Negotiating an insurance claim after an accident can be overwhelming. A car accident lawyer defends your rights, takes care of the mean adjusters, and makes sure that you get the fullest compensation that is possible under Alaska law as you concentrate on physical recovery.
The aftermath of a car accident is likely to leave you feeling vulnerable and overpowered. You can be left with ballooning medical bills as your car lies in a garage. The benefit of hiring a personal injury lawyer specializing in car accidents is that you would have a shot in the dark between you and the insurance companies.
Such adjusters tend to put their corporate bottom line ahead of your personal recovery, but a professional attorney represents your individual needs. Your attorney collects the required evidence, conducts interviews, and develops a full case that is an accurate depiction of the actual losses incurred. They are your representative at the negotiation table when it is time to play high stakes, so that no fact about your physical or emotional trauma is left out.
Time is an important issue when you seek legal redress in the state of Alaska. The Alaska Stat. SS 09.10.070 states that you usually have two years to bring a personal injury lawsuit against the party at fault. When you fail to meet this deadline for the injury claim, the court will most likely prohibit you from claiming any compensation despite the extent of your injuries.
The purpose of this statute of limitations is to ensure that evidence is not stale and that witnesses are still alive to give credible testimony. The immediate consultation with the Wasilla legal office after an accident would make sure that you do not forfeit your right to sue the careless driver.
Although twenty-four months can be considered a long time, collecting medical records and negotiating with recalcitrant insurance companies can eat up those months in no time. Waiting too long to take action can cause important tire impressions on the road to vanish or important surveillance video footage of local businesses to be deleted.
In Alaska, the legal system is pure comparative negligence, as established in Alaska Stat. SS 09.17.060. This legal system means you will lose part of your money based on your percentage of fault in the accident. In case an insurance company manages to prove that you were at fault in the accident, the decrease in your compensation may be very high.
A car accident lawyer who is a personal injury expert will go out of his way to ensure that your share of the blame is reduced by establishing the negligence of the driver at fault. The defense will always find an excuse to indicate that you were not paying attention or that you were speeding when the impact happened. With a reasonable investigation and the assistance of the accident reconstruction experts, your legal team assists in ensuring that these typical insurance tricks do not erode your settlement.
The actual value of your claim is far more than simply adding up the invoices you have at the moment. Drivers are required to have minimum liability insurance under Alaska Statutes—SS 28.22.011, which is usually insufficient to pay off the cost of disastrous injuries. Your attorney reviews your medical bills and estimated future costs to ensure your demand letter is correct and complete.
Moreover, Alaska Stat. SS 09.17.010 provides certain limits on non-economic damages, including pain and suffering. These limits are complex and typically limit recovery to $400,000 or an amount based on your life expectancy. A skilled lawyer helps push these legal boundaries to their utmost to ensure that you are well compensated for both your physical suffering and your financial damages. They also discuss Underinsured Motorist coverage as a way to fill the gap when the other driver has an inadequate policy.
Do not allow insurance companies to underestimate your claim. Get in touch with our Wasilla office today, in case you are injured in the Mat-Su Valley. We provide free consultations to help you know your rights and get the settlement you need. Call us now!
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