Car Accident Attorneys in Tuscaloosa

Any car accident, whether minor or severe in nature, can cause serious issues for you. While a minor car accident could leave you without a vehicle for a few days or with temporary medical issues, a serious car accident could leave you with permanent pain and thousands of dollars of medical bills.

What do you do when you’re injured in an accident that wasn’t even your fault? Reach out to a Tuscaloosa car accident attorney as soon as possible. The team at Mann & Potter can help you fight for the compensation you deserve. Schedule a free case evaluation now by calling us at 205-879-9661.

What to Do After an Accident

No one expects a quick trip to the store or school pickup to turn into one of the most stressful times of their life. That’s exactly why you need to know what to do after an accident. The steps you take immediately after a crash could impact your ability to seek compensation. Here’s what we recommend after a crash:

1. Check everyone in the vehicle. Do a quick check of yourself and everyone else in the vehicle. Is anyone injured? If so, are they seriously injured? Know how many injuries you have to report when you call the accident in.
2. Call emergency services. When you call emergency services, tell them how many people in the vehicle are injured and how serious the injuries appear to be. Whether or not you choose to go to the emergency room, you do need a record of the crash for your records.
3. Take photos and video footage. If you can do so safely, take photos of the scene of the accident and get video footage, which is harder to alter and therefore often useful in personal injury claims. Take photos from multiple angles and distances to get a full scope of the damage caused.
4. Exchange information. Swap contact and insurance information with the other driver. If the other driver is confrontational or angry, do so through a police officer for your own safety.
5. Seek medical care. Even if you do not feel injured, get checked out by a medical professional. Injuries may not become apparent for days, due to the adrenaline surge you get during an accident. Prompt documentation of these injuries is crucial for your personal injury claim.
6. Reach out to a Tuscaloosa personal injury attorney. One of your first priorities after getting in a car accident should be hiring an attorney. If the other driver was at fault, it’s likely that their insurance company will reach out to you shortly after the crash. You should have an attorney before you have any contact with the other side.

Why You Need an Attorney

You may wonder if an attorney is even necessary, especially if your accident was clearly caused by the other party. Remember this: no matter how many heartwarming commercials they put out or how many ad campaigns they run about being “on your side,” insurance companies are only out to help themselves. They improve their profit margins by paying out as few claims as possible and by paying out as little as possible on each claim. The same will go for your claim.

Their goal is to offer as little as possible in exchange for a signed liability waiver. This waives your right to sue and allows them to wipe their hands clean of the whole claim. When this happens, it does not matter what new information comes up in the future. It does not matter if your settlement runs out before your medical bills have been paid. It does not matter if new injuries are discovered or current injuries worsen. You have received all that you will receive from the liable party.

How can you avoid this? You hire an attorney. An experienced personal injury attorney will know how to assess the value of your injury based on medical reports and other evidence. They will also know what kind of evidence you need to prove that the other party was liable. Most importantly, they handle negotiations with the insurance company. They know the tactics that insurance companies use and what techniques to use to avoid them. If negotiations fail, they will represent you in court and fight for the money you are owed.

Recovering the Compensation You Deserve

The type and amount of compensation you get depends a lot on the details of your accident. Your attorney, after a review of the evidence, will help you understand how much you may be entitled to. In many personal injury cases, victims are compensated for:

• Medical bills, both present and future
• Lost income
• Lost wages, if the accident permanently impacts their ability to work or advance in their career
• Pain and suffering
• Disability and disfigurement

A lot depends on your ability to prove your case, which is why it’s important to gather medical records, medical bills, photographs, video footage, and accident reports. Your attorney may also rely on eyewitness testimony to solidify your case.

Items like “pain and suffering” can be hard to link to a specific dollar amount. In many cases, this is calculated by how much your set expenses—medical bills and lost income—are. Based on that starting number, they will use a modifier between one and five to determine how much money you get for pain and suffering. The more severe an accident is, the higher the multiplier.

Reach Out to Mann & Potter Today to Discuss Your Car Accident Claim

A car accident in Tuscaloosa can change the course of your life, whether it’s for a couple days or for the rest of your life. If someone else is responsible for the losses you have suffered, you should not have to take on these challenges alone. We are here to help you fight for the compensation you are rightfully owed. To discuss your case with one of our Tuscaloosa car accident attorneys, schedule a free case evaluation now. Call Mann & Potter at 205-879-9661 or reach out online to take the first step.