Seattle Auto Accident Lawyers
Automobile Accidents Are Not That Simple
In some situations, auto accident litigation may be a relatively simple type of case. But it can become much more complicated in cases involving substantial injuries with questionable insurance coverage limits on the other vehicle.
There are attorneys who merely remind the client of the limited policy on the other vehicle and say that they should accept a settlement of their claim. This is not the case with the Washington car accident attorneys at Bernard Law Group. We explore every avenue of recovery.
Extraordinary Circumstances: Leased Cars
Not only is the operator of the at-fault vehicle responsible to anyone injured in an auto accident, but the owner of the vehicle is also responsible. The owner is responsible for the negligence of the operator, when that operation occurs with the permission of the owner.
This is extremely important when the vehicle at fault is leased.
These days, there are a great number of cars and trucks on the road being driven on a lease basis. Because of this, it is even more important to hire an experienced attorney, such as the Tacoma automobile accident attorneys at Bernard Law Group, to go beyond the name on the registration to find out the exact owner of the vehicle. It is a fact that when a vehicle is leased from a big car company, the registration will simply bear the name of the user of the vehicle, the lessee. However, the actual owner of the vehicle, the lessor, is usually a major corporation with unlimited insurance coverage.
It is unfortunate for the severely injured victim when, as happens many times, a lawyer fails to uncover the at-fault vehicle's actual ownership and the additional insurance is never disclosed.
Extraordinary Circumstances: Business Vehicles
Though it is common for companies to put their names in bold letters on their business vehicles, the attorneys at Bernard Law Group will tell you that it is not always the case. When accidents occur, many times there is no indication that the vehicle was being used for business purposes. In fact, it may appear to the casual observer that the vehicle was not being used for business at the time. The only way to find out if the vehicle was being used for business is doing an in-depth investigation.
If a vehicle is being operated by an employee during the course of his or her employment, then the employer may be "vicariously responsible" for the negligence of their employee in operating that vehicle. It is very possible that the employer has additional liability coverage far exceeding that of the driver. An "excess" insurance policy may also exist.
The Washington car accident attorneys at Bernard Law Group know that this area must be fully explored in the case of the seriously injured victim whose perceived damages far exceed the declared insurance on the vehicle.
Extraordinary Circumstances: Defects
The experience of the attorneys at Bernard Law Group has shown them that, in too many cases, one of the causes of the accident may be a highway defect, such as improper design, maintenance, construction, signage, or lighting. Liability may also be based on improper striping on the road's passing lanes, a hill that impairs driver visibility, a sharp obstruction or problem with the roadway that obstructs drivers' vision. Trees and utility poles can also cause problems when planted or erected too close to the roadway.
The Seatbelt Defense
While seatbelts and airbags provide an important function and do prevent serious injuries or death to people involved in accidents, they not guarantees that you will not be killed or injured in a serious accident.
Seatbelts and airbags can fail or cause injury in and of themselves. But yet, the seatbelt defense, often used by attorneys defending at-fault drivers, seeks to establish that some, or all, of the plaintiff's injuries were caused by the failure to wear a seatbelt.
That’s another reason why it is critically important to seek the experienced advice of the Washington auto product liability attorneys at Bernard Law Group, to defend you against this potential scenario.
Experienced Lawyers are a Must
It is essential that a routine investigation be done, in any case involving a vehicular accident. Police records must be obtained, witnesses interviewed and photographs taken immediately of the accident scene and damage to the vehicles.
As is the procedure of the Seattle auto accident attorneys at Bernard Law Group, prompt contact must be made with the insurance company of the negligent driver to learn of the available coverage limits and attempt to find out additional information from the adjuster regarding possible other areas for coverage.
This immediate action by an attorney contacting the insurance company, in most states, prevents the insurance adjuster from contacting the plaintiffs directly. Many times, the at-fault driver's insurance company adjuster will attempt to record a statement from the victim, without advice of counsel. This should never be permitted.
In the event that the negligent vehicle does not have insurance coverage, it is extremely important that you make a timely claim with your insurance company for uninsured motorist coverage. Sometimes, this coverage is automatically contained in your policy, to cover your injuries in a case where the other vehicle is not insured. However, to take advantage of this type of coverage, a timely claim must be presented to your insurance company and requesting payment under the uninsured motorist provisions of your policy. The failure to do this most often results in the denial of your coverage.
Similar coverage is also available for underinsured vehicles, and is often included automatically in your policy to cover you in case the other vehicle does not have sufficient coverage. You must also request this when you make your claim and do it in a timely fashion, because failure to do so could also result in a denial of coverage.
Why Hire The Attorneys At Bernard Law Group?
So often, the success of a case requires the retention of highly experienced and aggressive attorneys who specialize in the areas of personal injury, products liability, construction accidents, highway/roadway design defects, drug product litigation, aviation accidents or other areas of negligence involved in your particular case. This is the case with Seattle personal injury lawyers at Bernard Law Group.
You need experienced, competent counsel to fully explore every possible avenue of recovery, especially in cases where injuries are substantial and the insurance coverage is inadequate. Replacing your future income, lost wages, the damage to your car, hospital bills, doctors' visits, medication, rehabilitation, special transportation, a wheelchair and other appliances, pain and suffering, and the cost of domestic and nursing help in your home are all the more reason for hiring experienced professionals to uncover all available insurance coverage and look after your needs in your case.
