If you are a resident of Tuscaloosa or any city in Alabama and you've sustained injuries because of an auto accident, then you may be entitled to seek reimbursement for losses and damages suffered. If you want additional information regarding how you'll get reimbursed for your injuries or how best to maximize on the settlement deal, then you should consider reaching out to a professional injury law firm in Tuscaloosa to get expert legal representation and counsel.
Mike Bell Accident & Injury Lawyers can help to get you the help you need. We have made a point of ensuring we offer free and non-obligatory case reviews, which will allow anybody to get the legal aid they need. As the accident victim, we are always available to assist you better understand your rights, clarify any unclear queries you have, and help you in figuring out the worth of your claim.
Our Tuscaloosa auto accident lawyers have assisted thousands of accident victims in getting more than they would have otherwise been awarded if not for the assistance of our attorneys. Given that you have suffered injury from the accident, getting reimbursed for your damages and injuries will assist in softening the impact of the accident. How, you ask? Think about the medical costs, loss of income, and the different problems associated with car accident injuries. Are you willing or even able to cover the majority of these costs?
Our goal at Mike Bell Accident & Injury Lawyers is to make sure that anybody who enlists our services to represent them gets reimbursed for their troubles accordingly. From fender bender cases to multimillion-dollar trials, we will advocate for your rights till the very end and will be ready to proceed with the case to trial if that's what it will take to get you compensated.
Car Accident Statistics in Alabama
Are car accidents in Alabama that common? What are the types of injuries sustained from such accidents? According to statistics collected by Alabama's Department of Public Safety, the total number of traffic-related collisions and crashes in 2017 was 153,993. In these accidents, 948 individuals perished, while 37,000+ persons sustained some form of injury.
More statistics:
- One fatality happened every 9 hours and 14 minutes.
- Traffic accidents are reported every 3 minutes and 20 seconds.
- Around 6 people sustain some type of accident-affiliated injury every hour
It's important to note that the seriousness of injuries sustained in car collisions varies greatly.
The seasoned and professional team of car accident attorneys at Mike Bell Accident & Injury Lawyers has represented victims of auto accidents who have sustained:
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Broken or Fractured Limbs
- Burn Injuries
- Wrongful Death
While the majority of accidents usually involve severe injuries, unfortunately, some end with people losing their lives. In the event you have lost somebody close to you because of a car accident, ensure you have reached out to an attorney right away and pursue justice on their stead. Our team of experienced attorneys knows how to handle wrongful death cases and is conversant with everything about wrongful death law. In the majority of cases, filing a Tuscaloosa wrongful death claim against the liable parties is the only way they can move on after getting financially compensated.
How Much Do Car Accident Attorneys in Tuscaloosa Cost?
Many people aren't willing or ready to get in touch with a lawyer after the occurrence of an auto accident because of the presumption that it will end up costing them to enlist the services of professional legal representatives. But what the majority of people aren't aware of is that most personal injury law firms and attorneys in Alabama provide their services on a contingency basis – meaning that payment will only be paid to the firm or attorney if and only if they win the case.
When your claim is won, you will owe them a previously agreed-upon percentage of the settlement amount you receive as reimbursement. The percentage is typically calculated by whether or not your claim is taken to court. The fee range can also be computed by taking into account the amount of effort and work invested in making sure you are reimbursed for your damages and injuries.
Consequently, if a settlement is reached with the insurance provider out of court, you will owe them less compared to if the case were to go to trial. The upside about this payment structure is that other than paying your lawyer when you receive a settlement, it is that they are also invested in the case because they want to be paid from the amount they get you as reimbursement.
But at the same time, it's worth bearing in mind that some attorneys have a different payment structure – some charge a flat fee while others charge on an hourly basis. These options may be ideal in some situations, but most clients prefer the contingency option.
What Should I Do After A Car Accident?
As soon as possible after a car accident, it is important that you do the following:
Ensure Everybody's Fine
After the occurrence of an accident, the first thing you should do is ensuring that everybody that's involved is safe, and at that particular juncture, trying to allocate blame doesn't really matter. After an accident, the most humane thing to do is to check on others right away. If possible, try moving your truck or car to the roadside to prevent it from getting hot by other vehicles in traffic. You should always remember that safety is of paramount importance.
Seek Medical Assistance
After getting involved in an accident, even if you feel fine, it's recommended that you seek medical assistance. Other than getting assessed for injuries sustained, some of which may be internal, the tests will go a long way in proving the injuries. To definitively prove this, you'll require medical records showing that you actually sustained an injury as a result of the accident and the amount of money you have incurred on getting medical attention.
Call the Proper Authorities
It is recommended that whenever you're in an accident, you should involve the police even if it's a minor crash. Hence ensure to call 911 to have a police officer(s) dispatched to the accident scene. By involving the proper authorities, you will be giving them a chance to conduct an investigation and collect license and insurance information from both of you. As law officers, they are required to file and make a police report that could prove crucial in your case. Because of this, be sure to collect the contact information, name and badge number of the officer – you will need it.
Get the Other Driver's Contact Information
While at the accident scene, ensure to get the contact information of the other driver. In case other people like passengers are involved, be sure to get their contact information as well. Afterward, your lawyer will use this info to contact them for statements.
Collect Witness Information
In case somebody else saw what happened before the accident occurring, ensure you have taken their contact info! But you should bear in mind that not everybody who got to witness the incident will be inclined to get involved. Regardless, with the assistance of the responding officer on the scene of the accident, their contact information won't be challenging to obtain.
Take Photos of the Scene
If you are physically able, ensure that you have taken several pictures of the accident. The good thing is that with the advancements in technology, camera phones take very good, quality photos. Take several pictures from varying angles. Ensure you take clear images that are relevant to the car accident.
Kindly Request for the Police Accident Report Copy
You can request the first officer on the scene to give you a copy of the report they have filed. It's worth noting that you will wait a few days before the police compile and file the report.
Contact a Car Crash Lawyer
The personal injury attorney you choose will get in touch with all insurers involved to make sure that the compensation claim is filed. Because the attorney has to begin gathering info and preparing evidence required for proving your case and recover losses on your behalf, contact them right away. Look at it this way; if you reach out fast, you'll get compensation much quicker!
Why Should I Consider Hiring a Tuscaloosa Car Crash Lawyer?
Any time anybody sustains injury and property damage after getting involved in a car accident, their compensation claim becomes more complicated. Although an auto company may seem like an open-and-shut case, it is recommended that you talk to an experienced Tuscaloosa car crash lawyer regarding your rights and specifics of the case. As the accident victim, remember that insurance companies don't care about your best interests and will work towards paying out as little money as they possibly can. Additionally, they have a swarm of attorneys burning the midnight oil to safeguard them and their interests.
We have skilled lawyers who will take a well-thought-out and strategic approach to make sure they prepare a car accident claim that's all-inclusive and suits your best interests. You can rely on our legal team at Mike Bell Accident & Injury Lawyers to:
Effectively and thoroughly investigate your car accident. Our attorneys will work tirelessly to ensure the liable party for the accident is identified and takes responsibility for injuries sustained. In almost all of the cases, the party at fault is the ‘other' driver, and we will work towards making sure that we have prepared evidence required for proving fault. However, depending on the accident, there can be several other parties that can also be held into account. So, for example, in a drunk-driving lawsuit, a business or individual may be held liable if they the ones who sold or gave alcohol to the defendant despite them already being intoxicated.
Examine all your medical records. Our lawyers will assess everything to make sure they have established the extent of injuries sustained and how your future will look like after recuperating. If your injuries result in permanent disability, we will be in liaison with medical and vocational consultants, where need be to determine your medical treatment and life requirement in the future and the total cost for coverage.
Account for all costs and losses. As per Alabama personal injury state laws, victims can pursue reimbursement for:
- Future and past pain and suffering
- Mental distress
- Loss of consortium for spouses because of physically injury
- Past and future medical costs
- Aggravation of a pre-existing injury
- Permanent disfigurement
- Lost wages, income, and wages ─ this includes future income payment unrealized because of the reduced capacity of earning or the inability to go on with work
Manage negotiations and communicate with insurance providers. The lawyers at Mike Bell Accident & Injury Lawyers will deal with all the insurance paperwork and documentation required when filing for a maximum compensation claim. We are known for not pulling punches when it comes to negotiations and will go for nothing less than what you deserve.
If necessary, fight for you in court. When insurers decide to start acting dodgy and don't want to make prompt payouts and correct amounts, you can rest assured that we will file an auto accident suit against them to get you the reimbursement you so deserve. There are times when insurance providers abide by their policy and wait until they are sued first before being serious with the claim. No matter the situation, we are not here to waste time or play games. We only want to represent you and your best interests.
It is recommended that you don't attempt speaking with the insurer or agree to a settlement offer without talking to a Tuscaloosa-based personal injury attorney first. The skilled lawyers at Mike Bell Accident & Injury Lawyers are professionals with years of experience under their belt when dealing with compensation claims and making sure that loaded insurers are held liable. Here at Mike Bell Accident & Injury Lawyers, we will assess the circumstances surrounding your accident and the settlement offer you have gotten from the insurer free of charge.
Will I Get Compensated for My Car Crash in Tuscaloosa?
Insurance providers try all they can to make sure they settle claims as fast as possible and the least possible amount. Here at Mike Bell Accident & Injury Lawyers, or goal is ensuring that clients get compensated appropriately for losses and injuries suffered.
However, to get yourself in a good position of receiving reimbursement, it is recommended that you begin your claim against the defendant after going through medical care, and the attending doctor has released the supporting records. The reason for this is that some accident injuries take some time to fully manifest, with some taking days, a couple of weeks or months to become apparent. If your case is settled too soon before the injuries arising, chances are that you won't get compensated.
As a dependable and professional law firm, our first objective is ensuring that you get proper medical assistance. If you aren't in a position to, our attorneys will try all they can to assist by recommending reputable doctors and specialists who can address your ailment. We also deal with the property damage section of your claim by working alongside your insurance provider to ensure you hire a rental you will be suing for movement while your car is in the auto shop getting repaired or are waiting for your car replacement.
When it comes to car accident investigations, we will do our best to make sure we are comprehensive in compiling the required evidence and relevant info. Once we are assigned the case, our lawyers will gather videos and pictures taken of the accident scene, the police report and witness statements, and, if necessary, conduct an expert analysis of the scene and vehicles.
This data assists us in building a claim case pursuing full reimbursement for the injuries and damages suffered. In the event the insurer, through its lawyers, fails to provide a reasonable offer, the next step is taking the case to trial, which we are more than ready to. We have an impressive track record when it comes to arguing out personal injury cases in court.
What Damages Can I Recover In a Car Accident Claim in Alabama?
Collisions can result in both minor damages and life-changing injuries. If the resulting accident was due to the negligence of another party, you reserve the right to seek compensation for damages.
Depending on the accident type, you may be able to get reimbursement for either one or more of the following:
Medical Expenses
The majority of car accident claims work towards ensuring that the victim gets compensated. It's only fair considering the severity that victims suffer and the fact that these kinds of treatments are expensive. Most of the victims involved in this ordeal will have to undergo long-term treatment for injuries sustained. So if you are a car accident victim, you should know you have legal grounds to pursue recompense for your injury-related medical bills in the present, future, and past.
Pain and Suffering
The damages an individual sustains in a car accident can result in a lot of pain and suffering. Getting jumbled up in a car accident can result in one experiencing a state of emotional disarray. In the event you are a car accident, you have grounds to pursue reimbursement for your pain and suffering, both future and past.
Lost Wages
There are cases where the accident victim may be needed to take a leave of absence from their job(s) in order to get medical treatment and recuperate from injuries sustained. What's more, victims may not work at their full capacity. If the injuries sustained are extreme, chances are the victim won't be capable of working at all. In case you have fallen victim, and the accident is keeping you from making a living, you are entitled to seek recovery for those lost wages.
Loss of Consortium
When somebody is severely injured or killed in an auto accident, it could result in a loss of companionship. The family members or spouse of the victim won't be able to have that personal interaction with them like they used to.
Wrongful Death
When most accidents occur, only injuries are sustained. But unfortunately, there are times when the injuries may prove to be fatal. In the event somebody dies following an accident, their loved ones reserve the right to look for compensation.
Determining the compensation amount a victim has the entitlement of getting is not that easy. Unlike lost wages or medical costs, there is no exact figure that can be linked to these kinds of losses. Evaluating the future impact of the accident is especially puzzling. This is why it is so important you enlist the services of a seasoned car accident attorney. They'll have the expertise and personnel to compute the amount you are entitled to and will ensure you get maximum compensation.
How Do I Know Who Is at Fault for My Car Accident in Alabama?
If you are looking to increase your chances of getting reimbursed for injuries suffered in Tuscaloosa, AL, it is integral that you show definitively that the injuries sustained were as a result of the negligence of another person.
The following components will need to be proven:
- The party at fault owed a duty of care to the accident victim
- The liable party went against this responsibility
- The accident victim sustained injury and damages
- The victim's damages and injuries were caused because the party at fault breached their responsibilities
Case and point, when somebody is operating a car on the roads of Alabama, they must follow the traffic regulations and drive safely. If the driver is found to have been engaging in reckless behavior like texting and driving or speeding, then their duty of care is breached. If said behavior leads to an accident and the accident results in property damage or injuries and the negligence of the driver is what resulted in those injuries, then the driver may be held liable.
What are Some of the Things that Cause Accidents?
If you are looking to get compensated for injuries resulting from a car accident, you will want to get acquainted with what actually causes accidents. If the auto accident was as a result of the negligence of another driver, it should be relatively easy to get awarded the compensation you deserve.
Some of the factors that may result in a car accident in Alabama include:
- Driving the wrong way
- Poor weather
- Changing lanes in an unsafe manner
- Driving over the speed limit
- Tailgating
- Ignoring a stop sign or red light
- Driving recklessly
- Driving at night
- Poorly maintained roads
- Inexperienced drivers
- Driving under the influence
- Driving while drowsy
- Driving while distracted
- Construction zones
- Defects in a vehicle's design
- Animals
Types of Auto Accidents
Among the things that assist in proving negligence in an accident is how the car has been hit. For instance, most of the head-on collisions that happen are because somebody behind was behaving negligently. If you can definitively prove the negligence of the other driver and that the negligent behavior resulted in an accident, it can go a long way in bolstering the strength of your claim.
Here are some of the most prevalent accidents that happen in Alabama roads:
- Head-on crashes
- Accidents at intersections
- Sideswipes
- Rear-end collisions
- Rollovers
- Accidents in work zones
- T-Bone/Side Impact collisions
- Hit-and-runs
- Accidents in parking lots
- Lyft and Uber accidents
- Accidents involving an underinsured or uninsured motorist
- Accidents on the interstate or highway
What if the Insurance Provider Denies My Compensation Claim?
It is a possibility that the insurer will deny your claim. This could happen for many reasons:
- The insurance company believes that you are the liable party
- The policy has lapsed or been canceled
- The individual behind the wheel at the time wasn't covered under the insurance policy
- The insurance provider believes your injuries resulted from something other than the accident
- The insurance company does not believe the extent of your injury
- You exceeded the statute of limitations for filing a claim. Alabama statutes state that a claim must have been filed within two years following an accident.
Our car accident attorneys are more than ready to help you file a claim. We will be in communication with the insurance adjuster to ensure that your claim is fully paid out. We will work in liaison with the insurance provider and will work tirelessly to secure you an out of court settlement. In this way, you will get your payout more quickly.
In the event the insurer fails to pay out your claim, we will work towards filing a suit to make sure you get the reimbursement that is owed to you.
What Happens If the Driver that Hit Me is Uninsured?
Alabama is categorized as a ‘tort' or ‘fault' state when it comes to insurance coverage and auto accidents. This meaning that your claim will have to be with the liable driver's insurance provider. Albeit, you should consider making a claim using your insurance provider to make sure that the party at fault for the accident is at the center of the injury claim.
In the event the driver that hit you does not have any insurance coverage, the victim is entitled to collect as much recompense as they can from the defendant. Public welfare programs, health insurers, and accident victims will be held accountable for the costs. For drivers who don't have a viable insurance coverage scheme, everybody will have to pay for the drivers.
To shield themselves from catastrophe, most motorists in Alabama have underinsured/uninsured motorists. This is called UM/UIM coverage. This coverage type is not compulsory; however, it's standard practice for insurance policies to script in $25,000 in coverage. In the event damages suffered traverse the policy of the driver at fault, you can file a claim using your insurance provider next.
How Long Do I Have Before Filing an Auto Accident Compensation Claim in Alabama?
Alabama law stipulates that car accident victims should file property damage and personal injury claim two years following an accident. After the two-year duration lapses, grounds for making a claim will be deemed void.
Call Our Tuscaloosa Auto Accident Lawyers To Get A Free Consultation
In case you have fallen victim to a car accident and have suffered some form of injury, reach out to the professional legal team at Mike Bell Accident & Injury Lawyers immediately. Bear in mind the time frame you have to file a claim. If you don't do it within this window, you won't be able to seek compensation. Our auto accident lawyers have been doing this for years and have the know-how required for settling your claim. If the settlement can be done out of court, our attorneys will file a suit on your stead.
Our Tuscaloosa personal injury lawyers provide free consultation services with no obligation whatsoever of working with us. Moreover, you won't even pay a dime until after the case has been won. You can bet that insurers have a legal team representing them. You should also consider doing the same. Call us and get the assistance you need to receive the compensation you are rightfully owed.
