Car Accident Lawyer in Northwest Indiana

If you’ve ever been in a car accident, you know that the experience is frightening and disorienting — or worse. One minute you’re heading home, and the next, it feels like the world around you is crumbling.

In the immediate aftermath, it’s sometimes hard to know how to react and respond. Shock may even set in, which can lead to scary disorientation. Of course, your priority is to make sure that you and any others are OK. In the days and weeks to come, you may want to consider discussing your case with a personal injury attorney at Alvarez Law, which is located in Chicago, Northwest Indiana, and Indianapolis.

If your accident involves signs of recklessness or negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. Our team of experienced lawyers can help you to look objectively at the facts and figure out the best possible strategy to get you what you deserve. Here’s our short guide on how personal injury attorneys can help.

Assessing and Investigating Your Case

Image via Flickr by steakpinball, CC 2.0

At your initial consultation, a personal injury lawyer will collect the facts, seek to understand the available evidence, and explain the applicable law. Based on that assessment, the attorney may decide to take the case and begin work right away.

Our personal injury lawyers at Alvarez Law collect and analyze the accident reports and interview any witnesses. They may hire traffic safety or other experts to reconstruct the accident scene to establish that you weren’t at fault.

Part of the task of personal injury attorneys is to help you to gather the necessary records to support your request for compensation. They can advise you on what records to collect to document your injuries properly and any lost wages or related costs that might be covered under personal injury law.

Insurance Negotiations

One of your obligations after an accident is to report the incident to the insurance companies — both your own and the insurer of the other drivers that are involved. Nothing legally prevents you from having these discussions yourself, but for many reasons, it’s better to let the personal injury attorneys at Alvarez Law handle the discussions. This usually happens soon after the accident, so the sooner you obtain legal counsel, the better.

Research has shown that self-negotiated settlements are usually much lower than settlements or jury verdicts that are obtained with an experienced personal injury attorney. Insurance companies understandably want to settle for the lowest amount possible. Often, they will try to close a case early on, either before you have been able to retain counsel or while you are still in recovery.

Based on their experience as negotiators, personal injury attorneys can take charge of settlement negotiations and often obtain a larger and fairer offer than you would be able to get on your own.

If settlement negotiations prove to be fruitless, your next step may be to file a lawsuit. The law restricts the amount of time you have to file; having an attorney will prevent you from missing statutory deadlines.

Even if the car or truck accident was partly your fault, you could still receive some compensation. Based on the available evidence, we could show that another party shares the blame for the accident, and you could receive at least partial compensation.

What To Do Right After an Accident

You should always get a medical exam, regardless of how you feel. Some injuries don’t become obvious for a few days. A common injury in a car accident is whiplash, which usually gets worse after a few days. Even a serious injury like a herniated disc may not be immediately apparent. Don’t leave anything out in your discussions with doctors; adding symptoms later may prove problematic.

If you are able, it makes sense to create a diagram of what happened that shows the cross streets while it’s fresh in your mind. If you feel safe enough to do so, you can exchange contact information with the other drivers and get phone numbers for witnesses.

If possible, take detailed photos of all vehicles, especially the part of the vehicle where the impact occurred. You should also get photos of any traffic signals and signs, streets, surrounding buildings, landscaping, and any other relevant features.

What Compensation Is Available?

If you are seriously injured in an accident, you may be able to recover various forms of compensation to help make you whole financially. The size of your final claim depends on the seriousness of your injuries. You may be able to claim some or all of the following items:

• Lost wages, including work missed during lengthy hospital stays and for follow-up treatment.
• Loss of future earnings.
• Cost of medical care.
• Pain from the accident.
• Emotional suffering.

If an accident has claimed the life of a loved one, the personal injury attorneys at Alvarez Law can file a wrongful death claim. Plaintiffs can recover lost wages and compensation for the loss of companionship. Our team can guide you on the records that you need to document your claim.

Common Causes of Car Accidents

Car accidents happen for many reasons. Sometimes, they are pure accidents, while other times, they exhibit a reckless disregard for safety. Recklessness and negligence are key elements of a personal injury lawsuit.

Over the years, some of the main causes that we have noticed in our personal injury practice are as follows:

• Texting or other driving distractions.
• Intoxicated driving.
• Tired driving.
• Speeding.
• Unsafe road conditions.
• Defective car parts.

Get Qualified Personal Injury Counsel

Don’t wait to consult a personal injury lawyer after an accident. Our team at Alvarez Law, which serves Chicago; the surrounding areas of South Bend, Crown Point, Hammond; and Indianapolis, provides experienced personal injury counsel. Our dedicated team and professional staff work hard to ensure that you receive the financial compensation that you deserve for the painful injuries that you suffer in an accident. To learn more or to sign up for a free consultation with our team of car injury lawyers, call us toll-free at 866-425-8273. We take cases on a contingency basis, which means that you pay nothing unless we recover for your injuries.