West Virginia Car Accident Lawyer

Top Rated Charleston, WV Auto Accident Attorney

Auto accidents often cause serious and sometimes permanent injuries that require extensive medical treatment.  Unfortunately, many primary care physicians don’t know how to treat these injuries and don’t make proper referrals to specialists who do.   These are some of the reasons unrepresented car accident victims often settle their cases for too little money before they have gotten all the medical care they need.

Another reason it is important to at least speak with an car accident attorney immediately after an accident is that auto insurance adjusters will often ask accident victims to give a recorded statement before they have had a chance to speak with an attorney.  This can be a real problem in obtaining a fair settlement because auto insurance adjusters will sometimes manipulate accident victims, with leading and argumentative questions for example, to make statements that hurt their claim and do not accurately reflect the truth.

Additionally, evidence needs to be preserved as soon as possible after a car accident before it is lost forever.  For example skid marks often quickly fade and need to be properly photographed as soon as possible.  These are some of the reasons it’s important to at least speak with an attorney who specializes in car accidents as soon as possible after your accident.  That is why a West Virginia car accident attorney at West Law Offices is always available for a free consultation.  We will explain your rights and options and let you know if we think you need a lawyer.  Call us today toll free at 1-877-943-9378.

Compensation for West Virginia Car Accident Claims

Under West Virginia law, you may have the right to recover money damages if you have been injured in an auto accident that was caused by negligence or misconduct of another. Compensation from a settlement or jury verdict generally includes money for the following:

1. Medical costs for past, current, and future care
2. Property loss
3. Lost wages, including lost benefits such as sick, vacation & personal days off
4. Loss of consortium
5. Pain and suffering caused by your car accident
6. All other harms, losses, and injuries caused by your accident

Dealing with Auto Insurance Adjusters

If you’re injured in a West Virginia car accident, a representative of the negligent party’s auto insurance company may call and make an offer to settle your West Virginia auto accident claim.  Please remember that signing a release in exchange for a quick settlement check will terminate your rights to fair compensation forever, even if you need future medical care. Also, despite the pleasant picture insurance companies try to paint of themselves with billions of dollars in advertising, keep in mind that insurance companies are businesses out to make a profit.

Therefore, even if the insurance company makes what you believe is a fair settlement offer, it may be in your best interest to contact a Charleston, West Virginia car accident lawyer to evaluate your case and the auto insurance adjuster’s settlement offer.  A West Virginia auto accident attorney at West Law Offices will let you know whether he thinks the insurance company’s offer is fair.  We will also let you know whether we think you need an attorney – sometimes you don’t.  However, if you do need an attorney and decide to allow West Law Offices to handle your auto accident claim, we will not charge you a fee until we win your case.

West Virginia Car Accident Attorney Article of the Week

Injured in a Car Accident?  Avoid these mistakes:

Since nobody expects to be involved in a auto accident, most of us don’t adequately prepare for an event that affects most people at some point in their lives. However, what you do and, perhaps more importantly, what you don’t do following a car accident can significantly impact whether you receive fair compensation for your injuries. My experience as a Charleston, West Virginia car accident lawyer has taught me that there are a few common mistakes that people often make following an auto accident.  Becoming aware of them is a good way to protect yourself.

1.  Not seeking immediate medical attention

The most common mistake I see as a West Virginia car accident lawyer is that clients often don’t seek immediate medical attention after an accident. Often, folks just want to try and “shake it off” and hope that their pain and injuries will just go away. While this is a normal reaction to a car accident, an insurance adjuster will attempt to use this delay in treatment to argue that the claimant involved in the car accident was not really injured but just out to make a quick buck.  Your car accident attorney will also need to show that your injuries are directly related to the auto accident. The sooner that you’re injuries are evaluated and diagnosed, the easier it will be to prove that they are the result of the other driver’s negligence.

2. Not reporting the auto accident to the police

People sometimes fail to report their car accident to the police when they think they’ve only been involved in a minor auto collision. This may be because they don’t want to wait around for the police or because they think it is unnecessary if there was not a lot of damage to the vehicles or the occupants. A police report can be extremely helpful to your case, though, if the other driver was at fault. While not definitive proof of negligence on the part of the other driver, it can be helpful if the police officer attributed fault to the other driver.

3. Not getting witnesses’ information

Investigating officers sometimes fail to include witnesses’ contact information the West Virginia Auto Crash Report.  An objective third party witness can be critical to a car accident claim if the other driver denies fault.  So,  if possible, get the witnesses’ contact information yourself.  Take pictures of them and record their statements, too, if you can.

4. Talking to the car insurance company

Many people speak with the other driver’s insurance company before first consulting with an experienced car accident lawyer. Some even think they are obligated to talk to them and give them recorded statements about the auto accident. This is NOT true. You may be sure that fault is clear and that giving your version of the auto accident can’t hurt you, but remember that the person calling you works for the OTHER person’s insurance company. You may easily say something that they can and will try to use against you when it comes time to settle your West Virginia car accident claim.  The easiest way to avoid making any of these common mistakes is to contact an experienced West Virginia car accident lawyer as soon as possible. If you would like a free detailed evaluation of your West Virginia auto accident claim, we invite you to contact an experienced Charleston, West Virginia car accident attorney at West Law Offices.  Call us toll free at 1-877-934-9378.  For more legal tips & advice please visit our West Virginia Personal Injury Lawyer Blog.

Additional West Virginia Auto Accident Resources:

West Virginia Auto Insurance Minimums – Beware!

West Virginia Bad Faith Car Insurance Lawyer

WV Uninsured and Undersinsured Car Insurance Coverage – Part I

WV Uninsured and Underinsured Car Insurance Coverage – Part II

West Virginia Comparative Fault Lawyer

Contact a Charleston, West Virginia Car Accident Attorney

To receive a FREE evaluation of your West Virginia car accident claim, call an experienced Charleston, WV car accident lawyer at West Law Offices toll free at 1-877-943-9378. Or fill out our free WV car accident evaluation form at the top left of this page.