Were you injured in a car accident in Salem, Virginia? Did another driver cause your crash? If so, you may be entitled to seek significant compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, damage to your vehicle, and other losses.
Pursuing compensation from the at-fault driver’s insurance can be challenging, especially if you have an injury. If you’re dealing with medical treatment, rehabilitation, and therapy, and trying to get back on your feet after the crash, it can seem overwhelming. Fortunately, an experienced Salem personal injury lawyer at the Lichtenstein Law Group, PLC can help you understand your legal options and pursue the compensation and justice that you deserve. Contact our Salem car accident lawyer today.
If you’ve been hurt and another driver was at fault, contact us today for a free initial consultation with one of our Salem car accident attorneys.
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Some of the most common types of injuries suffered by drivers and passengers in car accidents include:
If you’ve been in a car accident in Salem or elsewhere in Roanoke County, take the following steps to protect your health and any potential injury claim you might need to file:
Call the police and report the accident right away. The responding law enforcement officer will secure the scene, perform an initial investigation, gather information from those involved in the crash, and create an official accident report. The police report is a crucial document that sets forth the basic facts of the accident and who was involved. It’s important to have an accident report when dealing with insurance companies or if you need to pursue a personal injury lawsuit. Ask the investigating police officer when the accident report will be available so that you can get a copy.
Seeing a doctor immediately after an accident is one of the most important steps you can take. You’ll want to get a thorough medical evaluation and immediate treatment for any injuries you have suffered. A health care provider may determine that you have injuries that are not apparent to you, such as a concussion or internal bleeding. A medical evaluation also will ensure that an official medical record is created. This can help protect you from challenges by the insurance company that your injuries did not occur in the accident, or that they weren’t severe enough to warrant treatment right away.
Medical records, bills, and all other documents from your healthcare providers represent a timeline of your recovery. The timeline includes the diagnosis, treatment plan, and recovery. Keeping the bills, receipts for travel to medical appointments and physical therapy, and receipts for prescription medication or medical devices can help prove the costs you’ve incurred due to the accident. These receipts will be vital to establishing the costs you’ve incurred when seeking compensation for your financial losses.
Memories fade over time. You could suffer from a loss of consciousness in the collision and not be able to remember the details of the accident. If you were prescribed serious pain medication after the accident, you may not have a clear recall of your recovery. It’s good to make notes. Insurance companies will want to know long you have been in pain with injuries. Providing answers that are inaccurate will undermine your credibility. Keeping a written diary that you update regularly is a good way to create a record of your recovery. A pain diary demonstrates how the car crash has affected your daily life. These details can help support your claim for full financial compensation.
Remember that anything you post on social media could be misconstrued or be used against you. The other party’s insurance company will likely scour your social media profiles for any evidence they could use to insinuate that you were at fault for the crash, or that you aren’t as injured as you claim. It’s best to refrain from posting anything until after your case has been resolved.
One of the best things you can do for yourself, and your injury claim is to hire a knowledgeable car accident lawyer to represent you. A lawyer with experience handling injury cases will know how to investigate the accident, identify crucial evidence, and build a convincing claim on your behalf. Our attorneys at Lichtenstein Law Group are experienced at negotiating with insurance companies and will know when it’s time to file a lawsuit to seek damages.
The experienced Salem car accident attorneys at Lichtenstein Law Group, PLC are ready to handle all aspects of your car accident claim so that you can focus on your health and recovery. Our legal team will:
Some of the types of car accident claims we handle include:
Most car accident claims in Virginia are settled without a lawsuit. Our attorneys gather evidence to support your claim and then submit a demand letter to the at-fault driver’s liability insurance company seeking compensation for all of your accident-related expenses and losses.
This typically leads to negotiations with the opposing insurance company to reach a settlement. If the insurance company refuses to make a settlement offer that covers your losses, our attorneys at Lichtenstein Law Group will be prepared to go to court on your behalf.
If you file a lawsuit after you are injured in a car accident, it is still possible that your claim will be settled without a trial. It’s important that you work with a Salem lawyer who is skilled in negotiating car accident claims on behalf of clients. The compensation you seek should cover your present and future losses related to the injury. The types of compensation you may claim include compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and loss of consortium.
In Virginia, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years. That means you have two years from the date you were injured to file a lawsuit and seek damages in court.
At Lichtenstein Law Group, PLC, we understand how difficult dealing with a car accident can be, especially if you are seriously injured. Our Salem car accident attorneys are ready to help you through every step of the injury claims process. Our goal will be to help you seek the full compensation you need to put the crash behind you. Contact us by phone or online for a free, no-obligation consultation today.