I’ve Been In A Car Accident! What Should I Do?
- Get to a safer place. Roads can be treacherous to stand around on, so pull your vehicle off to the shoulder, if you can. If your car is not able to move, turn on your hazard lights and stay inside your vehicle, if it is safe to do so, until emergency responders arrive.
- Call 911. In any auto accident, you need to have a police officer analyze the situation and create a police report. A report with your original account of what happened is important in determining who is at fault for the crash.
- Get medical treatment right away. Car accidents are usually violent collisions that can cause a variety of injuries to the human body. It is common for latent injuries from car accidents to catch victims off guard several days later. Seek medical attention, even if you don’t feel like you’re injured.
- Contact a reputable car accident attorney in Mesa, Arizona to advise you on how to protect your rights.
Can I File A Claim Even If I Was Partially Responsible For The Accident That Caused My Injuries?
Arizona subscribes to a pure comparative negligence rule when dealing with personal injury claims. Even if you were 99% at fault for the accident that caused your injuries, you are still entitled to recover for the one percent of damages that are attributed to the negligence of the other party. Determining how much of the fault will be attributed to each party is quite complex and will be left up to the jury if your case goes all the way to trial. An experienced Mesa, AZ car accident attorney will be able to advise you on whether your claim is likely to succeed. Contact the car accident attorney at The Law Office of J. Ridge Hicks today for an evaluation of your claim.
How Can An Attorney Help Me With A Vehicle Accident Case In Mesa, AZ?
Not many of us think about it when we leave the house each day, but every time we get on the road, we put ourselves at risk of being involved in a car accident. The uncertainties that surround vehicle accidents abound, so if you’ve recently been involved in one in Mesa, AZ, then you probably have a number of questions and concerns. How long will it take for you to recover from your injuries, and how much time will you have to take off work? How will you pay the bills? And how do you go about proving that the other driver should be held responsible?
In order to get the answers to these important questions, it’s critical to speak to an experienced personal injury or car accident attorney in Mesa, AZ. In addition to sitting down with you and discussing every last detail of what occurred, your attorney will immediately launch an investigation on your behalf in order to obtain all of the evidence that could be used in your favor. For example, if the other driver ran a stop sign but is claiming that you did, perhaps there is video footage from a nearby establishment which could put that question to rest, thereby proving liability on behalf of the other driver. When hired early on in the case, your attorney will have the best chance of securing pertinent information which could mean the difference between getting the compensation you deserve and leaving you to deal with the aftermath of the car accident all on your own.
In addition to launching an investigation and building an argument on your behalf, your vehicle accident attorney will take care of all of the necessary correspondence with the at-fault party’s insurance company. This will relieve you of the burden of dealing with a company that is quite literally your enemy when it comes to pursuing the compensation you deserve. Insurance adjusters are not only trained to employ manipulative techniques in an effort to persuade you into believing you aren’t owed very much money, but also to coax particular responses from you which could ultimately be used against you. An experienced personal injury attorney will be able to provide you with the best advice in terms of what and what not to do as you proceed with your case in Mesa, AZ.
Should I Take My Case All The Way To Trial?
Most vehicle accident claims settle before getting to trial, but not all. It can be difficult to know whether you are getting a fair offer from the at-fault party’s insurance company or if you could potentially receive two or three times (or more) what they have offered. This is yet another reason why having an experienced Mesa, AZ attorney is so important: they will be able to let you know when you are being taken advantage of by the insurance company, and when you’re actually being offered a reasonable amount of compensation for the damages you suffered. The decision to take a personal injury case to trial must always be made by you, the person who has been injured, but it is your attorney’s job to ensure that you have everything you need in order to make the most informed decision that is in line with your best interests.
What If I Am Hit By A Driver Who Doesn’t Have Insurance?
In Arizona, insurance companies are required to offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. This provides protection for injuries that are caused by the negligence of another driver who carries insufficient insurance to cover the costs or has no insurance coverage at all. This type of insurance must be carried on your own policy, in order for it to protect you. If you carry this coverage and are hit by a driver who is uninsured or underinsured, your own policyholder will be liable for the damages you suffer.
These claims operate the same way as any accident claim would, except that you are recovering from your own insurance carrier, rather than the other party’s carrier. It is important to remember that the representatives from your insurance carrier are still not looking out for your best interests. Just like every insurance company, they will only be looking to minimize the company’s losses. Consulting an experienced car accident attorney in Mesa, Arizona is always the best way to ensure that you are protected.
How will you make sure that your interests are fairly represented when each driver is pointing the finger at the other . . . or at you? What if the adverse driver has minimal insurance, and your medical bills are quite high? We face these and many other issues daily in protecting the interests of our clients, and we routinely find solutions to our clients’ dilemmas.
