A car accident is a problem no one wants. They put lives at stake and can put you on a long road to injury recovery. However, sometimes we’re confronted with problems we didn’t ask for.
After a wreck, you’re likely dealing with injuries and seeking relief. You need some guidance that’ll get you through this tough time. Below we’ll dive into answers for some of the most common car accident questions.
The Answers to Your Car Accident Questions
Car accidents are a legal issue more often than not. You need to address the legal landscape so that you can get a payout for the damages and injuries you suffered.
Consider the following answers to these car accident questions:
1. Yes, You Should Talk to a Lawyer
No matter how much Court TV you watched, you’re not in a position to try your own case. Sure, you can contest a speeding ticket on your own, but car accident cases have too much at stake to risk it.
Speak to a lawyer and let them know point by point how the accident occurred. Following a brief consultation, the attorney should be able to let you know whether they can take your case.
Shop until you find the right lawyer, but never try to go it alone.
2. It’s Likely That Your Case Will Get Settled, Rather Than End in a Trial
The irony of needing a lawyer is that your car accident case most likely will never even make it to court. These cases get settled more than they get tried, so your lawyer will mainly be responsible for negotiating your payout.
Out of court matters get resolved quicker than back and forth trial hearings, so this isn’t a bad thing.
3. You’ll Need to Get Preliminary Medical Care and Keep Following Up
Go get checked out by a physician as soon as possible after your wreck. The doctor should put you through a series of tests to see what injuries you’re going to have to recover from.
Several people experience whiplash following a car accident due to the abrupt stop fo the vehicle after traveling several miles per hour. Injuries like spinal damage, concussions, and broken bones are common following a car wreck.
You’ll have several follow up appointments to check on the status of your health and to help you collect evidence for your case.
4. Your Lawyer Must Prove That the Other Driver Displayed Negligence
Once you have the help of a lawyer, their role is to work hard on your behalf to prove your rendition of what happened. They will go to bat for you proving that your injuries required medical care and that the plaintiff caused them through negligence.
This could mean proving that the other driver was speeding, ran a red light, drove recklessly, or just didn’t take your life and well-being into account.
5. Think About Your Entire Road to Recovery
It’s easy to get shortsighted when dealing with a personal injury case. Your car accident lawyer will oversee the process for you to make sure that you’re considering every aspect of the recovery process.
The attorney will help you to consider things like your rehab schedule, surgeries, and any kind of long-term care that you’ll have to receive. All of these things should be taken into account when it comes to your personal injury case.
Otherwise, you are going to end up low-balling yourself and not negotiating a big enough settlement to cover everything.
6. Get a Copy of the Accident Report
The accident report is one of the most important pieces of evidence to get for your case. Your lawyer can get this report from the highway patrol or whichever police jurisdiction responded to the scene.
This report breaks down several points of information about the accident, including the time of day, weather, directions of travel and speed of travel.
7. Don’t Contact the Other Driver Unless Your Lawyer Acts as a Go-Between
No, it’s not wise to contact the other driver. Many people lose their cool and end up saying something they regret, which in turn, ruins the case.
Don’t apologize either, because this can denote guilt, which ruins your entire legal grounds. Instead, limit all contact with the other party unless it’s through your lawyers.
You don’t want to take any chances with such stakes on the line.
8. Find Out How Long You Have to File Your Case
Though you’re likely working toward a settlement, you need to know the absolute last day you can file a court case. This is usually 2 years after the date of the accident.
You don’t want to let this date go by without progress on your situation, or else you may lose your right to recover damages. Make sure to document everything and keep your insurance company informed.
The more business-like you handle your accident case the better chance you will have to get an appropriate outcome.
Get Assistance With Your Car Accident Case
Now that you have helpful answers to these car accident questions, you owe it to yourself to take action. Make sure to hire the best lawyer you can find to take on your case.
When you reach out to a legal professional that does car accident cases, you can start pushing forward with a settlement that expedites your road to recovery. Your health and future depend on it, so make your best effort.
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