AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENTS

Injuries suffered by way of automobile accidents are perhaps the most common source of personal injury litigation.  There are over 6 million auto accidents per year in the United States, involving over 3 million injured people.  On average about 40,000 people per year are killed in this country in car accidents.  Nearly half involve alcohol.  Moreover, over half of all automobile fatalities are attributed to failure to utilize seat belts or restraining devices.  Of course, many car accidents are minor “fender benders” with negligible property damage and little if any significant injury.  Nonetheless, these accidents result in a measure of lost time, insurance claims, loss of deductibles, and some may adversely effect driving privileges.

Why contact a lawyer?

If the accident has resulted in significant property damage or personal injury a lawyer specializing in automobile litigation can be a valuable asset.  Most lawyers will interview the client, make an evaluation of potential legal issues, and provide some preliminary advice on a “free consultation” basis for this initial contact.  Our firm follows this practice.  We will discuss the available facts and legal considerations in an initial interview, and make a determination as to whether or not we can be of service.  If you decide to employ us as your legal representative, we will represent you on a contingency fee basis.  We charge no hourly fees, but instead get paid out of any successful recovery we make on your behalf.  Typically our fees are 1/3 of the recovery.  The role of the lawyer includes the following:

Accumulating all the background facts, witness statements, police report, medical and insurance information necessary to evaluate the legal issues and make an assessment of both the favorable and unfavorable aspects of the case so that you know what your rights are and what the likely outcome of the case will be.

Negotiating with the insurance company or opposing legal counsel to advocate your interests and obtain the highest level of compensation for your injuries.  (It hardly needs to be said that insurance companies are not in the business of generously paying full value of claims, they are in the business of trying to get claims settled for as little as possible.)  Often, the fair and full value for claim can only be obtained through the threat, or the reality, of a lawsuit.

Prosecution of a case through trial if necessary, including taking depositions of witnesses, retention of experts, coordination of medical treatment and medical witnesses, and ultimately the collection of a favorable judgment.

Not every automobile accident justifies the hiring of a lawyer.  However, in our experience, if you are involved in a serious accident it is almost always the case that you will recover damages at a much higher level with legal representation than if left to deal with the claim on your own.