Car accidents can happen unexpectedly, resulting in tremendous losses to those involved. It’s understandable to feel distressed and confused in the aftermath of an accident, and you may wonder who is responsible and how you can recover your losses. A Prescott Valley car accident lawyer is the ideal asset to have on your side in this situation. They can help you make clearer sense of your recovery options and maximize the compensation you obtain for your damages.
The Kaiser Law Group can help you navigate the legal aftermath of a car accident in Prescott Valley. Our team has years of experience representing injured clients in all types of vehicle accident cases, and we know the challenges you might encounter as you seek compensation for the losses you suffered. You have a limited time in which to pursue your recovery, so it’s important to connect with our team right away.
The first steps you take in the aftermath of a car accident are crucial. You will need to prove fault for the accident, determine the extent of the damages you sustained, and develop a legal strategy for recovering compensation for your damages. Having the right attorney on your side will make these legal efforts much easier to handle and more likely to yield the result you hope to see. Our team can help you make sense of your situation and guide you toward recovery.
Your first legal challenge after a car accident will be proving exactly how the accident happened. You must identify the driver responsible for the accident and prove exactly how they caused it. Most of the vehicle accidents reported in the Prescott Valley area happen because of driver negligence, but it is also possible for accidents to happen because of illegal misconduct like driving under the influence (DUI) of drugs or alcohol.
If you have been severely injured, you may have trouble gathering the evidence you will need to prove liability for the accident. Your Prescott Valley car accident lawyer can help you secure traffic camera footage, if available, vehicle computer data, and the other driver’s cell phone records in order for you to establish liability for the accident. Witness testimony can also be invaluable to your case if anyone saw the accident happen.
It’s important to remember that if you contributed to causing the accident, it will be reflected by a penalty to your final recovery under the state’s pure comparative fault rule. Under this rule, whatever fault percentage is assigned to the plaintiff is how much of their case award they will lose to reflect their shared liability. Your attorney can help you minimize any such fault percentage assigned to you, preserving your recovery as much as possible.
Once you have established fault for your recent car accident, your first option for recovering your damages is likely to be filing a claim against the at-fault driver’s auto insurance policy. Every driver is required to have auto insurance that complies with the state’s minimum coverage requirements for bodily injury liability and property damage liability. An at-fault driver’s insurance pays for the damages they cause in an accident.
Unfortunately, dealing with insurance companies can be difficult as they will almost always look for reasons to deny claims or justify the lowest possible settlement offers. Some insurance company representatives will even engage in bad-faith tactics in their efforts to minimize how much they pay out to injured claimants, but they are less likely to attempt this against claimants who have legal representation.
When insurance will not fully cover your damages after a car accident, a personal injury suit can enable you to recover your remaining losses. Success with a personal injury claim will require accurate identification of the defendant responsible for causing the accident and proof of the extent of the losses you suffered from the accident. Most plaintiffs in Arizona personal injury cases can claim economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages include any direct financial losses suffered by the plaintiff. These may include property damage and medical expenses not covered by insurance, as well as lost wages if they are unable to work due to their injuries. Additionally, the plaintiff has the right to seek compensation for anticipated future losses resulting from the accident, such as their lost earning power if they have been permanently disabled by their injuries.
Non-economic damages can be more difficult to define. These include the intangible losses suffered by the plaintiff, such as the physical pain of their injuries and the trauma and distress caused by their experience. No law limits pain and suffering compensation in most personal injury claims, nor is a plaintiff required to use a specific formula to calculate how much they can claim from the defendant.
Your Prescott Valley car accident lawyer can help you determine the extent of the damages you can legally claim from the defendant and guide you through your case proceedings. It is possible to settle a personal injury claim outside of court as long as the defendant accepts liability and the parties are willing to negotiate a compromise; otherwise, the case will need to be resolved in litigation, which will take much longer.
Even if fault for your accident seems readily apparent, you are more likely to succeed with your case and maximize your recovery if you have an experienced attorney representing you. The Kaiser Law Group has successfully resolved many injury claims for clients throughout the Prescott Valley area, and we are ready to put this experience to work for you in your impending case.
You have a limited time in which to build your claim if you want the greatest chance of success, so contact us today and schedule a free consultation with a Prescott Valley car accident lawyer to learn more about the legal services we provide and how we can help you recover from your recent car accident.