Injured in a Car Crash that Wasn’t My Fault – What Can I Do?

Even careful drivers can suffer injuries in an accident. While you can control your actions on the road, others are unpredictable, even dangerous. You can walk away from some accidents with minor scrapes or bruises, but others have more serious consequences. 

If you have been badly injured in a car accident, this is a difficult time. However, with the help of a car accident attorney, you can still regain control of your life by seeking compensation for your losses.

Steps to Take Immediately After Your Accident

Immediately following your accident, you’ll be dazed, confused, and in pain. Do what you can to stay calm. After moving yourself and your vehicle off the road, call for the police and medical attention. As you wait, exchange information with the other party if you can. You should collect their:

• Name
• Phone number
• License plate number 
• Insurance information 

Taking pictures of the scene as you wait for medical attention will also help your case later. Upon arrival, the police will file a crash report that you can reference for details after the fact. 

When you receive medical attention, keep track of all records and documentation involved. These will act as proof of your injuries for your case.

Contact your insurance company to notify them of the accident. Contact a car accident law firm as soon as possible. Lawyers help car accident victims pursue compensation after being injured. 

Pursuing Compensation for a Car Accident That Wasn’t Your Fault

There are two ways to collect compensation for your losses: an insurance settlement or a personal injury claim. The avenue you take will depend on the circumstances that led to your accident, the extent of your injuries, and your total damages. 

Insurance Settlement Offers

Since you weren’t at fault for your accident, you may be able to collect compensation for property damage and medical bills from the at-fault party’s insurance. However, the amount they offer you will depend on the other driver’s policy limits. Additionally, insurance adjusters may give you a lowball offer to start, as they want to save money for their company.   Dealing with the insurance company yourself can be time consuming, frustrating, and may result low offers.   

Personal Injury Claim

If you don’t receive the compensation you need from an insurance settlement, you may seek compensation through a personal injury claim through the court system  instead. Note that for many settlement offers, you relinquish your right to file any more claims when you accept.

Before accepting an offer, talk to an auto accident lawyer to evaluate the value of your claim based on your car accident injuries. 

Personal injury claims account for economic and non-economic damages, including: 

• Medical bills
• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering
• Property damage
• Emotional distress

To collect damages for your car accident case, you and your car accident attorney must prove the liability and negligence of the other party. To do this, you need evidence that:

• They owed you a duty of care
• They breached that duty of care
• Said breach caused your car accident
• Said car accident caused your injuries 

Were You Injured in a Car Accident? Contact Experienced Car Accident Attorneys

You may seek compensation for your injuries when injured in a car accident that wasn’t your fault. Established in 1984, Fadduol Cluff Hardy & Conaway P.C. has been standing up for the rights of personal injury and wrongful death victims for over 30 years. Contact a car accident lawyer at Fadduol Cluff Hardy & Conaway P.C. to begin this process. Our dedicated team of lawyers can help you collect evidence, negotiate with insurance companies, file a personal injury claim, and represent you in a trial if needed.

We are proud to serve clients in New Mexico and Texas. Contact us today at 800-433-2408 to begin with a case review.