Edmonds Car Accident Lawyer
Even if you are a cautious, defensive driver, accidents will still happen. You can’t control everyone on the road, and a collision may be unavoidable. When a crash occurs, you may have legal options to help you get money damages for the losses you experience from the accident. Learning about those options may seem overwhelming, especially with an insurance company urging you to settle your claim right away. You don’t have to make hasty decisions; take the time to evaluate your case with the help of an Edmonds car accident lawyer.
Read Our FREE Car Accident Guide
Some car accidents are severe enough to affect you for the rest of your life. You need a knowledgeable Edmonds car accident lawyer to walk you through your options and help you prepare your case so you can present it in the best light possible to an insurance company, judge, or jury. You don’t have to go through this alone -let us put our experience to work for you.
Basics of Washington Car Accident Law
Washington is a “fault” state. That means that when a car accident occurs in Edmonds, it’s the other driver that caused the accident who is legally responsible for your losses and injuries caused by the collision. Unfortunately, getting the other driver to admit fault and pay for the full value of your losses is rarely easy. Thankfully, having an Edmonds car accident lawyer on your side can significantly increase your chances of getting the money damages that you deserve after a car accident.
Every driver in Washington is required to have liability insurance coverage. That means that when you are in a crash, it’s really the insurance company that pays for your damages, up to the value of the insurance coverage. However, you may also have insurance coverage of your own that applies as well, such as:
- No-fault coverage;
- Med-pay; or
- Coverage just for property damage.
No-fault coverage allows you to turn to your own insurance company to pay you for your losses first. However, even if your insurance company should be paying you, that doesn’t mean that they automatically will. In some situations, your insurance company can be just as challenging to work with as another driver’s company.
It’s important to keep in mind that every insurance company really has one goal: to make money. They make more money when they pay you less on your claims, regardless of whether you are their insured or someone who was hurt because of their insured. To guarantee that an insurance company doesn’t take advantage of you or your situation, you need an Edmonds car accident lawyer who has experience dealing with cases like yours.
Money Damages Available in a Car Accident Case
You may experience significant losses and injuries after a collision. In fact, you may not realize right now just how much this accident will affect the rest of your life.
The law can never really make up for the injuries and losses you experience. There is often nothing that can completely heal your wounds. Washington law allows you to collect money damage for your losses, even for those losses or damages that you cannot quantify, such as your pain and suffering.
Potential damages available to you after a car accident may include:
- Medical expenses
- Reimbursement for prescriptions and medical equipment
- Property damage
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Pain and suffering
Any reduction in the quality of your life is something that should be included in your lawsuit as well.
Insurance companies try to settle car accident claims right away for a couple of reasons. First, they want to conclude the case as fast as possible because it gets the potential loss off of their books. Second, many car accident victims don’t know or understand the extent of their injuries right away after a collision.
For example, you, and even your medical provider, may not know how you will react to certain types of medical treatment. If you don’t respond well, additional treatment and added expense may be necessary. You may also miss more work than you anticipated while you recover as well. It is difficult to predict how some damages or losses will affect you for years to come. Getting an Edmonds car accident lawyer will help you get the right information you need to determine the compensation you need to adequately address your losses and damages.
How an Edmonds Car Accident Lawyer Can Help You
Many people make the mistake of thinking that they can handle their car accident case themselves. While you can take on an insurance company on your own, you are far more likely to be completely compensated for your losses if you have an Edmonds car accident lawyer. Insurance companies not only deal with car accident claims every day, but they also have experienced lawyers on call to defend claims like yours. You can even the playing field by getting your own highly experienced attorney to help you with your case.
Your car accident lawyer will help you:
- Gather information about the other driver and his or her insurance company
- Talk to witnesses
- Get police reports and speak with the officer involved
- Negotiate with the insurance company
- Navigate the often-confusing legal process
- Present your case to a judge or jury
- Arrange for experts to recreate the accident or estimate the value of your damages
Having an attorney takes a lot of the stress and confusion out of your personal injury case. Your lawyer acts as your advocate and protects your interests throughout the entire process. Having an experienced lawyer lets you focus on recovering after your accident, instead of stressing about your legal case.
Read Our FREE Car Accident Guide
Contact the team at Certa Law to learn more about what we can do for you. You can schedule a free case evaluation to meet your potential attorney and our team. We want to be sure we are the right fit for your needs before we get started, and our consultation process is a no-obligation way to learn more about your legal rights and options after a car accident in Edmonds, Seattle, or anywhere else in Washington state. Call us right now for more information: (206) 838-2500.