Car accidents frequently threaten your safety and often happen because the other driver was distracted while driving. Over 2,800 people were killed and 400,000 injured because of distracted driving in 2018. If you recently experienced a car accident, you need the help of a knowledgeable attorney to help you obtain compensation for your injuries. Unfortunately, car accident victims often do not receive an accurate settlement because they are not educated about personal injury law. To help improve your compensation amount, you can receive help with your auto accident claim, and return to normal life.
Your personal injury should be compensated according to the severity of the wounds. Do not allow insurance companies to fool you by giving you a small lump sum settlement. Instead, receive the help of a personal injury law firm that can include all of your injuries on your claim. Contact Wattel & York Accident Attorneys now to get started on your auto accident claim.
What Can a Car Accident Attorney Do For You in Yuma, AZ?
At Wattel & York Accident Attorneys, our legal team is dedicated to helping those injured in Yuma car accidents. Our Yuma car accident lawyers work tirelessly to recover the compensation you lawfully deserve for your serious injuries and damages. While our team understands that money cannot fix everything, we hope fair financial compensation can help you and your loved ones move forward.
Personal Injury Law Team Can File Claims on Your Behalf
Your attorney will negotiate on your behalf by collecting the information you provide, then using this data to create a strategy to obtain compensation for your injuries. They use strong communication skills, documentation, and other tactics to pressure the other parties into providing payment for your damages. If the other parties choose not to settle, your attorney will file a complaint in court and represent you before the jury.
They Perform an Investigation
Your attorney is earnest about your case and will go the distance to prove who is at fault. They may demand a subpoena to obtain the other driver’s cellphone records to see if they were texting. Your lawyer can also request the electronic collision data from the other party’s vehicle to scrutinize the driver’s activity. The driver may have been speeding before the accident, and this proof can further validate your claim.
Lawyers Accurately Calculate Claims
Every car accident claim is unique, and your injuries will differ from that of other drivers. Because of this, you need a legal professional to examine the type of damages you sustained to decide how much your claim is worth. They will include both non-economic and economic damages. They will also consider other victims’ injuries in your car during the accident. Your economic damages will include medical bills, present and future wage loss, and ongoing treatment.
Non-economic damages include pain and suffering and any other damages. For example, wrongful death cases will also cover burial costs, funeral costs, and other damages you can claim, such as loss of consortium, companionship, and mentorship of the deceased.
What to Do After Suffering a Car Accident
After you have been in a distressing car accident, you should begin creating your case for your personal injury. Attorneys recommend documenting all of your damages to make it easier to prove your claim. The best way to prove your personal injury is to have images of your wounds. It is a good idea to take pictures of the car accident scene as well. This will help reveal who is at fault. Be sure that before you leave the accident scene, you add your input to the police report and request a copy of the report. This additional information is proof of what occurred.
Additionally, you need to collect the other parties’ contact information and any witnesses on sight.If you have medical bills, received physical therapy, were prescribed medicine, had imaging scans, attended follow-up appointments, and more, you must total these expenses. Keep all receipts so you can show your attorney the severity of your personal injury. You also must include your income loss. Any time you took away from work and any future wage loss should be included in your settlement.
Ultimately, record your pain and suffering. If you have been suffering from discomfort and emotional anguish, write it down while it is fresh in your memory. Record if you felt depression, anxiety, embarrassment, and everything you experienced. This will be useful for your personal injury claim.
Can I Pursue Compensation if I Share Fault in Arizona?
In Arizona, you can still recover compensation if you have been partially at fault for the car accident. However, in most cases, insurance companies will make you believe you cannot recover financial compensation or that you should accept a lower settlement if you played a role in causing the car crash.
Under Arizona’s pure comparative negligence system, you can still receive compensation if you are up to 99% at fault for the car accident. However, the system specifies that the injured victims will receive reduced compensation based on the percentage of fault they share. So, for example, if you have been 30% responsible for the auto accident, your financial compensation will be reduced by 30%. So, if the injuries lead to $100,000 in medical bills and related expenses, you will be entitled to $70,000 instead of the total compensation.
Car accident cases can be significantly nuanced, and it is in your best interest to work with an auto accident lawyer in Yuma to help you through your situation. After a car accident, you can be sure the other party will try to lay as much blame on you as possible to avoid paying considerable financial compensation. Therefore, to increase your chances of securing as much compensation as possible, do not hesitate to contact the auto accident lawyer at Wattel & York Accident Attorneys.
Source: https://www.transportation.gov/NRSS/PostCrashCare
Common Causes of Car Accidents in Yuma, AZ
One of the first actions you and your Yuma car accident lawyer need to take to work out an insurance claim is to determine the cause of the accident. Causation can point to the liable party or the defendant’s identity. Causation can also determine if you have grounds to file a personal injury claim against another party or person for negligence. The personal injury attorneys at Wattel & York Accident Attorneys have an understanding of various car accident causes, both common and uncommon.
Unfortunately, driver error is one of the most common causes in Yuma, AZ, and can include drunk, tired, drugged, or distracted driving. Other causes include speeding, illegal passing, tailgating, red-light running, or failure to yield the right-of-way. Separately, a car accident may occur due to defective car parts. In such cases, you can hold the manufacturer or distributor liable for the injuries you have suffered due to their faulty design.
On the other hand, the city or state government may be held accountable for your damages. This occurs in cases when you have suffered injuries in a car accident due to road defects, obscured signs, broken traffic lights, or other poor road conditions. If you know what caused your Yuma car accident or need legal help from a personal injury attorney, do not hesitate to contact Wattel & York Accident Attorneys. Our team will look into your car accident case and examine if you have legal grounds for a car accident claim. Then, we will take over the insurance company negotiations or, if necessary, take your claim to trial on your behalf.
Source: https://www.statista.com/chart/25075/us-traffic-fatalities-by-year-and-fatality-rate/
Contact Our Yuma Auto Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation
When you are involved in a car crash, time matters. Your well-being, health, or future could depend entirely on how you react to a car accident in Yuma, Arizona. Engaging the legal services of a Yuma car accident attorney from the beginning can help you access valuable resources so you can build your claim. Hiring an attorney could also prevent you from making any mistakes that may interfere with your financial compensation.
Our legal team knows about car accident cases. At Wattel & York Accident Attorneys, our lawyers are ready to help you understand Arizona personal injury law and protect your rights during claim negotiations.
Our law firm has the skills and knowledge to help you pursue the financial compensation you deserve. We will help you set up insurance claims and assist you in disclosing information to the insurance companies so you can avoid the hassle. Contact us to schedule a free consultation today. Let us handle your car accident case so you can focus on recovery.
FAQs
Who can sue if someone is killed in a car accident?
Under A.R.S. § 12-612, the law limits the parties who can file wrongful death lawsuits. A wrongful death lawsuit can be filed by the surviving spouse of the decedent, the decedent’s children, the decedent’s parents (if the decedent had no children or was unmarried), the grandparents, the siblings, the personal representative or executor of the decedent’s estate. If the wrongful death claim is filed by the executive or personal representative of the estate, the proceeds from any award benefit the decedent’s heirs or estate’s beneficiaries.
How long will it take to settle my Yuma car accident case?
No crystal ball can predict how long your Yuma car accident claim will take. Car accident claims that may seem simple can quickly become complex. However, having a car accident lawyer representing your best interests will ensure that process runs smoothly so you can focus on getting well.
What are soft tissue injuries?
Injuries to your body’s soft area (tendons, ligaments, muscles) are known as soft tissue injuries. They can cause swelling, bruising, stiffness, pain, or discomfort from soreness. The most common soft tissue injuries are strains, sprains, and contusions.
