Car Accidents

Car accidents are one of the top causes of injury and death in the U.S.  There are over 1.5 million injury accidents in the country per year.  Many of them are minor and of no real issue, but a large number of very serious injury accidents and fatal incidents happen every day.  In a large number of cases, alcohol is a factor, and young drivers are also involved in a high percentage of serious accidents.  When involved in a serious injury accident, there are legal matters that must be attended to quickly, as the responsible driver's insurance company must pay the claim for medical costs, loss of income, future income loss and other claims that could apply such as pain and suffering or loss of quality of life. 

Car Accident Injury Claims

In some cases, the insurance company may try to reduce the claim amount and will send an adjuster to interview you, or interview you over the phone.  These interviews can be risky, as in many cases the victim is on painkillers or may even be in a hospital and can hardly be expected to give responses that are helpful to the injury case.  It is recommended that you do not answer any questions from an insurance adjuster without first getting an attorney to advise you.  They may request your medical records, and all of the requests coming from the responsible party's insurance company should be handled by a lawyer in order to protect you from an attempt to reduce your claim.  Insurance companies vary in the degree that they may engage in this practice, but it can be assumed that as they are profit-oriented corporations, that reducing claims is often just what they do.

When a badly injured person is represented by a skilled lawyer, they are protected from this activity to a large degree, as the attorney is well aware of the law and can put pressure on the insurer to be fair in their settlement.  In cases where they insist on denying valid claims, a trial can take place, which they generally want to avoid, as a jury is much more likely to feel sympathy for the victim.  In any car accident injury case, legal representation is a critical matter, and should be enlisted quickly after the accident.