The weeks following a car accident can be challenging, and the potential for filing a lawsuit against an at-fault driver makes that truer. Even if you're confident that you won't file a claim or suit, it's wise to at least look at your legal options during this time. Assess the situation in these four ways.
Collect Information
Your biggest asset if you do file a claim or sue is going to be information. Medical information explains what happened to your body and why you're seeking damages. You are going to get lots of paperwork from doctors, specialists, and the hospital so try to keep track of all of it. If a piece of paperwork describes a specific injury or includes billing information, make copies of it so you can provide them to a car accident lawyer.
Also, people often make the mistake of not tracking what their medical insurance company covers. Your insurer can place a lien on your claim to cover its costs so you should track anything you get from them too.
Similarly, reports from police officers, fire department members, and EMTs carry immense weight. Get the names of all officials who interact with you. Also, store their reports and make copies.
Talk to an Attorney
Typically, a car accident law firm will offer a free or low-cost initial consultation. Take advantage of this to get a sense of how much of a case you might have. A car accident lawyer can review the case and tell you what to expect from the claims process.
Notably, do not feel discouraged if one car accident law firm doesn't want to take the case. Every practice is different, and lawyers have their criteria for accepting clients. You might have a good case that just doesn't match their firm's profile well enough.
Watch the Calendar
Nearly all car accident claims are subject to a state's statute of limitations. This is a law that says you only have so much time to file a claim. While the typical limitation is between two and three years, ask a car accident lawyer what it is in the state where the accident happened. Also, be aware there may be special limitations. Particularly, cases where government drivers were at fault sometimes have much shorter statutory limits for filing.
Be Patient
You need time to physically recover so you can determine the full damages required. Likewise, the claims process takes time. Be patient, but stay in contact with your car accident lawyer as the case develops.
Contact a local car accident lawyer to learn more.
