Westminster Car Accident Attorneys

All it takes is one distracted, intoxicated, or reckless driver to turn your daily commute into a hospital visit. Every day, drivers are killed or seriously injured in accidents involving errant motorists. If you were hurt in a wreck, our Westminster car accident attorneys may be able to help you hold the at-fault parties financially responsible for their negligence. We have decades of collective experience handling auto accident claims and other types of personal injury cases. As part of your free initial consultation, we can answer your questions, assess your claim, and discuss how proceedings might unfold. Call 1-800-GO-HARRIS to connect with a member of our legal team.

How Long Do These Cases Take to Resolve?

While most car wreck claims are settled before trial, there are some scenarios where it may be in your best interests to file a lawsuit. For instance, if the insurance company is disputing liability or refuses to offer a fair settlement, your attorney may advise you to take this next step. Here are a few more factors that could affect the timeline of your case:

• Recovery Time: After an accident, it could take weeks—or even months—for your injuries to heal. During your recovery, you may have to undergo additional procedures, attend follow-ups, arrange consultations with specialists, and pay for many other unanticipated healthcare interventions. As such, you should wait until you’ve achieved maximum medical improvement—the point in your recovery where your condition is not expected to improve with further treatment—before agreeing to a settlement offer. Rushing into proceedings could leave you with an amount that doesn’t cover the full range of your medical bills, leaving you and your family on the hook for the remainder. 

• Strength of Your Evidence: Success in a car accident claim often hinges on the strength of the evidence you’ve gathered. If you’ve overlooked significant details or failed to collect the necessary proof to show your damages, it’s likely you will face disputes which could lead to delays or even the denial of your claim. If such disputes cannot be resolved during negotiations, you may have no other option than to bring a suit against the liable parties.

• Your Personal Degree of Liability: Even a watertight case can begin to unravel if it emerges that your own negligence contributed to your damages. For example, if you ignored your doctor’s orders, the insurer may assert that your actions caused your condition to worsen. In such situations, you may be held liable for some or all your damages.

What Should I Bring to My Free Case Review?

Meeting with an attorney can provide valuable insight into the merits of your claim. However, it’s also an opportunity for your car accident lawyer to assess the evidence you’ve gathered thus far to determine how to proceed with your case. As such, it may help to compile the proof you’ve collected and other helpful information. Here are a few items you may want to share with your attorney during the initial consultation: 

• The Official Accident Report: If you’ve managed to obtain a copy of the official police accident report, you should bring this document to your free case review. This report can contain important details about the accident, such as the contact details of the other parties involved, injuries sustained, property damage, and the officers’ observations on who or what may have caused the wreck.

• Medical Records: When you visit a doctor, he or she will create medical records documenting the extent of your injuries, procedures undergone, and healthcare interventions you will likely require in the future. These records may also include information regarding any limitations stemming from your injuries. For instance, if your condition makes it impossible to return to work, your medical records could help you prove lost wages. Your attorney will want to see these records in addition to any invoices, insurance claims, prescription records, and diagnostic imaging.

• Description of the Accident: A car accident can happen in the blink of an eye, so remembering every detail about this traumatic event can be difficult to say the least. Writing an account of the accident immediately after leaving the scene could help preserve these memories, helping you prove liability and damages down the line. What were you doing in the moments before the car accident? Did anyone see the accident happen? Where did you receive treatment? The answers to these questions may help guide your attorney’s investigation. For instance, if you took down the contact details of eyewitnesses, your auto accident lawyer may want to interview these individuals to determine whether their deposition could help prove liability, causation, and damages.

• Proof of Lost Income: If your injuries left you unable to work, you may be able to seek compensation for lost earnings. Useful evidence to prove such damages could include letters from your employer, paystubs, tax returns, bank statements, and other relevant financial documents. Bring this information to your initial consultation to share with your attorney.

Contact Us Today to Speak to a Westminster Car Accident Attorney

Were you injured in a car accident? Do you need guidance, advice, and representation? Turn to the attorneys at Harris Personal Injury Lawyers. Dial 1-800-GO-HARRIS or switch over to our Contact Form to pencil in your free initial consultation.