Personal Injury Lawyer

Pedestrians hit by automobiles generally suffer severe injuries. Besides the pain and suffering associated with recovery, the associated medical bills can be enormous. If you are hurt as a result of reckless driving, you deserve compensation. The odds of receiving restitution, however, are much greater if you understand what happens following an accident. Here is some information you can use following one of these motorized incidents.

Insurance

After calling 911, your next step should be discovering what insurance, if any, the individual operating the vehicle owns. In most cases, the driver will provide this information without trouble. This information is vital for achieving financial recovery.

Discovery

Preparing your case involves knowing everything concerning the accident’s circumstances. Obtain a copy of the police report and return to the scene to take photos and video. Write out your version of events and create a visual representation of how it occurred. This narrative will help your attorney formulate a winning argument.

Your attorney will most likely send a series of questions to the defense, otherwise known as an interrogatory. Oral discovery happens when the defendant becomes subject to a deposition. During discovery depositions, the defendant’s attorney asks the defendant a series of questions. These queries may include matters such as:

• The cause of the accident
• Injuries sustained
• Quantity of lost wages
• Prior accidents
• Criminal convictions

Assuming the defendant is contesting your claim, the defense attorney is likely to cover elements such as the admission of fault, traffic signals and the existence of eyewitnesses.

Requests for Documentation From the Defendant 

Both defendant and plaintiff are allowed to request evidence from each other. Medical records, proof of lost wages and injury photos are fair game. Pictures confirming damage are favorable to your case. Your attorney may also decide that requesting admission of fault from the defendant’s insurance company is beneficial to your case.

Determining Liability

Identifying who is responsible for an accident is the central focus of any personal injury lawsuit. In the case of a vehicle striking a pedestrian, accident witnesses and health care providers are likely to be deposed to provide insight. An experienced personal injury lawyer in Sebastian, FL, like from Tuttle Law, can help secure these individuals, as well as investigate other factors such as proof of texting, the existence of crosswalks and assumption of risk.

If you suffer injury from a motor vehicle, you should be reimbursed for every related expense. When the time comes to build your case, applying the services of an experienced personal injury attorney is highly recommended. Hire a qualified professional before putting the legal process into motion.

If you’re a construction worker who was hurt on the job, you should be eligible for compensation for your injury related damages. Some law firms focus on handling workplace injury cases, particularly those that involve construction workers. A construction accident lawyer has a depth of understanding of all applicable city, state, and federal regulations that govern workers and workplace accidents. They can help you navigate the various complicated laws in order to recover full compensation for your damages, as an attorney, like a construction accident lawyer in Boca Raton, FL, from a law firm like the Law Offices of Franks, Koenig, & Neuwelt, can explain.

Who do I hold responsible for my construction accident injuries?

As you know firsthand, construction zones are busy places that are often chaotic with various contractors and employees working on site, heavy machinery in use, and vehicle traffic. The circumstances of your accident will determine who should be held responsible for paying you for your damages. There may even be more than one party who should be held accountable. A construction accident lawyer will investigate how you sustained your injuries and determine who is at fault. These specialized lawyers have the resources and experience necessary to handle even the most complex cases. Also understand that if the liable party’s insurance carrier refuses to pay a reasonable settlement, a construction accident lawyer will be prepared to escalate your injury claim to a lawsuit. Highly skilled litigation lawyers should have an outstanding success record in the courtroom. This fact alone often motivates insurance companies to negotiate a fair settlement in order to avoid the cost and negative publicity of a public trial.

Have a construction accident lawyer review your case, and get in touch with one today.

When a construction accident lawyer accepts a case, here is a general outline of the process for obtaining a fair settlement for them from those responsible for their injuries:

1.    A construction accident lawyer will investigate the construction accident and collect the evidence that proves the liability of the at-fault party. During the investigation, they may take photographs, witness statements, security camera footage, the police report, and note any other relevant information.

2.    A construction accident lawyer will amass the documentation that will form the basis of the claim which they will later submit to the appropriate insurance company. The documentation typically includes the client’s medical records and injury diagnoses, medical bills related to the construction accident injury, and a cost analysis of all additional damages.

3.    A construction accident lawyer will submit the claim to the insurance company. After the insurance company responds to the claim, our construction accident lawyer will engage in negotiations with them to obtain the largest possible settlement for the client. If the insurance company refuses to negotiate in good faith, a construction accident lawyer will be willing and able to take them to court to obtain a jury award in lieu of a settlement.

4.    A construction accident lawyer will present the settlement or jury award to the client. If you would like to discuss your case with a construction site accident attorney, don’t hesitate. Reach out to one today.

You may need to file a personal injury claim if you have been injured on the job, in a car accident or in another event where someone else was at-fault for your injuries. Obtaining money from an insurance company following the accident can be straight-forward or complex depending on a number of factors. Sometimes independent state laws play major roles in claims. These are the top things to look into before filing your claim.

1. Time Limits

If you think you have unlimited time to file a claim or lawsuit, think again. All states have statutes of limitations that define a deadline for filing a claim. The deadline begins as soon as the accident has occurred or as soon as you realize you’re injured. If it passes before you’ve filed a claim, you’re out of luck. The average timeframe for limitations is two to six years, but some states have longer or shorter limits. Always double-check your own state’s laws.

2. State Laws

State laws can also affect other aspects of a claim, including whether or not you need a police report in order to file at all and the definition of negligence. There are various forms of negligence, some that place the fault on only one person and others that split the fault between the two parties. Confusing these laws can have negative consequences on your case, so be sure you understand them fully.

3. Proving Negligence 

If you’re claiming that another person caused the accident and is therefore responsible for your injuries, you’ll need evidence to back it up. Usually, you’ll need to prove that the guilty party had a duty to maintain your safety, that they breached that duty by acting recklessly or carelessly, and that the accident they caused resulted in your injuries. Without that chain of evidence, it can be incredibly difficult to file a claim or lawsuit against another person to receive compensation from their insurance company.

4. Insurance Companies

When it comes to paying for claims, insurance companies aren’t willing to give in so easily. If a claim includes a large sum of money, you may expect to fight the insurance company for your rights to it.

If you struggle dealing with them, try talking to a lawyer, like a personal injury lawyer from Kamper & Estrada, PLLC, about your claim. Not only does a lawyer know state laws and regulations, but they have ample experience handling insurance claims adjusters and other unpleasant parts of the claims process. They can be your best bet for reaching a successful settlement.

Personal Injury Lawyer

Taxis are convenient and helpful to those that need a ride around town. While most cabs get to and from their destination without any trouble, accidents can and do happen. If you were the driver in another vehicle and you were hit by an ATX Co-op Taxi, you may be struggling to figure out what to do next.

All car accident lawsuits hinge on liability. Liability is the foundation. Who was liable? Was it the driver or the taxi company? You have to determine this to file a lawsuit and the courts have to decide whether there was true negligence for you to get your settlement. How do you prove liability?

Is the Driver Liable?

Taxi drivers are independent contractors. If a driver runs a spotlight and crashes into your car, leaving you with severe injuries, then he or she is liable for your injuries sustained. Since the driver is an independent contractor, he or she must carry insurance for the car. His or her policy must cover accidents. Some drivers will have more than one policy. One policy will cover accidents that occur when he or she is not currently transporting a passenger and another policy will cover accidents that occur on the job. Now, if the driver’s insurance policy maxes out, the company may cover the rest.

Can You Prove the Driver Is Responsible?

When the driver is at fault, you would ask the driver for his or her insurance information after the accident, just as you would a normal passenger vehicle. Likewise, you want to make sure that you gather enough evidence to prove that the accident was the fault of the driver. For instance, witness statements, and police reports are crucial to the case. Also, you will want to collect and organize any medical files. The more documentation you have, the more likely you are to prove your case and to receive a fair settlement.

If you were in an accident, then you need to take it seriously. You must keep all forms of evidence to build your case. Even if you are not sure the full costs of your medical bills, it is never too early to begin a claim. The longer you wait, the less evidence you may have and the more likely you are to run out of time. Consult with a car accident lawyer today to determine who is liable for your taxi accident. Contact an auto accident attorney, like the Ward & Ward Personal Injury Law Firm for answers to your questions. 

Personal Injury Lawyer

No bicyclist that collides with a car is going to get off without at least a minor injury, but in most cases, they’re pretty severe. If you’ve been injured in a bicycle collision, you might have a lot on your mind right now. The following are three questions and answers you may want to learn more about.

1. Do I Need to Call the Police?

You should always call the police when you are involved in a collision with a motorist. Sometimes a bicyclist will feel the injuries sustained aren’t serious enough, but that should never be a reason not to call. A police officer should make a report of the accident so when you go to file a claim, you’ll have all the evidence you need. While some police jurisdictions do not require a police report for a bicycle accident, you may want to ask the responding officer to make a report anyway.

2. Do I Need to Have Witnesses?

While witnesses aren’t required to prove the bicycle collision wasn’t your fault, they certainly can’t hurt. The problem with obtaining witnesses to prove your case is many individuals will witness an accident, but not stick around to give a statement or leave a phone number. If you do have time to look around and see who witnessed the accident, quickly ask them to jot down their phone number or send you a text so you can get in touch with them when your lawyer is ready to interview witnesses.

3. Do I Need to Visit the Emergency Room?

If your injuries are obviously life-threatening, it’s probably a good idea to visit the emergency room immediately following your collision. If your injuries seem minor, you could still visit the ER just to make sure you’re not suffering from something far worse than you realize. If you decide not to visit the ER, you should at least make an appointment with your primary care doctor so he or she can conduct a few tests to see how severe your injuries are. Visiting a doctor is also a great way to document your injuries so you have that evidence to use when you’re seeking compensation.

Getting More Questions Answered

Chances are, if you were recently involved in a bicycle collision, you probably have more questions. A lawyer may be able to get them answered for you. Contact a lawyer, like a personal injury lawyer from Wieand Law Firm, LLC, today to get the answers to your questions.