Consequences Can Extend Beyond Physical Injury
Car crashes can be devastating physically, emotionally, and financially. Insurance companies will likely offer you a quick settlement in an attempt to protect their bottom line, but it may be much less money than you are entitled to.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an automobile accident recently in the Beckley, West Virginia area, contact us at the Kaufman & McPherson law firm right away. Our attorneys at law will fight on your behalf to win you every dollar of compensation that you deserve.
Tragically, the consequences can extend beyond physical injury into financial hardship in the aftermath of a crash. Many accident victims are severely injured and rack up enormous medical bills, are permanently disabled and require expensive long-term medical treatment or therapy, experience a wrongful death, property damage, or succumb to their injuries and their families are faced with massive end-of-life bills.
How Can a Beckley, WV Auto Accident Attorney Help?
Hiring a personal injury attorney to help you through the aftermath of a car accidentcan help alleviate stress as well as ensure that you get as much financial compensation as possible. Attorneys can offer you legal advice, help you navigate the insurance claims process and ensure that you fill out all the correct forms, and work on your behalf as you recover physically and emotionally from an accident.
Read More: Should I Get a Lawyer for a Car Accident in West Virginia?
Under West Virginia law, essentially the only effective way to obtain a sufficient financial settlement is to file a car accident claimor a personal injury claim. A lawyer can take on this process for you to ensure the accident caseis handled correctly. Often, unless you obtain legal representation,the at-fault driver may walk away without serious consequences, free to inflict the same tragedy on another innocent person.
There are many different types of damages that you may be compensated for as an injury victim, including medical bills, property damage, nursing home and/or long-term care costs, therapy, car repair costs, lost wages and lost the ability to work, pain, and suffering, and other crash-related expenses. If your loved oneis killed in an accident, you may be able to file for wrongful deathand be compensated for their end-of-life expenses, mental suffering, loss of companionship, and so forth.
What To Do After You Are in an Auto Accident?
Even if you aren’t sure immediately after a crash that you want to pursue a claim, there are four steps that you should take right away just in case. Then, if you decide later to pursue a personal injury case, you will have all the documentation you need to be successful.
- Get medical attention. Obviously, if you have been severely injured in the crash, you will be taken to the hospital immediately in an ambulance. But, even if you only have minor injuries and decline to go to the hospital immediately, you should still get checked out as soon as you can by a medical professional to ensure that you have no serious injuries and get any injuries that did occur officially recorded. This medical record can be a critical piece of your case later on.
- Report on the accident. Depending on the severity of the crash, the police may or may not be called to the scene. If they do come out, they will most likely complete an accident report right then, but if they do not come out, call them as soon after the car accidentas possible to have an official accident report filed.
- Gather evidence. If you can, take photos at the scene of the car crash. Document the damage to your vehicle, the aftermath of the accident, any visible injuries, and anything else that you think may be relevant. Also keep all pertinent documents, such as medical bills, car repair bills, copies of any reports made, and so forth.
- Contact an accident attorney. The services of a personal injury attorney will greatly increase your chances of winning your case and obtaining substantial financial compensation. Your lawyer will help you deal with insurance companies and fill out all the correct forms. Be sure to avoid talking to an insurance company adjuster or making any statements until you have consulted with an attorney.
Beckley Auto Accident FAQs
Here are a few questions our auto accident attorneys in Beckley, WV get asked frequently.
Our accident attorneys can help you with nearly any type of motor vehicle accident, including motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, and car accidents. Additionally, if you were a pedestrian or bicyclist who was struck by a car or a driver in a single-vehicle accident, we may be able to help you obtain compensation.
We can still help you. Even if you have a past DUI or other legal issues, you may still be entitled to compensation for this accident. We can also refer you to a criminal defense attorney if necessary to get any other legal problems taken care of.
In the State of West Virginia, with only limited exceptions, you only have two years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit before the statute of limitations bars your claim. However, your chances of a successful case are higher the sooner after the accident you obtain representation.
Why Choose Kaufman & McPherson Law Firm?
The choice is clear – our personal injury lawyershave many years of experience winning cases on behalf of motor vehicle accident victims and we have taken on government agencies, insurance companies, product manufacturers, other motorists, and commercial trucking companies. Our success rate is stellar and we take pride in representing the people of Beckley and the surrounding area.
All of our injury cases are handled on a contingency fee basis, which means that you don’t pay for our legal servicesunless we win the case for you. If you’ve been in an accident in our practice areaof southern West Virginia, don’t wait – call us today for a case evaluation at 304-842-4300 or message us online.
Free Case Review
Contact the law office of Kaufman & McPherson today for a consultation and case evaluation. Our personal injury lawyers will offer you legal advice and help you decide if it’s in your best interest to pursue a car accident claim.
