Accidents happen. That’s why it’s vital to have an experienced law firm by your side if you become the victim of a car accident. Unfortunately, many people don’t know when to get an attorney for a car accident, leaving them with expensive medical bills that take a toll on their finances.
Luckily, our team at The Law Offices of Sadaka Associates is here to help.
Our personal injury attorneys can offer you the assistance you need when you need it most. We’ll help you understand when to get an attorney for a car accident, how to file your insurance claim, and how to navigate the court process.
Read on to learn more about when to get an attorney for a car accident, plus the advantages of working with our experienced team at The Law Offices of Sadaka Associates.
Benefits of Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer
It’s important to know that car accident victims don’t have to hire an attorney when pursuing legal action. However, personal injury lawyers make the process much easier by taking on the strenuous legal work while you focus on recovering from your injuries. Victims can hire a legal representative at any time during the court process, giving them the aid they need in the court of law.
Our personal injury lawyers at The Law Offices of Sadaka Associates help car accident victims in numerous ways. We’ll investigate the car crash, gather evidence proving the other driver’s neglect, help you file a police report, negotiate with insurers, and more.
Filing an Insurance Claim
If you become the victim of a car accident, we highly recommend filing a claim claim with your insurance company or the other party’s provider to receive compensation. However, filing an insurance claim doesn’t guarantee you full compensation.
Since both New York and New Jersey have comparative negligence laws, you may receive less compensation if you share fault in the accident, even if you sustained injuries. For example, if the court determines that you’re responsible for five percent of the accident, your judge will deduct five percent from your compensation.
In some cases, the other driver may not have insurance, or they may have a policy that won’t compensate your losses and injuries fairly. In this case, you’ll have to recover your losses through your own insurance policy.
At The Law Offices of Sadaka Associates, our personal injury lawyers will evaluate the property damage and your injuries. Then, we’ll work with you to determine the best legal options for your situation, file insurance claims on your behalf, and negotiate to help you receive the damages you need to restore your life.
How Injuries Affect Your Compensation
The severity of your car accident injuries dictates the amount of compensation you’ll receive. If you suffer multiple severe injuries that require immediate medical attention or hospitalization, your compensation could increase significantly.
The CDC reports that well over 100,000 car accident victims require hospitalization right away. However, some car accident injuries don’t arise immediately. Certain injuries, like whiplash, won’t take effect until a few days or weeks after the accident occurs.
With that in mind, it’s vital to talk to a medical professional and receive a thorough examination after an accident to ensure that an undocumented injury doesn’t sprout up later. The medical examination will also help you receive the correct amount of compensation.
If you file an insurance claim before an injury reveals itself, you might receive less compensation than you need to cover your expenses.
Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit.
Although it’s up to you to decide when to get an attorney for a car accident, we typically recommend hiring a personal injury lawyer before filing a lawsuit. Our attorneys at The Law Offices of Sadaka Associates will fight on your behalf, taking stress off your shoulders so you can focus on overcoming your injuries.
Personal injury lawyers are incredibly beneficial when you file a lawsuit against another driver. At The Law Offices of Sadaka Associates, our attorneys will fight for adequate compensation on your behalf if your insurance company refuses to cover your property damages or injuries. Our attorneys will also ensure that you remain within the state’s statute of limitations while filing your claim.
That said, personal injury lawsuits require multiple factors to come together to achieve a successful result. For example, one of the most important aspects of a personal injury lawsuit is evidence of the economic strain your injuries put on your life.
You must provide proof of your medical issues and the treatments they require. If you can prove your injuries have put you through economic hardship and the other driver is responsible for them, you can significantly impact your lawsuit.
Non-economic harm also plays a vital role in personal injury lawsuits. Property damage and physical losses can benefit your case if you can provide adequate evidence, so always document vehicle damage or other relevant factors that can help your lawsuit.
Proving Fault for the Accident
When filing a personal injury lawsuit, you must prove the other driver caused the accident. To do so, our lawyers at The Law Offices of Sadaka Associates will gather evidence and determine if the driver drove carelessly or distracted themselves with a mobile device. Fidgeting with a GPS or cell phone hinders the other party’s driving abilities, putting them at fault for the accident.
Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol also qualifies as negligence. These substances obstruct a person’s driving abilities, putting them at fault if they experience a collision.
Every driver must drive responsibly when they step into their vehicle. Taking mind-altering substances before getting behind the wheel breaches their duty of reasonable driving, making them liable if an accident occurs.
What to Do After a Car Accident
If you get injured in a car accident, follow the steps listed below to improve your chances of a successful personal injury lawsuit.
1. Contact 911
Always dial 911 immediately after a car accident, especially if you have sustained an injury. Doing so alerts emergency services of the situation, allowing them to send help for you and the other party involved. It also helps you establish a police report and a medical report, which you can use in your lawsuit if you choose to file a case.
If you don’t dial 911 and receive the proper documentation, your case won’t hold up in court.
2. Gather Evidence
If you didn’t suffer a severe injury in the accident, gather evidence to help prove your side of the story. As long as it’s safe to do so, make sure that you:
- Take pictures of licenses plates and vehicle damage
- Gather statements from eyewitnesses
- Takes notes or photos of the surrounding traffic patterns and intersections
3. Contact a Lawyer
After you dial 911 and gather evidence to support your case, it’s time to call an attorney. One of our experienced personal injury lawyers at The Law Offices of Sadaka Associates will help you navigate the legal process and uphold your case in court. Further, our team will assist you throughout the process and offer guidance to strengthen your claim.
Once you contact our firm, we’ll need the following information:
- Your contact information
- Any evidence you gathered from the scene
- Police reports
- Medical records
- Medical receipts and financial documents
- Pictures of the vehicle damage and accident scene
- Eyewitness statements and contact information
What Not to Do After a Car Accident
Knowing what not to do after a car accident is just as important as knowing the correct steps to take following a collision. Below are a few things you should never do after experiencing an accident.
1. Not Reporting Your Accident
In some cases, people think it’s best to exchange their information with the other driver and carry on with their day. However, you always want to report your accident in case an injury arises later.
As stated before, some injuries take days or weeks to develop. It’s best to document your accident and file a police report to strengthen your case if you decide to take the opposing party to court.
2. Admitting Blame
Saying “I’m sorry” after an accident impacts your legal case more than you might think. Some people (and judges) view apologizing as a form of admitting guilt, making your future lawsuit obsolete. Always avoid admitting blame after experiencing a car accident, even if you believe you are partly to blame for the collision.
3. Accepting a Settlement
Many insurance companies want to pay car accident victims as little as possible. They often put tremendous pressure on the victim to accept a low offer that won’t cover all their injury expenses. Always talk with an attorney before signing or accepting anything from an insurance company.
Contact The Personal Injury Lawyers at The Law Offices of Sadaka Associates Today
If you experience a car accident and suffer an injury in New York or New Jersey, contact the personal injury lawyers at The Law Offices of Sadaka Associates.
Our team can help you determine when to get an attorney for a car accident and how to build your case. Most importantly, we’ll deal with insurance companies and the claim-filing process on your behalf.
Whether you need help with a wrongful death lawsuit or want advice on filing a police report, our lawyers at The Law Offices of Sadaka Associates are here for you. Call us today at (800)-810-3457 for a consultation with one of our attorneys.
