Many clients want to know exactly what will happen when they hire an attorney after they sustain injuries in a car accident. At Daniel T. Pagliarini Attorney at Law, we’ve cut out some time to answer your most frequently asked questions about hiring a lawyer after a crash.
Keep reading to learn more about the process.
A: If you’ve suffered serious injuries or losses in a car accident that wasn’t your fault, it’s a good idea to contact an attorney. You will want a lawyer if you want to pursue a bodily injury claim whether or not you need to file a personal injury lawsuit. While you always have the legal right to represent yourself in court, you will face many obstacles without an attorney – including the costs of litigation.
At our firm, we cover everything upfront, and you pay us nothing unless we win.
A: Generally speaking, the best time to call a car accident lawyer is after you call the police and before you call your insurance company. Attorneys like Daniel T. Pagliarini can help you deal with insurance companies, and the sooner you call us, the sooner we can investigate the accident and start protecting your best interests.
You can also call us from a hospital bed, but keep in mind that we cannot resolve a bodily injury claim until you have reached Maximum Medical Improvement (“MMI”) as determined by your doctor(s). At that time we will have a better understanding of the true nature of your injuries and what if any future medical care is recommended.
If you want to preserve your bodily injury claim from a motor vehicle accident, you or your attorney must file your lawsuit before the statute of limitations expires. In Hawaii, the statute of limitations for car accident claims is two (2) years from the date of accident, or from the last medical payment made by the auto insurer.
A: With Daniel T Pagliarini Attorney at Law, the first step is a free, no-obligation consultation. During this time, we can evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your case, and you can decide whether or not you’d like to hire us. After you meet with our legal team, we’re sure you’ll feel much better about your legal options – and about choosing our firm!
This is a great question! Bringing the right information can help you make the most of your attorney’s time – even during a free consultation. Before filing a claim against the at-fault party and their insurance company, your attorney will gather all the relevant information about your case.
If you can, provide your attorney with:
The other driver’s name, insurance company, and contact information.
Any information you have about the accident (time, location, road conditions, etc.)
Any photos you took at the scene of the accident (of your vehicle, the other driver’s vehicle, property damage, etc.)
A copy of the police report.
Copies of your medical bills.
Records of all accident-related expenses (receipts for tow-trucks, transportation to and from doctor’s appointments, etc.)
Feel free to bring in anything you believe paints a better picture of your accident. In some cases, even the clothes you were wearing at the time of your car crash can be used as evidence. Always err on the side of giving your lawyer too much information, as the tiniest details can make or break cases.
A: Not necessarily. Most personal injury lawsuits settle out of court, so you may not have to step foot in a courtroom at all. Nevertheless, our firm will take your case to arbitration or trial if that’s what it takes to get you the compensation you deserve.
The length of your case will depend on a number of factors, but especially on the time it takes for your to recover from your injuries. From there we will handle all communications with your insurance comp[any as well as the at fault insurer. This prevents any miscommunications that could irreparably damage your claim. After your medical provider determines that you have reached Maximum Medical Improvement we will gather all of your medical records and bills and prepare a detailed medical chronology of your treatment and recovery and incorporate that into a Settlement Demand Packet.
In our Settlement Demand, we will ask the at-fault insurance company for money damages, or compensation for your injuries and losses. From there, with your expressed authorization, we will engage in settlement negotiations with the at fault insurer until we can get you a settlement that you’re content with.
If the at fault insurer refuses to negotiate or we cannot come to a settlement agreement, we will file a lawsuit and enter into discovery – a period of exchanging information. Sometimes, defendants choose to settle when they feel like the risk of a trial is too great. Other times, we move forward and fight for you in the courtroom.
Rest assured, when you choose Daniel T. Pagliarini Attorney at Law, we prepare to take your case to trial from day one.
Whether your case ends in a settlement or verdict, you won’t owe us any money unless you receive damages. In a successful car accident lawsuit, damages can include compensation for:
Past and Future Medical expenses
Wage-Loss
Loss of Earning Capacity
Pain and suffering
Emotional Distress
And more
A good lawyer will fight for every cent you deserve and work hard to help you secure your future. In addition to recovering all the resources you need to move forward, you may gain a sense of justice, knowing that the person or party that caused your accident is responsible for the consequences.
If you’re thinking about filing a bodily injury claim or a car accident lawsuit, there’s no better time than now.
Call us today or send us a message online, and we’ll be in touch as soon as possible.
We look forward to answering all your case-specific questions and serving you throughout the legal process.
Not every negligent driver who causes a car accident faces criminal as well as civil repercussions. However, those proven to have a blood alcohol content (BAC) over the legal limit and those whose consumption of alcohol or drugs impairs their ability to safely operate a vehicle face both an administrative revocation of their driver's license and a criminal charge of operating a motor vehicle under the influence.
Unfortunately, car accidents are an everyday occurrence in our modern world, but thankfully, most of them are minor and don’t result in any injuries. However, after crashes that do result in property damage or injury, you owe it to yourself to be familiar with the accident claims process in Hawaii to ensure you get the compensation you need.
Many drivers have been in some kind of car accident in their lives, even if it’s just a minor fender bender. Because of this, most people know the standard requirements of exchanging insurance information and filing a basic claim. However, fewer people are clear on what to do if you were injured in a car accident as a passenger.
