Louisville Car Accident Attorney

Many Kentuckians hit the open road every day, with most not giving a great deal of thought to the real dangers cars can present. All it takes is one driver not paying attention to the road to cause catastrophic injuries to you and other drivers.

When negligent acts cause events of this type, you may feel acute anger and loss. One of our Louisville car accident lawyers at McCoy & Hiestand can prove extremely valuable in the fight for justice, compensation, and accountability.

When to Contact a Personal Injury Attorney

It is in personal injury victims’ best interest to contact legal representation as soon as possible after an accident. After receiving essential medical attention, survivors like yourself may need legal assistance when communicating with police officers, insurance adjusters, and the other parties involved in your accident.

When you can turn to an attorney with your post-accident questions, contending with the aftermath of your losses becomes all the simpler. At-fault drivers may have a harder time twisting the circumstances of your accident if they have to defend their perspective to your representative.

Of course, not everyone can call on an attorney while contending with the immediate aftermath of driver error. If you want to pursue an accident lawsuit, however, you should call an experienced car accident lawyer as soon as possible. The more time you give yourself to ask questions about your losses, the less stressful the process of composing a claim can be.

Why Auto Accident Victims Should Pursue a Personal Injury Claim After a Car Collision

Even if you have personal injury protection insurance, underinsured motorist coverage, or other insurance policies, your provider may not give you the financial compensation you deserve after an accident. It’s easy for insurance companies to prioritize their bottom lines over the compensation you need to contend with the consequences of a negligent driver’s misconduct.

When you pursue a personal injury claim, though, you allow yourself to take more control over your circumstances. You, in tandem with an auto accident attorney, can determine how you want to address the party liable for your losses, be that through a settlement negotiation or a trial. You can also rely on an attorney to hold an insurance company accountable when the team addresses your losses.

In other words, a personal representative can transform your post-accident experience from one marred by stress into one defined by a concrete legal strategy. It’s our team’s job to ensure you can get the funds you need to restore your enjoyment of life with as little additional pressure as possible.

The Impact of Your Car Accident

All types of car accidents can have a devastating impact on your life, not to mention your family’s. These accidents can impact more people than private motorists, though. Cyclists, pedestrians, and motorcycle riders are also among those regularly harmed by the negligence of drivers across the state.

Nobody should underestimate the physical and psychological toll crashes take on their survivors. One of the most common psychological effects of a car accident includes the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). After a traumatic experience like a car accident, you may suffer from flashbacks that can put you on edge.

The severity of this condition and others like it can fade over time. That said, you have the right to hold the party responsible for your accident accountable for the stress they’ve caused you. That’s why personal injury lawyers try to help you address not only your emotional losses but also your financial ones after a motor vehicle accident.

Common Car Accident Injuries that Qualify for Compensation

For those who have suffered debilitating injuries in a vehicle accident, no dollar amount can fully address the losses, including a lifetime of disability, ongoing medical expenses, foregone wages, and more. Some of the most common injuries you can get in a serious car accident are:

• Broken bones
• Burns
• Internal organ damage
• Lacerations
• Neck injuries
• Spinal cord damage
• Paralysis
• Disfigurement
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Internal bleeding
• Organ damage
• Death

There are many other types of injuries that you can sustain in a car accident, and our Louisville car crash attorneys can help determine if you qualify for a case.

One of the easiest ways to help elaborate on your qualifying losses is to present evidence of those expenses in your personal injury lawsuit. When you can present a track record of the liable party’s negligent behavior on the road, as well as police reports, medical records, and expert witness statements, it becomes easier for you to secure maximum compensation.

How Long do You Have to File a Personal Injury Claim?

After you suffer injuries in a Louisville car crash, you only have so much time to file a personal injury claim. According to Kentucky Revised Statute § 304.39-230, you have two years from the day of the accident to file a car accident claim.

You should file your claim as soon as you can to increase the chances of winning the full settlement amount. Another benefit of filing early is that you can have more time to work with a lawyer to gather evidence to support your claim.

If your car accident is a unique situation, you may have more or less time to file than you thought. This can be confusing, but one of our attorneys can tell you exactly how much time you have to file.

Pursuing Compensation After a Louisville Car Wreck

The immediate aftermath of a serious injury accident is inevitably a time of uncertainty, frustration, and in many cases, sheer panic. Victims and families quickly begin to wonder how they will be able to juggle the considerable, unexpected financial burdens that have arisen due to another party’s negligence.

Fortunately, compensation in car accident cases can often be substantial and may include compensation for losses such as:

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of income
• Medical expenses
• Rehabilitation costs
• Loss of consortium
• Property damage
• Loss of enjoyment
• Funeral and burial expenses
• Emotional trauma
• Future earnings

Every car accident is different, so the damages that you qualify for will fit your unique needs. A Louisville car accident lawyer can help you understand what damages economic damages as well as non-economic damages you can recover.

Is Your Case Eligible for Punitive Damages?

Another type of damages that your case may be eligible for is punitive damages. This type of damage is designed to punish the defendant and discourage them from repeating their actions. These damages are usually ordered by a judge or jury and apply to cases where the defendant is grossly negligent.

Punitive damages aren’t common in car crashes, but they can apply if your attorney can prove that the other party had an intention of hurting. One of our attorneys at our Louisville office can tell you if your case could qualify for this additional damage.

The Average Car Accident Settlement in Louisville

While we would like to be able to tell you an average car accident settlement amount, there is no average settlement amount. Instead, the settlement amount depends on a few different factors. The first factor is the severity of your injuries.

The more serious your injuries are, the more likely you are to get a larger settlement. If you sustain a permanent injury like paralysis that may require lifelong care, your settlement amount should be enough to cover all the costs you may face.

Another factor that influences the amount of your settlement is the number of at-fault parties involved. If there are multiple negligent parties, you may be able to collect compensation from all of them. This can greatly increase the amount of your settlement.

The more damages that you qualify for, the higher your settlement may be. Our legal team can help you fight to receive a fair settlement based on the full breadth of your losses. You can schedule an initial consultation with our law firm to learn more about the ways experienced auto accident lawyers advocate for you.

How to Deal with the Insurance Company After a Car Crash

Meeting with the insurance company can be one of the most nerve-wracking parts of an automobile accident case. This is because insurance companies’ main goals are to retain all the money they can by denying claims. You should never sign anything or agree to meet with an insurance claims adjuster without a car accident attorney by your side.

Insurance adjusters use various tactics to deny your claim and try to convince you that you don’t deserve compensation. But one of our lawyers can stand up and defend you and your rights to fair compensation. We can show the evidence that proves that you qualify for damages and negotiate with the adjuster.

You don’t have to hash out the specifics of your insurance coverage alone, and you shouldn’t. Our team can be there for you to give you guidance and support you through this difficult time.

Contact McCoy & Hiestand to Start Working with an Attorney Today

Navigating the complexities of personal injury litigation is not something you should do on your own. Doing so can greatly lessen the likelihood of obtaining maximum monetary compensation and can make an already traumatic time that much more stressful.

A Louisville car accident attorney can stand prepared to offer the knowledge and guidance you may need in order to make truly informed decisions after a crash. At McCoy & Hiestand, our skilled attorneys are ready to fight for the settlement you deserve. Call us or fill out the contact form on our website to get a free case review today. The dream team is on your side!