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Have you been hurt in a car accident?
If you endured injuries in a car wreck because of another person’s negligence, you may be entitled to a fair settlement in a personal injury lawsuit. Car accidents can lead to serious injuries for you and heavy financial loss for your entire family. With an experienced vehicle accident lawyer on your side, though, you’ll have knowledge and trial strategies at your disposal to seek the maximum compensation for your case. A skilled Hermiston car accident lawyer is ready to put their strategic insights and experience to use for your car accident claim. It’s time to seek financial compensation that can help you overcome the effects of your injuries and property damage.
When a driver is careless, they put everyone in danger, and crashes happen daily because of this negligence. When another driver is harmed due to careless or reckless behavior, they have a right to seek compensation for their damages. A personal injury lawsuit is a civil claim specifically intended to seek the highest compensation possible for the party that was injured as a result of the defendant’s negligence.
Injuries in vehicle accidents can easily be quite severe, sometimes even in what seems to be minor collisions.
These injuries may include but are not limited to:
All of these potential injuries and many others make the injured party—or the “plaintiff”—entitled to compensation for their injuries. In severe cases, this compensation can be substantial.
When a car accident occurs, knowing the potential settlement that may be available is very useful. Oregon law allows plaintiffs to collect certain damages with the goal of making the plaintiff whole again.
This can include economic damages related to actual monetary loss and non-economic damages for emotional and psychological trauma.
Economic damages—also called compensatory damages—relate to direct financial loss experienced by accident victims and include:
Economic damage is often easy to prove with medical records, car repair estimates, and wage statements.
Non-economic damages often refer to the unseen loss the plaintiff incurred—or is still incurring—after the traumatic experience.
These include:
As our experienced car accident lawyers in Hermiston can explain, these damages can widely vary depending on the severity of the harm suffered and the degree of the defendant’s share in the liability for the car accident.
Proving the at-fault driver’s negligence is an essential part of a successful claim. Title Four of the Oregon Revised Statutes outlines the requirements for the use and admission of evidence. To successfully prove a claim, the individual must present the evidence in accordance with these rules. Evidence that is not admitted is unusable to prove the defendant’s negligence. The plaintiff must provide sufficient evidence within the rules to prove that the defendant was at fault for the auto accident. Car accident lawyers are highly knowledgeable in these rules in Hermiston car collision claims and can implement an effective strategy on your behalf.
When you’ve been injured in a car crash, you need all the help you can get. That’s why getting the highest possible compensation for your injuries is crucial – so you can be made whole again. However, there are some statutes and laws in Oregon related to personal injury cases that you should be aware of as they can affect your overall settlement award. One of these statutes is Oregon’s Modified Comparative Negligence model. When fault is determined in Oregon auto accident cases, it is not always placed entirely on one driver. Oftentimes, a percentage of fault is assigned to each of the drivers, and if one driver is determined to share more than 50% of the fault for the accident, they’ll be responsible for paying damages. However, the actual damages they’ll be required to pay will be respective to their share of the fault. For example, if 20% of the fault for the car accident is assigned to you as the injured party and a $100,000 settlement is agreed upon, you’ll only be paid $80,000 of the settlement award. This is why the at-fault driver’s insurance company will likely try its best to get you to admit at least some of the fault during the car accident claims process.
The most important thing you can do after being in a serious car accident is to seek medical treatment immediately. Not only will this help get you on the road to wellness, but receiving full medical care for your injuries will bolster your car accident case. You’ll also want to get law enforcement involved so that you have a police report of the accident on file. If you’re able to, take photos and videos right away of the accident scene, the damage to both vehicles and surrounding property, as well as your injuries. These can be used as evidence in your case to prove the negligence of the other driver.
A successful car accident claim could lead to the best possible settlement for you—and potentially others affected by the car accident. Professional car accident lawyers understand how to analyze your claim and effectively present the evidence for your benefit. Don’t wait. To begin the legal process and your fight toward financial compensation, get in touch with one of the experienced Hermiston car accident lawyers at our law firm today and schedule a free consultation. We’ll review your case, negotiate with the insurance adjuster, and take your case to court if necessary.
When should you hire a car accident lawyer after a car crash?
Car accident lawyers are always available to offer legal help with your car accident claim. You’ll especially benefit from legal representation if you’ve been severely injured, experienced significant financial loss, or if you feel the insurance company isn’t treating you fairly. You should never accept a settlement offer from the at-fault driver’s insurance company without having an experienced attorney review it first to ensure you’re getting the fair compensation you deserve.
Do people get more settlement money with car accident lawyers?
One aspect of the car accident claims process is negotiating your settlement. Not everyone knows what their particular injury claim is worth, but car accident lawyers do. An auto accident attorney is skilled at negotiating with insurance companies, and plaintiffs that hire personal injury attorneys tend to get higher personal injury settlements after car accidents.
How long do I have to file a personal injury lawsuit in Oregon?
The statute of limitations on personal injury claims and lawsuits in the Beaver State is two years. This means that once two years have passed since the date of the car accident, you won’t be able to take legal action and pursue compensation for your damages.