A car accident can leave you with an auto bodily injury. If you were not at fault for the accident, you may be eligible for compensation to cover your medical bills, as well as any missed wages. Car insurance includes auto bodily injury coverage, so you may get money from either your insurance or that of the person that caused the accident. However, bodily injury and property damage insurance can sometimes take a long time. Or your insurance company may try to avoid paying you the full amount you should receive. This is why it is so important to hire an attorney to help you.
A personal injury attorney can specialize in a number of different things. For instance, a slip and fall attorney will be more experienced in handling injury cases that are due to negligence. You want a lawyer who understands auto accidents. They will be able to help you figure out bodily injury & property damage liability how much, as well as negotiate with the insurance companies if they try to change it. Having a lawyer on your side will make the process much easier.
Raw statistics:
- Worldwide, 1.2 million die in car accidents every year.
- In the United States alone, three million people are injured every year in car accidents.
- U.S. car accident annual total: six million.
The major causes of negligence are becoming more known. Millions of drivers drive under the influence every year. The high peak times surround holidays–New Year’s Eve, Fourth of July, Labor Day. These major holidays become peaks for impaired driving and lead to injuries.
Every day, the youth, middle, and older aged Americans drive while looking at their mobile devices. Not limited to texting and driving, distracted driving includes using data while driving, include watching videos, taking social media pictures, making social media posts, and even checking the news. Distracted driving claimed nearly 3,500 lives in 2015 alone.
Car accidents are quickly being seen as a focal point for litigation. More measures are being passed in Congress to curb distracted driving and form stricter standards and harsher punishments for driving under the influence.
For those who have been in a car accident and sustained an injury, the initial thought is how to get help. Many injuries, however minor, need to be seen at a hospital. While many injuries may seem minor, like a little neck soreness, the health implications can be much more than that. X-rays can help determine the full extent of the injury.
That costs money. Hospitals charge a standard fee for being assessed, then bill for all the procedures and tests done. X-rays cost money. MRIs cost money. Tests for balance, any blood issues, fractures, and so forth will cost money. For those in America that do not have insurance that covers emergency room expenses in full may see themselves paying hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.
For this reason alone, many seek out the counsel of a car accident attorney. A car accident attorney is a man or woman that is skilled and has expertise in the area of personal injury litigation. They help you get the most money to cover your medical expenses, as well as any emotional trauma that has been caused.
Car accident attorneys might often advertise on local television stations, on billboards, or in newspapers. Certainly a quick search with your location, such as “personal injury attorney in Redding” may lead to the most popular attorneys in the area. While they may have gotten a bad rap in the past, car accident attorneys are their to advocate for their client. Many don’t get paid until the settlement is won.
There are many reasons someone will seek out a car accident attorney. Perhaps the person who has sustained a personal injury believes it will be chronic. Because this injury lingers year in and year out, it may require more medical expenses than an injury that heals quickly. It’s also possible that the injury keeps the individual out of work for a few months. This leads to lost income and the family of that person will suffer.
Personal injury attorneys–a subset of which specialize as car accident attorneys–understand the laws, local, state, and federal, that govern personal injury cases. They should know which dockets it’s best to file in and with what argument to approach the case.
For anyone seeking a car accident attorney or a personal injury attorney, always consider looking around first, instead of going with the attorney that approaches you. Hear from what friends and family members or even acquaintances have to say and who they might recommend. Ask the attorneys the cases they have won and push to see a track record. Ask about their educational background, what high profile cases they have won, and so forth.
Rather than let an attorney dictate to you what the terms are, be an advocate for yourself and understand what you want out of the court case. Never hesitate to ask a question and look for a lawyer’s personable skills, including availability, to determine whether you are a good fit for each other.
Finally, understand, that while 95% of personal injury cases are settled out of court, the process may take several months if not longer. It is an investment of time and resources.