A variety of issues cause accidents in Utah, from speeding to drunk driving to severe weather conditions. In 2022, there were 289,065 accidents in the state and speeding caused 124,860. Some accidents end in a simple exchange of information, an insurance claim and fixes to the vehicles involved, but others are more complex and cause problems that last for decades.
Injuries are common in car accidents, and not all of them quickly resolve, with the injured moving on with life. Some have life-long effects, while others can lead to the ultimate tragedy of death. While you hope that your insurance company or the at-fault driver’s insurance company will cover any costs associated with the accident, this is not always the case.
Some drivers do not have adequate coverage through their insurance policy, and it may affect how much money you get for your medical bills, property repair, and any pain and suffering you deal with because of the accident. In some cases, your insurance company may not provide adequate funds for you to recover fully either. This is when it is beneficial to hire a car wreck lawyer to help you navigate the process and make sure you get the compensation you need to return to life after the accident.
A Lawyer Explains Your Rights
Very few people know their rights regarding a car accident until they must face the problem. When that happens, it is overwhelming to know the rules and laws while you are simply trying to recover physically and emotionally from an accident. Fortunately, a good car wreck lawyer knows the laws and your rights and can explain what you deserve.
If you were not at fault in the accident, you should not pay for any damages. A lawyer shows you how to protect yourself and make sure your best interests and rights are at the forefront of your case if you decide to file a personal injury lawsuit.
There is also a statute of limitations on personal injury cases, meaning you must file a lawsuit within a certain amount of time. Once that time has passed, you can no longer pursue damages in court unless under special circumstances. A car wreck lawyer can explain this to you, and understands when the clock stops or the statute of limitations pauses, which can extend the time you have to file a lawsuit.
A Lawyer Investigates the Accident
Anytime you are in a car accident, you should call the police so they can file a police report, take witness statements and issue a citation to the at-fault driver. All these things are important if you decide to file a personal injury lawsuit, or if you have to fight for compensation after the accident. Along with these things, a car wreck lawyer can hire people with experience to investigate and recreate the accident when necessary.
While most personal injury lawsuits settle before they go to court, an investigation or recreation of the accident is valuable if your case goes before a jury. It is highly unlikely that you have access to the same network of professionals who can prove that the accident was not your fault, but your auto wreck attorney works with people like this every day.
Calculate Future Losses and Financial Needs
If you are in a car accident, your financial needs can include everything from medical bills to lost wages if you must miss work. As an everyday citizen, you probably do not know where to even start calculating those amounts.
Injuries are not always treatable immediately, and you may require additional medical care for a long period of time. It is almost impossible to know these amounts before you complete treatment, but your car wreck lawyer knows more about making an estimate than you do.
Compensation may include lost wages, pain and suffering, medical bills and property repair for the vehicle damaged in the accident. If someone died in the accident, you can also seek compensation for wrongful death. While there is no perfect formula to determine what an accident costs, an attorney helps you document your costs and estimate what they are.
Answer Honestly About Your Situation
If your attorney does not feel like you have the evidence to support your case, they can give you advice to avoid a lawsuit. On the opposite side, if they feel you have a strong case, they help you file the lawsuit and fight for the correct amount of compensation. Not every car wreck leads to a lawsuit, and a good car accident lawyer is honest with you about your situation to help you avoid unnecessary costs or energy you do not have to spend.
Decide Whether to Settle or Fight
After an accident, an insurance company makes an offer for compensation. Often, these offers are minimal and not enough to cover the costs the injured party faces. This may be because the insurance company is strategically offering a lower amount or because the at-fault party does not have adequate coverage to cover your costs.
In either case, an attorney decides if you should accept the settlement or if your case is worth taking to court. If the insurance company refuses to budge and your attorney feels you have a strong case, they can not only advise you to refuse the offer, but they represent you in court as they fight for what you deserve.
This is an important part of the process because once you have accepted an insurance settlement, you forfeit your right to take the company to court to ask for more money.
Gathers Documentation and Evidence In One Place
As you recover from your accident, your attorney is hard at work talking to your doctors, the billing companies and any other entity involved in the accident. A car wreck lawyer combines all the necessary information in one place while giving you the opportunity to relax and seek the treatment you need.
Organization is vital whether you choose a settlement or trial, and the trauma of an accident makes it hard for you to stay organized. Combine that with the fact that most people in accidents do not know their rights or how to document their costs, and a car wreck lawyer handles a large portion of the paperwork necessary to file a claim or lawsuit.
Proves the Negligence of the Other Party
If it comes down to it that you must prove that the other party was negligent or at-fault, a car wreck lawyer can help with this. To prove that another driver is responsible for your financial costs, your lawyer may have to prove the elements of negligence. These include:
- The other driver owed you a standard of care
- They did not provide that standard of care
- You sustained property damage and injuries because of their breach
- Because of your losses and financial expenses, you suffered
Let Us Answer Your Questions
If you were hurt in a car wreck or have a loved one who was, a good car wreck lawyer can make all the difference when it comes to the amount of compensation you receive. Contact us today to speak to a qualified personal injury lawyer about your case, and we will help you determine how to move forward.
