A car accident is a traumatic experience for those involved especially if you suffer injuries in the auto crash. When you are not at fault and are the innocent victim, you would assume that you would receive speedy and just compensation but that is very rarely the case. In most accident cases, the injured party has to engage a car accident lawyer to seek legal recourse and compensation.
After a serious auto accident, a victim is usually unable to focus on matters of compensation and legal action. The immediate concern would be to get quick medical treatment for injuries for those harmed. If someone is injured during an auto accident, police will have to arrive at the crash site to determine who is to blame and collect as much information and evidence as is available. Evidence is vital, even if nobody is injured. In such cases, the police may not show up and then it is always wise to take photographs of the crash scene to help build up evidence that you were not at fault. If eyewitnesses are present, take down their phone numbers, addresses and other details to help your car accident lawyer when he or she builds a case for negligence against the other motorist. Take down the other motorist's license plate number, insurance details etc. All future disputes would be settled by the accumulated facts.
Most States laws demand that motorists be insured. When the motorist that caused the accident is not insured or underinsured, you have to seek compensation from your own insurance company. Even after paying premiums for years, your insurance company will not compensate you unless your car accident lawyer is able to verify that the accident was caused by the negligence of the other driver.
Negligence has to be proved from police reports, car accident eyewitness reports, any photographic evidence and other evidence. Your attorney might also have to produce expert witness testimony and other evidence to prove negligence to show that:
* The carelessness of one party caused the auto accident
* The auto accident resulted in harm and
* The "at fault" party is liable for damages and responsible to financially compensate the harm done
If the accident was caused by the fault of more than one party, liability is shared among the parties according to the degree they were to blame in the accident. This distribution of liability is termed as "comparative negligence". For more details on how to proceed with an auto accident case, consult an experienced car accident lawyer . Cook County residents can find legal professionals with extensive experience in accident cases in the area.
