Lawyers Who Deal With Car Accidents - Stewart J. Guss, Attorney At Law

The

e e mo

e th

n <

ef="https:

-ne

s-chives

2018/05/ne

eve

“>1.3 million licensed

tto

neys in the United St

tes<>,

nd these l

s h

ndle c

ses in ide viety of pctice e

s. If you

e getting

divo

ce, you

ill nt to find

mily l

tto

ney. If you nt to c

ust o

need help

ith long-te

m c

e pl

nning, you need

n est

te pl

nning

tto

ney. If you o

comp

nd h

cont

ct o

ptne

ship dispute,

business

tto

ney should be

ble to help.

So,

t type of l

should you t

lk to

fte c

ccident? It is impo

nt to unde

HY you need

to knoh

t type of l

should help you.

C
ccident Inju
ies
nd Cl
ims<
h2>
Mo
e th
n 1.7 million t

ffic c

shes
esulted in inju
ies in

ecent ye

in the United St
tes, <
h
ef="https:
/c

shst
ts.nhts
.dot.gov/
pi
Public/Vie
Public
tion/812554″>
cco
ding to the N
tion
l High

y T

ffic S
fety
dminist

tion (NHTS
)<>.
hen you suffe
inju
ies in
csh, you might h
ve the leg
l
ight to seek compens
tion fo
you
medic
l expenses
nd othe
economic
nd noneconomic losses. You c
n seek this compens
tion by filing
n insu

nce cl
im
nd/o

pe
son
l inju
y lsuit
g
inst the pty th
t c
used the
ccident to h
ppen.
pe
son
l inju
y lsuit is
specific leg
l cl
im th
t is
pp
op
i
te in the follo
ing situ
tion:

Someone else s negligent
nd c
used
n
ccident<
li>

The
ccident
esulted in inju
ies
nd losses fo
you<
li>

You
ould like to hold the negligent pty o
p

ties li
ble fo
you
losses<
li>
hile the
bove m
y m
ke pe
son
l inju
y cl
ims seem p
etty stightfod, the
e

e m
ny complic
ted leg
l p
inciples
nd p
ocedu
es involved in this type of lsuit. You
c
se m
y involve one o
mo
e of the follo
ing:

<
h
ef="https:
/st
tutes.c
pitol.tex
s.gov
Docs/CP/htm/CP.16.htm”>St
tutes of limit
tions >,
hich

e set by st
te l<
li>

<
h
ef=”https://
.tdi.tex
s.gov/commissione

code.html”>Insu

nce l

s > if
n
uto insu
e

cted in b
d f
ith
egding you
cl
im<
li>

<
h
ef=”https://st
tutes.c
pitol.tex
s.gov
Docs/CP/htm/CP.33.htm”>Comp
tive negligence o
f
ult ls<><
li>

<
h
ef=”https://
.l.co
nell.edu/
ex
negligence”>Negligence > o
<
h
ef=”https://
.l.co
nell.edu/
ex
negligence_pe
_se">negligence pe
se ><
li>

<
h
ef=”https://
.l.co
nell.edu/
ex
st
ict_li
bility”>St
ict li
bility >
nd <
h
ef=”https://
.l.co
nell.edu/
exesponde
t_supe
io
“>
esponde
t supe
io
><
li>

<
h
ef=”https://
.uscou
ts.gov/
ules-policies
cu

ent-
ules-pctice-p
ocedu
e
fede

l-
ules-civil-p
ocedu
e">
ules of Civil P
ocedu
e ><
li>

<
h
ef=”https://
.l.co
nell.edu/
ules
f
e">
ules of Evidence ><
li>

These c
n be complex p
inciples th
t e difficult to
pply to
e
l-life f
cts
nd cl
ims. Fo
tun
tely, the
e is
g
oup of
tto
neys p

cticing
c
oss the United St
tes th
t h
s expe
ience
nd tining in pe
son
l inju
y c
ses. <
h
ef="https:
/
.quo.com
Ho
-m
ny-pe
son
l-inju
y-lye
s-

e-the
e-in-the-United-St
tes”>St
tistics indic
te > th
t
bout 7 pe
cent of licensed
tto
neys—o

bout 93,000
tto
neys—conside
themselves to be pe
son
l inju
y l

ye
s. These e the lye
s th
t de
l
ith c
ccident c
ses
nd
hose help you should seek
fte
csh-
el
ted inju
ies.

h
t
Pe
son
l Inju
y
tto
ney Does
fte C
ccident

me cl

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div>
M

ny types of lye

s help clients

ho e f

cing st

uggles o

llenges,

son

l inju

y l

is in this position.

hen you suffe

inju

ies in

ccident, you likely h

ve m

ny immedi

nd long-te

m conce

ns,

ell

s p

oblems you don’t kno

to solve.

s you

bills

nd fin

nci

l losses

dd up, you need

dvoc

ho kno

s ho

to p

otect youights

ccident victim.

son

l inju

y l

ms m

ny impo

nt duties to help c

ccident victims. These common functions include:

Ev
lu
ting
nd Expl
ining Youights<
h3>
You m
y h
ve
feeling th
t you h
ve the
ight to compens
tion, but it c
n be difficult to be ce
t
in if you don’t h
ve
n in-depth unde
st
nding of pe
son
l inju
y ls
nd p
inciples. M
ny diffe
ent ci
cumst
nces
nd f
cto
s
ill
ffect you

ights
nd, to m
ke m
tte
s subst
nti
lly mo
e complic
ted, e
ch st
te h
s its o
n l

s
egding pe
son
l inju
y cl
ims.
n expe
ienced pe
son
l inju
y l

ye
c
n ex
mine
h
t h
ppened in you
c
ccident
nd c
n do the follo
ing:

Dete
mine
hethenothe
p

ty o
pties
e
e negligent
nd the negligence led to you
c
ccident

hethe
you
e
e p

ti
lly
esponsible fo
the
ccident o
not<
li>

The pe
iod of time you h
ve to file
pe
son
l inju
y cl
im<
li>

Dete
mine
h
t compens
tion you dese
ve
s
c
ccident victim

Just kno
ing youights is
n impo
t
nt fi
st step
fte

ny type of t

ffic c

sh,
nd
l

ye
c
n
dvise you of those
ights. Mo
eove
,
lyeill
dvise you of the best p
th you should t
ke to exe
cise youights
nd obt
in the compens
tion you dese
ve.

P
oviding
dvice
eg

ding Ho
to
ct
fte C
ccident

The

e e ce

in steps

ccident victim c

n t

ke th

t p

otect theiights

nd ce

ctions th

t m

y hu

t thei

leg

l c

se. The

ight l

ho de

ith c

ccidents c

n give you

dvice on ho

to conduct you

self follo

ing

csh,

hich m

y include the follo

ing:

Seek medic
l t
e
tment
ight
y if you h
ven’t
l
e
dy<
li>
Ensu
e
ll of you
inju
y di
gnoses e fully documented in medic
l
eco
ds
Follo
the t
e
tment
dvice of you
docto
s
Document
ll of you
losses, including the time you miss f
om
o
k
nd the p
in levels you expe
ience
Note
ny
est
ictions you expe
ience due to you
inju
ies
Do NOT p
ovide eco
ded
nd
o
det
iled st
tement to the insunce comp
ny befo
e consulting
ith
lye
NEVE

ccept
settlement offeithout h
ving
c
ccident
tto
ney
evie
the offe
fi
st
Don’t discuss you

ccident o
inju
ies on soci
l medi

Completing
P
ofession
l C
ccident Investig
tion
nd G
the
ing Evidence

You m

y kno

instinctively th

t the c

ccident

s someone else’s f

ult, though pointing finge

s is NOT enough to

ccident cl

im. Inste

d, you need to p

esent evidence to sufficiently meet the bu

den of p

oof

equi

ed in

ccident c

se.

lified pe

son

l inju

y l

ill h

ve the

esou

ces to conduct

tho

ough investig

tion

nd g

the

evidence of li

bility fo

you

inju

ies. M

ny pe

son

l inju

y l fi

ms h

ve thei

n investig

ho c

n ex

mine

nd document the scene of

sh, inte

vieitnesses,

nd seek out othe

evidence th

t helps them develop theo

ies

bout

t c

used the csh. Lye

s m

lso

ccident

econst

uction expe

ho c

n give thei

expe

t opinion

bout

t c

used the

ccident. H

ving

net

k of p

ofession

ls to investig

te the c

sh is only one of m

ny benefits of

ining

son

l inju

tto

ney. Evidence g

the

ed by investig

ks to p

ove th

nothe

pty s negligent

nd th

t you suffe

ed inju

ies

esult. Evidence th

t suppo

ts you

im m

y include:

Police o
incident
epo
ts
itnesses
nd
itness st
tements
Photog

phs of the
ccident scene, vehicle d
m
ge, o
inju
ies<
li>
Video su
veill
nce o
cell phone video foot
ge
P
ope
ty d
m
ge
epo
ts
Medic
l
eco
ds,
epo
ts,
nd t
e
tment p
esc
iptions
Bills
nd
eceipts
Employment
nd p
y
eco
ds

Once you

ccident

tto

ney h

s the evidence needed to p

ove you

im, they c

n then p

esent the evidence to the insu

nce comp

ny o

the cou

t to seek the settlement o

d you need to cove

you

losses.

Connecting You
ith Medic
l P
ovide
s

son

l inju

y lye

s kno

t thei

clients need medic

l help

nd h

ve conce

ns ove

to cove

out-of-pocket costs

nd bills th

ise

s thei

ses e pending. M

tto

neys h

tionships

ith medic

l p

ofession

illing to

ee to p

ovide t

tment

nd hold billing contingent on

settlement o

d. Even if ce

in speci

lists o

ovide

ill not p

ovide se

vices b

sed on

medic

l lien, youtto

ney m

y h

ve othe

suggestions fo

cove

ing costs, such

s PIP o

MedP

y insu

nce cove

ge you m

y h

ve.

ssessing You
D
m
ges

“D

ges” is the te

m fo

the compens

tion you seek

s the go

l of you

son

l inju

y cl

im. You m

y believe th

t you h

good ide

of you

losses f

om you

ccident inju

ies, ho

eve

, m

ny people only conside

the immedi

te fin

nci

l effects of

sh. You

e looking

t piles of medic

l bills

nd m

y be getting c

lls f

om collecto

s if you’ve lost income

e behind on you

bills. In

lity, m

ny c

ccident victims c

n seek d

ges fo

so much mo

tto

ney

egully de

ith complic

ted c

ccident c

ses

ill kno

the

ight questions to

sk to dete

mine the full v

lue of you

im. Some d

ges you m

y not conside

kno

to c

lcul

te include:

Futu
e medic
l expenses fo
ongoing t
e
tment
Futu
e lost ening
bility if you c
n’t
etu
n to you
p
io
job
Physic
l
nd ment
l p
in
nd suffe
ing
Loss of enjoyment of life
Pe
m
nent disfigu
ement
nd dis
bilities<
li>

If you

inju

ies

e p

ticul

ly seve

e, you

son

l inju

y lye

y employ the help of medic

l o

economic expe

ts to help dete

mine

nd p

ove you

ges.

H
ndling You
Insu

nce Cl
im<
h3>
Even if you’ve de
lt
ith
n insunce cl
im in the p
st, filing
cl
im fo
se
ious pe
son
l inju
ies is often
much diffe
ent sto
y. Insunce comp
nies c
n m
ke the p
ocess su
p
isingly difficult fo
inju
y victims in m
ny

ys. The l
st thing you need to de
l
ith
fte

se
ious inju
y is
n insunce
djuste

ho ch
llenges you
cl
im to
educe o
deny p
yment
heneve
possible.
pe
son
l inju
y l

ye
should h
ve extensive expe
ience de
ling
ith insunce comp
nies on beh
lf of c
ccident victims. They kno
the t
icks th
t
djuste
s use to limit settlements
nd c
n st
nd up fo
youights. C
ccident
tto
neys c
n help
ith insu

nce cl
ims in the follo
ing

ys,
mong othe
s:

eviell the
elev
nt policy det
ils
nd limits<
li>

Send
dem
nd lette

ith the f
cts of the csh
nd you
d
m
ges<
li>

H
ndle
ll phone c
lls
nd em
ils
ith
djuste
s to ensu
e nothing is s
id th
t m
y jeop

dize you
cl
im

evie
ing settlement offe
s to see if they e
dequ
te<
li>

P
esenting evidence to negoti
te
highe
offe

hen needed

Dete
mining
hen the insu

nce p
ocess
on’t be sufficient to p
ovide the p
yment you dese
ve<
li>
hile it m
y be tempting to just h
ndle you
o
n insunce cl
im, m
ny c
ccident victims soon le

n th
t the cl
ims p
ocess is mo
e difficult th
n they’d im
gined. You c
n s
ve you
self time
nd ene
gy by c
lling
n expe
ienced c
ccident
tto
ney f
om the ve
y stt.

H
ndling
Pe
son
l Inju
y L

suit

If the insu

nce comp

ny denies you

ccident cl

im o

only offe

s much less then you dese

ve even

fte

negoti

tions, you

ill likely h

ve to move you

im to the civil cou

t system. Even though most pe

son

l inju

y c

ses don’t go to t

l, the

e m

ny steps of the litig

tion p

ocess th

e complex

nd confusing. If you don’t meet the

ight de

dlines

nd p

ocedul

equi

ements, you c

n jeop

dize you

nce

ny fin

nci

ecove

y, so you

skilled pe

son

l inju

y litig

ndling you

se.

ccident lye

should kno

to do

ll the follo

ing:

P
epe you
pe
son
l inju
y compl
int – The compl
int must pe
su
sively set out the f
ctu
l
nd leg
l b
sis fo
you
cl
ims,
s
ell
s the leg
l
elief you

e seeking. Once (
nd if) the defend
nt files
n
ns
e
to the compl
int, you
l

ye

ill then h
ve to
espond to
ny motions to dismiss included in the
ns
e
.

- Conducting discove
  y - Discove
  y is
  complic
  ted yet c
  itic
  l p
  
  t of the litig
  tion p
  ocess, du
  ing
  hich you
  
  tto
  ney tdes info
  m
  tion
  nd evidence
  ith the
  tto
  ney fo
  the defend
  nt
  nd the defend
  nt’s insunce comp
  ny. Discove
  y c
  n include depositions, inte
  
  og
  to
  ies,
  nd mo
  e.
- Settlement negoti
  tions - Du
  ing the enti
  e litig
  tion p
  ocess, you
  l
  
  ye
  should be eng
  ging in negoti
  tions
  ith the othe
  pty to
  e
  ch
  settlement
  g
  eement. Even if
  n insunce comp
  ny did not offe
  
  sufficient settlement du
  ing the cl
  im p
  ocess, it might be
  illing to
  g
  ee to
  f
  vo
  
  ble
  mount du
  ing litig
  tion to
  void going to t
  i
  l. Most c
  ccident c
  ses settle befo
  e
  t
  i
  l d
  te.<
  li>

ep
esenting you
t t
i
l - In the event th
t you
c
se does go to t
i
l, you
lyeill need to eng
ge in t
i
l p
ep
tion, ju
y selection,
nd the t
i
l p
ocess on you
beh
lf. Ju
y t
i
ls

e ext
emely complic
ted events,
nd you should ensu
e the l

ye
you choose to de
l
ith you
c
ccident c
se h
s expe
ience in the cou
t
oom.

Cont
ct
L

ye

ho H
ndles C
ccident Cl
ims
ight
y<
h2>
M
ny lye
s de
l
ith c
ccidents
nd
ep
esent the
ights of inju
ed victims. It c
n be
n intimid
ting t
sk to select the
ight leg
l
ep
esent
tion fo
you
c
se. Ho
eve
, c
ccident
tto
neys should p
ovide completely F
EE c
se ev
lu
tions. You should h
ve nothing to lose by c
lling to get mo
e info
mation.

ht Peson l Injuy ttoney Does fte C ccident

Poviding dvice eg ding Ho to ct fte C ccident

Completing Pofession l C ccident Investig tion nd G theing Evidence

Connecting You ith Medicl P ovides

ssessing You D mges

Hndling Peson l Injuy L suit

Testimonials

Read More

h
t
Pe
son
l Inju
y
tto
ney Does
fte C
ccident

P
oviding
dvice
eg

ding Ho
to
ct
fte C
ccident

Completing
P
ofession
l C
ccident Investig
tion
nd G
the
ing Evidence

Connecting You
ith Medic
l P
ovide
s

ssessing You
D
m
ges

H
ndling
Pe
son
l Inju
y L

suit