Author: Lisa Coleman
Published: Dec 9 2013
It is truly amazing the expenses you will incur after an auto accident takes place. If you were injured, there will be medical bills, lost income from not being able to work, car repair expenses, and car rental fees. Depending on how severe the accident, there may be additional expenses not included here. What does a victim do to recover these expenses? After all, you were not at fault for the accident, so why should you have the burden of all the costs associated with the event?
The most important thing you can do after notifying your car insurance company of the event is hire a local car accident attorney to represent your case. Hiring an attorney that is familiar with the area in which the accident occurred will be beneficial to your case. Their familiarity with the area can be crucial to proving why the event was not your fault and determine if there are other parties responsible for the accident other than the other driver.
Recently in Miami, an accident occurred on a busy street that took the life of one and injured 2 others. It is reported by Miami police that the driver in the rental car ran a red light causing it to T-bone a pickup truck. The drivers of both vehicles sustained serious injury but the life of a 22 year old woman is now gone. She was a passenger in the seat of the rental car.
In this example, the driver of the pick-up truck could have difficulty when trying to get compensation from the accident due to the other vehicle being a rental car. It would be imperative for this driver to retain a Miami Florida car accident attorney to help sort out the details and file a claim.
It is even more important to hire a local attorney if you are from out of state when the accident occurs. Personal injury law is regulated on a state level, and you will need an attorney that is familiar with the laws of the state in which the accident occurred so that you can receive full and fair compensation.
Once you hire an attorney, they will discuss with you the types of compensation you may be entitled to under state law for the accident. This may include one or more of the following types of compensation:
- Car rental fees
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
- Medical expenses both current and future
- Car repair expenses or replacement of vehicle
- Damages for personal items damaged during the accident
- Retraining for new employment if you have become disabled
- Lost wages both current and future that is the result of your injuries
There may also be other things that you can claim compensation for under the laws of the state in which the accident occurred.
You will also need to actively track other expenses that may be associated with the case which include mileage costs to and from medical appointments, cost of medical supplies purchased over-the-counter, and other miscellaneous expenses that your attorney will tell you to track.
When you have been involved in a car accident, your insurance company, or the insurer of the at-fault driver, will begin making contact with you to start negotiating a settlement. It is very important that you do not provide the insurance company with any type of written or oral statement prior to consulting with your attorney. All information gathered in these statements will be used to reduce your settlement or have it denied.
If the insurance company contacts you for a statement, politely inform them that you will need to speak to your attorney before providing any information to them. If they say that it is harmless questions they have to ask, assure them that you will return the call after speaking to your lawyer. While this may seem a little frustrating to them, it will protect your rights and your case.
Lisa Coleman shares tips on how to successfully file an accident claim to help obtain fair and full compensation. She obtained some of her research for this article from an experienced Miami Florida car accident attorney firm that represents clients in such cases.
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