacturer’s duty to manufacture reasonably safe products)
- Violated this duty of care
- The violation caused your injuries
- You suffered damages, such as lost income, pain and suffering, and medical expenses, due to your injuries
Indiana law imposes strict requirements on accident claims and weighs your comparative fault for the accident. A car accident lawyer can help you gather evidence for your claim and ensure that fault is accurately assessed.
Car Accidents Can Cause Serious Injuries
Common injuries that occur in car accidents often include:
- Head and traumatic brain injuries – Because there is little protection for your head, skull and brain injuries are common in car accidents. You may be thrown forward and hit your head on the steering wheel or dashboard during a crash.
- Neck, back, and spinal cord injuries – Car crashes put enormous force on bodies in vehicles. This force can cause whiplash and other injuries to vertebrae.
- Internal damage – Internal organs are often damaged during crashes due to severe force and the body being moved violently.
- Soft tissue damage – Bumps, bruises, and lacerations can result from minor or serious impacts between vehicles. These can result in severe bleeding and blood loss.
Talk To A Car Accident Attorney At Hall-Justice LLC Today
We understand how difficult it can be for car accident victims to cope with all the consequences of a serious car crash. When you hire a car accident attorney at Hall-Justice LLC to represent you, we will have your back and be with you through the entire process. Let us take the burden of medical bills off your shoulder and get you the personal justice you deserve.
