You are a safe and conscientious driver. You put the well-being of yourself, your passengers, and your fellow drivers first when on the road. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about other drivers. Some people will not acknowledge the danger of speaking on the phone, sending text messages, and engaging in distracted conversations when driving. Nor will they acknowledge the hazard presented by drinking under the influence.
If you have been injured in an accident that owed to the recklessness of the other driver, you do have legal options.
First Steps
Your first move should be to contact a personal injury attorney. Before you file an official claim, you should have a legal strategy in place, or at least the beginnings of one. The car accident attorneys los angeles can provide you the legal counsel you need to get the justice you deserve.
During the initial consultation your lawyer will ask you to recall the events that led up to the accident and all that happened afterward. These statements will be used as the basis for your lawsuit and legal strategy.
The Impact of Your Injuries
A car accident can turn your entire life upside down. If the accident was severe enough, you may have to stay in the hospital for weeks or months. You will be unable to earn money during this time and you will face mounting medical and other bills, including the cost of rehabilitative treatment and prescription drug medication.
Even when you are ready to go back to your job, you may have to reduce the number of hours you work or take a lower-paying position. This can put tremendous financial strain on you and your family. You should not have to shoulder this burden alone. The person whose recklessness put you in the situation should be forced to pay damages to you.
How a Lawyer Can Help
Your lawyer will help you get justice. They will go beyond the police report and engage their own professional investigators to re-examine the scene of the accident and re-interview those who witnessed it. These investigators will also look into the driver. They will determine whether the person who hit you was drinking, distracted, or over-tired. They will also find out whether the driver has traffic violations in their record. If such records exist, they can be used against them.
Your attorney will also bring in auto accident reconstruction experts to develop a simulation of how the accident unfolded based on the evidence. This can go a long way toward verifying your version of events. Your lawyer will also submit statements made by medical experts that describe the nature and extent of your injuries and that explain why you could have only sustained them in the car accident.
The central task of your lawyer is to present enough evidence to compel the insurance company representing the person who hit you to settle out of court. Your lawyer will negotiate with them to get you fair and adequate compensation for what you have suffered.
