Car Accident Lawyer » Damages

FAQ’s About Motorcycle Accidents and Answers from Michigan Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

admin — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 23:24:31 +0000

Question: At the time of my Michigan motorcycle accident, I did not have insurance on my motorcycle. Can I still sue the driver who hit me?

Answer: Yes. Michigan law treats motorcyclists differently than individuals driving their own cars without insurance. Thus, an injured motorcyclist, who did not have insurance on his or her bike, may bring a lawsuit against the careless driver who caused the Michigan motorcycle accident.

Question: What is Uninsured Motorist Coverage?

Answer: Uninsured Motorist Coverage is an insurance coverage option that may allow you to recover damages from your own insurance policy, when an at-fault driver did not have insurance or cannot be identified (i.e. hit and run driver). It is a wise idea to carry uninsured coverage, to protect yourself in case you are in this situation when you are in a Michigan motorcycle accident.

Question: Is there a difference between uninsured motorist coverage and underinsured motorist coverage?

Answer: Yes. Underinsured coverage provides an additional means of collecting damages, if you are seriously injured in an accident. It is different than uninsured coverage, which is available when there was no identifiable insurance on an at-fault vehicle. For example, if you carried a policy of $100,000 underinsured coverage and the at-fault driver had a $20,000 liability insurance policy, you could seek up to $80,000 in additional damages from your own insurance company. This applies only after your attorney secures a tender offer of the underlying policy of insurance. As you can see, these claims are complicated and must be handled carefully.

An uninsured endorsement on a policy does not necessarily include an underinsured endorsement. Premature acceptance of an underlying policy in full settlement of your Michigan motorcycle accident claim could deprive you of the right to collect uninsured coverage.

Question: The driver who caused the Michigan motorcycle accident did not have insurance. I did not carry uninsured motorist coverage on my motorcycle, but have it in my motorcycle insurance policy. Can I make a claim for damages I suffered in the Michigan motorcycle accident through my motorcycle insurance?

Answer: Maybe. Your eligibility for uninsured coverage may depend on the specific wording of your Michigan motorcycle insurance policy. You should contact a Michigan motorcycle accident lawyer for help determining what your insurance policy covers.

If you or a loved one was seriously injured in a Michigan motorcycle accident, talk with an experienced Michigan motorcycle accident lawyer.

By: Marya Sieminski

Truck Accidents Explained

admin — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 08:59:15 +0000

Trucks are one of the biggest types of automobiles that you can see on the road and there have been lots of truck accidents reported in the past. You could easily imagine how much damage an accident involving a truck could cause. If your vehicle will get hit by a truck, you can expect that you will have to deal with a very serious issue. You will need good lawyers who will make sure that you will get what you should like the amount that will cover the cost of your car’s repair and medical treatments in case you got injured due to the accident.

Law firms have highly qualified lawyers who can deal with this kind of problem in an excellent way. The lawyers have acquired skills and knowledge from education, training, and from lots of experience in the past. The attorneys are more than just a law firm; they will be your friend who will look after your welfare and best interest. The lawyers will fight for your rights and make sure that you’ll get compensated for all the injuries and the damages.

In most cases, accidents involving trucks are caused by negligence on the truck driver’s part. They are well-trained and they know all the truck-driving rules but sometimes, they just become too reckless without ever thinking of the result or the consequences. They are also aware of the laws and regulations set by the government but they sometimes don’t give much importance to these due to a variety of reasons. Once a truck gets involved in an accident, the process of filing a claim for insurance is usually more difficult and complicated compared to a regular car or vehicle.

There are many factors that will affect the insurance coverage and if you are not very familiar with the terms and conditions of these insurance companies regarding truck accidents and the type of coverage they offer for trucks, you will find yourself in a very difficult situation. In case this ever happens to you or to a member of your family, the first thing you should do is to hire lawyers who can expertly handle truck accident cases.

The attorneys will pursue your case on your behalf and they will do their best to achieve results that will be in your favor. The lawyers will investigate the whole accident carefully to get the slightest details to the most important ones. This way, they could represent your case better and you will get what’s due. The lawyers are well-informed about the rules and regulations set by the state governing these accidents so they already know what to do. They will personally get in touch with you so you can talk to them about your concerns and they will do their best to resolve any issues.

By: Sanjana Antony

Car Accident Lawsuits – Ten Mistakes That Can Hurt Your Case

admin — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 09:19:52 +0000

When involved in an auto accident lawsuit, your day-to-day activities will be scrutinized by insurance adjusters and defense attorneys looking for proof that your injuries are not severe or life-altering enough to recover damages. The following are ten common mistakes victims make that can harm their car accident case.

1. Underestimating insurance companies:

Expect that your auto insurance company and at-fault driver’s insurance company will conduct surveillance and hire investigators to take photos and videos of you at some point during your case. If you have tried to do a task, admit you’ve tried it. Most people will understand if you had a good day, and attempted to do something. But no one understands when an auto accident victim denies something that is later caught on surveillance video.

2. Signing away your rights:

Do NOT sign ANYTHING until you check with your auto accident lawyer. Even seemingly innocent papers such as car damage (mini-tort) releases sometimes have fine print waiving future injury claims or allowing an at-fault insurance company to access your medical records and violate your privacy. Always check with your car accident lawyer first.

3. Talking about your case:

Insurance adjusters, defense lawyers, and sometimes jurors may try one day to contact you. Do NOT talk about your case with ANYONE hired by the at-fault driver or insurance company. If an adjuster wants to ask about your case, have them call your car accident lawyer.

4. Divulging information on Facebook, Twitter and other online forums:

Defense attorneys and insurance adjusters will investigate your MySpace, Facebook and related Web pages, blogs or Twitter accounts – even when set as ‘Private’ – and look for things that can help their case against you. The purpose of this Internet research is to attempt to show that you are not as injured as you claim. So be careful about postings and photos of your activities. Avoid posting new items and remove any items that can be used to discredit you. One example is a truck accident victim who posted pictures of himself skiing on Facebook. Even though the activity occurred before the accident, the mere accusation of fraud by defense lawyers can have an affect on suspicious jurors.

5. Missing doctor appointments:

Do not miss doctor’s appointments. Not going to the doctor may be interpreted as a sign that you are not hurt, or don’t take your case seriously. Listen to your doctors, and follow their advice. It’s very important for you to show that you’re working hard to recover, and keeping appointments is an important part of that.

6. Disposing of important evidence of your injuries:

Save all pill bottles, casts, braces, prescriptions and any other items from your doctors. These will be used to prove you are truly injured.

7. Forgetting to document your injuries:

Anytime you have a surgery or a visible injury, take pictures. Or contact your auto accident lawyer and he will send a photographer to document your injuries before it’s too late. Videos are also great tools to show a jury or an insurance company adjuster just how difficult things have been in the days and weeks following your personal injury or after a surgery. In addition, take pictures of car damage. Crash repair estimates are often misleading and don’t reflect the full amount of vehicle damage.

8. Renewing licenses:

Defense attorneys and their investigators can easily obtain access to commercial driver license (CDL) information from the secretary of state, as well as hunting and fishing license information from the Department of Natural Resources. If you have serious injuries that prevent you from driving a commercial vehicle and/or participating in outdoor activities, do not renew those licenses until you speak with your lawyer first. Evidence showing that you renewed one of these licenses while recovering from your accident may convince a jury your injuries are not as severe as stated.

9. Failing to notify your attorney about job changes and moving:

Anything after your auto accident regarding changes in your job, job duties and salary is very important to discuss with your attorney. Notify your attorney if you are moving, if you have been put on further restrictions at work or have to miss more work due to your personal injuries. The more informed your lawyer is about how your injuries are affecting your job and your life, the better he can work towards obtaining fair compensation for you.

10. Poor communication:

The best way to avoid mistakes in a lawsuit is to maintain excellent communication with your car accident lawyer. There are so many confusing laws that can wreak havoc on an automobile accident case, even when people are trying to be truthful, honest and do the right thing.

The best advice remains the simplest: Call your car accident lawyer if you have a question, and certainly before doing something that can have an important impact on your case.

By: Steve Gursten

Noteworthy Pieces of Evidence in Car Collision Accidents

admin — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 16:30:12 +0000

Every morning before going to work, while taking out your car, you hope not to become involved in a very inconvenient traffic problem or worse, an accident with other cars or vehicles.

Unfortunately, once you are out on the road, you only have control of your car and not anything else happening in the highway, especially not the other drivers. Thus, accidents, even if you pray hard not to happen, are quite unpredictable.

With this in mind, it also pays that you should know what to do when you indeed become involved in an accident.

If you happen to become involved in a car accident like car collisions or crashes with other vehicles, the details of which somehow found its way into newspaper and television reports, you have to take advantage of this opportunity of having qualified evidence taken by professionals.

Unless you have a degree of liability or fault in the accident, you have all the right to file for car accident claims and recover for the damages you suffer. Thus, you can use these live pieces of evidence to show the damages you have sustained. As we all know, you have to gather as much information as you can regarding the accident. Having this featured on print media and TV is a decided advantage in your favor in order that you gain more information about your accident.

Here is what you can do:

• Scour local and national newspapers and check out if their articles gave a detailed and accurate account of the car collision / crash.

Clip the articles that have details of the incident.

Locate other articles that feature events related to the day you had your car collision accident. You might get some articles that mentioned something about the weather on that day. Check out those articles that came out specifically on the day of your accident. You can also clip some information related to what you think had caused the accident, like road works or construction.

Once you cut out any articles from newspapers, make sure that you do not forget cutting, pasting it together with the date, page, and name of the newspaper. You can also note such information at the top article of the newspaper.

• Pictures are very good evidence. If you failed to take pictures of the scene where the accident occurred, it is a good idea that you find photos of it along with scouring for articles. Furthermore, look out for pictures about the crash.

It is possible that there are accompanying pictures in the articles about the accident. If you do not find anything at all, you might also try contacting the newspaper offices for pictures they have taken but was unable to use.

If it turns out that they do have unpublished photographs, make it a point to request permission to visit their office and pick up some copies.

• Look out for TV coverage of your car accident. Some accidents are quite spectacular for the media that the incident could have major television news or TV traffic report coverage.

If your car collision accident happens to get TV coverage, exert some effort to have it taped. You might be given a new perspective on what happened due to the angle on how the video shot was taken.

These are but some of the valuable and valid information that could immensely help in building up your car collision accident case. Make sure to give copies to your car collision lawyer too.

By: Carla C. Ballatan

Car Accidents Explained

admin — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 18:13:02 +0000

Being an expert, skillful, and careful driver is not an assurance or guarantee that you will be free from car accidents. As you can see, there are millions of cars and other kinds of vehicles or automobiles out on the road everyday especially in the busy part of the city where most car accidents happen. You could get stuck in a traffic jam for about an hour or so. This could make drivers more eager to get out of the area resulting to different car accidents or collisions that could also result to damages to other people, other vehicles, or other properties.

There are many factors that could cause car mishaps and they could be because of the driver’s fault, the vehicle, nature, animals, or even other people like pedestrians who are not using the proper lane or are not paying attention to traffic signals. The sad part is that most of these car accidents resulted to injuries and damages. This is where you will need the expertise and skills of the lawyers. They attorneys are very dedicated in making sure that you will get what you should in case you will get involved in any kind of car accident.

There are many different things that should be looked at or investigated in case a car accident happens. It is important to identify which party is at fault because this will determine who will be the one responsible for the accident and who will shoulder the cost or expenses of the medical treatment and the liability for the damaged properties. The attorneys will be able to help you in case you have to file a lawsuit or if there is a need for legal proceedings to prove that you are the victim and the other party is at fault. Being covered by an insurance policy is not enough to free you of all the troubles that a car accident could bring. These insurance companies will need proof that their client was at fault before they could compensate the other driver.

The lawyers have enough experience about these kinds of cases and they have already helped lots of clients in the past in claiming the right amount for the damages that car accidents have caused. They commit themselves in fighting for the rights of their clients and they will do everything with the best of their knowledge and abilities to help you get fair and appropriate compensation.

The car accident is a traumatic experience itself and the lawyers completely understand that. This is why they encourage you to leave everything to them and rest assured that the lawyers will take care of the all the legal aspects of your case. Your mind and body will be able to heal and recover faster if you will free your mind of any worries, pressure, and other negative thoughts. You’ll be able to get back to your home with your family and to your work sooner if you will just rest and relax knowing that there are hard-working and concerned lawyers handling your case.

By: Sanjana Antony

Car Accidents – 5 Reasons To Sue Your Parents

admin — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 21:31:49 +0000

If you’re like most people, you never thought about suing your parents.

There are a lot of adjectives I can think of to describe someone who actively wants to sue their parents. However, if you’re a passenger in a car being driven by one of your parents, and your car is in an accident and you suffer injuries, you may have no choice but to sue your mom or dad in order to recover sufficient compensation for your injuries.

Here’s why:

Typically a passenger will sue the driver of the other car that caused the accident. The driver of the other car will typically bring a claim against your mom or dad claiming that is was one of them who caused your accident. Any good lawyer in New York will tell you that you may have no choice but to sue your parents for the accident in addition to the driver of the other car.

Reasons to sue your parents:

Reason #1:

If you don’t sue your parents, you may never recover the full compensation you’re entitled to. The driver of the other car will sue your parents, so that there will now be a dispute about who caused the accident. The other driver’s insurance may not be sufficient to take care of your injuries.

Reason #2:

Your parents have automobile insurance. Technically, even though you are suing your parents, they have insurance to cover any damages you’re entitled to.

Reason #3:

If your lawyer doesn’t recommend suing your parents, he might inadvertantly be setting himself up for a possible legal malpractice claim. Ask him, why you’re not suing your parents. Obviously, before actually suing your parents, you should have a heart-to-heart talk with them and explain the necessity of bringing an action against them personally.

Reason #4:

If you don’t sue them, the defense lawyer who represents the driver of the car that hit you will make a point of claiming that the wrong party is in the case. The proper party who should have been sued should have been your parents, not the driver of the other car. This is typically known as the ‘empty chair’ defense.

Reason #5:

Your parents may have to pay out of their own pocket to pay for your medical expenses if you’ve exhausted the amount available under the no-fault rules.

The tricky part of suing your parents is explaining to potential jurors at the time of trial why it was necessary to sue your parents. However, with proper explanations jurors understand the necessity of doing so, and can usually look beyond the fact that you have sued your own flesh and blood.

By: Gerry Oginski

Car Accident Settlement

admin — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 03:37:36 +0000

Many people face the challenge of getting a fair car accident settlement probably due to a lack of knowledge. Even in the event that a professional lawyer is left to handle accident settlements, it doesn’t come that easy. This therefore means that accident brings a lot of nightmares to grapple with. Several people have suffered a long standing mental disorder resulting from some form of accident. Aside this, your vehicle is also not spared with the kind of damages that come with it.

However, in this period, you have to demand car accident settlement to help bring back some relief. Several things are involved in this settlement process.

It would always be ideal to hand such matters to your lawyers. They will be able to help in many ways. For instance they have the knowledge to make a negotiation on your behalf. With this you could be given a deserving settlement without necessarily have to go to the court.

You would also have to appreciate the fact that car accidents have got to do with insurance companies. It is expected that every vehicle that sets on the road takes the appropriate insurance cover to take care of any eventualities. However, there are many instance where this is not the case. Therefore your lawyers would be able to make a case with their knowledge on accident laws.

To get a lawyer for car accident settlement, it would be important to take certain things into consideration. Remember that in spite of the fact that there are several of them out there not all may be in the position to offer you the best of service you will demand. For instance, you should know that these matters may demand a lot of attention and would mean that if a lawyer is not immediately ready to pursue your case, it would not be worth wasting your time there.

Luckily enough, the internet makes it possible to get a number of them with ease. You can search and find out the competence and readiness with which a firm you intend choosing will handle your car accident matters.

It is always important to get perfect understanding on the payment plans of a lawyer. If it is not in your favor, you have the right to make a different choice. You are also reminded that the amount of information you have at your disposal will definitely enhance your success on your car accident settlement issues.

By: Mert Ozge

Car Accident Lawyer

admin — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:08:28 +0000

It can be very frustrating to be involved in accident, considering the pain one endures. Some accidents may only pose mild injuries to the body, while some can actually be very fatal. Accidents occur on our roads everyday, but victims usually have to fight before they are given the needed attention. The controversies and difficulties surrounding issues of claim can indeed escalate your plight.

In view of this, you are required to engage the services of car accident lawyer to take up the challenge for you. Before we move into their real importance, it would be very imperative to emphasize the point that the fact that you got involved in an accident may not make you eligible for a claim.

One of the important things of car accident lawyer is to make the submission of detailed information to your insurance company. They would make sure vital all information are included. For instance, issues would bother on the place and time of the accident as well as the causes of the accident. Also they would include the degree of injury and any other damages that resulted as a result of the accident. Of course you don’t only risk your life but also the vehicle could also be serious destroyed.

Your car accident lawyer would also inquire about the amount you would be able to claim for the loss or injury caused. Don’t forget they are experts and would always try to fight for a more favorable compensation for you. They make sure the amount given you is reasonable. Aside the amounts of money they will provide for the car, your lawyer will also endeavor to seek what is due you for medical bills, lost wage and the like.

Again, they will make sure you are given compensation for the years ahead depending on the nature and extent of the injury. You will certainly need rehabilitation and long term care. This is due to the fact that certain accidents could end someone into perpetual disability and would have to survive the rest of his life on such compensation.

Up next, your lawyer will also seek for you the amount they plan to offer you for the pain and suffering you have endured as a result of the accident.

It should be important to indicate herein that the amount of information you are able to make available to your car accident lawyer will go a long way to make sure you get a satisfactory compensation.

By: Mert Ozge

Preparing For a Car Accident Reading

admin — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:15:22 +0000

A car accident reading is an important part of the events following a auto accident. After the ordeal, no matter how much you want to put it behind you, you still need to deal with the effects of the incident properly to help you get compensation for any damages you may have suffered or to help protect you from unjust claims.

For this, you will have to give your side of the story as best as you can. However, it is not advisable to talk to anyone about the accident aside from the police and your car accident lawyer. Your car accident lawyer will set up a car accident reading with you wherein you will be able to make a detailed account of the accident.

Why you need a car accident reading

A auto accident reading is necessary because it is your formal chance to state your side of the story. Your lawyer will use the reading to determine the state of your case and gauge your chances of winning a claim. The reading will allow you to make a formal statement about the accident and to establish that you had not been a negligent driver. Thus, it will also help protect you from being blamed for the accident.

Due to the importance of a auto accident reading, you need to be prepared for it. It is an important part of any claims process. Your car accident lawyer will be your representative, and for that, he should know everything you know. You should not just state what happened; you should also paint a clear and detailed picture of it for your lawyer to really understand what happened for him to be able to defend your case.

What you need to prepare

So what exactly do you need to prepare for your car accident reading?

Paperwork

As expected, a auto accident reading requires a lot of paperwork. What kind of paperwork is involved? First, you should have a copy of the police report of the accident. A police report will describe the accident, state possible causes, and identify any witnesses. This will be your lawyer’s formal reference of the nature of the car accident.

Also, if there is injury or property damage, you need to present medical bills and medical records or auto repair bills to your lawyer as well. These are necessary so your car accident lawyer can accurately calculate just what and how much you can make a claim for.

Photographs

You also need to present photographs of the accident and of the scene where it occurred. It is not enough to present photos of the damages your car suffered. The photographs should show the scene of the accident from different angles because they will play a role in determining who was really at fault and whether there were any other factors that may have contributed to the accident.

What you should know

Aside from the information in the paperwork, you should provide your lawyer with all information you have of the other party involved in the accident, of what damages you and the other party suffered respectively, and contact information of any witnesses.

Do: Prepare for your car accident reading thoroughly.
Don’t: Don’t give an incomplete and dishonest account of an account. Your lawyer is there to help you, but your cooperation and honesty is extremely necessary.

The Verdict

To help you protect yourself and receive proper compensation after an accident, it is important for you to go to a auto accident reading with your lawyer and be ready for it. Make sure you prepare all necessary paperwork and information to arm your lawyer with what he needs to help defend your case.

By: Mark Van Tuel

Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyers

admin — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:39:09 +0000

In the US, the laws in every state differ from each other. It is seen that every state has some distinctive clauses regarding specific cases such as a car accident. However, the primary nature of the law remains the same in a federal system of judiciary. In Philadelphia, like other states, the law pertaining to car accidents states that a passenger in a car can sue the other driver if he is involved in a Philadelphia car accident. It is advised that people should avoid representing themselves in court in case of accident. Instead the services of a professional lawyer should be enlisted. A lawyer should be immediately be contacted in case of an accident. They will scrutinize the circumstances of the accident and accordingly take adequate precautions.

Seeking immediate medical treatment is the first advice given to a person involved in a Philadelphia car accident. Often, it is seen that the victim is in a state of shock after the accident and forgets to visit a doctor for several days. The state’s laws address this problem specifically. A victim is eligible to sue for damages as soon as he starts to find any medical problems.

Lawyers in Philadelphia have a good understanding of the legal structure pertaining to car accidents procedures. They are in a strong position to advise people involved in a car accident regarding the measures to be taken. This is because there is a possibility that a car accident can drag on for years through the courts. Lawyers keep a record of all the information pertaining to the case. This helps in obtaining the best amount of compensation as possible.

Often people seek the services of a professional in order to see that justice is done. Compensation of damages suffered through a car accident should be claimed through a well-qualified attorney. Philadelphia car accident lawyers are well versed in handling such cases in their state owing to their sharp awareness of the legalities and provisions in the Philadelphia courts.

By: Jason Gluckman