Car accidents happen in many ways, often leaving those affected wondering how they can recover and what type of compensation they could recover from those responsible for causing these accidents. If you or a family member is recovering from injuries suffered in a car accident that another driver caused, it is important to understand the value of working with a Prescott car accident lawyer as you seek compensation for your damages.
The team at The Kaiser Law Group offers client-focused legal representation for all types of car accident claims in the Prescott area and surrounding communities. If you believe another driver is responsible for causing a recent car accident, you have a much better chance of proving fault and recovering maximum compensation for your losses if you have a Prescott car accident lawyer you trust managing your case.
Even if fault for your recent accident seems perfectly apparent, the reality is that you could encounter a host of unexpected challenges as you attempt to secure compensation for the losses you suffered. Your attorney can help you prove liability for the accident, identify all the various forms of compensation you can seek from the at-fault driver, and guide you through the process of recovering your damages as fully as the law allows.
Our firm has the experience and resources necessary to provide effective legal representation for all of the recovery efforts you may need to attempt in the aftermath of your accident. All drivers in the state must have auto insurance, but an insurance claim may not fully cover all the damages you suffered. The at-fault driver may not have insurance at all, or you could encounter various other legal challenges that you will not know how to overcome without an attorney’s help.
The first major challenge you will face in your efforts to recover from a car accident is proving exactly how the accident happened. You will need to identify the party or parties you believe to be responsible for causing the accident and prove exactly how they caused it. This could require various forms of physical and digital evidence along with witness testimony, all of which will be easier to secure if you have an attorney assisting you.
Most of the vehicle accidents reported throughout the Prescott area each year happen because of driver negligence, which takes many forms. Accidents may also occur because of intentional and illegal misconduct behind the wheel. A few of the most commonly reported causes of car accidents in Prescott include:
These are just a few examples of how a car accident can happen unexpectedly in the Prescott area. If you are unsure how your accident happened or if you were severely injured and have little to no recollection of the incident, it is imperative to connect with a Prescott car accident lawyer as quickly as you can so they can start helping you gather the evidence you will need to establish liability for the accident.
Every driver in the state must have auto insurance that meets the state’s minimum coverage requirements. These coverage requirements include at least $25,000 to cover bodily injuries to a single person, at least $50,000 to cover bodily injuries to more than one person in a single accident, and at least $15,000 to cover property damage. While these coverage amounts may be sufficient for a minor accident, they may not fully cover all of the damages you suffered.
Dealing with an auto insurance carrier may also prove difficult. An insurance company will almost always fight back against a claim for coverage in whatever way it can, sometimes engaging in bad faith tactics in its efforts to avoid paying out fair settlements. However, an insurance company representative is less likely to attempt to take advantage of a claimant when that claimant has legal representation.
Your Prescott car accident lawyer can help you file your auto insurance claim, gathering all the evidence and records you need to supply to the insurer and fielding any disputes they may raise against your claim. Once you receive a settlement offer, your attorney can determine whether it is reasonable, and if insurance will not cover your losses, your attorney can help you build a personal injury claim.
The main goal of any personal injury claim filed is for the injured plaintiff to prove fault for their damages and to recover fair compensation from the defendant who caused those damages. Filing a personal injury claim will be much easier with an attorney’s help, and the plaintiff will be more likely to achieve a positive outcome with their attorney’s assistance.
If you intend to pursue a personal injury claim in response to the car accident you recently experienced, you will first need to identify the driver who caused your accident and prove how they caused it. This is also the essential first step in filing an auto insurance claim, as the state enforces the fault rule for all vehicle accidents. This means proving fault is required before a victim can recover any compensation for their damages.
Once you have established liability for your personal injury, you will need to prove the extent of the damages you suffered because of the defendant’s actions. In Arizona, it is possible for an injured plaintiff to claim compensation for any economic and non-economic damages they suffered because of the defendant’s actions. Punitive damages may also come into play if the defendant breaks the law in causing the accident.
Economic damages are more straightforward than non-economic damages as they are easily proven with the correct documentation. Economic damages include any direct financial losses resulting from the defendant’s negligence or illegal misconduct. In a car accident case, a plaintiff will likely be able to claim compensation for property damage, medical expenses, and lost wages during their recovery period.
However, it is also possible for the plaintiff to claim compensation for anticipated future losses if they were severely injured. These could include future medical expenses and their lost earning capacity if their injuries have left them disabled and unable to return to the workforce in the future. Your Prescott car accident lawyer can help you accurately assess any such projected future damages you may be able to include in your claim.
Non-economic damages include physical pain, psychological trauma, and emotional suffering caused by a defendant’s actions. These are more subjective, and there is no requirement for a plaintiff to use a specific formula to determine how much pain and suffering compensation they can seek from a defendant. Essentially, the plaintiff can claim whatever amount they believe to be reasonable to reflect the scope and severity of the harm they experienced.
One issue you must bear in mind if you think you may have been partially responsible for causing your recent car accident is that the state’s pure comparative fault rule comes into play in any accident case in which multiple parties share fault for the damages cited in the claim. Each liable party has a fault percentage assigned, indicating the share of the total damages they are responsible for paying.
If you are found to have been partially at fault for your recent accident, you should expect to have a fault percentage assigned to you to reflect this shared liability. This percentage will then be deducted from your case award as a penalty, and you will keep the remainder. If you have any concerns about comparative fault applying to your case, your Prescott car accident lawyer can help you keep your fault percentage as minimal as possible.
No law requires you to hire an attorney to help you file an auto insurance claim and/or personal injury suit after a car accident, but you are substantially more likely to succeed with the recovery efforts you attempt when you have legal representation you trust on your side. The Kaiser Law Group is confident we can provide the legal counsel you need in this challenging situation.
When you have the right attorney to handle your case, you will not need to worry about the procedural aspects of your claim and can focus on your recovery with peace of mind. This means your attorney can handle court filing deadlines, gather documentation, and prepare a sound legal strategy that aims for maximum compensation for your damages. They can keep you updated on your case’s progress as it unfolds.
A Prescott car accident lawyer can make dealing with insurance companies much easier and resolve any disputes that might be raised against your claim for coverage. They can make sure you meet the filing deadline and address any issues that the insurance company has with your claim, ensuring you receive a fair settlement. They will also assist you in exploring alternative recovery options when insurance isn’t available or if it is insufficient for covering your losses.
When you need to file a personal injury claim in response to your recent car accident, you will have a much greater chance of success with the claim if you have legal representation you trust on your side. Your attorney will know how to gather the evidence you need to prove fault for the accident and assist you in uncovering all the various forms of compensation you can foreseeably obtain from the defendant.
Ultimately, you not only have a greater chance of success with all of your recovery efforts when you have legal representation you trust on your side but are also more likely to maximize the total compensation you secure for your damages. Many car accident victims initially undervalue their claims, not realizing the full potential of their cases until they secure legal representation.
The Kaiser Law Group can help you make a clearer sense of your legal options in the aftermath of a car accident, and we can guide you through the various steps you may need to complete to obtain as much compensation as possible for your damages. Our firm offers contingency fee billing for personal injury cases, meaning our client only pays a percentage of their case award as our fee if and when we win their case.
You have a limited time in which to secure legal representation and start building your case if you want to reach the optimal outcome. Contact The Kaiser Law Group today and schedule a free consultation with an experienced Prescott car accident lawyer to learn more about the legal services we offer.