Dade City & Zephyrhills Car Accident Attorney
There are a number of important steps to take after an auto accident to create the best outcome for your case. In addition to seeking medical care, filing a police report, and notifying your insurance company about the accident, your next step should be contacting an experienced Dade City & Zephyrhills car accident attorney for legal representation. Working with an attorney is highly recommended, even if you think that your case is direct and that you are guaranteed a settlement.
Why You Should Work with a Dade City and Zephyrhills Car Accident Attorney
Many people hesitate to contact a Dade City and Zephyrhills auto accident attorney after a crash, wondering whether or not working with an attorney is really necessary. While you have no legal obligation to contact a lawyer, doing so can improve your chances of recovering the maximum amount of money that you are owed, and can also provide you with a sense of confidence and comfort throughout the process. Here are some important ways that our Dade City and Zephyrhills car accident attorney helps you after a car accident:
- Investigating your accident. Fault in a crash is not always clear, and even when it is, the right evidence must be collected to prove it. Fault, or negligence, can have a big impact on the amount of money that you receive in a settlement offer, and unless you prove the negligence of the other driver (or other at-fault party), you may be unable to recover compensation at all. The investigation starts as soon as we learn around your accident, collecting all evidence. This includes physical evidence, pictures of the accident scene, police reports, video footage, witness statements, and more.
- Filing your claim. Filing can be overwhelming. You may not know how to file your claim after an accident, or against whom. This is especially true if the accident was caused by a party other than another driver, such as the manufacturer of a defective auto part. Our Dade City and Zephyrhills auto accident attorneys help you file your claim against the appropriate party in a timely manner.
- Proving damages. If you are injured in a crash and suffer losses, you may assume that the insurance adjuster responsible for processing your claim will recognize this and you’ll be compensated. Unfortunately, you will need to prove the full extent of your losses in order to recover any compensation. Our Dade City and Zephyrhills car crash attorneys can assist you in gathering medical bills, working with experts, and proving damages.
- Negotiating for a fair settlement offer. Frequently, insurance adjusters offer claimants less than they deserve, hoping that the claimant will take the money in desperation and frustration. When your settlement offer does not address the full amount of damages you have suffered, we will aggressively negotiate for a more suitable settlement amount.
- Taking your claim to court. When a settlement cannot be reached, our Dade City and Zephyrhills car accident attorneys will be prepared to take your case to court.
Types of Car Accident Claims
Most auto accidents happen because of negligence, which is the failure to exercise a certain level of caution while operating a vehicle. The Dade City and Zephyrhills auto accident attorneys, along with your insurance company, will conduct a preliminary investigation to identify whether you were negligent or not.
To have the best chances of winning the case, the experienced Dade City and Zephyrhills auto accident attorneys must prove that the defendant’s negligence caused the accident. Some examples are negligent drivers, reckless drivers, intoxicated drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and those who text and drive.
If your vehicle, or the defendant’s vehicle had a defect contributed to the accident, the injured party may have a claim against the manufacturer of the vehicle or one of its many parts. If the car had a faulty manufacturing issue, the manufacturer can be held responsible regardless of who was actually at fault for the accident.
The Dade City and Zephyrhills car crash attorneys must prove that you were not at fault for the accident, and that the defect happened due to the manufacturing process. Usually they bring in expert testimony and analysis as evidence to prove that the defect caused or contributed to the accident. Successful lawsuits will require the plaintiff to show:
- The defective car or part was “unreasonably dangerous”
- The vehicle was being operated safely
- The vehicle’s performance had not changed since purchase
Then there’s faulty construction, design, or maintenance of roads. This can contribute to car crashes and have nothing to do with the drivers. This type of claim will prove the plaintiff and defendant not guilty due to circumstances beyond their control.
Types of Car Accident Injuries and Compensation You May Be Entitled To
The extent and severity of injuries suffered will be different with each individual case. In some cases, treatment for injuries will not be covered by insurance. The Dade City and Zephyrhills auto accident attorneys help cover costs of injuries that include:
- Paralysis
- Burns and scars
- Loss of limbs
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head injuries
- Joint, muscle, back, neck, and bone injuries
- Knee damage
- Whiplash
- Permanent disability
If you are seeking further compensation for damages, your attorney will approach the negligent party’s insurance company in an attempt to recover compensation to cover your remaining costs. Your claim will be submitted for approval to the insurance company, which will have led an investigation of its own.
The success of your claim will likely depend on the ability of your attorney to collect, analyze, and present evidence. It can be particularly challenging considering the opposing insurance company will clearly want to minimize their disbursement.
Providing your attorney with as much information as possible can help your odds of winning the case. If your attorney and the insurance company cannot agree on a settlement, often the case may proceed to trial.
In addition to these, our experienced Dade City and Zephyrhills car crash attorneys can help you obtain compensation for the following:
- Medical expenses
- Future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Loss of consortium
- Punitive damages
- Wrongful death
Dade City and Zephyrhills Car Accident Attorneys Assist with Wrongful Death Claims
If you have lost a loved one in a car crash, you can file a wrongful death lawsuit. In these cases, the family or survivors of the victim must prove that their loved one was killed as a result of another’s negligence. You can gain economic, non-economic, and punitive damages.
Contact Our Experienced Dade City and Zephyrhills Car Accident Attorney Today
The experienced Dade City and Zephyrhills car accident attorneys are always here for you. To schedule your free consultation with our team today, call us directly or fill out the form on our website with your information and we will be in touch.
