A car accident can be devastating. Medical bills, loss of income due to inability to work, property damage, and other expenses add up quickly.
An experienced car accident lawyer at Koestner & Shahon can help you get compensation for all your losses. A skilled attorney will also handle the details of negotiating with an insurance company.
One of the most important things to do after a car accident is to seek medical treatment. This is vital, even if your injuries appear mild at first. Leaving the scene of an accident or neglecting to go to the doctor right away could lead to complications. In addition, some symptoms may not show up until days or weeks after the crash due to the adrenaline rush and other factors.
If you are not seriously injured, there is a good chance that your primary care physician (PCP) will be able to see you for an examination. However, if the accident occurs late at night or during the weekend, you may be better off going to an urgent care clinic that offers extended hours. These facilities typically do not require appointments, and they can diagnose and treat a wide range of injuries.
It is not uncommon for people to suffer emotional and psychological trauma as a result of a car accident. This stress can cause problems like insomnia, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Seeing a mental health professional can help you cope with these issues and prevent them from worsening or impacting your future.
The doctor may also refer you to a specialist to treat certain injuries or to help with rehabilitation and recovery. This is a good idea, as the expertise can improve your chances of making a full recovery. In some cases, you may need surgery for the injuries. It is critical that you keep all follow-up appointments and follow all of the doctor’s recommendations. This will ensure that you have complete documentation of your injury and will be able to prove it in court should you need to file a lawsuit for financial compensation.
Keeping up with all of the doctor’s visits will also make it easier to claim compensation for your medical bills, loss of income, property damage, and pain and suffering. It is important to have an experienced car wreck lawyer deal with the insurance company and fight for your rights if you need to sue.
Property Damage
Car accidents can leave behind property damage that you may be able to claim as part of your settlement. Most people think of cars when they hear the term “property damage,” but you can also claim damages for other items in your vehicle that were damaged or destroyed in the crash. These might include stereos, custom stereo equipment, books, backpacks, laptops, cell phones, and tablets. Even some sentimental or expensive items, like designer handbags and shoes, may be compensated if they are included in your accident report.
It is important to document the damage caused by the accident, including taking photos of all the damaged items. Then, be sure to list them on your property damage claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company or your own. Documenting everything that you lost or had to repair is critical to proving the value of your losses and claiming the maximum compensation possible for them.
Getting into an accident is stressful, but it’s best to remain calm and do what you can to preserve the evidence that will help you get the money you deserve for your losses. If you have a property damage claim, make sure to file it as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more difficult it will be to prove your claim and recover the maximum amount in your settlement.
Some property damages are intangible and cannot be put a price on, such as the psychological trauma you might suffer or the fear of getting into another car wreck. However, a good car accident lawyer can help you determine the appropriate compensation for your intangible losses.
A good car accident attorney can review your property and medical bills, speak to medical experts to assess the full extent of your injuries, and gather all the evidence needed for a successful case. A car accident lawyer also knows how to negotiate with insurance companies and will know when the time is right to take your case to trial to get you the maximum amount of compensation available for your losses.
Pain and suffering
The physical and emotional damage caused by a car accident can be difficult to quantify. Unlike financial losses like medical bills and property damage, there is no way to put a price on pain and suffering. This makes it more challenging to obtain compensation for these losses. However, a car accident lawyer can help victims fight for the full amount of damages they deserve in their case.
When pursuing compensation for pain and suffering, a lawyer will gather as much evidence as possible to show how the crash has affected your life. This may include pictures, witness statements, and documentation from counselors, psychologists, or pain management physicians. The attorney can also use video and audio recordings to help judges, jurors, and insurance adjusters visualize the pain you experience on a daily basis.
In some cases, a lawyer will work with medical experts to determine the severity of your injuries and how long you will suffer. This will allow a lawyer to argue that you have suffered permanent and debilitating damages and, thus, should receive a higher compensation award.
Regardless of how the lawyer calculates your pain and suffering, they will be able to effectively present this information during settlement negotiations with insurance companies. Car accident insurance companies often use computer programs to estimate how much money to offer injured victims. However, the Consumer Federation of America has reported that these programs are biased and often low-ball accident victims.
The main goal of a personal injury claim is to get you back into the position you were in before the crash. Whether that means getting your old job or restoring your health, it is important to get fair compensation for everything you have lost. Fortunately, a car wreck lawyer can help victims of negligence-based crashes in New York City obtain a fair settlement for their losses. This includes securing money for their medical treatment, car repair and replacement costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering. If you have been injured in a crash, contact a lawyer immediately to learn more about how they can help you.
Financial Loss
While car accident injuries are often the primary reason for seeking compensation, a crash can also cause significant financial loss. This may include everything from the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle and other property to lost income, medical bills, and future loss of earnings. An experienced lawyer can help you determine the value of your financial losses and seek appropriate compensation.
Unlike economic damages, which can be easily quantified (you left the hospital with a bill; you lost three weeks of wages; your injury prevents you from earning as much as you did before), non-economic damages are more difficult to quantify. They also tend to be more subjective, requiring an in-depth evaluation and understanding of the impact of your accident on your life, both now and in the future. A skilled car accident lawyer will know how to collect evidence of this impact from medical experts, therapists, economists, career coaches, and other sources.
Non-economic damages can include a variety of items, including pain and suffering and loss of consortium. For example, if you are married and your spouse suffers an injury in a car accident that affects your relationship, you can claim loss of consortium. In addition, some states allow for a claim for punitive damages, which are meant to punish a negligent party for extreme acts like causing a fatal car accident.
When a car accident results in significant damage to property and personal injuries, you should document the scene as best you can. This includes taking photos of the crash site, the vehicles, and any injured parties. You should also seek medical attention as soon as possible to ensure that any injuries are properly diagnosed and treated. The more documentation you have, the better your chances of receiving adequate compensation.
Many car accident cases settle with the insurance company without going to trial. However, if yours does, you need to hire an attorney who is familiar with trials and can effectively negotiate with the insurance company for full compensation. An experienced attorney can use the evidence gathered from the initial discovery phase to convince the defendant’s insurance company to offer you fair compensation.