Car accident lawyers help you recover financial compensation to cover medical bills, lost wages, and property damage. They can also protect your legal rights when dealing with insurance companies.
Duluth Car Accident lawyers understand how to deal with the insurance company, negotiating a fair settlement without going to court. They can counter lowball offers and provide evidence to support your case.
Medical Treatment
Car accident injuries can range from lacerations and bruises to broken bones, internal organ damage, spinal cord damage, and even traumatic brain injury. These injuries can be very costly to treat and may result in ongoing medical expenses and rehabilitative services. Additionally, victims often experience financial hardship due to lost income from missing work and increased costs of everyday living. While no dollar amount can erase the pain and suffering associated with a crash, financial compensation can help to ease your burdens so that you can focus on healing.
The most important step is to get checked out by a medical professional, whether at the hospital or an emergency room at an urgent care clinic. A doctor can determine if your injuries are severe and will create a medical record that is linked to the accident. Many people are not aware of the extent of their injuries in the immediate aftermath of a car accident as they are running on adrenaline. This can lead to nagging issues that can significantly reduce your quality of life and require expensive surgeries down the line.
In addition to obtaining medical treatment, it is also important to keep all of your bills, vehicle repair estimates, and other documentation related to the crash. This will help ensure that you are fairly compensated for your losses. Car accident lawyers can help you gather this information and file a claim with the insurance company on your behalf.
It is essential to hire a car accident lawyer early in the process to avoid making mistakes that could be used against you later on by the insurance company. An attorney can protect your legal rights and pursue fair compensation that is enough to cover all of your losses. They can also calculate the cost of non-economic losses like emotional distress to ensure that you receive full and fair compensation. A lawyer works under what is known as a contingency fee agreement, which means that they do not get paid unless their case is successful. This arrangement ensures that you have access to the best possible legal representation without having to worry about paying upfront fees.
Lost Wages
Car accident injuries can make it difficult to cover everyday living expenses, especially if the injury keeps you out of work. The at-fault driver’s insurance should reimburse you for lost wages, which includes any money you would have earned if you were not injured in the accident. Your attorney can determine how much this compensation should be and fight to get you as much of it as possible.
The amount of your lost income depends on how much you earn and the number of days that you miss work due to your car accident injuries. It is important to keep a journal and track every day that you are not at work because of the accident so that your attorney can accurately calculate this amount. They will also take into consideration any vacation or sick pay that you use when you are away from work, as well as the cost of any childcare necessary to attend doctor’s appointments or other treatments.
Your car accident lawyer can also help you to recover damages for any future loss of earning potential that your injury has caused. This type of damage is called lost future earnings and can include any benefits that you might have been entitled to receive in the future, such as raises or promotions. A forensic economist may be required to help you calculate these amounts.
If the at-fault driver’s insurance refuses to pay you what you deserve, your car accident attorney can file a lawsuit on your behalf. They will conduct thorough investigations to gather video footage, source relevant police reports, and find eyewitness statements that support your case. Then they will present all of this evidence in a courtroom, arguing persuasively to get you the compensation that you need and deserve.
The process of pursuing compensation for all of the various costs related to a car accident can be overwhelming, but a competent car accident attorney can help you navigate it. They will collect and review all of the appropriate documents, ensure that they are organized and easy to read, and persuasively present them. They will negotiate with the insurer to settle your claim without going to trial if they can, but if they are not able to reach a fair agreement with the insurance company, they will be prepared to take your case to court if need be.
Pain And Suffering
Car accident injuries can cause pain and suffering that is difficult to quantify. This is because car accidents are often traumatic and the human body responds with an instinctive fight-or-flight response that may mask the extent of the injury. This is why it is so important to see a medical professional right after a collision and let them know of every ache or pain you are experiencing. Even if the pain seems minor, it should be taken seriously as it could lead to complications in the future.
When calculating your pain and suffering damages, a lawyer will take into account how your injuries have impacted your life. This includes any physical, emotional, and social impacts your injuries have had. It also takes into account your ongoing medical expenses and the cost of a home care aid if necessary. It can also include any hobbies or activities you have had to give up due to your injuries, like playing sports or going hiking. It can even include your loss of enjoyment of family events and activities such as holidays or birthdays.
The amount of pain and suffering a victim receives will depend on the severity of the injuries, how long they have been injured, and whether the injury is permanent. An experienced car accident attorney will help you determine the appropriate value for your subjective losses. They will use several methods, including the per diem method and multiplier, to calculate your awards.
Typically, the more severe the injuries are, the higher the compensation award will be. This is because they will have longer-lasting and more significant impacts on your life.
It’s important to note that even if your injuries are not severe, you could be entitled to compensation for pain and suffering. This is because some injuries, such as a herniated disc, can have lasting effects that make you more prone to future problems and other health issues. These types of injuries are referred to as “non-economic” damages and are compensated in addition to the more obvious economic damages like medical bills and lost wages.
Time Off Work
Injuries from car accidents often require a substantial amount of time off work. Some employers are under no obligation to provide paid time off and others may be hesitant to let an employee go in the wake of a car accident, particularly one that isn’t their fault. If you’ve been injured in a crash and your doctor has advised that it would be best to take time off from work, a lawyer can help make sure you get the time off you need to heal. They can also help you seek reimbursement for your lost wages from the negligent party responsible for the collision.
While no set number of days should be taken off from work following a car accident, attempting to return to the workplace before you are fully healed is likely to only further aggravate your injuries and could increase your recovery time. It can also complicate your legal case if you need to seek compensation for your losses from the at-fault party’s insurance company. A lawyer can ensure the insurance companies involved communicate with each other and do not harass you for unpaid bills. They can also keep debt collectors from contacting you, which can put additional stress on the healing process.
Car accident lawyers have a deep understanding of the nuances of automobile insurance laws and how to negotiate with insurers to secure maximum compensation for their clients. They will review police reports, medical records, and any other evidence related to the accident to establish a strong case for their client. They will also visit the scene of the crash to make observations and gather additional evidence and documentation.
The attorneys will consider all ways the accident has affected their client, including current and future medical treatment costs, missed shifts at work due to the injury, and pain and suffering damages. The attorney will also evaluate the likelihood of securing full compensation from the at-fault party or their insurance company.
During the initial consultation, your lawyer will assess the evidence in your case and determine if you have grounds to file a lawsuit against the liable party. You will be told how long the entire legal process can expect to take, what your potential financial benefits are, and whether a settlement is possible.