There were more than 130,000 car accidents reported in Kentucky in 2018. Of those accidents, more than 30,000 people ended up with injuries.
When you become the victim of a negligent driver, it can be scary and often life-changing. Not only do you have to deal with the damage to your vehicle, you often have to deal with damage to your body. As a result, you may have difficulty performing daily activities, exercising, household chores and going to work.
To make matters worse, after being injured in a car accident, you often find yourself receiving hospital bills you are unable to pay. After all, the rising cost of an ER visit gets harder to cover every year.
This stressful time is often compounded because you may be unable to work and make money to support yourself and pay for these doctor bills. Unfortunately, bill collectors aren’t always kind about the circumstances that led to your lack of payment.
When the bills start coming in, you may feel alone and stuck in an unjust situation. That’s where we can step in to help.
You shouldn’t have to go into debt for someone else’s careless behavior. You need someone to stand up for your rights.
That’s why Maze Law Offices fights to protect you in court. We get you the compensation you need to pay your bills and get back to work after a car accident. We can help you reach a settlement with your insurance company and the other driver that allows your lifestyle to become stable again.
Check out these frequently asked questions to learn more about the legal process and the next steps you need to take.
While the answer to this question is ultimately yes, it really comes down to whether you are injured or not. Some accidents aren’t terribly serious. If you are in a low impact collision, and if you are not injured, there may be no need to hire a lawyer.
However, any time you are dealing with an insurance company, or you are being asked to sign documents which you do not understand, the smartest thing you can do is hire an attorney. This is especially true if you are injured and you are waiving your rights to future medical reimbursements.
If you are involved in a fender bender, make sure you call in to report the accident to the police at the scene. Without an accident report, you may have trouble getting an insurance company to accept your claim.
By calling the police, they also can easily obtain the other driver’s insurance information. Importantly, while many officers take photos of the damage to both vehicles, it never hurts to take some of your own pictures on your phone. The more evidence you have, the better it can be in the end. Being able to show the forceful impact to your vehicle can be crucial when you are having to explain the reasoning behind the pain you have after the collision.
Assuming that:
Then, you shouldn’t have trouble resolving this inconvenience without hiring an attorney.
Knowing when to hire an attorney after a car accident depends on your needs. Have you been injured? Will your injuries require further medical treatment?
Any time you face an injury that requires a trip to the ER, or visits to physical therapy or chiropractic rehabilitation, the bills can add up quickly. Many insurance companies try to wiggle out of paying for those bills in the long run by offering you a seemingly large settlement upfront.
If your injuries are still in the healing process, you should be skeptical about signing a finalized settlement. Many times, when a hospital is coming after you for medical bill payment, you may be under stress and pressure to go ahead and take the first offer.
In these scenarios, it is always best to hire a local personal injury lawyer. A local accident attorney can help you talk to your medical care providers and let them know that you have an active case. When you choose to hire a lawyer, you’re ensuring your case is properly handled and we can reassure the bill collectors that you have a settlement on the way. This will often keep away the harassing phone calls and many billing notices in the mail.
While Kentucky law only gives you a limited time to resolve your case before your right to recovery is barred, it is most advisable to wait at least a few months after your car wreck to see how you are healing up. There have been many instances where an injured person has accepted a small check early on, then realized they needed surgery months later.
You only have one swing at the plate when you are dealing with an insurance settlement. Making sure you are well-informed by a medical professional is the best advice for anyone who is looking to resolve their accident claim without hiring a lawyer.
Whether you are planning to file a claim or if you are forced into the route of suing after a car accident, the first step begins with hiring a lawyer. Many people start off by doing a quick Google search for a local car accident attorney or injury lawyer. The keyword here is local.
While you may see the big lawyers on billboards or on TV, or you may hear their catchy jingles on the radio, it is always ill-advised to hire these massive companies to represent your best interests. By hiring a local lawyer, you have the ability to go into a local office and speak with your attorney face to face any time you need help or have an urgent question.
Assuming you have settled on hiring a local lawyer near you as opposed to a massive law firm, you should next start reading reviews on Facebook and Google. Oftentimes, you can base your decision on other client’s past experiences.
Importantly, you should call and ask questions. Nearly all personal injury law firms offer free consultations. If a law office says they charge for any consultation – that should be a red flag. Ask many questions.
If possible, go in for a face to face meeting. Make sure you meet with the actual attorney that will be handling your case. If they cannot make time for you in the beginning, they most certainly will not have time for you on a night or weekend when you most need them to answer your call.
Also, try to find a law firm that can meet with you at your home or in the hospital. If you are still recovering, it may be difficult for you to make it to an office to meet with someone.
While it may be rare, try to also find an attorney willing to give you their personal cell phone number. Sometimes, it may be difficult to reach your lawyer at the office. And in case of emergency, you will be glad you can reach them immediately.
At Maze Law Offices, we aren’t just an attorney for an auto insurance claim – we are your personal assistant through the whole process, from start to finish. We do everything we can to make this stressful time in your life easier.
Maze Law Offices can meet you wherever you are comfortable to talk about your case at a time that works well for your schedule, even on nights and weekends. You will have your attorney’s personal cell phone number. We offer free consultations and case evaluations for every injury case.
Crash injuries in the United States account for more than $18 billion in lifetime medical costs every year. In addition, more than $33 billion worth of lifetime work is lost every year due to crash injuries. Unfortunately, much of that money is never recouped by the injured party. They may be left with bills that keep them in debt for years to come.
An accident claim lawyer can help you reach a settlement with your insurance company and the other driver after a car accident.
It can be difficult to estimate what an insurance payout for a car accident will be. However, as one could assume, it depends on how badly you were injured. A broken bone or fracture is worth substantially more in most cases than just bruising or a strain.
There are many different factors involved including how much damage was done to your car or truck, what injuries you suffered, what the doctor or hospital has put in their records about your injury, how much work you had to miss, whether or not you required a rental car, etc.
Every case is different. However, if you seek treatment for your injuries, you can almost be certain you will receive a bigger settlement than if you never get checked out by a healthcare professional.
Hiring an attorney in a personal injury case rarely costs you any money upfront. We give free case evaluations 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
During this consultation, we can often give you a fairly accurate estimate of what your claim may be worth. The call is free and our advice is free. Call or text us today to find out what your claim may be worth.
When you are in a car wreck or motorcycle accident, the forceful impact and dramatic stopping can easily cause bruising, contusions, and whiplash. As you may soon find out, the soreness and pain may not show up for several hours or days after the wreck. While lucky individuals see their injuries and pain resolve shortly afterward, some people involved in a wreck may experience these symptoms for a lifetime.
Only your doctor or a trained medical professional can tell you what to expect over the course of your treatment. The best course of action is to seek care for your injuries as soon as possible after your accident. Waiting it out or trying to tough out the pain will not only put your health at risk – it can make your injury claim hard to resolve.
The bigger the gap in treatment, and the more of a gap in treatment you have, the more likely an insurance adjuster will try to blame the injury on something else other than the wreck.
Even if you don’t experience any symptoms right away, you should always go to the hospital after an accident if possible. At the very minimum, you should immediately call for an appointment with your primary care or family doctor after a motor vehicle accident.
You never know if you have an underlying injury that is being disguised by the adrenaline you are experiencing. Only a professional healthcare treatment facility or office can let you know if your soreness is mild and will subside or if it’s a sign of a larger problem.
Car accident attorney fees should never stand in the way of you recovering your medical bills. The best injury lawyers work on what is called a contingency fee basis. Meaning, they only get paid if you get a settlement. This works well for accident victims because they never have to pay the accident lawyer anything out of their own pocket.
Importantly, many law firms will take a lower percentage of the settlement if they are able to resolve your case without having to file a lawsuit. Be cautious of any law firm that does not have this structure. It makes sense that if the injury attorney does not even have to go to court, they should not try to take just as big of a portion as if they did have to litigate your injury claim.
Meeting with an experienced local car accident injury attorney is the first step towards getting your life back together and taking a load of stress off your shoulders.
Maze Law Offices works on a contingency fee basis, so you never pay us a penny until we win your case and recover a settlement in your favor. Call us at one of our local offices today to schedule a free consultation with your personal injury lawyer.
Finding an accident attorney near me is easy. There are billboards and TV advertisements everywhere you look in Kentucky. These advertisements invade your car every time you turn on the radio.
As you could imagine, these large commercial law firms often do not have your best interest at heart. Finding a lawyer that is right for you and who will fight for your case like it is their own, is more difficult. Even more, finding a lawyer who you can easily get in touch with when needed is also hard to find.
These large commercial injury lawyers have their time divided between hundreds, if not thousands, of clients. What is even worse is that your case may not even be handled by an attorney at all, and is often handed down to paralegals.
At Maze Law Offices, we enjoy building personal relationships with our clients. We believe this is the best way for you to maximize the value of your case. When accident attorneys know how an injury has personally affected your life, it results in a better settlement- plain and simple.
We take the time to understand the impact this event has had on your life. We walk you through each step of this claim process and make ourselves available nights and weekends, through text, email, and by phone. And, the lawyer you meet with on day one will handle your case personally from start to finish.
