A Car Accident That Isn’t Your Fault – How Car Accident Lawyers Can Help

Accidents happen every day and as horrible as it sounds, both the parties have to pay, either with health or finances. The smart thing to do is call up the authorities. Not only to help you get coverage. But to make the driver hold accountable for the irrational driving, repairs, and revoked license.

It is not a selfish act but a mere act of kindness for others. Knowing you held a culprit accountable for their wrong driving sense. You made sure others were safe. Besides basic ethics, you are legally bound and obliged to call in the authorities no matter how feeble an accident may be.

Car accident law and Personal injury attorney

Car accident law is referred to a set of legal rules that are applied for a situation, encountering a car accident. The professionals who work in this domain are mostly known as ‘accident lawyers’ and ‘personal injury lawyers’. Now depending on the seriousness of the accident, either one of them is called. Such as Salvi. Schostok & Pritchard P.C. – Chicago car accident lawyer, who works as an accident and a personal injury lawyer.

If the accident is due to no fault of yours, here is how this will be handled. The four basic elements are followed legally to recover compensation. These four elements are;

1. The duty that every diver is legally obliged to follow such as the signal, over speeding, carelessness, using blinkers, etc
2. Breech, any eye witness, camera shot, paint smudge, history of the accident.
3. Causation, any evidence of plaintiff injury.
4. Harm, the plaintiff has to and must prove harm.

Once the harm is proven and declared, your injury attorney can recover medical, insurance, repair, pain and grief, and lost wages compensation.

How can car accident lawyers help?

Car accident lawyers are professionals that are knowledgeable in accident laws, legalities, and rules. They know how to handle legal paperwork, insurance work, and tackling courts and cases. When hired for a case, they provide a backup for you in situations when you need dire help.

Such as if caught in an accident, where it is not your fault. Your car accident lawyer can advocate for you. They can give you legal advice and handle your compensation for you. They guide you to make better decisions. In other words, they will fight your case in front of the judge when needed. And if not your fault, then they make sure you are not falsely alleged. Also, they make sure every penny is paid in the form of compensation that needs to be paid.

Car accident lawyers are mainly hired for;

1. They are professional, and their main objective is to secure as much financials as possible by seeking immaterial things. They fight their case purely on facts and knowledge.
2. They have excellent and very convincing negotiation skills. They can get you both an out-of-court settlement and an in-court settlement. You are making your case justifiable.
3. They have the power to get you the medical attention that you need, leading to a speedy recovery. And those doctors can serve as your eyewitness.
4. They are so familiar with the process and legalities that they provide the best option to choose, even in the most stressful situations.
5. They are hired for their expertise in litigation. They collect all proof and evidence that helps your case in court if the opposing party made a false claim.
6. Your hiring can help clear your medical bill before anyone; that being said, it is mainly the compensation.
7. They will do every possible thing to scrutinize the opponent’s claim.

Legalities of a car accident

When it comes to legal laws and rules, things get a little complicated. That is why it is better to call an attorney, lawyer, and even the police. Certain driving rules have to be abided by all. And if anything goes against the rules. Then there are certain encounter rules. The first and most important rule that should be followed is, call in the accident.

It can happen either way, with you in the car and/ or an empty car depending on the situation. Legalities differ. And different sets of rules apply. Such as;

1. If you are in the car:

You are liable to claim all four elements provided by the basic compensation. That includes your insurance claim, health compensation, and also the repairs. This sort of accident depends on what the other driver was doing.

2. If you were not in the vehicle:

If you were not present in the vehicle at the time of the accident, then the compensation comes down to car insurance coverage claim, repairs, and fine as per the state. Depending on the severity of the accident, it can also result in penalties and punishments.

Other than these legalities, every state has a set of accident rules that they follow. Depending on the state you live in or the state you had your accident. You should know about the state rules and also about your insurance claim.

What to do after a car accident that helps your case

If you are in a car crash, with no fault of your own, the natural state you will be in is shock, fear, pain, or confusion. In such situations, it is always difficult to see whose fault it may be. It is advisable to call in the authorities, such as the police and also your lawyer. Certain steps are advisable for you to take while you make a call or text to your lawyer.

Remain Silent

If in an accident of your fault of yours, do not engage with the driver on whose fault it is. It is very difficult to admit your fault or even figure out who is at fault in such a situation. It is highly advisable not to engage in politeness “I’m sorry” or accusing the other driver in rage.  

Use your android, phone, and tablet to your advantage. Record the conversation. Anything that can help you gets the compensation and any legal regulations. Your lawyer will use this information to back your case and help you recover all the four basic elements of compensation.

Takedown all the information you can find

The smart thing you can do is get all the legal information you can from the crime scene. That gives the driver little chance to lie and escape. This will help your lawyer do a background check, help make a stronger case, and save you from allegations.  The information you will need is;

1. The driver’s name and all the contact information, it will be better to look at his/her id or driver’s license.
2. Names and contact information of any passengers if present. They can serve as eyewitnesses.
3. Try recording the driver’s insurance company and policy information.
4. The nitty-gritty details of the car/vehicle. Such as the color, make, car number, seats, and any special identifying features.
5. Any witness that was on the crime scene has seen it happen. Get their personal and contact details.
6. IF you are lucky enough to have an officer attend the crime scene, note down their names, badge number, and contact information.

The aim of this is to get all the information that will help get the case falsely alleged and your accident lawyer is the one to do that for you.

Make a video

To help your attorney get a better idea of the crime scene and have solid proof for harm and causation. Making a simple video of the crime scene from your android is the smart thing to do. The video should clearly show the area, any names of roads, buildings, time and date, and the accident’s driver.

Keep the video rolling; make sure to record the police officer’s faces, names, and badge numbers if you can record the ids and driver’s license. Or just take pictures.

Immediate medical attention

From a legal point of view, the opponent’s attorney might bring up the case of nonmedical attention on your injury lawyer. To keep that away, it is better to call for medical attention either you feel the injury or not. Many whiplash injuries might not have instant symptoms. But they do need medical attention.

Also, having medical attention called up will only strengthen your case regarding the fourth element of harm. It helps your injury lawyer to compensate you for pain and grief, loss of peace, medical insurance, wage loss, and much more.

Make a call to your personal injury/ accident lawyer

Before the opponent’s attorney or the driver himself tries to strike an unfair deal. Or make you waive off your rights. It is better to have a professional backup that talks on your behalf when you can be vulnerable, alone, and scared.

Do not sign anything until your attorney takes a look at it and gives you all the possible options. Because at the end of the day, you might not know the legalities but your attorney will.

Your Rights after a Car accident

When you are in a car accident due to another person’s carelessness, your basic aim should be to get medical attention and get your compensation. Here are a few things that you should know are your legal rights;

1. You can call for medical help.
2. You have the right to make phone calls to the police and your lawyer
3. You have the right to remain silent and talk only in the presence of your attorney
4. You have the right to take pictures of the crime scene.
5. You have the right to talk to the witnesses and gather contact information.
6. You have the right to stop your car at the scene of the accident. And park it.
7. Call your insurance company and give them all the details of the accident at once.
8. Assess all repairs that have to be made and wage them.
9. You have the right not to sign anything or make any agreement until your attorney arrives.

If the driver does not allow you to do any of it, it is the job of your car accident lawyer to hold them accountable for this injustice.  It is suggested to call your personal injury attorney that will be working for you and also your car accident lawyer who will advocate for you. It would be better to have these numbers on speed dial and have these professionals for the same firm, if possible.

Best Car accident lawyer

It is highly recommended to make a lawsuit, just in case the situation takes a rough turn. You will have a professional-looking out for you and working for you. A personal injury lawyer is a highly trained professional who is an expert in laws and legal regulation. They make sure you get the compensation for what you have been.

Look into the best car accident lawyer in California, Salvi. Schostok & Pritchard P.C. – Chicago car accident lawyer. This firm specializes in personal injury and medical malpractice lawyers. Having a record of the settlement of 1.5$ billion.

You will find plenty of car accident lawyers but make sure to choose the right one. Some are new to the field or may charge you many things that well-known firms might give you for free. Such as at the salvo law firm providing free consultation for the first time.

If you make a better choice at hiring a good lawyer that will directly ensure your compensation protection, your medical bill protection, and all other repairs that might be needed. To have a win-win situation, the choice of a good lawyer is crucial. These are professionals who know how to get the job done and in a perfect way. These lawyers work in the field of personal gain. This might seem selfish, but in reality, it is a legal obligation of every citizen to call in the authorities when such an incident takes place.

Conclusion

Hiring a car accident lawyer and/or a personal injury lawyer can serve as a blessing in situations you could never imagine. It is like having an emotional and financial backup. Making a call at the right time can help you, and your lawyer makes better and more efficient decisions that will ensure heavy compensation. What they do is cash your pain, grief, medical bill, peace of mind, repair, any damages, and insurance claims.