I was recently involved in a car accident. Unfortunately, since it was my first accident, I was scatter-brained and anxious. What I did not realize at the time was that the actions you take immediately after the accident can affect a personal injury case and the outcome of that case. I wanted to find a way to share my experiences and mistakes with other. Since the Internet is so popular, I figured this would be a great way to do so. While you likely aren't planning on being in an accident soon, if you are, hopefully you remember some of the tips I share on this website.
Yvonne Russell
After getting injured from a car accident that was caused by a drunk driver, you may want to sit down with a personal injury attorney to find out what your rights are in this case. If a drunk driver caused the accident, you will have the right to sue that person for damages, and there are a lot of different types of damages you can sue for. The key to receiving enough compensation is hiring the right lawyer, and here are some of the questions you should ask the lawyer when interviewing him or her.
Have You Handled Drunk-Driving Cases?
The first question you should ask involves the lawyer's experience with drunk-driving cases. While many personal injury lawyers help victims of car accidents, some may not have any experience handling cases with drunk drivers. You will need to find a lawyer that has this type of experience, though, if you want to get the best results from the case.
Additionally, you should ask the lawyer how long he or she has been in business, and you should find out if the lawyer typically represents victims of drunk-driving cases or the drivers who were drunk and caused the accidents to occur. Finding a lawyer that helps victims will be important for your case, and you should avoid hiring a lawyer that strictly represents drivers who caused accidents to happen.
Do You See Any Potential Problems or Challenges with This Case?
In most drunk-driving cases, it is not hard for a victim to win; however, there are times when cases can have problems and challenges. A lawyer who has experience with cases like these will be able to foresee any potential problems or challenges you might encounter as the victim in the accident, and you should ask the lawyer about this.
An example of a challenge might be if you had a major injury or health condition prior to the accident. In this situation, it can be hard to determine exactly what damage the accident caused on your health and physical wellbeing, and this can turn into a challenge for the case. Another example of a challenge would be if the police were not called to the accident scene. If this occurred, there might not be any evidence to prove that the other driver was drunk when the accident occurred.
What Fees Do You Charge?
The typical fee structure for personal injury lawyers is one that is made up of a contingency fee. A contingency fee is based on the settlement amount you receive when you settle your case, and it is generally between 33% to 40% of the settlement amount. This may seem like a lot, but it is probably the only fee you will have to pay for the lawyer, and lawyers tend to get higher settlements than people can when they handle cases themselves.
How Long Will It Take to Settle This Case?
The last thing you might want to discuss with the lawyer is the time-frame for the case. This is often a hard question for a lawyer to answer, but he or she might be able to give you a rough estimate of how long it will take to settle the case. You should not be surprised if the lawyer tells you that it will take at least one year to settle; however, it can take a lot longer to settle personal injury cases in many situations.
Settling a drunk-driving car accident can take time and can be overwhelming, and you should not try to handle this case yourself. If you need a lawyer for help, contact a personal injury law firm in your city today to schedule a consultation appointment with a lawyer.