Car Accidents – Driving on busy roads and highways can be a dangerous experience. More than 100 deaths per day result from car accidents. It is important to keep you and your loved ones safe by staying alert at all times while driving.
Were you or someone you love was hurt by the actions of a negligent driver? At Johnson Law, P.C., we have been representing car accident victims throughout Alaska for more than 30 years. In that time, we have recovered millions of dollars on behalf of our clients. Johnson Law provides the dedicated legal representation you deserve.
One of the first steps in ensuring you receive the compensation you deserve is to establish liability. In addition, you will need to establish liability in order to recover maximum compensation. This requires that you provide adequate documentation of the other driver’s negligence and of your injuries. As soon as you contact a car accident lawyer at Johnson Law, P.C., we can get to work on your case. Initial consultations are free, so please don’t wait to give us a call.
In every state, there is a time limit between the date of an accident and when you must file a lawsuit for injuries sustained in that accident. That time limit is the statute of limitations. In Alaska, the statute of limitations for car accidents is normally two years from the date of the collision. This means that if you do not file a suit within two years after you were made aware of injuries or losses from the accident, under most circumstances, your claim will not be eligible to receive any financial compensation.
Some of the most common injuries in car crashes include whiplash – or soft tissue damages, seat belt injuries, cuts, and bruises. Even these seemingly minor injuries can have a lasting impact – especially in soft tissue damage cases. Therefore, do not hesitate to contact a car accident attorney to ensure that you receive a fair settlement. Our car accident lawyers in Anchorage AK are ready to help you seek justice.
Car crashes cause more injuries and deaths than any other kind of accident. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, reports an average of 6 million vehicle collisions in the United States every year. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the US has the highest vehicle crash death rate among high-income countries.
First, call 911 and report the accident. It is important that the police secure the scene. This protects you and others from additional dangers, and preserves evidence. Law enforcement arranges medical help and emergency transportation. When asked for details by an investigating officer, tell them what happened honestly and exactly.
If law enforcement does not come to the accident scene, file all required accident reports with local law enforcement. Your own insurance company may have special reporting requirements. Check your insurance policy and follow reporting requirements for the accident. This places the insurance company on notice of injuries.
Avoid saying you are “ok” before you are evaluated by a medical doctor. Numerous clients who felt “fine” at the scene while their adrenaline was high, realized later that they had serious injuries.
If you are seriously injured in a car wreck, your first priority is to seek proper medical help as soon as possible. This often means that you go directly to the emergency room, and you accept transportation to the hospital by ambulance if it is available. Often the shock and trauma of a car crash fill a person with adrenaline which can mask or hide serious injuries. No one wants to admit they might be seriously injured. No one wants to go to the hospital. All too often people decline medical care at the scene of the accident and decline to be taken to the emergency room by ambulance. Then learn they have serious injuries that have gone untreated.
It is better to be safe than sorry. Always get the appropriate medical care you need. Get treatment from a licensed medical doctor. Tell the doctor honestly about every place you hurt or simply don’t feel normal. Follow the doctor’s instructions about wound care, rest, staying immobile, injury recovery, and additional medical care exactly and on-time. Do NOT ignore your doctors’ advice and Do NOT miss medical appointments!
Record and document accident details, without endangering yourself or others,. Photos and videos of the accident scene and vehicles involved can be very important later. Writing down or otherwise documenting insurance information, names, phone numbers, emails, and addresses for the other driver and witnesses is also important.
After leaving the accident scene, keep track of: photos, videos, written lists, notes, and other documentation of your injuries, medical care, efforts to recover, property damage, lost wages, and other losses. This documentation will be helpful in obtaining fair compensation.
When it comes to serious accidents, automobile accidents are unique because of the likelihood that there will be multiple insurance companies providing insurance coverage and investigating any injuries and fatalities. Insurance policies cover most vehicles and drivers involved in a car wreck. Those injured in the wreck may receive compensation for their injuries and losses from multiple insurance companies and various insurance coverages, such as insurance for liability, protection for those injured by uninsured and underinsured motorists, property damage, and medical payments coverages. This is good news for those injured in a car accident, as there should be insurance coverage to pay for their medical bills, lost wages, and other losses. However, it also means that there will likely be multiple insurance adjusters and investigators involved in the claim, and all of them trying to limit your recovery and save the insurance companies money.
Do not post information about the accident or your injuries on social media! Take a break from posting on social media until after you recover from your injuries and your claims are resolved. Remember the warning: “anything you say can and will be held against you”. Be very careful what you write in emails, texts, and any other form of communication. Everything you write, say, or post may be preserved, investigated, and seen by a judge or jury. We have seen even the most harmless posts used against those trying to receive compensation from insurance companies. Insurance companies are ruthless and will do everything they can to limit how much they pay you. Do not give them more ammunition. Stay off social media.
Be especially careful when communicating with insurance adjusters and investigators. The adjuster for the insurance company which insures the at-fault-driver, your own insurance company, or both will contact you. Sometimes adjusters will talk nicely and other times they might take a very aggressive approach. However, do not let them intimidate you. Do not think they are your friend. Always remember to be honest in what you say and do and remember that the adjuster is focusing attention on you in an attempt to protect the insurance company from paying you compensation. Remember – the insurance company and their lawyers scrutinize everything you do and say. Equally important when communicating with adjusters, always focus on your efforts to recover from your injuries and how much you want to be able to return to work and your normal life.
You have a duty to talk with the adjuster for your own insurance company, but only when you are able to understand his or her questions and give accurate information. The law does not require you to talk with the adjuster for the other driver. We encourage you to consult with an experienced personal injury attorney before deciding if you will give a statement to the other insurance company.
Additionally, obtaining fair compensation for your injuries, medical bills, and other losses is not easy. Make no mistake, the insurance adjuster’s job is to reduce injury victim compensation. They are paid to block your efforts. For this reason you should talk with an experienced injury attorney as soon as possible. You need someone in your corner to protect your interests.
If you are able to safely move around, document the accident to the fullest extent. This means taking pictures at the scene of the collision – your car and theirs. Exchange important information. Take detailed notes of what happened while it is fresh in your mind. The information to collect from the other driver(s) includes driver’s license number, plate number, insurance details, contact information, and full name.
It all comes down to who was careless in their actions. Actions violating traffic laws and putting others in danger are negligent. Negligence often results through distracted, drunk, or reckless driving. Typically, the distracted, drunk or reckless driver is held responsible for resulting damages and/or injuries.
Yes. However, the rule of comparative negligence states that you can still pursue compensation for an accident that was partially your fault. Your decided level of culpability reduces your recovery. Alaska allows plaintiffs to recover damages in an accident as long as they are not responsible for the actual injury. In these cases, injured parties may receive up to 65% of the damages claimed in the accident.
In the majority of rear-end motor vehicle accidents, the accident will be the fault of the driver who hit the car ahead. Common rules of the road encourage drivers to allow room to stop in case of a sudden slow-down in traffic. For this reason, drivers who hit another car from behind may have been driving unreasonably close and are potentially at fault for the collision.
Because a skilled legal professional makes all the difference after a car accident in Alaska, skilled legal professional help is in your best interest. Johnson Law dedicates its staff to helping clients recover damages for property loss and injuries, in the amount that they deserve. Hire Johnson Law, P.C. to pursue your case skillfully and professionally.
Contact Johnson Law, P.C. today to arrange your FREE case evaluation.