Being involved in a serious car accident is a traumatic experience. While you’re coping with the pain of an injury and a major disruption to your everyday life, you might feel understandably anxious about getting involved in a legal action. Learning about the fundamental procedural and practical logistics of getting compensation can ease some of your apprehension. Here are some key things that you should know about initiating a personal injury claim after a serious accident.
You Have a Limited Time To Act
Every jurisdiction’s statutory law governing personal injury puts finite limits on plaintiffs’ standing to seek a legal remedy. Usually, the clock starts running at the time that you sustained an injury.
Ultimately, it may be prudent to seek out counsel as soon as reasonably possible to avoid forfeiting your legal rights. The right choice of counsel should be well-versed in local procedures and important deadlines. If you are looking for a car accident lawyer in Modesto CA, limit your search to practitioners who have experience handling personal injury claims in your area.
Making a Claim Can Facilitate Effective Treatment
A car accident can take a heavy toll on more than just your physical health. The financial toll of an injury may be considerable. Even if you have good health insurance, the costs of emergency care and meeting your deductible could run into the thousands. If your injury is going to require intensive ongoing treatment, your medical expenses could put a massive strain on your budget for an extended period of time.
When you’re facing bill after bill for out-of-pocket expenses, you may eventually have to start making some hard choices. Getting compensation for your medical expenses will spare you from being in the position of having to compromise about the quality of care that you can afford. Furthermore, fewer financial worries could reduce your stress levels and thereby make you better able to focus on forward progress.
You May Have a Cause of Action Against More Than One Individual
One reason why some people are reluctant to seek a legal remedy after a car accident is out of consideration for the responsible party. They reason that accidents happen, and one mistake shouldn’t ruin someone’s life financially. At the same time, you have to treat yourself with the same consideration that you treat other people. If an accident has caused you serious physical and financial harm, you deserve a remedy.
Furthermore, you need to bear in mind that making a claim doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be making someone destitute. In many accident scenarios, an insurer bears the cost of claimants’ damages. Also, you may have recourse against a company rather than an individual if the accident occurred while someone was driving in the scope of his or her employment.
Accident victims tend to worry that the odds are stacked against them, and trying to take legal action could be more trouble than it’s worth. However, it’s important that a personal injury claim could make your recovery easier to navigate. A claim could grant you restitution for your direct damages and access to the financial resources that you need to stay focused on recuperating.