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Car Accident FAQ

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Car accidents are among the primary reasons for personal injuries. Because of this, it is not surprising to note that there are more and more questions that are now surfacing with regards to car accidents. Here are some of the frequently asked questions regarding car accidents and the possible claims that could be filed after having been involved in an accident.

What are some of the reasons behind car accidents and the deaths that result from them?
Car accidents occur for a number of reasons, including vehicular malfunction, poor road conditions, weather events, and the negligence of drivers; when drivers fail to pay attention to their driving and to the other cars around them, and instead are engaged in talking on the phone, texting, tuning the radio, changing the CD, eating or drinking, talking to their passengers, or picking something up off the floor of the car, they can be considered negligent. More than half of all accident-related fatalities occur because the individual is not wearing a seatbelt.

What possible legal remedy could be sought when injuries or deaths occur as the result of a car accident?
If someone in your family has died after having been involved in a car accident or if you suffered injuries because of one, a claim for wrongful death or for personal injury can be filed, depending on the case. The injuries that can be incurred by a person who experiences a car accident range from minor injuries, such as scrapes and superficial wounds, to more serious injuries, such as fractures, broken bones, and brain injuries. Because such injuries may result in very severe pain and suffering for patients, it becomes necessary that just recompense be sought to cover all the expenses that could be incurred for treatment, as well as for other losses. There is even a possibility that death or permanent disability could result from the injuries sustained during a car accident. The victim, or his or her family, should hire or contact a lawyer specializing in such cases, in order to help receive compensation.

What are the parameters in filing a claim and what will the compensation cover, should one be received?
The law provides that car accident victims have the right to retrieve damages and compensation for injuries and losses that were suffered during an accident. The personal injury claim that you will file will be seen as valid if your injury was directly caused by the vehicular accident and if the responsible party for the accident was not you. In determining if you have a valid reason to file that complaint, you must contact a lawyer who will help you prove that there was negligence in the part of the erring person involved.

With the help of your lawyer, you will be able to get just compensation and damages that will cover such expenses as medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering. You will be entitled to more compensation if a permanent disability was incurred because of the accident. Your lawyer could even have you recompensed for your losing the ability to enjoy life after the accident, as well as for damages brought by the anguish, trauma and mental pain that came as a result of the accident.

Every year, an estimated 6 million vehicular accidents occur on the highways and streets of the United States. These accidents have resulted in more than 3 million injuries, with more than 2 million of those injuries resulting in permanent disability. This mounting number of vehicular accidents in the U.S. has caused great concern among motorists and pedestrians. Because of this, there are also now numerous questions raised by victims when it comes to car accidents and the legalities of such situation.

Here are among the questions commonly asked by victims of car accidents who were directly or indirectly involved in them:

Should I seek medical assistance for any kind of injury sustained in an accident that was not my fault and should I get a lawyer as soon as possible?
No matter how small you injury might be, as long as the accident was not your fault, you should seek medical and legal assistance right after the incident. Delaying medical help could result in delayed treatment or diagnosis, and it could also make a big difference in filing that claim for compensation against the responsible party. You should get a lawyer as soon as possible, as well, because there are time limits for filing a claim. Once this time limit has expired, your claim will be considered not eligible anymore.

How much do I pay a lawyer for the consultation as well as for the entire process of filing a claim?
Most law firms which specialize in car accidents provide initial consultations free of charge. Additionally, most lawyers, once they have established that you have a valid case, will work on a contingency fee basis. This means that they will not charge you for their fees until you receive the compensation that is due to you. Once the payment has been settled, a percentage of the amount of the settlement will be charged as the fee for all the services that they have rendered to you.

Will I be compensated if my loved one died due to an accident?
If a family member has died as a result of an accident that was not the fault of that loved one who died, you have every right to hire a lawyer so a wrongful death claim can be filed against the responsible parties. If you are directly related to the person who died or if you were dependent on the person financially even if you were not even related, you could actually file a wrongful death claim. For this, you just need to contact an experienced lawyer who will be able to help you in filing the case, as well as to prove that the death of your loved one was a directly caused by the negligence of the person you are filing the case against. A lawyer who is experienced in handling car accidents cases, especially ones that involve wrongful deaths, will be able to work out a case for you wherein you will receive damages for the loss of companionship, for mental anguish and pain, as well as for the actual loss of income.