5 Reasons to Call a Personal Injury Lawyer

Contacting a skilled and experienced personal injury lawyer when you’re in a tough situation can feel like a big step, but in many cases, it’s the right one. Yet, after a car accident, many people aren’t sure if hiring a lawyer is really “worth it.”

In this blog, we outline five reasons you should consider contacting a personal injury attorney and how they can help you after a car crash.

How a Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help After a Car Crash

Ultimately, a personal injury lawyer’s job is to help you maximize the compensation you receive from a settlement or trial. Utilizing their advanced understanding of the law and legal processes, lawyers serve their clients through skilled representation.

Here are five reasons to contact a personal injury attorney if you’ve been involved in a car crash.

1) The Time to Take Action Is Already Counting Down

In Alabama, the statute of limitations to file a personal injury case is only two years, and it begins counting down the moment of the crash. This means you only have two years to seek justice through legal action.

In the Mississippi Gulf Coast, there’s a three-year statute of limitations in personal injury claims.

If you’re not sure of what to do or just want to discuss your options, you should contact a lawyer right away. Many seemingly straightforward cases are actually quite complex, so it can take a long time to gather your evidence and investigate your claims. Consulting with a lawyer right away can help you understand your options and timeline.

2) Your Evidence Could Disappear

Evidence plays an important role in any case. While there is some evidence you can gather and preserve yourself (a pain diary, photos from the scene of the crash, the damage to your vehicle, etc.), a seasoned lawyer knows how to obtain hard-to-get items that might otherwise disappear. Doctors’ notes, phone records, trucking logs, and even written statements from the other party are all valuable pieces of evidence that can be challenging for victims to recover on their own.

3) The Insurance Company Is Pressuring You to Settle

The insurance company and their representatives will never tell you how much your personal injury claim is really worth. Remember, it’s their job to settle your claim as quickly and cheaply as possible.

For example, a $50,000 settlement might seem like a large sum after a crash. But if you’ve sustained devastating injuries, this settlement may not cover a lifetime of medical care, lost wages, and pain and suffering. An experienced lawyer can help you determine the true value of your case and go head-to-head with the insurance company to ensure you get the compensation you need to live a full and healthy life — both now and in the future.

If you have questions about a settlement, don’t wait to call a lawyer.

4) You Have Significant Out-of-Pocket Bills and Liens

When you can’t pay your medical and other accident-related bills, the companies can file liens with the court or start collections actions. When there is a lien on your account, any settlement money goes toward paying off that lien before it goes to you. We believe that victims should receive every cent they deserve after a devastating car crash.

We have a long and successful history of fighting for clients and resolving liens. Read more from one client and how we took care of him after a crash.

5) You May Need to Fight for Justice in Court

Sometimes, when settlement negotiations fail, you must take your case to trial. It’s incredibly challenging to represent yourself in court, especially when the insurance company you’re up against has a team of veteran attorneys on their side.

When you have an experienced lawyer in your corner, you can rest assured that you’ve done all you can to prepare for the best outcome possible. At Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys, we refuse to settle if we know an offer is unfair, and we aren’t afraid to take a case to trial.

Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys: Fighting for Victims Across Alabama and the Gulf Coast

At Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys, we’ve been fighting for personal injury victims throughout Alabama and across the Gulf Coast for over 30 years. Time and again, we meet good people hurt by the careless actions of others who don’t think they have a case — when in reality, they’re eligible to collect thousands of dollars in damages.

If you have questions about your case, need help understanding the value of your damages, or just need to speak with an experienced Alabama or Mississippi Gulf Coast personal injury lawyer about your options, you should reach out today to schedule your free, no-risk case evaluation. During your appointment, we’ll get to know you, learn more about your claim, and offer sound legal advice.

Please complete this brief online form or call our offices at 251-888-8888 to schedule your evaluation today.

The content provided here is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject.

How to Calculate the Real Cost of Your Car Accident Claim

Wrecked: How to Calculate the Real Cost of Your Car Accident Claim

One of the most common questions we get from clients is “What is my case worth?” Before you can determine the value of your personal injury case, it’s important to understand the types of potential damages and how Alabama’s laws may impact your settlement or jury award.

Below, the car accident lawyers at Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys discuss some of the key factors we look at when valuing a claim. However, determining how much you are owed for your car accident is a very complicated process. To understand the real value of your injury claim, contact an experienced accident lawyer.

Car Accident Damages Can Vary Dramatically

Millions of people are injured in car crashes every year in the US, resulting in over $60 billion in medical expenses and lost productivity, according to the CDC. This figure does not even take into consideration other costs involved in an accident, such as pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment, and loss or consortium.

“When determining the value of your Alabama car accident claim, it is important to know that the types of damages, or compensation, you may receive”

While calculating your out-of-pocket medical expenses and lost wages may seem like a simple task, it requires great skill and attention to detail. For example, you may need to consult with experts, such as physicians, life care planners, and vocational experts to fully understand your lost wage–earning capacity and medical and long-term care needs.

The financial lifetime cost of a personal injury car accident could range anywhere between a few thousand dollars to several million, depending on the extent of your injuries. Either way, this isn’t something most people can afford to pay out–of–pocket, and insurance agencies aren’t typically going to be on your side.

What Compensation Can I Recover from My Car Wreck?

When determining the value of your Alabama car accident claim, it is important to know that the types of damages, or compensation, you may receive. Damages fall into three main categories.

Economic Damages

Economic damages are the financial losses you suffer after a car accident. These expenses typically include:

- Past and future medical expenses, including hospital and ambulance bills
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Medications
- Mental health treatment and counseling
- Property damage
- Lost earnings
- Future lost income

To accurately calculate your economic damages, you’ll need to collect your accident-related bills and consult with an experienced Alabama injury lawyer about your future needs and expenses.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages are more difficult to calculate, because they involve placing a monetary value on the pain and suffering you experienced during and after the car wreck. Possible non-economic damages include:

- Physical pain
- Physical limitations, impairments, or scars
- Lasting depression or anxiety
- Loss of ability to enjoy life
- Loss of consortium

Because non-economic damages are not expenses with tangible bills like economic damages, they are extremely difficult to calculate accurately. Working with a personal injury attorney is the only way to determine an accurate estimate of your non-economic damages.

Punitive Damages

Juries sometimes award punitive damages, and they aim to punish an at-fault driver for their intentional misconduct or reckless disregard for your safety. For example, you may be eligible for punitive damages if you’re injured by a drunk driver or during a road rage incident.

In Alabama, courts can award up to three times your economic and non-economic damages in punitive damages, up to $1.5 million.

How Alabama Negligence Laws Affect Your Settlement

Determining your potential damages is only one aspect of calculating your personal injury costs and the potential value of a settlement. State negligence laws have a huge impact on not only how much you can recover, but also whether you are entitled to recover anything at all.

Contributory Negligence Can Eliminate Your Right to Compensation

In a personal injury case, proving that the other party is at fault or negligent is crucial to your case’s value. How much you can recover from your case depends in large part on whether the negligent party is 100% responsible for causing your injury.

You might think it is obvious that the driver who ran into you should be held fully accountable for your injuries. However, negligence is far more complicated then it first appears. If the other driver’s insurance agent or lawyer can prove that you were not paying attention—say you were talking on your phone at the time of the accident—they may claim that you are partly responsible for the accident since you failed to pay full attention to your surroundings.

Depending on where you live, being partly liable for the accident will either decrease your compensation by the percent of blame assigned to you or make you ineligible to receive compensation at all.

Many states have comparative negligence laws, which means if you are 10% at fault for your injuries, you will only be able to receive 90% of your total compensation. In contrast, Alabama has a contributory negligence law, and even if you are only 1% responsible for the accident, you cannot receive any compensation.

You Must File Your Lawsuit Within Strict Deadlines

Like all other states, Alabama has a personal injury statute of limitations. If you do not file your car accident lawsuit within this deadline, you may lose your right to compensation. Typically, you have two years from the time of your accident to file a lawsuit in Alabama.

If you believe that the negligent party’s defense strategy might include an attempt to blame you for the collision, or you need help calculating your statute of limitations, you should immediately contact a personal injury attorney. An experienced attorney can help you understand these complicated laws and how they impact your claim. And a lawyer may help you build compelling legal arguments to fight the insurance company’s tactics.

Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys Can Help You Calculate the Value of Your Personal Injury Case

Working with an experienced personal injury or accident lawyer is the only way to determine the real cost of your personal injury and calculate your potential settlement amount. If you or a loved one has been injured in a car wreck in Alabama, contact Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys for help. We’ve recovered hundreds of millions for our clients and aren’t afraid to stand up to insurance companies.

Contact us today at 251-888-8888 or online to schedule your free consultation and learn more about the value of your personal injury case.

References

Motor Vehicle Safety: Cost Data and Prevention Policies. (2017, May). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/costs/index.html

The content provided here is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject.

Madeline’s Story: Finding Peace After a Catastrophic Crash

Until Her Crash, Madeline Lived as an Active and Independent Woman

Madeline loved to pack her days with activity. She had recently retired and was enjoying every minute of her post-career life: gardening, selling homemade jams and jellies at the farmers’ market, spending time with her friends, children, and grandchildren, and working 30 hours a week as a food demonstrator. She was fiercely independent and loved her life.

On a July afternoon, Madeline was driving home. While she headed north on I-85, the car in front of her slowed down while exiting. Madeline slowed down too and gave the driver plenty of room.

Unfortunately, the driver behind her wasn’t paying attention. He didn’t notice Madeline’s car slowing until it was too late. His company car smashed into the rear end of her vehicle, sending Madeline’s car spinning out of control. Madeline’s vehicle collided with the car in front of her, and she suffered life-altering injuries.

Madeline’s Spinal Cord Injury Changes Everything

Madeline needed immediate medical attention after the violent collision. An ambulance took her to a nearby hospital, where doctors diagnosed her with a series of catastrophic injuries, including:

Severed spinal cord due to a fractured T-10 vertebra
Shattered right shoulder
Three broken ribs
Broken femur (leg)
Head lacerations (cuts)

Madeline required immediate surgery to stabilize her spine and spinal cord, and she eventually underwent numerous surgeries to repair trauma to her back, leg, and shoulder.

RELATED ARTICLE: Spinal Cord Accident Injuries

Unfortunately, despite advances in medicine, doctors still have no way to repair a severed spinal cord. Madeline’s injuries left her permanently paralyzed from the middle of her ribcage down.

After the wreck, Madeline spent almost a month in the intensive care unit. Doctors then transferred her to a specialty hospital for another month; after that, she stayed at an inpatient rehabilitation center for yet another month.

Even after doctors deemed her medically stable, Madeline faced a long and difficult healing process that included ongoing rehabilitation and daily nursing care. She needed to rebuild strength and relearn many activities, and she required help with some of her most basic needs.

Madeline could no longer live independently, and her doctors gave her a life expectancy of about one year. She worried that her legacy to her family would be huge medical bills rather than happy memories. To regain control, she called Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys.

The Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys Team Demands Justice From the Driver and His Employer

Andy Citrin’s team knew that Madeline and her family needed quick results. They immediately began to investigate her claim and made several important discoveries:

The negligent driver told the police he was distracted at the time of the crash.
He was driving a company vehicle that was covered by multiple insurance policies.
Black-box data from Madeline’s car showed that she was driving 12 mph at the time of the crash.
The at-fault driver’s black-box data reported that he was traveling at 75 mph and did not brake until seconds before the crash. At the moment of the impact, he was still going 67 mph.
The driver had a history of speeding, including two tickets in the three months before the wreck.

Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys used this evidence to Madeline’s advantage and eventually negotiated an $8.5 million settlement on her behalf. This settlement gave Madeline peace of mind and let her know that she could afford high-quality medical care without imposing on her children. While nothing could undo the wrongs Madeline suffered, the settlement helped her regain financial independence and look after her children.

“This was one of the most meaningful cases I’ve ever handled,” says Andy Citrin. “Madeline’s life was turned upside down by a distracted driver, and her injuries were catastrophic. Because our legal team worked quickly and efficiently, Madeline peacefully spent the last year of her life surrounded by her children and grandchildren, knowing that they would be taken care of after her passing.”

Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys: Serious Injuries Demand Serious Lawyers

If you or a loved one suffered catastrophic injuries in an accident, you need an injury lawyer who will fight for fair compensation and give you the emotional support you deserve. Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys has earned a powerful reputation based on results and personalized service. We’ve recovered hundreds of millions in compensation for our clients and helped them rebuild after the trauma of a car crash.

To schedule your free consultation, complete our online form or call us at 251-888-8888. Our staff will promptly connect you with the right personal injury lawyer for your case.

Note: Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys uses pseudonyms in our success stories to protect our clients’ privacy.