Get Back on Your Feet Financially After a Motor Accident

A motor accident can potentially put a significant strain on your finances. Not only do you have to worry about repairs to your vehicle, but you also have to consider any missed work and medical bills. Did you know that harm from a motor accident in the United States costs about $594 billion a year? 

If you or a loved one recently sustained injuries from a motor vehicle accident, there are ways to recover from this devastating situation. To learn more about how to recover from a motor accident and who you can contact for more information, please continue reading below! We will cover all you need to know about the financial aspect of auto accidents and what you can do to receive the compensation you deserve. 

What To Do After a Car Accident?

The first thing you should do after a car accident is to ensure that you and your passengers are okay. Car accidents cause your adrenaline to rush, so you may not notice if you have any injuries at that moment. If there are severe injuries, call 911 so they can send out an ambulance and a police officer to help with the situation. 

Do Not Discuss Fault

Even if you believe the accident is your fault, do not start explaining to the other driver what happened. The other driver may try to record you, or they will use your own words against you when they speak with the police or their insurance adjuster. Instead, move to a safe location and receive treatment for your injuries if needed.

Take Photos

When you are in a safe location, take photos of the damage to your vehicle. If you can, take pictures of the surrounding area where the accident happened and take photos of the other driver’s damages. 

Consider Retaining an Auto Accident Attorney

Before you call the other person’s insurance company, consider reaching out to a motor accident attorney for more help. When you work with a reputable attorney, they will protect your best interest and fight for the compensation you deserve. 

Make a Motor Accident Claim

If you decide not to partner with an attorney, you can reach out to the other insurance company on your own to create a claim. You will need to give them a statement about what happened, and they’ll send someone to come inspect your vehicle. 

If the other insurance company does not accept liability for the accident, you will have to use your own auto insurance to take care of your damages. If they accept responsibility, they should handle the repairs to your vehicle and offer you a settlement payment for your injuries. 

How Can I Recover From the Financial Burden of a Motor Accident?

As mentioned earlier, you have the opportunity to claim the other person’s auto insurance company. Granted, the other insurance company accepts liability for the case; they can offer to take care of your repairs and provide you with a settlement for your injuries. 

You must be careful when speaking with the other insurance company about what happened. These adjusters tend to try to twist your words or trick you into saying something that puts the fault on you. Even if they accept liability, they may try to offer you a lowball offer. 

They know that you are hurt, and you just want to get the claim over with. They, too, want to close out the claim because they have several other cases on their desk that they want to get over with. 

While you think the offer is a fair one, it really is below what you deserve. Instead of dealing with that on your own, it would be best if you reached out to a reputable accident attorney. 

Personal Injury Claim

Presenting a personal injury claim to the at-fault party can help you recover from the motor accident. Your injury may put you out of work for some time, which can cut into your finances. You can claim lost wages and any future wages if you have severe injuries. 

Health Insurance

As mentioned above, the first thing you should do after an accident is to make sure that you are okay. After you get away from the scene of the incident, you may need to visit the doctor for your injuries. 

When you seek treatment for your injuries, you can use your health insurance company to help cover some of the costs. Of course, most health insurance plans only cover so much, and they may want to seek additional compensation from the at-fault party involved in your motor accident. Medical bills can quickly drain your finances during your recovery period, so it is best to reach out to your health insurer to see what they are willing to help you with. 

Should I Hire an Attorney for a Motorcycle Accident?

If you or your loved one recently sustained injuries while on a motorcycle, you could benefit from speaking to a motorcycle accident attorney. Unlike other motor accidents, motorcycle accidents typically come with more injuries.

This is because the cyclist is more exposed to the elements, and they don’t have a steel cage surrounding them or protecting them from impact. Depending on the type of accident involved, the driver may be ejected from their bike, causing them to sustain serious bodily injuries. These claims are not to be taken lightly and should be reviewed by a reputable and knowledgeable motorcycle accident attorney. 

Should I Hire a Truck Accident Attorney?

If you sustain injuries at the hands of a truck driver, it would be best to seek a consultation from a truck accident attorney. Most people don’t know that there are several different people you must go through before you even get the right contact information to create a claim. Even more so, these companies have their own counsel on retainer to help mitigate any intense or costly lawsuits.

When going against them on your own, you may find yourself in a loop of never-ending voicemails and no returned calls. They may eventually reach out to you to make a settlement offer, but it will most likely be less than what you deserve. 

This can be exhausting, especially after you suffer severe injuries from a truck accident. To help you in this type of situation, you should get a consultation from a truck accident attorney. Most reputable personal injury lawyers provide their clients with free no-obligation consultations.

This means you won’t have to pay anything for the initial meeting with the attorney. You will merely have a conversation about your claim, and they will provide you with legal advice on how to best proceed with your situation. 

What Compensation Can I Receive for My Motor Accident?

There are several different damages you can claim for your injuries. For example, you can claim general and special damages. 

Special Damages

Special damages are damages you can calculate because a specific dollar amount is attached to each damage. For example, lost wages and loss of earnings are special damages you can claim for your accident. 

Additional special damages:

• Property damage
• Loss of items
• Medical expenses

Special damages are more straightforward to calculate than general damages because exact dollar amounts are already assigned. Your doctor has a price tag on their services, and you know how much you typically get paid weekly. You can work with your motor accident attorney to help calculate these damages, so you don’t have to. 

General Damages

As mentioned earlier, special damages are easier to calculate than general damages because general damages don’t come with price tags. General damages are things like pain and suffering or loss of consortium. 

Additional general damages:

• Mental health issues
• Reduced quality of life
• Loss of companionship
• Disfigurement

These damages are harder to calculate on your own, so it is best to reach out to a reputable attorney to help calculate them on your behalf. They will make sure you get the compensation you deserve. Your attorney may also find additional damages not listed above that you could possibly claim. 

Benefits of Hiring an Attorney

Hiring an attorney to handle your motor accident is an excellent decision for several reasons. For example, they can handle the entire claims process on your behalf. This includes contacting the other party’s auto adjuster and negotiating with them for you. 

Objectivity

When you’re hurt and overwhelmed, how can you be so sure that you’ll be able to make the right decision for yourself and your claim? As mentioned earlier, the claims adjusters know how to trick you into making it seem like the accident was either partially or entirely your fault.

This can significantly influence how much you receive as a settlement. Your personal injury attorney does not have the same feelings attached to the case as you do, so they can separate facts from emotions.

Of course, your attorney can still sympathize with you, and they understand your pain. They are just in a better position to negotiate and handle your claim for you. 

Protects You From Damaging Your Case

We all want to be as honest as possible when it comes to talking about what happened in the accident, but sometimes we say things that can mean something else. Auto adjusters can use your words against you, diminishing the value of your claim.

Who would want to argue with an adjuster about what you said and meant? Instead, you can have your attorney handle the facts of the case. They will ensure they get your story straight and portray the accident the way it happened instead of the misconstrued way the adjuster claims it happened. 

Handles Negotiations

Going back and forth with the at-fault party’s insurance company is tiring. When you’re exhausted and want to get the rest you deserve, you most likely don’t want to deal with never-ending negotiations with the adjuster.

This is what they want from you. They want you to tire out and give up, so you accept an offer less than what you deserve.

When you have an attorney on your side handling the claim, these adjusters know they can’t play those games with the attorney. Your lawyer knows of their negotiation tactics, and they can see right through them. Instead, they can adequately negotiate a fair settlement for you. 

Provides You with the Best Care

When you’re involved in an auto accident, sometimes going to your primary care physician is not enough. Depending on your injuries, you may need to seek treatment from a chiropractor or some other specialist to ensure you get the best care possible.

Most attorneys work with a variety of specialists that they can refer you to. While you receive treatment, your lawyer can work out a deal to pay off those medical expenses once you receive your claim settlement. This allows you to focus on your healing instead of worrying about the financial aspects that come with paying for treatment. 

Reputable Motor Accident Attorneys

Sustaining injuries from a motor accident is a scary experience that no one should go through. Unfortunately, accidents happen and can put a massive dent in your finances if you have injuries and a damaged vehicle.

To ensure you receive the best compensation offer and care possible, reach out to a reputable attorney with experience handling cases like yours. If you sustained injuries from a motor accident and need immediate representation, contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation. We are here for you and to answer any questions or concerns you may have.