Published on: 03 May 2021
Last Updated on: 02 January 2025
Car accidents are common. The figures are earth-shattering – at least three million crashes every year. With too much at stake, victims must file for a claim, either with their insurance company or that of the other drivers. Many people shy away from hiring professional lawyers because they believe that lawyers are expensive.
Most people do not know that when you speak to a St. Petersburg Car Accident Lawyer for the first time, it is usually free of cost. Most professional accident lawyers accept their fees after their clients get their claims settled by the insurance companies.
How to File a Car Accident Compensation Claim?
Nonetheless, if you have chosen to go alone and on your own, you need to follow these steps to get a justified claim settled.
Assess the damage to your car. The first step is to inspect your car to get an estimate of the damage. If you have no experience, get an experienced person to do so.
Assess your injuries and estimate the same. You will have your medical records and bills to get an estimate of what you have already spent on your treatment. Under this subhead, you need to mention the future expected expenses too. It could be a bit difficult calculating all of this and putting a sum. With an experienced lawyer, this step can become easier and convenient.
It would help if you also tuned in financial losses resulting from a loss in work.
The next stage is after filing your claim application. The insurance company will send over their insurance adjusters to assess the damage and make an estimate. Even if the adjusters seem friendly, they are obligated to keep the costs of the insurance company low in their hearts. Therefore, they will try all tricks under the sun to pressurize you to accept and settle for a lower amount than you originally estimated. There will be some amount of negotiation, too, and you need to be extremely careful and cautious.
If your insurance company is pressurizing you to accept a lower claim amount, you need to put in your demand letter. In this letter, you need to present your side of the story. Tell the insurance company why you deserve a higher value. Ensure to present all medical records, car repair bills, etc., as pieces of evidence.
Now, the insurance comes with a counter-offer. If not, they will negotiate hard with you. It is time to keep your cool and not panic. If your evidence is in place and you are sure about your claim, stick by it. You may now decide to go to court.
Many insurance companies will agree to an out-of-court settlement – so, you might want to consider the same. If not, ensure to prepare your case with due diligence. Your records and evidence have to be intact and enough to prove your case. Also, take into account the expenses that you would need to bear additionally.
The Final Word:
Yes, you can get a claim settlement without a lawyer. There are lots of ifs and buts in this, though. With a qualified and licensed St. Petersburg car accident lawyer, you have a better chance to get a fair claim settlement.
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Although we are aware of the risks, driving is just a routine activity many of us do automatically, like brushing our teeth or grabbing a cup of coffee. We climb in the car intent on the destination or lost in thought, which is why automobile accidents are so jarring. Even a mild fender bender seems to stop everything in its tracks, instantly negating the importance of everything we were thinking or saying. Whether the situation results in serious injuries or none at all, it demands immediate attention. Passersby jockey to catch a glimpse of something interesting; police officers fill out reports; tow trucks haul away damaged cars. Sometimes, there aren’t even minor injuries, but, obviously, not everyone is so lucky.
Trusting ourselves is one thing. Trusting someone else is entirely different. Every time someone gets into a passenger seat or the back seat, they're trusting that the driver will get to the destination safely. Some passengers are happy not to have the responsibility of driving; others have a hard time giving up control. Regardless of your feelings, where does that leave you if you're injured in a vehicle accident? The accident certainly wasn't your fault, so what exactly are your rights as a passenger?
Recovering for injuries suffered as a passenger in a car, truck, or motorcycle accident is really a claim against an insurance company rather than against the driver himself. Passengers can file a claim under the bodily injury or liability insurance coverage of the driver or owner of any vehicle responsible for causing the accident. If that is insufficient, there may be coverage available under uninsured motorist or underinsured motorist policies. Injured passengers are also allowed to file a claim under their own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and/or Medical Payments (Med Pay) policies. With all these funding possibilities, passengers should be able to secure compensation for their damages, though in no instance are they allowed to collect any more than the total value of their claim.
Many passengers are initially reluctant to seek compensation for damages because the driver is a close friend. It’s important to note that in most situations, the driver will not even know of the claim because it will be settled by lawyers and insurance companies before it gets to trial. The strain on any personal relationships should be minimal unless the insurance company does not act in good faith to resolve the claim and it must be litigated instead. Even at that time and although the driver will be named in the lawsuit, the true conflict is between the driver’s insurance company and the passenger. There are special rules that apply when the passenger is related to the driver and shares the same household. In most of these cases, the passenger is barred from collecting under the driver’s liability policy because he or she is an “insured person” and such persons are not permitted to file a liability claim against their own liability policy. A claim can still be brought against other drivers who are at fault for the accident.
Read also: TIPS TO KEEP YOUR KIDS SAFE IN A CAR
The seat next to the driver has a reputation for being the most dangerous one in the car, even having been referred to as “the death seat.” Of course, it is more common to have one passenger than several, so the front seat is occupied more frequently than the rear seats. There is also some truth to the idea that in a crash a front seat passenger has nothing to stop him or her from being ejected through the window, whereas the driver has the steering wheel. Or, at least, that used to be the prevailing line of thought. The last few decades have brought about major advances in safety that have reduced the probability of being seriously injured while riding in the front seat. Seat belts, airbags, and crumple zones equally benefit drivers and front-seat riders.
According to a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, adults over age 55 were more likely to die in a crash while seated in the back than in the front – even if they were wearing seat belts. The study found that adults in the rear were more likely than adults in the front to sustain chest injuries, and there was some evidence of an elevated risk of head and neck injuries for restrained women seated in the rear compared with the front.
The IIHS also recently performed front-overlap crash tests of seven small SUVs and found that certain models may have a big gap in safety between drivers and their passengers. The seven models received good ratings after the front driver's side corner of the vehicle hit a barrier at 40 miles per hour, but only one model – the 2016 Hyundai Tucson -- rated as good when the same test was performed on the front passenger side. While three models received acceptable ratings and two models received marginal ratings, the 2015 Toyota RAV4 was rated as poor. The IIHS suspected that the difference was partly due to a greater emphasis on the vehicle frame and structure for the driver's side, but there is no excuse for inferior passenger protection.
Read also: How To Shop For A Car With Your Teen Driver?
If you were a passenger in a vehicle involved in a collision and were seriously injured as a result, or if you lost someone you love in such an accident, you should contact an experienced personal injury lawyer who can examine the circumstances of your case and advise you of your rights. Personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, which means you don’t pay them unless there is a settlement or verdict in your favor.
Passengers with serious injuries are entitled to appropriate and thorough medical care for their physical, emotional, and psychological injuries suffered as a result of the accident, as well as full compensation for their pain and suffering, mental anguish, property damage, and lost wages. It is also critical that you at least consult with an attorney before speaking with an insurance company investigator or adjuster. Their job is to spend as little money as possible while quickly settling a large number of claims, and they are well-trained in the fine art of getting you to make statements that can come back to haunt you later. Since you are bound by what you say, it is often wise to let an attorney speak for you.
There are many reasons why you might be considering adoption attorney, and it’s becoming more and more of a popular choice in countries all over the world with thousands of families of going through the process. However, just because lots of people are doing it, that doesn’t mean the journey is plain sailing.
With lots of paperwork, legal requirements, checks and long periods of waiting, the process can be very off-putting to a lot of families. Nevertheless, many of these hassles can be countered by investing in the support of an adoption lawyer.
With this in mind and to help you make the decision that’s right for you, today we’re going explore five key reasons why an adoption lawyer might be one of the best ideas for you.
#1 - Support with Paperwork
When you’re making your way through the adoption process, there’s a lot of paperwork and checks you’re going to need to go through to ensure everything that takes place is legal.
For first-time adopters, there may be a lot of parts that are confusing, which is where an adoption lawyer can help to make sure you’re doing everything correctly.
#2 - Assistance with Decisions
There’s no denying that adoption is a wonderful thing, but not many people know about the legal requirements and procedures behind it, as well as the important decisions that need to be made.
With an adoption lawyer by your side, you can have all the details explained, so you know you’re making the right decisions.
#3 - Speed Up the Process
While adoption is renowned for being a lengthy process, having a professional and somewhat savvy lawyer on your side may be able to help you speed things up. Of course, this depends on your individual circumstances, but without the help of a professional, you’re never going to know.
#4 - Addressing Potential Problems
As with any kind of legal proceeding, there are always going to be grey areas where problems can arise, and certain complications may appear out nowhere. This could relate to small or big things, such as same-sex marriage, military couples and many more, and will depend on your individual circumstances.
Fortunately, one of the main benefits of having an adoption lawyer is they can help you through this process and iron out any issues, so you move through them quickly and easily.
#5 - Help with Court Appearances
Understandable, even the mention of court appearances can be enough to make you worry and think dubiously about going through the adoption process, and it’s not surprising that many people may feel intimidated throughout this part of the adoption procedure.
Nevertheless, having a professional adoption lawyer by your side who’s been through the process many times before can help to settle your worries and help you focus on doing everything properly and getting the result you want.
Summary
As you can see, there are plenty of benefits to enlisting the help of a professional, qualified adoption lawyer who’ll be able to help you out in many areas of the adoption process.
If adoption is a path you’re interested in taking, it goes without saying that it’s highly recommended to get help to make it as easy as possible.
Accidents are unexpected and traumatic events that can have far-reaching consequences for those involved.
But if you are involved in a serious accident and it has left you with severe injuries, you might wonder if it would be worth hiring an attorney.
Thus, you would need an injury lawyer in every situation, but there are a few exceptional cases where you might suffer a severe injury. Hence, it might be best to seek legal advice from an experienced personal injury lawyer.
To mitigate your situation, you can contact an injury lawyer in Grand Rapids, as they will be able to give you the best advice.
In this article, you will discover when and where you would need a personal injury lawyer.
When Do You Need A Personal Injury Lawyer?
Many accident victims hire lawyers to assist them and navigate the steps of filing their claims. However, you might need to decide when to hire a lawyer after having an accident or whether you need legal assistance.
Hence, you do not have to meet specific criteria to hire an injury attorney after an accident. Thus, here is a list of situations when you need to hire a personal injury lawyer.
1. When You Have Significant Injuries
In recent days, the number of car accidents has increased to a significant level. The reports published by the WHO claim that the number of annual road traffic deaths has risen to 1.19 million.
If you have experienced a serious injury from a car accident, then you are likely to face hefty medical bills. Thus, you would need an attorney to mitigate this situation.
Hence, the personal injury lawyer will help you fill out the proper forms in order to receive your medical bills covered.
Similarly, auto accidents that produce injuries can warrant legal action against the defendants for compensation. Having legal assistance from the beginning can help you anticipate the best way to proceed after your serious car accident.
2. Your Accident Includes Different Parties
When an accident involves different parties, it becomes complex. Some countries follow a contributory negligence policy that permits insurance companies to assign a percentage of faults to all parties in an accident.
As a result, you need to hire a personal injury attorney to make sure you understand which insurance company to file your claims.
Therefore, car accident attorneys have extensive experience navigating various car accident cases.
Hence, hire an attorney to help you understand the procedure for filing an insurance claim. Moreover, they will communicate on your behalf with the insurance adjuster and all parties involved.
3. No Cooperation From Insurance Company
When you file for a claim with the at-fault party insurance company, you should be provided with payments to cover the accident expense without any issue.
Thus, the insurance company is in the business of incurring money. Moreover, they need to offer more payouts or even deny the claim outright to save money.
However, if the insurance company is not cooperating, you might need an attorney to negotiate for a higher offer and a wrongful claim denial.
4. Planning To Take Legal Actions
If you plan to take legal action against the at-fault driver or their insurance company, you need a personal injury lawyer.
Thus, if the insurance company completely cooperates with your claim, then at-fault driver’s insurance coverage might not be enough to cover your expenses.
On the other hand, you might want to pursue non-economic damages, for instance:
Emotional distress.
Pain and suffering.
Loss of enjoyment of life.
Thus, with the help of a lawsuit, you can seek compensation beyond what you might qualify for through an insurance claim.
Furthermore, you need a professional car accident attorney to guide you through the legal process, present you at the court, and help you gather the right evidence.
5. Difficulty In Compensation Claims
If you have difficulty receiving your claims, a personal injury attorney will help you obtain them.
However, you might feel stressed, traumatized, and overwhelmed when you file your claims or even talk about your accident. Thus, the professional will help you mitigate the situation and maximize your compensation. The attorney will determine for which you are entitled to make claims.
This will make sure that you are not taking advantage of the person held responsible. In return, you are offered a fair amount for your loss and suffering.
Hence, an attorney can take this burden off your shoulders, thereby assisting you move forward.
6. Difficulty In Carrying Out Details
Evidence plays a huge part in personal injury cases. Thus, when you face an injury, you must prove negligence and the duty of care.
However, personal injury lawyers are aware of this and will help you take your time to work with the evidence.
Moreover, in other cases, you can hire a lawyer to work with an accident reconstruction professional to help you establish a strong case.
Therefore, as a part of the investigation process, the lawyer will help you meet the eyewitness, gather surveillance camera feeds, and make sure the desired outcomes are met.
List Of Cases Personal Injury Lawyer Handle
Personal injury lawyer deals with a variety of cases.
Here is a list of some of the most frequent cases we deal with:
During a motor vehicle accident. It can involve a car, boat, motorcycle, and other vehicle.
During a wrongful death. It might be a traumatic situation, but a lawyer will help you receive compensation for many things.
Slip and fall accident.
Birth injuries. This situation can be traumatic for the families, and if it is due to a negligent mistake, then the family is entitled to compensation.
During a dog or animal bite. This accident can be more serious than a person might expect.
Hire A Personal Injury Attorney Today
Thus, we suggest you get an attorney as soon as possible after an accident to ensure that your claim is as strong as possible.
This is because the greater the evidence against the negligent party, the greater the chance of receiving a settlement.
So, appoint a lawyer quickly, as they can help you gather the evidence before it gets lost. Similarly, the lawyer will help you set settlements with an insurance company.
Read Also:
Choosing The Right Personal Injury Attorneys For Your Case
What To Look For In A Qualified Personal Injury Attorney
What Is Considered A Personal Injury?
