If you’ve been in a car accident, your first thought may be to call 911 and exchange information with the other driver. But after an accident, it is essential that you retain the services of a qualified legal professional as soon as possible. Here are three important reasons why:
1) Collecting Information After a Car Accident Can Be Difficult
After an auto accident, it can be very difficult to remember what happened and who was involved. It’s not uncommon for people to try and piece together what happened days later by rummaging through their purse or wallet for receipts or asking friends or family members to help them recall where they were going and who was following behind them just before the crash occurred. However, if they were severely injured in the incident, they may not have a clear picture of what happened. A personal injury attorney can investigate and determine who was at fault for the accident to help you receive the full compensation you deserve.
2) You May Have Legal Options For Damages Available To You After a Car Accident
When someone is involved in an auto accident, they may think that their only legal recourse is to pursue criminal charges against the other driver. However, there are many other options available for those involved in accidents. These include: seeking damages from insurance companies; filing suit against negligent drivers; filing civil cases based on personal injury claims; pursuing reimbursement for medical expenses (and possibly lost wages) and more. If your actions after a car accident involve talking to insurance companies, you may very well be forced to sign a release that will prevent you from pursuing any further action in the future. It is best to speak with an experienced personal injury attorney after an auto accident to determine if there are other options for damages that could help you receive full compensation for your injuries.
3) You May Be Required To Settle Your Claim As Soon As Possible After a Car Accident
Depending on the laws of your state or city, there are specific time limitations or “statutes of limitations” for filing claims. If these statutes are not adhered to, your claim could be barred forever. Make sure that you take immediate steps to protect your legal rights – speak with a qualified lawyer before reaching any type of settlement with an insurance company or other involved party.
When should you hire an attorney after a car accident? As soon as possible to ensure that all aspects of your case are covered and that you receive full financial compensation for your injuries, damages, and losses.
How long after an accident can you sue for personal injury?
When you have been injured in an accident, your first reaction is likely to be a concern for your health and wellbeing. As well as this, it is normal to worry about whether you’ll ever be able to work again, how you will afford the medical treatment needed, and what impact the injury will have on your family. Sadly though, many people fail to consider their legal options after they’ve suffered a serious injury at someone else’s fault.
One of the reasons that people don’t take action after an accident is because they don’t know when the time limit starts running for making a claim. So just how long do you have? The specifics depend on who was responsible for causing the accident and where it happened – but there are some basic rules which can help you to work out when is the time limit for starting to make a personal injury claim.
Common law – three years
The most basic rule which applies in many cases is that you have three years from the date of the accident to make a claim for compensation for your injuries. This rule is set out in statute, but can be taken as read unless there are specific rules to say otherwise. There are some exceptions though – if your child was injured because of medical negligence, for example, then they might have up until their 21st birthday before the three-year deadline runs out.
When you apply must within three years either side of an accident date If you suffer serious injuries after being hit by a vehicle or due to someone else’s carelessness in some other way, you have three years from the date of the incident to apply to the court for compensation. If your child was injured in an accident at school or because of another person’s carelessness, they have until they are 21 before considering legal action – although there are exceptions that allow parents to pursue a claim on their child’s behalf.
As far as injuries sustained through negligence are concerned, it is possible that you might suffer long-term problems because of being hurt – so this could affect whether you have time left after the injury to pursue a claim. There will be different rules if you were injured by medical negligence, however – but these also depend on where and when the accident happened. The basic rule is still three years though – and in some cases, the claim must be made within six years of it happening.
If an individual or company has gone into hiding, for example, or there are other extenuating circumstances surrounding your personal injury claim, it might be quite some time before you are able to issue proceedings in court – but you must still do it within the appropriate time limit. If you need help understanding what these limits are, then take advice from a Car Accident Lawyers in Tampa who might be able to give you more information about when is the best time to take action.
