> Here are some sobering statistics – every year in the United States there are between five and six million car accidents. Over two million people are injured in those accidents, many of them permanently. On average 32,000 people are killed each year in car accidents, or one every 16 minutes. The good news is the fatality rate has declined sharply in the last 10 years, due to higher seat belt use, less intoxicated driving, and more safety features in vehicles.
There can be a lot of reasons for car accidents. If your car accident was caused by another driver’s negligence, you may have the right to sue that driver to obtain compensation for your injuries, property damages, and more. Some of the common causes of accidents include drunk driving, reckless driving, driver fatigue, distracted drivers, and vehicle malfunctions. Although more safety features and less drunk driving are helping to reduce the number of accidents, distracted driving in the form of smart phones is rapidly rising.
If you are injured in an accident, you are entitled to compensation for a variety of both economic and non-economic damages you suffered. Some possible damages economic damages you or a loved one may have incurred are property damage (to your vehicle), medical expenses (both past and future), lost wages, funeral expenses, and more. You may also be entitled to non-economic damages like pain and suffering, loss of companionship, and punitive damages in some cases.
If you or a loved one has been involved in an automobile accident, it’s important to obtain legal representation quickly. If you fail to do so, you can experience significant financial losses in the form of medical expenses, property damages and lost wages for which you may not obtain compensation.
Although it can be tempting to forego hiring an attorney and work directly with the other party’s insurance adjuster, it’s important to remember that the adjuster is not on your side. The job of an insurance adjuster is to pay out as little compensation as possible in order to make maximum profit for his or her employer. Don’t be fooled by how nice or sympathetic the insurance adjuster or the other side’s attorney is – their job is not to help you. Hire your own attorney who is solely looking out for your rights and your best interests.
You may also be tempted to represent yourself in your accident case because you’re afraid hiring a personal injury attorney will take away the bulk of any award you receive. However, by hiring a personal injury attorney you are more likely to get a higher settlement than you would have received otherwise, even after subtracting out the attorney’s fees. The attorney knows what to do to maximize car accident settlements and awards.
At Liberty Law Micha Star Liberty believes in standing up for the rights of car accident victims. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident in the Oakland, California area, including San Francisco, Hayward, Tracy, Fairfield or the surrounding areas, call her at Liberty Law at 415-896-1000 or 510-645-1000. She will work hard to ensure you are awarded fair compensation for your accident. Call today.
