You may be the most careful driver in the world, but the same can’t be said of other drivers. You never know when another driver might do something that causes a crash. If you get hurt in a crash, you have the right to pursue compensation.
There are three things you should do. Do your legal obligations at the scene, like calling the police and exchanging information. Then, go to the hospital or a primary care physician for a checkup. Then, contact an Athens, Alabama, car accident attorney from the team at Morris Bart.
Early Treatment Protects You After a Car Accident
Many people in injury accidents feel “fine” at the scene of a crash, but then get excruciating pain a few days or even weeks later. The reason is that your body will do things to protect itself, like flood your body with adrenaline. Once your body calms down, the pain comes.
Seeing a doctor can catch hidden injuries before they get worse and keep you from aggravating them. You could save yourself from further pain, injury, and even disability with an early checkup, but there’s another good reason to see a doctor early.
Seeing a doctor after your car accident creates evidence your lawyer can use when they pursue compensation for you. Waiting too long gives insurance companies an opportunity to say that your injuries happened after the accident or that you were really “fine” the whole time. That can deny you compensation you deserve.
For a free legal consultation with a Car Accident lawyer serving Athens, call 800-537-8185
Why Would an Insurer Deny Me Money?
Car insurance was supposed to solve the problem of paying for car accidents by drivers. In nearly all states, it’s mandatory to carry auto insurance and pay into the system. However, insurers are for-profit companies and try to pay out as little as they can.
One reason to hire a car accident attorney in Athens, AL, is to have someone negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf. You get to focus on healing and we get to focus on getting you the correct amount of compensation.
If you try to do it on your own, you’re facing an experienced opponent who will stop at nothing to pay you as little as the law will allow them to pay without breaching their contract. You’d be surprised how much your settlement offers will jump once you’ve retained a lawyer!
Will I Need to Go to Court for My Car Accident Claim?
Roughly 90% of all car accident cases do not go to court. Most are settled out of court, but it’s very easy to lose compensation in Alabama. The reason is that it is one of the few states that still use a contributory negligence standard for fault.
Going to court will make your case take longer, but it opens the possibility to higher settlements and judgments. Most of the enormous awards you hear about from personal injury lawyers come from cases that went to court, though not all.
However, going to court opens you to the risk of losing a lawsuit. Part of our job as Athens car accident attorneys is to advise you on whether it’s better to take a settlement offer or to go to court. The choice is ultimately yours.
Click to contact our Athens Personal Injury Attorney today
What Happens If I’m Partially at Fault for My Car Accident?
As we mentioned, Alabama uses a contributory negligence standard. This means that if you contributed at all toward causing your accident, you will be denied compensation completely by the court.
Let’s say you weren’t wearing your seatbelt at the time of a crash. Even if the other driver was clearly the cause of the wreck and you followed all other road rules, you could still be denied compensation because of that seatbelt violation! This may seem unbelievable, but that’s the way the law is written in Alabama, along with three other states and Washington D.C.
This is why it’s so important to hire a car accident attorney for your case before you speak with an insurance agent. As soon as they have evidence that you contributed in any way to the crash, they will use that to deny as much compensation as possible. Let us do the talking for you instead.
Seek Help from an Athens Car Accident Attorney
If you live in Athens, Alabama, and you need personal injury representation for a car crash case, look no further than Morris Bart. Getting into a serious car wreck can put you on a long road of recovery. Let us help you through making a claim so that you don’t get financial insult added to your injuries.
For more information and for a free consultation, contact our offices. The Athens, AL, car accident lawyers at Morris Bart & Associates, LLC work on a contingency fee, which means our services are free until you win your case.
Questions?Call 800-537-8185
to find a Morris Bart office near you.
