Las Vegas Auto Accident - Car Injury

Las Vegas Auto Accident - Car Injury

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I'm often asked by people, "If I'm involved in a Las Vegas auto-accident, what are some of the first things that I should do?" Well, of course, the first thing you should do if you're involved in a motor-vehicle accident is make sure that your vehicles are safely off the roadway so that further accidents don't happen. Of course, if anybody's seriously injured and requires medical attention, it's never a problem to call 911 and seek emergency personal. Beyond that, it's important to obtain the identity of the driver you believe caused the accident, or who is responsible for the accident. You can do that in two ways: It's important to get the driver's name, address, and even a telephone number, but also cross-reference that with the driver's actual driver's license or some other form of I.D., just to insure the person's name that you're getting is actually the person involved in the accident. If you have a cell phone or any other type of apparatus that can take pictures, it's a good idea to take pictures of your vehicle as well as the vehicle involved in the accident with you. That's just to preserve evidence in the event something were to come up down the road, or there's some form of denial regarding the amount of damage to the vehicles involved.

Of course, you should summon the police unless it happens on private property. That's important because without some determination of fault it makes it more difficult to successfully deal with the insurance company for the at fault driver. In other words, when the police are summoned and a ticket is issued for the fault of the driver who caused the accident, you're more likely to have an easier time convincing that driver's insurance company that there is liability and that they should be compensating you for such things as the damage to your vehicle, a rental car, as well as a claim for injuries that you may be making in the event that you're injured. So those are just a few tips that I would recommend in the event that you're involved in an accident here in Las Vegas.

I'm often asked, "Do I need a Las Vegas car accident attorney if I'm injured in an accident, especially if it's clear that the person driving the other vehicle was at fault?" The short answer to that question is "yes". Even though liability may be clear, there are many other issues that need to be sorted out throughout the course of the case that requires the experience and work of an attorney. Insurance companies do everything they can to pay as little on claims as possible. That includes paying people less than they're entitled to for their injury claims. They often will try to obtain information about someone that's not represented in order to minimize the claim itself. They will also tell people who aren't represented that they will be fair in the end, only to change course once it comes time to pay. An attorney can help somebody through this process so that they avoid these types of pitfalls. Additionally, attorneys know what rights their clients have and will protect them from the conduct of the insurance company, and the insurance company's attempt to deny a claim, or to "low-ball" someone who's truly entitled to be compensated.

One of the major issues in any injury claim is proof that injuries are actually related to the accident itself, and insurance companies know that the burden of proof rests with the injured person. Attorneys can help the injured person to make sure that injuries are properly documented so that when it comes time for medical bills to be paid, and the person to be compensated for the pain and suffering that has been inflicted upon the as a result of those injuries, that documentation is sufficient, so the insurance company has no choice but to do what is right. In every case, whether liability is clear or not, an injured person certainly can benefit and should have representation by someone who works in the field of personal injury.

One of the questions that I'm asked all the time is, "How can I afford a Las Vegas injury attorney?". Personal injury attorneys work a little differently than most attorneys. We charge a contingency fee basis as opposed to an hourly rate. If you've ever been to an attorney before, most attorneys charge you $300 - $500 per hour and make you give them a retainer up front and then draw against that retainer. And then when the retainer runs out they ask you to write them another check, and as you can imagine, many people can't afford to do that. Personal injury attorneys work a little differently. We work on what is called a contingency fee basis, and that means that our fee is contingent on getting money for our clients. If I spend 1000 hours on a client's case, but don't get that client any money, the client doesn't owe me anything for my time. We have a strong incentive to get the most money for every client, and we do that anyway, but, obviously, the more money we get for our clients, the higher our fee goes. It's a good situation for most of our clients because they can't afford to write that check up front, and they're generally very pleased with the outcome.

One of the things that I tell all my clients to be aware of are the so-called, "discount firms" that charge a discounted contingency fee. In Las Vegas the standard contingency fee is one-third (33.3%), but there are some firms that advertise less. One of the things you need to watch out for is hidden fees (or hidden charges). Typically those lawyers will charge you for things that other lawyers won't. They'll charge you for a percentage of the property damage that's recovered. Most reputable firms here in Las Vegas don't charge for property damage. They'll also take a percentage of the medical payments coverage that was obtained, and that's money that you would have gotten anyway (even without an attorney). The other thing I always tell me clients is, "If you're dealing with a discounted fee, you're usually going to get discounted service too." So be careful because you get what you pay for.

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If you are interested in learning more about: <a href="http://www.hennessandhaight.com/types-of-cases/automobile-accidents";>Las Vegas Auto Accident</a>, then visit the Henness and Haight Injury Attorneys' site and learn more about these <a href="http://www.hennessandhaight.com";>Las Vegas Injury Attorneys</a> now!



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