Cullman Car Accident Lawyer

If you have been involved in a car accident in Cullman, AL, or the surrounding area then you could be entitled to claim compensation for the injuries that you sustained in the accident. If you would like to know more about how to claim compensation and maximize the award that you are given for yourself or for an injured loved one, then you should seek the advice of an experienced Cullman car accident lawyer. Contact the law office of Hare, Wynn, Newell & Newton today for a free consultation. Just call (855)-965-1688 to discuss your case. We would be happy to review the details of your accident and provide advice on your claim options.

What Can You Claim for After a Car Accident in Cullman?

The injuries associated with car accidents can vary from being minor to debilitating or even life-threatening. Whatever kind of injury you have suffered it may be possible to claim compensation for the damages. There are different types of damages and what you are eligible for will depend on the type of injuries that you sustained.

Claiming for Medical expenses

The most common form of damages that someone will claim after a car accident is their medical expenses. These expenses can include hospital or doctor’s fees, treatments for injuries, medications, and physical therapy. Severe injuries may require long term treatment and regular visits to a doctor and a claimant can request to be compensated for past and future expenses as long as they relate to injuries sustained in the accident.

Pain & Suffering

An injury can cause physical and mental anguish and emotional upset. It can even cause long-term anxiety. You can claim compensation for this just as you can with medical expenses.

Loss Of Income

If you find yourself unable to work short term or having to limit your duties in the longer term then you can claim for lost wages, both past, and for the future. You need to be able to demonstrate that you had a regular income at a given level to be able to claim for the reduction in your earnings that occurred with the accident.

Death

If a car accident leads to the death of a family member then you can recover compensation on the grounds of wrongful death from the party responsible for the accident.

Loss of Companionship / Consortium

An accident or injury that results in death can lead to the loss of companionship or consortium. You can claim for this on the grounds that the events negatively affected your relationship by causing a change in behavior or altering the life of those who survived. It can be difficult to quantify this but a good Cullman car accident lawyer will be able to help you.

Demonstrating lost wages and medical expenses is usually easy, but documenting emotional suffering or pain and putting a monetary figure on it is harder, that’s why it’s so important to seek advice from the experts. They can help you to put together a sound case and increase the likelihood of you getting the compensation that you are entitled to.

What Does the Legal System Expect in Car Accident Cases?

If you wish to claim compensation for injuries that were sustained in a car accident you must first demonstrate that the injuries were caused by another party’s negligence. This requires you to demonstrate key factors:

• The defendant had a duty to the victim
• The defendant behaved in a way which meant they were in breach of that duty
• The victim suffered injury or damages
• The victim’s plight was caused by the failure of the defendant to perform their duty to the defendant

Let’s take the example of a motorist who is driving on the roads in Alabama. It is the duty of all motorists to follow Alabama’s traffic laws and to drive safely. If the speed, are distracted while driving, or drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol then they are behaving in a way that is unsafe. This kind of behavior breaches their duty of care for other motorists.

If a driver is in breach of that duty of care, and crashes into your car, causing injury, then it can be shown that their negligence was the cause of your injuries. They are at fault and therefore they are liable to cover the compensation for your injuries.

Can I Deal With the Insurance Company Myself?

The insurance company of the at-fault driver has the goal of reducing the compensation that they payout. They may call you and try to get you to speak to them but you should not do so. The other driver’s insurance company will try to find any details that they can to make it seem as if you were at fault so that they do not have to pay you compensation. Alabama’s “at fault” law means that the liable party is the one that has to pay compensation.

Some insurance companies will offer low-ball claims, or try to drag out the claim process in order to make you accept a lower offer. They might try to ignore your efforts to contact them too. You may be so tired and frustrated that you want to accept that first low-ball offer but you should try not to do so. The insurance company will say a lot of different things to you in order to confuse you or get you to say something that lets them avoid paying out.

Try to avoid dealing with the insurance company directly. Call the law office of Hare, Wynn, Newell, and Newton to discuss your compensation claim and to let them deal with the insurance company for you so that you get the compensation that you are actually entitled to.

How Quickly Should I File a Car Accident Claim?

Alabama is a state which has a contributory negligence rule. This means that if you suffered injuries as a result of an accident but you were even partly responsible for that accident you are not entitled to compensation. Even if the other driver was the one that was mostly at fault you will not be able to make a claim.

There is a statute of limitations in Alabama, too. It is important that you meet the deadline for this. All accident claims must be filed within two years of the date of the accident. Failure to claim before the deadline could result in you losing all right to compensation. If you want to make a claim against a government entity, such as a claim for an accident caused by a dangerous roadway, then the deadline is even sooner; you must claim within six months.

These deadlines are enforced strictly, and the details of the claim process are exacting. This means that it is best to deal with a qualified Cullman car accident lawyer who understands all of the details so that you can maximize your chances of making a successful claim. Our team includes a former insurance claim adjuster who shares insights into the way that insurance providers are likely to handle your claim. This means that we can help you to reduce the risk of being found ‘slightly responsible’ for the accident, improving your chances of getting full compensation.

Common Car Accidents and Your Compensation Claim

There are many different causes of car accidents. The most common type of claim is for a collision. If a car collides with you then you will want to make sure that you can demonstrate their fault, for example:

Driving While Distracted

While the most common type of distracted driving is using a mobile device while driving, sometimes motorists are distracted by grooming, eating, changing the radio, or doing other things that take their hands and attention off the wheel.

Drunk Driving

Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol is a criminal offense and is something that should definitely be included in your personal injury claim if the motorist that caused your accident was indeed intoxicated.

Emergency Medical Issues

A motorist may lose control of their vehicle if they were suddenly afflicted with a serious medical condition. Strokes and heart attacks are often responsible for this kind of incident.

Dangerous Driving

Speeding, tailgating, or running red lights can all lead to an accident. Many drivers flout the rules of the road every day and usually get away with it. However, when things go wrong the consequences are severe.

If you were driving correctly and another driver collided with you or otherwise caused an accident, then you should seek advice from a Cullman car accident lawyer. Our legal team will investigate the incident and identify the at-fault party. Sometimes the at-fault party is not another driver. It could be that there was a pothole or some other environmental factor that contributed to the accident (such as poor traffic signaling, or a fallen tree limb). It could also be that there was a defective part in your car and that the manufacturer was at fault.

We may name the government or your car manufacturer in the claim instead of or in addition to another driver. We do not recommend that you try to file a claim against the government without the assistance of a Cullman car accident lawyer since it is a complex and time-consuming process.

What Types of Injuries Commonly Occur from Automobile Accidents?

Car accidents can cause anything from minor injuries to severe and life-altering or life-threatening ones. The injuries that can come from a car accident can greatly influence the quality of life of the victim in both the short and long term, and the severity of the injury can affect the amount of compensation that a car accident victim can claim for. Some of the most common injuries that people suffer from as a result of a car accident are:

• Broken bones
• Scars and burns
• Spinal injuries
• Internal bleeding
• Traumatic brain injury

Contact our Cullman Auto Accident Attorney for a Free Case Review

Your car accident attorney in Cullman, Alabama will liaise with your medical team to determine the severity of your injuries and to document the costs of treatment and adaptations to your home if required. You may need to collect some documentation to help with the claim.

If you have been injured as a result of an auto accident, be sure to call our team of car accident lawyers as soon as possible for a free initial consultation. You should try to focus on your recovery and healing, so get in touch with the legal team at Hare, Wynn, Newell, and Newton at (855)-965-1688 to discuss your options and let us deal with the paperwork and legal proceedings on your behalf.