If you have been in a car accident on Long Island, you may be wondering if you need to hire a car accident lawyer. Insurance companies may deny your claim for serious injuries or argue that there were gaps in care which made your injuries worse. They may also offer you a lowball settlement that doesn’t cover your entire medical costs. If this happens to you, a car accident lawyer on Long Island can help you by gathering evidence to show the facts of your case.
Uninsured motorist coverage is a source of compensation
Injuries and property damage can result from a car accident. While no-fault insurance policies can help cover the costs of medical bills, underinsured motorist coverage can be crucial in obtaining full compensation. While insurance companies claim to care about their customers, they are, in reality, for-profit corporations. This means their bottom line usually comes before making accident victims whole.
Uninsured motorist coverage may also cover damages to a parked vehicle, mailbox, fence, or home. If you are involved in a collision caused by a drunk driver, you may be able to recover compensation based on uninsured motorist coverage. However, if the other driver does not have enough insurance coverage to cover the costs of your injuries, your car accident attorneys may be able to recover the damages from their insurance company.
No-fault insurance limits your ability to claim compensation
No-fault car insurance policies only cover medical expenses, lost wages, and certain types of pain and suffering. No-fault car insurance policies do not cover funeral expenses, and only pay a small portion of these costs. These types of policies also do not cover pain and suffering, permanent disabilities, or any other damages. In such cases, you may be able to seek compensation for these damages through a separate policy.
The legal thresholds for these types of claims are very low. Generally, the injury threshold is $100,000, but this is often oversimplified. Some accidents require a separate bodily injury lawsuit for certain injuries. An attorney can explain the No-Fault Laws to their clients. It can be difficult to determine the compensation you can claim if you are involved in a no-fault accident.
Comparative negligence rule applies to car accident claims
The comparative negligence rule applies to car accident claims when one driver is partly to blame for another’s actions. This system divides insurance claim payouts according to fault, with each driver taking a percentage of blame. The system helps victims seek relief from the other driver’s insurance company. However, the rules can vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Listed below are the ways that the comparative negligence rule affects car accident claims.
While Illinois does not have a strict comparative negligence rule, the rule can still apply. A person who was partially at fault can still file a personal injury claim against the party who was partially at fault. The percentage of fault will determine the amount of recovery a person can receive. For example, if a person is only 20% at fault, but was hit by a car that was going 70 mph, they can still collect compensation from the other driver. However, their insurance company might only pay out eighty percent of the total amount.
Cost of hiring a car accident lawyer
Is it worth getting a car accident lawyer? The short answer is YES!
If you are involved in a car accident, you probably want to hire a lawyer to represent your interests. The cost of hiring a car accident lawyer depends on the type of attorney you hire and what role you played in the accident. If you did not cause the accident, your lawyer may not charge you. In such cases, you may want to hire a cheaper lawyer who is not as good at negotiation. Thankfully, there are ways to avoid having to spend thousands of dollars on a lawyer.
One of the most important factors when deciding whether to hire a car accident attorney is their fee structure. Some lawyers charge a retainer, while others work on a contingency basis, meaning they only get paid a percentage of the settlement. In general, however, the cheaper the lawyer is, the better. For example, an attorney may charge you a flat fee of $1,000, and then get a percentage of that.