While some car accident cases end up going to trial, most are resolved through the settlement process.
If you were involved in a serious collision and want to seek financial compensation for your losses, you should discuss your case with an experienced personal injury lawyer. A local attorney can explain the steps to settling a claim and why you may not want to negotiate your own settlement. But, you may find the following information helpful.
Most states have laws requiring drivers to report car collisions to a local law enforcement agency. The police or state highway patrol must be notified when accidents result in serious injuries, death or significant property damage.
Your insurance company also likely requires you to report auto accidents soon after they occur. You don't, however, have to go into detail about the incident – you can simply provide the date, time and location of the crash and the contact information of the other drivers involved.
In states that follow the no-fault auto accident liability system, like Utah, injured victims can recover medical expenses and lost wages regardless of who is responsible for causing a collision.
Under this system, you only deal with another driver's insurer if you meet the threshold of financial losses. In Utah, that typically means exceeding $3,000 in economic damages.
In states that follow the at-fault system, such as California and Idaho, the driver who causes an auto accident can be held financially responsible for the resulting damages.
Under this system, injured victims have the option of filing a claim with their own insurance company, filing a claim with the at-fault driver's insurance provider or filing a lawsuit. An experienced local personal injury lawyer can offer advice on the best route to take.
As we mentioned, most car accident claims are settled out of court. Getting through the settlement process involves a great deal of work, as you'll need to gather evidence to support your claim, draft a demand letter, explain the extent of your injuries and make clear the amount of damages you'd like to recover.
You can count on the insurance company investigating the case, and if they don't deny your claim, they'll likely make a lowball offer. At this point, you'll need to negotiate – and if the insurer refuses to offer a reasonable settlement amount, you can file a lawsuit.
Settling a claim and getting the compensation you deserve is no easy task on your own. Car collisions are subject to state-specific laws, and many injured victims underestimate their losses. If you've been in an auto accident, letting an experienced local personal injury lawyer help with the settlement process is a smart move. For expert legal assistance in Utah, California or Idaho, contact William R. Rawlings & Associates and schedule a car accident settlement consultation today.
The steps you take after a bicycle accident involving a motorist can make a major difference in the amount of compensation you're able obtain for your injuries and the damage to your bike. Your actions can also have an impact on the outcome of a lawsuit against the negligent driver, should you decide to file one.
If you enjoy cycling, knowing what to do in the immediate aftermath of an injury accident is clearly important. Here, the experienced bicycle accident attorneys at William R. Rawlings & Associates explain how to protect your rights.
You may not think you're injured or that your bike has been damaged, but don't leave the accident scene until after the police have taken a report. Injuries can manifest later on, and you might find that your bike does have issues -- and you need to make sure that your version of events is documented in the police report.
If possible, get the motorist's name, address, phone number, insurance information, driver's license number and license plate number. Take down the names and contact information of any witnesses to the bicycle accident as well. All of this may be in the police report, but there's always a chance that something could be left out.
Take mental notes on when, where and how the bicycle accident occurred and on the road, traffic and weather conditions at the time of the crash. Jot the details down as soon as you can, and while you're at the accident scene, snap photos to show the area, your bicycle and the position of everyone involved.
Regardless of how you feel right after a bicycle accident, get medical attention right away. The fact that you saw a doctor is proof that you were injured, and your medical records will illustrate the extent of your injuries. This documentation can be crucial to obtaining fair compensation.
Don't negotiate with the driver or their insurance company, as anything you say could be used against you later on. Instead, consult with a personal injury attorney with experience handling bicycle accident cases. A lawyer can provide you with advice on how to proceed, help you deal with the insurance adjuster and, if necessary, represent you in a lawsuit against the negligent motorist.
For expert legal guidance in Utah, California or Idaho, turn to the professional team at William R. Rawlings & Associates. Our personal injury attorneys have decades of experience helping accident victims, and many are avid cyclists – so we understand both the law and the dangers associated with cycling.
We routinely handle accident claims for injured cyclists, and you can count on our highly skilled personal injury attorneys to fight hard for every dollar you deserve. If you've been in a bicycle accident, contact our office and schedule a free consultation today.
Millions of auto accidents occur every year, and many victims suffer debilitating injuries. Preventing these incidents starts with understanding why they take place, and we're sharing the most common causes of motor vehicle collisions below.
Knowledge is power, as they say, and by reading on you may be able to avoid becoming a statistic. However, if you're ever injured in an auto accident, hiring an experienced lawyer may be the best way to fight for your right to compensation.
Drivers often ignore the speed limit, and by doing so, greatly increase the chance of causing an auto accident. While speeding, motorists have less time to react to road hazards. And, vehicles that are moving too fast are more likely to spin out of control as a result of weather-related road conditions.
Many motorists believe that if they've only had a drink or two, they'll be fine behind the wheel. This isn't the case, as any amount of alcohol can affect a person's sight, judgment and coordination, leading to a serious auto accident. And, the same impairments can occur after taking prescription medication and after using illegal drugs.
Operating on a few hours of sleep can spell disaster out on the road. According to the CDC, driving while drowsy can be equated to driving drunk – it's that dangerous. Motorists who are fatigued frequently develop the same types of visual, cognitive and motor impairments as drivers who have alcohol in their system.
Everyone multitasks, but paying attention to anything but the road ahead increases the risk of being in motor vehicle collision. Driver distractions – such as using a smartphone, eating a snack, reaching for an item on the floor or turning to look at something outside the car – often cause car accidents.
Victims of motor vehicle collisions caused by speeding, impaired driving, fatigue or distracted driving – as well as those caused by other factors – have a legal right to compensation for their injuries and losses. However, obtaining every dollar deserved can be difficult without an experienced auto accident lawyer.
Attorneys perform a range of tasks to help car accident victims recover the amount of money to which they are legally entitled. Every case is unique, but a lawyer typically:
If you need an experienced auto accident lawyer in California, Idaho or Utah, call on the legal team at William R. Rawlings & Associates. We've been helping victims of motor vehicle collisions for over 35 years, and we're here to help you get the compensation you need and deserve.
For more information, or to schedule a free auto accident lawyer consultation, contact us online or give our office a call today.
As any experienced personal injury lawyer knows, the right expert witness can be the key to a favorable case outcome. Claims often hinge on the testimony of an expert, as these witnesses can explain technical issues and offer an informed opinion as to the particulars of the case.
When it comes to finding experts to support your injury claim, you can rely on your lawyer. However, you may need to work with these witnesses to build a solid case.
Regular witnesses – or people who were present when the accident occurred – can provide testimony about what they saw or heard.
Expert witnesses have the education, experience and proficiency to qualify as specialists in a particular field. Depending upon their area of expertise, these witnesses can testify about how the accident happened, the extent of medical treatment required, the prognosis for injury recovery, the resulting emotional trauma and the impact the accident has had on your earning potential.
Personal injury lawyers bring in many different types of specialists to help strengthen a claim and maximize the amount of compensation awarded. The witnesses used in your case may include:
This list is by no means exhaustive. Personal injury lawyers often use specialized experts – such as engineering specialists, phone record specialists and forensic specialists – to build a stronger case.
As we mentioned, your lawyer will take on the task of locating any specialists who can help with your personal injury claim. You may, however, need to work together to increase the chance of a favorable case outcome.
Your lawyer may ask you to provide a witness with more information, for example, or you might be referred to a medical expert. Taking care of matters on your end – by answering questions and following up with any necessary records requests and diagnostic tests -- ensures that the specialists can do their job.
Do you need expert help with a personal injury claim? The legal team at William R. Rawlings & Associates, aggressively fights for the maximum in compensation for each of our clients. We'll protect your rights and work to get every dollar you deserve – and we won't charge you a fee unless we achieve a favorable outcome in your case.
For more details about the key role expert witnesses play in accident claims, or to speak with an experienced Utah personal injury lawyer, contact William R. Rawlings & Associates and schedule a free consultation today.
If you're filing a motorcycle accident lawsuit, any misstep you make could have serious consequences on the outcome. Even a small mistake could damage your credibility, reducing the amount of compensation awarded or causing your case to be dismissed.
Fortunately, by working with an experienced personal injury attorney, you can avoid blunders during the legal process. To help, we're sharing some of the ways you could inadvertently derail your case.
You should provide your personal injury attorney with all of the details relevant to your case. They need that information to boost your chances of obtaining the maximum amount of compensation in your motorcycle accident lawsuit.
To be on the safe side, however, don't talk about your case with anyone other than your lawyer. Speaking with others about your injuries or discussing the lawsuit with someone else could end up costing you.
Investigators and attorneys working for the insurance company will use whatever strategies they can to make you seem less credible and to limit the amount of compensation you receive. This includes searching your social media accounts for information.
Posting on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or any other network after your motorcycle accident can be a mistake. Even pictures and posts that have nothing to do with your case could be used against you, so you may want to stay away from social media until your lawsuit is resolved.
Personal injury attorneys recommend that anyone injured in a motorcycle accident seek medical treatment immediately. Seeing a doctor right away is important, but following their advice is just as crucial.
If you fail to attend your follow-up appointments or don't comply with your doctor's recommendations on treatment, others may question whether or not your injuries really warrant compensation. As such, not getting the necessary medical care could seriously impact the outcome of your motorcycle accident lawsuit.
Finding a personal injury attorney you can trust is one of the first steps to ensuring you're fairly compensated for the injuries you sustained. In Utah, California and Idaho, the legal team at William R. Rawlings & Associates has over 35 years of experience helping injured victims – and you can count on us to fight for every dollar you deserve.
We'll put all of our efforts into maximizing your compensation, and we won't charge you a dime if we don't win your motorcycle accident lawsuit. For a free personal injury attorney consultation, contact William R. Rawlings & Associates online or give us a call today.
Countless people rely on public transportation, and most passengers don’t think about the possibility of a bus accident when they take a seat. But traveling by bus isn’t guaranteed to be safe – roughly 63,000 collisions involving buses occur every year.
If you’re hurt in a bus accident, you have the right to file a lawsuit in pursuit of compensation for your injuries. However, due to the procedural challenges, hiring a personal injury attorney is in your best interest.
In most types of vehicular accidents, injured victims can file a lawsuit against the driver responsible for the incident. With a collision involving a bus, the situation is more complicated.
Even if the bus driver is at fault for the crash that caused your injuries, liability may not rest on their shoulders. Instead, their employer – which may be the school district, public transportation bureau or another government entity – could be financially responsible for the bus accident.
Figuring out exactly who to hold accountable for your injuries can be difficult. Hire an experienced personal injury attorney, and you’ll have help identifying the defendant to name in your bus accident lawsuit.
Any accident can result in seriously injured victims, but the chances are greater in bus crashes. Most buses don’t have seatbelts or airbags, and thanks to their higher center of gravity, buses are prone to rollover accidents. As a result, collisions can have devastating consequences.
Broken bones, head and spinal cord injuries, disfiguring lacerations and internal injuries are common – and treatment can be very expensive. But physical injuries aren’t the only consideration. You might also suffer from mental and emotional issues after the accident, both of which can have a major impact on your qualify of life.
With an experienced personal injury attorney at your side, you’ll be able to accurately estimate all of your damages, including lost wages, lost earning capacity, and pain and suffering. And when you file a lawsuit, you’ll stand a better chance of obtaining compensation for all of your losses.
The process of filing a personal injury claim for damages sustained in a bus accident is complex. Strict deadlines may apply, and the required forms often ask for information that isn’t easy to procure. So while you can file a lawsuit to secure the compensation you deserve, working with an experienced personal injury attorney is the best way to protect your rights.
If you’ve been hurt in a bus crash in Utah, Idaho or California, turn to the professional team at William R. Rawlings & Associates. We’ve been helping people just like you for more than 35 years, and you can count on us to fight for fair compensation. Contact us online or call our office and schedule a free personal injury attorney consultation to discuss filing a bus accident lawsuit now.
Many accident victims refrain from contacting a personal injury lawyer because they don’t have money to pay for legal services. However, a lack of financial resources doesn’t have to stop you from getting the assistance you need.
Hire an attorney who works on a contingency fee basis – like the team at William R. Rawlings & Associates -- and you won’t need to worry about upfront fees. Below, we explain how this type of payment arrangement works.
When a personal injury lawyer takes on your case, you’ll be asked to sign a contingency fee agreement. Essentially, this document states that you’ll be provided with legal representation at no upfront cost. In the event your attorney wins your case, the arrangement establishes the amount they’ll receive – typically, this is a percentage of the damages awarded.
As a general rule, attorneys who offer contingency fee arrangements only accept cases in which they’re confident they can achieve a favorable outcome. And since they earn nothing unless they win, you can count on your lawyer making every effort to ensure that happens.
Personal injury attorneys who work on a contingency fee basis don’t require their clients to put down a deposit or retainer. Nor do they ask their clients for any money for costs incurred during the course of representation. Your lawyer will most likely cover any and all upfront expenses, including:
If your personal injury attorney wins your case, you won’t be hit with a hefty bill for the legal services rendered. Your lawyer’s fee, along with expenses and litigation costs, will be deducted from your settlement or, if your case goes to trial, the total jury award.
What happens if your case ends without a win? You get no financial compensation – but neither does your lawyer. You may still be responsible for court fees and certain expenses, which we’re sure is news you didn’t want to hear. However, your attorney won’t get paid at all if they lose your case, regardless of how long the legal process took. As such, they have a tremendous incentive to make sure you receive a fair settlement or favorable jury verdict.
The experienced professional team at William R. Rawlings & Associates is here to help you fight for the compensation you deserve – and we provide our services on a contingency fee basis to make quality legal representation easily accessible to residents of Utah, California and Idaho. For more information, or to schedule a free personal injury lawyer consultation, contact us today.
Any type of accident can lead you to file a personal injury claim. After all, even minor injuries may be serious enough to require medical treatment, hospitalization, time off from work, and other costly repercussions.
However, certain types of injuries – generally those that result in severe physical, emotional and financial consequences -- are categorized as catastrophic. Here’s what you need to know about catastrophic personal injury claims and how to fight for fair compensation.
Catastrophic injuries are those that cause functional disability, irreversible damage to the body or significant life-altering consequences. A personal injury may also be considered catastrophic if it permanently prevents the victim from returning to work or performing any other substantial gainful activity.
Examples of catastrophic injuries include:
A catastrophic injury can have an immense impact on quality of life, and many victims suffer from depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder or other mental issues. In addition to all the pain and suffering, victims are often left with serious financial troubles.
Catastrophic injuries can occur as the result of an unusual event or “freak” accident. However, statistically speaking, some types of incidents are more likely to result in a catastrophic personal injury. These include:
Regardless of how a catastrophic injury is incurred, victims can file a lawsuit to pursue compensation for their losses.
The value of a catastrophic injury claim depends upon the nature and severity of the injuries sustained. That said, the losses can be tremendous – and victims often face many, if not all, of the following consequences:
By filing a lawsuit, victims can seek compensation for all of these. And because catastrophic injuries tend to have a devastating, life-long impact, the amount of damages awarded can be quite high.
Getting legal help isn’t required, but hiring an attorney is the best way for injured victims to obtain the financial compensation they need and deserve.
As we mentioned, claims for catastrophic injuries can result in significant losses – and insurance companies do everything they can to minimize the amount of money they have to pay out. If you’re severely injured, an attorney can help ensure your case is defined as catastrophic, negotiate a fair settlement and, if necessary, serve as your legal representative in court.
The highly skilled attorneys at William R. Rawlings & Associates have been fighting on the behalf of injured victims in Utah, California and Idaho for more than 35 years. To discuss your catastrophic injury case with a personal injury lawyer in Utah, contact our office and schedule a free consultation today.
If you were in a collision and suffered serious injuries that affect your ability to work, filing a car accident claim can enable you to get compensation for your financial losses. And, lost income due to needing time off work for treatment and recovery isn’t the only type of damages you can pursue – you may also be entitled to compensation for lost earning capacity. For an explanation of what that means for you and your case, read on.
Loss of earning capacity is a reduction in the ability to earn an income. So, if your car accident injuries make returning to your current job position impossible – and if you’re unable to switch to a different line of work that pays just as well – you can seek compensation for the impairment of earning power and loss of future income.
While the amount of lost income awarded in a car accident claim is based upon the specific wages you weren’t able to earn as a result of the collision, loss of earning capacity is based on a projection. The damages haven’t yet been suffered, and calculating the overall impact of your injuries on your financial future isn’t an exact science.
We can tell you, though, that car accident lawyers consider several factors in determining appropriate compensation. Your past work history, skills and expected years of employment may be instrumental, and your lawyer may also investigate possible promotions and future raises you might have enjoyed if you hadn’t been seriously injured.
Compared to lost income, loss of earning capacity is much more difficult to prove. Working with an experienced car accident lawyer is to your benefit, as proving your claim may require all of the following:
William R. Rawlings & Associates, a long-standing and top-ranked law firm based in northern Utah, can help you fight for the maximum compensation in your car accident claim. We’ve collected millions of dollars in damages for clients in Utah, Idaho and California, and our highly experienced lawyers are successful in obtaining compensation in 98 percent of the cases we handle.
Work with us, and we’ll fight to get you every dollar you deserve for lost income, lost earning capacity and all of your other losses. Contact our office and schedule a free consultation or to discuss your case with a Utah car accident lawyer today.
After a car crash, you might think you don’t need help from an auto accident attorney. And if the collision wasn’t all that serious, that could be true – the insurance company of the other driver may offer a fair settlement.
With a major accident involving severe injuries and vehicular damage, this isn’t the norm. In these cases, insurance companies often fight tooth and nail to provide as little compensation as possible. For that reason, if you’re a victim, you may be better off working with an auto accident lawyer. Here’s why.
If you’ve been seriously injured, you may not be able to take pictures at the accident scene or interview witnesses after the collision – and trying to collect proof to support your claim later on isn’t going to be easy on your own.
Experienced auto accident attorneys understand how to build a successful case. Hire a lawyer, and you’ll have an expert gathering evidence on your behalf. You can focus on your recovery, with the peace of mind in knowing that no stone will be left unturned.
Many car accident victims don’t fully understand their legal rights. Insurance companies tend to take advantage of this, making lowball settlement offers on legitimate claims.
By hiring an attorney who specializes in accident claims, you’ll be protecting your rights and interests. You won’t have to worry about meeting the deadline for filing a lawsuit in Utah. Plus, your lawyer will act as your advocate in dealing with the insurance company, handling the negotiations and, if necessary, taking your case to court.
It’s easy to underestimate the effect an auto accident can have on your life. You might see the medical bills piling up and know that your vehicle needs to be repaired or replaced, but those aren’t the only concerns. Your injuries might cause you to lose the ability to earn an income, perhaps, or you may end up needing ongoing medical attention. And, the collision could have resulted in psychological damages.
All of these situations may or may not apply in your situation, but an experienced auto accident attorney will ask the right questions and be realistic in estimating your losses. As a result, a lawyer can develop a strategy to get you every dollar you deserve.
At William R. Rawlings & Associates, our legal team understands how traumatic it is to be injured in a car crash – and we’re here to provide the help you need to get back on your feet. For a free case evaluation, contact our Draper or West Valley City office today to schedule a free case evaluation or to speak to an experienced Utah auto accident attorney now.