Call Us atIf you are in a vehicle crash, it is important to make sure you fully recover compensation for your losses. The fault system that governs car crashes states that the insurance company of the driver who caused the wreck must pay your damages. However, sometimes determining fault is no simple matter, and insurance companies will do all they can to avoid paying legitimate claims.
While a defendant’s insurance company might offer you a quick settlement, it is unlikely to adequately compensate you for all your losses. If you have been injured in a vehicle collision, you might need help from a caring personal injury attorney. A Bothell car accident lawyer could help ensure you get fair compensation for your injuries.
What Should Someone do After a Car Wreck?
The first thing a driver should do after a crash is determine whether they have any injuries. Someone feeling any symptoms of an injury should wait for emergency services to arrive to provide immediate medical care if needed.
Many injuries do not become apparent to someone in a collision for hours or even days after the accident. A medical professional could anticipate the injuries that might have occurred, order necessary tests, and begin treatment if appropriate. A medical record generated in a timely manner after the crash could also be compelling evidence in a settlement or a court case.
Drivers who are not injured should check on the other people involved in the collision and call for help. Even if no one seems to be injured, it is advisable to get an official police report of the incident. After rendering any necessary assistance to others and calling the police, drivers could take pictures of the vehicles involved and the accident scene to help collect evidence.
A Bothell attorney familiar with car crash cases could help someone collect evidence from the incident.
Auto Insurance Requirements in Bothell
The Revised Code of Washington Section 46.29.090requires drivers to carry minimum liability coverage of $25,000 for bodily injuries to one person, $50,000 for bodily injuries to two or more people, and $10,000 for property damage. These coverage limits could be inadequate to cover significant personal losses in a wreck like this.
If the insurance coverage is inadequate, the at fault driver is personally responsible for plaintiff’s losses. A skilled attorney in Bothell could help someone hurt in a vehicle accident recover the compensation they deserve.
Liable Parties in a Vehicle Collision
Drivers should try to avoid conversation about the accident and never apologize or take any responsibility for what happened. If someone does this, they are admitting liability for the wreck and could potentially incriminate themselves. Assigning fault in a car crash will at times require reconstruction of the crash to determine what happened.
Even if one driver is clearly at fault in a crash, there are often other negligent parties whose acts or omissions contributed to it. Potentially responsible parties could include:
- Other involved drivers
- Vehicle owners
- Vehicle manufacturers
- Automotive repair shops
- Auto dealerships
- Restaurants if they sold alcohol to someone involved in the crash
- Local governments if poor road conditions or inadequate traffic control factored into the collision
A qualified car accident attorney in Bothell could identify multiple sources that might provide a client with an adequate settlement if combined.
Call a Bothell Car Accident Attorney Now
If you get into a vehicle wreck, your priority is to recover for your harms and losses caused by the crash. Allow a Bothell car accident lawyer to investigate the crash, identify responsible parties, and negotiate with insurance companies. Reach out as soon as possible after your accident to schedule a case review.
