In the event that you’ve been involved in a car accident, you should immediately contact a car accident attorney to ensure that your case is properly handled. A car accident attorney can help you file a report with the police, collect evidence, and negotiate with insurance companies. To learn more about it, check this website.
Filing an Accident Report
When you’ve been in a car accident, you should always file an accident report. The police report is an important piece of evidence in your lawsuit. Not only does it establish a record of the crash, but it also helps to establish who was at fault for the crash.
Police reports can be obtained in several ways. You can request one from the local law enforcement office, or you can ask your insurance company to provide you with a copy. Some cities allow you to request one online. These requests require an administrative fee, but the cost is usually $15.
The police officer will provide you with a receipt with a police report number on it. This is the same number that you will need to report the accident.
Insurance companies place a great deal of weight on a police report. While it does not legitimize damages, it does contain statements from multiple witnesses and can serve as proof in a lawsuit.
When you obtain a police report, make sure you have the police officer’s name, badge number, and incident report number. It is important to remember to get all the names of other drivers and their insurance information.
In addition to the police report, you may want to include your own side of the story. This can help you to present your case to the insurance company.
Before you sign any paperwork, you should contact a lawyer. An experienced car accident attorney can advise you on your injury claim and help you negotiate with the insurance company.
Remember that it can take weeks for a police report to be complete. If you need to file an accident report for your car, the best place to go is the New York Department of Motor Vehicles. They accept accident reports via mail, phone, and online.
Gathering Evidence
The best way to win your personal injury lawsuit after a car accident is to have strong evidence. Evidence can be in the form of photos, videos and other documents.
Taking a video of the accident scene is a great way to document the event. It can show the extent of damage, the location of the crash and other important details. Photographs are also valuable, as they can help explain the accident to a jury.
Another important piece of evidence is the accident report. This document, prepared by police officers, is a public record and is important for any case.
Eyewitness testimony can also be very powerful in a car accident lawsuit. Your lawyer may ask to speak to witnesses to obtain their input on the event. They may also offer you their contact information and provide you with information that can be used in court.
Having good medical records is another essential piece of evidence. These include lab results, discharge instructions and other related bills. Providing your car accident attorney with these documents can prove your out of pocket expenses.
Some injury damages are harder to prove than others. In some cases, it is possible to obtain a bill for lost wages or sick time.
Getting a copy of a driver’s license and insurance card is a good idea. You may want to get the names and phone numbers of other drivers who were involved in the crash.
Other types of evidence include weather conditions, skid marks on the road, and other vehicles on the road. You should also make sure to collect a list of witnesses. Obtaining their contact information is important in the event you need to call them for a deposition.
Adhering to Relevant Procedures
When looking to hire a car accident attorney, it’s best to stick to the basic rule of thumb. Hiring an attorney is akin to entrusting your life to a professional, so make sure that you’re getting the right person to handle your case. In addition to ensuring that you have the best representation possible, it’s important to consider your own needs and wants to get the most out of your relationship with your lawyer.
A qualified car accident attorney can guide you through the maze that is the insurance industry. For instance, you may be surprised to discover that the cheapest insurance policies often include an upcharge for a car insurance policy that is in excess of the recommended limits. Also, the best lawyers will provide you with the necessary documentation to file for an insurance claim. Getting a free quote can save you the hassle of sifting through a maze of forms and paperwork. It’s also a good idea to keep in mind that you should never settle a car accident case with your insurer before you’ve gotten a full picture of the situation.
Likewise, you don’t want to be caught off guard by a claim that you are owed a hefty sum of money. To this end, you need to consider the following points of consideration: your own needs and wants, the best interests of your case, and your insurer’s. With these guidelines in mind, it’s a no brainer to hire a topnotch lawyer. Once you have hired a seasoned pro, you’ll find that your newfound freedom to concentrate on more pressing matters will pay off handsomely in the end.
One of the best ways to do this is to ask for a free consultation with a qualified legal representative. In addition to obtaining a free quote, your car accident attorney may be able to provide you with a list of other car accident attorneys who have similar credentials, so you’ll be able to compare apples to apples in a jiffy.
Uninsured Motorist Protection
If you have been involved in an accident with an uninsured driver, you may be able to collect compensation. Uninsured motorist coverage is a special type of auto insurance that helps compensate you for injuries and damages if you are involved in an accident with a driver who is uninsured.
Uninsured motorist coverage is usually not mandatory, but it is usually available through insurance companies. When an uninsured motorist hits you, you can file a claim to get your medical expenses, lost wages, and property damages covered.
The first thing you should do after an accident is notify your auto insurance company. You should also exchange information with the other driver. Remember to write down the other person’s license plate number and make and model of the vehicle.
A personal injury lawyer can help you make a claim against the other driver’s insurance company. Some states have laws that require uninsured motorists to carry liability insurance. This can cover any injuries and damage they cause, but the maximum amount of coverage may not be enough.
Alternatively, you can claim the difference between your own insurance policy and the other person’s minimum limits. However, this can be complicated. To ensure you get the full amount you deserve, you should hire a car accident attorney.
You should never settle with the uninsured driver’s insurance company. Even if you are not at fault, you can still file a claim with your own company.
You can add uninsured motorist coverage to your policy, but you should also talk to a car accident attorney before doing so. Adding this kind of coverage will not affect your auto premiums.
Punitive Compensation
If you have been in a car accident, you may be entitled to punitive damages. Punitive damages are meant to punish the driver who caused the accident. They are awarded when the driver has shown a “high degree of moral turpitude”.
There are two types of damages a plaintiff can recover in a personal injury lawsuit. The first type, known as compensatory damages, covers financial losses. This includes medical bills, lost wages, and physical damage. A second type, known as non-economic damages, attempts to assign monetary value to abstract difficulties. Examples of non-economic damages are pain and suffering, disability, mental anguish, and loss of life’s normalcy.
When a driver’s actions are particularly egregious, a jury may decide to award punitive damages. However, this is not a common practice. In many cases, the at-fault driver simply hasn’t had enough assets to compensate the victim for all of his or her losses.
If the defendant is a corporation, then the company can also be sued for punitive damages. Although the amount of damages can vary, the law generally requires that a plaintiff prove a willful and wanton act.
Punitive damages are meant to deter the defendant from repeating a similar behavior in the future. A personal injury lawyer can help you assess the facts of your case to determine how much it may be worth.
Typically, a plaintiff is awarded ten times as much in punitive damages as in compensatory damages. The exact amount depends on the type of case, the individual damages, and the actual costs.
Punitive damages are often awarded in cases of reckless driving or drunk driving. Whether a particular driver is a good candidate for punitive damages is up to the judge.