If you or a loved one were injured in a car crash, you might be entitled to compensation. A seasoned car accident lawyer could review your case, collect evidence, calculate damages, and negotiate on your behalf while keeping your best interests in mind. Call today to learn more about how a car accident attorney could help recover Chicago car accident damages.
Identifying Fault in a Car Wreck
The first step an attorney will take is identifying all the proper defendant(s) and provide notice. Insurance companies are clever about how it denies claims. Some of the new insurance policies require notice within 30 days. If the insurance company does not receive notice of the accident within 30 days, it has the right to deny the claim.
Most people who are not lawyers, do not work for a law firm, or are not in the insurance business may not know about the 30-day notification requirement to be able to recover from the insurance company. A lawyer identifies the potential insurance policies and provides appropriate legal notice of the accident, the claim, and all related information as soon as possible. It is critical that the injured party does not take a wait-and-see attitude before retaining a lawyer.
Treatment Plan
After identifying the defendants and putting the insurance companies on notice, the lawyer verifies that the claimant is getting the medical care they need. They begin to collect the medical bills associated with recovery from the victim’s injuries and start building a plan to properly assess and present their claim.
A dedicated attorney wants to make sure that a reasonable and necessary treatment plan is put in place and the claimant understands that following the treatment plan is critical to the success of their case. Sometimes, completing treatment is difficult. When someone is in an accident, their health and wellbeing are at risk. The most important thing for a plaintiff to do is to focus on getting better. The lawyer ensures that all medical bills and health care professionals providing medical services are identified. They obtain the medical bills to facilitate the recovery for the individual’s injuries.
Calculating Damages After a Car Collision
An attorney plays a critical role in recovering damages. The attorney first identifies the avenues and parties from which recovery might be made. The attorney ascertains all the possible defendants and their ability to contribute to the damages of the plaintiff.
One of the most important reasons to hire an attorney is to properly evaluate the case. Because of their experience with different types of injuries, lawyers understand how the insurance company values an injury. Insurance companies are armed with extensive data on different types of injuries that show how the cases were settled and how well they do at trial. A person injured in a car accident must deal with damages, injuries, and medical treatment. Trying to determine the value of their case to ensure they do not settle their case short with the insurance company is too great of a burden.
A lawyer understands how a person’s particular injury will affect their future. In Illinois, damages are assessed and identified through loss of a normal life. Loss of a normal life as defined under Illinois law is the temporary or permanent diminished ability to enjoy life. This includes a person’s inability to pursue pleasurable aspects of life.
For example, a person injured in a car accident may not be able to participate in the exercise activities they attended with their spouse because of an injury sustained in a car accident. They may not be able to participate in the activity until they are fully recovered from their injuries and as a result, they suffer a severe loss of a normal life. The loss of a normal life is an important element of damage in Illinois, not only from the specific injury but also from the recovery of that injury, including the time to rehabilitate and associated physical therapy.
Another aspect of damages is an increased future risk of harm. The lawyer understands, documents and presents the future risk of harm on behalf of the individual. Call today to learn more about how an attorney could help recover Chicago car accident damages.