FAQ Accident Lawyer

It’s hard to tell without talking to you first.

To qualify your case, we’ll ask you a series of questions about your situation and your accident. All of our questions are looking for the three main factors of a personal injury case:

1. Injury— Did your accident cause any type of physical injury? Did this injury interrupt your job or result in any medical bills? Then you’re a prime candidate for a personal injury case.

2. Fault— The other person involved in your accident has to be at fault for a claim to exist. In Utah the law states that they must be at least 51% or more at fault than you.

3. Insurance— The whole point of a personal injury case is convincing the insurance company to pay for your expenses. That means that either you or the other person involved in the accident has to be insured. Otherwise there’s no money to claim. If your situation has all three of these factors, chances are good that you have a case.

Getting a fair settlement requires work from both of us.

Your job as the client is to provide as much detailed information about your accident as possible. Having all the facts is key to winning your case.

Along with information, you’re also responsible for showing up to settlement meetings or to court if necessary. Our job as your representative is to take care of everything else. Aside from communicating directly with the insurance companies, We are also here to support you. We’ll fight for you in any way we can, file all the correct paperwork, take care of the details, and make the entire process as easy as possible. If there’s any way for us to win your case, we will find it.

If you’ve lost your car in an unfortunate accident, you still need to get to work every day.

The good news is that if you weren’t at fault, the other driver’s insurance should cover a rental car.

Most insurance companies won’t authorize a rental until they’re absolutely convinced that their driver is at fault.

This investigation can cause a delay of days or weeks, but if things do get slowed down, there are a couple ways you can pay for the rental car until the money comes through:

Ask your insurance company if they have rental car coverage. If there is a dispute on your case, you can fall back on your own insurance policy in the meantime.

Put your bill on a credit card. Most credit companies won’t run your payment immediately. This often gives the other driver’s company enough time to accept responsibility and cover the cost.

In this situation, you can fall back on your own insurance policy to get a fair settlement.

Most policies have UM coverage (uninsured motorist coverage) in case an uninsured driver gets in an accident with you.

In this situation your own insurance company will pay for the damages and medical bills so you can focus on recovering. In any personal injury case, only one person involved in the accident needs to have insurance to pursue your claim.

Personal injury attorneys represent clients on a “contingency basis,” in which the attorney does not charge for services until the case is resolved. The attorneys in our network provide a FREE initial claim evaluation. Among your many questions to ask, ask how your fee structure works.

If you have been injured, you will likely have medical bills from physicians, hospitals, physical therapists, and other health care providers.

Those bills will be in your name and will typically be sent to your address. You are primarily responsible for paying your bills, regardless of the cause of your injuries.

The at-fault person’s liability insurance carrier will be responsible for paying you reasonable compensation for damages incurred, which includes medical bills.

Anything can be helpful, and it is important to gather as much evidence as you can, as soon as you can.

In addition to photos, police reports, medical notes and other documented evidence, your attorney may try to obtain pictures and videos from traffic cameras, security cameras and statements from witnesses.

Most injuries related to a car accident are immediate. However, some injuries may not present themselves for days or even weeks after the crash.

This is especially true of soft-tissue injuries, which can be slow to develop, but may lead to prolonged, chronic pain. If asked to give a statement soon after the accident, you should avoid phrases like “I’m fine” or “I wasn’t injured.” If you later develop pain, insurers may try to use these earlier statements against you.

Yes. You may still have a valid claim for personal injury if you weren’t wearing your seat belt in car accident. Utah law requires you to wear a seatbelt. If you are in a car accident and do not have your seatbelt on, you can still bring a claim.

Ultimately, it is the person who caused the accident that is responsible for the cost of repairing your vehicle.

When the at-fault party’s insurance company accepts liability for the accident, they will work with you to get an appraisal of the damage, determine repair costs, and discuss with you where the vehicle can be taken for the repairs.

A doctor’s credentials will not only demonstrate the training they have received but what conditions are their specialty. Whether they are a chiropractor, physical therapist, or practice in other fields of medicine, verify their educational background before entrusting them with your care.

Car accident injuries and their assessment require more training than most general practitioners can offer.

You may want to focus on consulting with a clinic that specializes in collision care. Often, these offices will provide a range of services, including chiropractic and physiotherapy. This type of one-stop shopping for trauma-related injuries is a convenient way for patients to coordinate care.

Always review patient testimonials when researching a physician for treatment of car accident injuries.

If a relative or friend once suffered from similar trauma, ask them what their treatment experience was like and if they would recommend you go to this doctor.

Many medical providers specialize in specific areas of treatment, and your close friends and family are a good benchmark to use depending on the circumstances of your own health issues.

Car crash injuries often need a variety of treatments through different doctors.

You wouldn’t see a chiropractor for a fracture, would you? If your provider isn’t part of a larger clinic with multi-disciplinary specialties, make sure to find out what other medical professionals they partner with to ensure you get the care you need.

This is especially true if you have a critical injury that relies on more than one expert to treat you. Collaborative care between multiple health organizations isn’t all that uncommon due to the scope of injuries sustained in a traumatic collision event.

You can see this important relationship between chiropractic care and pain clinics, or physiotherapists and MRI facilities. These services rely on one another to paint a larger picture of the trauma you have suffered and work together to form the best plan possible to treat it.

Documentation and following through with all treatment recommendations are not only a critical part of your recovery but also integral to your injury claim process.

No matter the doctor you choose, verify that they will keep complete records of your care and that everything gets documented according to the standards demanded by the insurance company. This eliminates confusion and minimizes errors, which lead to claim denials.

If you still have questions then contact a injury doctor today to answer questions and help you get the medical attention you need.

Many injury clinics offer a free consultation with no obligation to allow their doctors to evaluate your injuries and answer questions surrounding your accident experience.

They will recommend a preliminary treatment plan and may recommend further testing, such as:

• MRI
• CAT Scan
• Range of Motion Testing
• Neurological Assessment

Practices that offer these types of services are usually patient-focused and do their best to supply quality health care at their facility.

A significant roadblock for many car accident injury victims is the cost of care. All too often, sufferers are at the mercy of their No-Fault (PIP) coverage or are in the middle of a claim dispute and cannot pay right away.

Finding a medical rehabilitation clinic that lets patients come for care on a lien basis is a challenge, but not impossible. Always clarify the payment policies with any doctor’s office that you choose to get treated at and make sure waiting until your settlement to pay the bill is okay.

The type of treatment options you will have made available to you depends on your injuries and medical history. Ask ahead of time the range of services and procedures that their clinic offers that may help you on your road to recovery.

The larger the variety, the better, but some common accident-related treatments they should offer their patients include

• Epidurals and nerve blocks
• Neurological testing and referrals
• Orthopedic surgery or network providers
• Plastic and reconstructive surgery
• Physical Therapy
• Chiropractic care
• Pharmacy and Medical Equipment

The care provider you choose should also keep your medical records confidential, and only share them with physicians that are part of your collaborative care plan, or if you grant a release to specific parties involved in your case. Patient privacy is a vital aspect of care that you should never take for granted.

In summary, it’s best to ask the following ten questions when visiting your doctor after a car accident. Stay safe!

After an accident, it’s vital to receive an assessment and course of treatment as soon as possible, so you need a physician who prioritizes those who haven’t received proper care yet. Find out if their office offers walk-in appointments, or if you can call in with questions about prescribed treatment. Your waiting time for a scheduled visit should be minimal, and if seriously hurt, you should get immediate care options.