If you or a loved one suffered harm in a car accident, you probably have many questions about the legal next steps. Will filing a claim really get you compensation? Can you afford a lawyer? What factors determine your settlement amount?
Questions like this are particularly important to Bostonians. Boston saw 2,965 car accidents in 2020, out of which 775 caused some kind of injury. If you’re injured due to someone else’s negligence, consult a Boston car accident law firm to get the guidance you need.
This article answers seven questions we hear the most from victims seeking advice after a car accident.
- Do I really need a lawyer?
After a car wreck, contacting an experienced attorney should always be your first call. Auto insurance companies have teams of adjusters meticulously trained to minimize what crash victims recover in claims. Without legal representation, you can easily be manipulated into accepting far less than what you deserve.
- Who pays my medical bills now?
Your own auto insurance policy’s Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage will cover initial accident-related medical expenses, regardless of fault. However, this coverage has limits, after which you must use your health insurance. Your attorney will make sure any out-of-pocket medical costs beyond what your insurance covers are included in your liability claim against the at-fault driver’s insurer.
- How is fault determined?
Police reports, eyewitness accounts, video evidence, insurance investigations, and crash scene forensic analysis help assign relative fault percentages to the drivers involved. An experienced attorney will use all resources to prove the at-fault motorist’s negligence caused the collision. Comparative negligence laws in most states allow for partial recovery even if you share some minor fault.
- What are the damages I can recover?
Documented accident-related expenses like medical bills, lost income, and vehicle repair costs make up your “special” damages.
Intangible losses such as pain and suffering are covered under “general” damages.
Your attorney will retain experts to accurately calculate and prove both damage categories. Tallied together, these losses comprise your total claim value.
- How long will my case take?
Every personal injury case has its own timeline based on factors like
- Injury severity
- Challenges proving liability
- Insurance company cooperation
- Whether a lawsuit is filed
Most straightforward cases settle within a few months, while complex litigation can take over a year. Your attorney will continuously update you on the best and worst-case time frames.
- How much is my case worth?
While your lawyer cannot quote an exact settlement amount initially, they will draw on experience with similar cases, injury severity, and special damages to estimate an expected settlement range.
The top end represents the maximum jury verdict if the case went to trial. As details emerge, your attorney can better calculate the potential case value.
- How do I pay legal fees?
Most car accident attorneys work on a contingent fee basis, meaning they only collect if they recover compensation for you. Their fee percentage then comes out of the total settlement amount, at no upfront cost to you. So you have nothing to lose by hiring an experienced attorney to maximize your recovery.
Recovering After an Auto Accident
The aftermath of a traffic collision leaves many accident victims confused and overwhelmed. But contacting a knowledgeable car accident law firm quickly for guidance takes the guesswork out of seeking maximum compensation.
With an attorney’s help in filing insurance claims, documenting evidence, proving negligence, calculating damages, and negotiating your best settlement, you are in good hands.
Focus your energy on healing while your lawyer tirelessly pursues the justice and financial recovery you rightfully deserve.
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When Should You Contact a Lawyer After a Car Accident?
![Jeremy Renner recently announced on Instagram that his music career will be relaunched with a new collection of songs directly inspired by his near-fatal snowplow accident on January 1st and the resulting recovery process. The Marvel actor and "Hurt Locker" Oscar nominee previously released the gritty rock track "Heaven Don't Have a Name" earlier in the summer of 2019, and his EP "The Medicine" was released in March 2020. His new music collection appears to have title "Love and Titan", a reference to how he has addressed his recovery in interviews. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jeremy Renner (@jeremyrenner) "A collection of music we've written about various milestones in my recovery journey since January 1st of this year," Renner wrote in an Instagram post showing part of the album's artwork. “'Love and Titan' was painful, deeply healing, and ultimately cathartic for me. I hope I get the courage to share with you all.” The album art was accompanied by the text "coming soon", although Renner's announcement did not include any further release plans. Renner was hospitalized for blunt force trauma to the chest and orthopedic injuries in early January after his Sno-Cat, a large snow plow that weighs at least 14,330 pounds, ran him over. The actor was trying to help his nephew out of the snow near his Lake Tahoe home when the Sno-Cat crushed him. His injuries included eight broken ribs in 14 places, a broken right knee and ankle, a broken tibia in his left leg, a broken left ankle, a broken right collarbone, a broken right shoulder, and more. "I chose to survive. There's no way that's going to kill me,” Renner told ABC News in March about the accident. “I lost a lot of flesh and bone in this experience, but I was charged and filled with love and titanium. In the following months, Renner used social media to update fans on his recovery process and extensive physical therapy. At the world premiere of his Disney+ series "Renervations" in April, Renner was able to walk the red carpet with a cane. “I was really adamant that they weren't going to push [the world premiere] while the brass at Disney, with us, with the timing in our lives. It just felt right,” Renner told Variety at the time. “I look a little beat up right now, but I promise you this show is what drives me to get better and makes me get better every day. I made it my goal to walk on this carpet. And I'm enjoying it here. Otherwise, it would go into a dateless abyss and lose traction and excitement, and I would be very, very, very frustrated. I'm very excited right now because we're here."](https://www.panasiabiz.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/JEREMY-RENNA-WORKING-ON-MUSIC-INSPIRED-BY-HIS-SNOW-PLOW-ACCIDENT-120x120.webp)
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