If you were in your first car accident and it was the other driver's fault, you need to handle things in a certain way. Taking the proper steps will help you get the money that you deserve to repair or replace your car, as well as pay for any doctor or hospital bills you may receive. Below are two of these steps so you can get back on the road again.
Hire a Car Accident Attorney
If the other driver is refusing to pay for anything, you need to hire a car accident attorney. This type of attorney specializes in car accident cases and can represent you.
In many states, there is what is called a statute of limitations. This is important because the statute of limitations can stop you from filing a lawsuit after a certain period of time.
The attorney will try to settle with the other driver to prevent a lawsuit. This will save you a lot of money in attorney's fees, help you receive your money faster, and save you time from having to go to many depositions, hearings, etc.
If the other driver's insurance company does not offer you enough money, your car accident attorney will likely suggest you take your case to court. To get this started, the attorney will draft a legal complaint and submit it to the court. The other driver will also be served the complaint.
The next phase is the discovery process. During this, your attorney will get information from the other driver's attorney. The other driver's attorney can also get information from your attorney. A written request has to be handed to the court to get this information.
Take Pictures of Skid Marks
Skid marks happen if your car is hit and then your car starts sliding without the wheels rotating.The skid marks may show up as dark, black, or could be mostly white. This depends on the condition of the road and how much debris was on it, such as gravel, loose rock, etc. Make sure you also take photos of the skid marks the other car made.
If you hire an attorney, they can calculate how fast your car and the other driver's car was going at the time of the accident by looking at the skid marks. The attorney will likely hire a professional to determine this for them. This is especially important if anyone was injured in the accident. For example, the attorney may be able to prove that you were going at a normal speed, but the other driver was driving over the speed limit.
Once your attorney has everything they need, they will start fighting for you, so you can win your case. To learn more, contact an attorney like Santos Joel A.
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