Mississippi has a higher rate of car accidents than the rest of the United States, and the fatality rate alone is nearly double the national average. When it comes to car accidents, you deserve to be compensated for your injuries. But after an accident, it may be challenging to understand just how much compensation you can get and if it is worth pursuing a claim.
After an accident, working with an experienced car accident attorney like Richard Schwartz & Associates will help you determine the value of your claim and how to pursue the compensation that you deserve.
Factors That Affect the Value of Your Car Accident Case
To determine the true value of your car accident case, you need an experienced attorney to help calculate the total damages that you can collect. While several key factors come into play when determining the value, there are some non-economic damages and future expenses that should be calculated into the overall amount that you should pursue. While most car accident cases reach a settlement before court proceedings, having a legal team willing to take it to court is helpful, as insurance companies won’t be able to pressure you into taking a low settlement offer.
Some key factors that determine case value:
- Injury Severity: The more serious the injury, the more impact it will have on your settlement value.
- Cause of the Accident: If the accident was caused by another driver’s reckless actions or drunk driving, their negligence would prove vital in the value of your case.
- Economic Impact: How has the accident impacted your life economically? If you are struggling financially due to the accident, you have no car, the medical bills are piling up, and you are unable to work, the value of your case will go up.
- Non-Economic Impact: How has the accident impacted your life overall? Have you missed essential family occasions? Have you lost enjoyment in your life since the accident? The more the accident has impacted your life and your ability to enjoy it, the more valuable your case is.
Surviving and suffering the consequences of a car accident can be devastating, but you shouldn’t have to suffer more due to another driver’s negligence. After a car accident, you should always seek immediate medical attention, but then you need to continue documenting the accident and how it impacts your life. Proving the responsible party is liable for your injuries and pain and suffering is all about evidence.
Proving Liability in Car Accident Cases in Mississippi
After you’ve been involved in a car accident in Mississippi, you need to call the authorities and seek immediate medical attention. This will ensure that there are official and physical reports that connect the damages and injuries to the car accident. This will strengthen your claim later when you need to file for compensation. After a car accident, you should hire an experienced car accident attorney in Mississippi to ensure that you have guidance through the complicated legal process that is particular to the state.
In Mississippi, you have three years from the accident to file for compensation, and the sooner you hire a legal team, the better. When establishing liability, you will need all the evidence and witness statements that you can get. Mississippi is a comparative negligence state, and it will impact the value of your case.
Comparative Negligence
In Mississippi, car accidents fall under comparative negligence laws. Establishing fault in an accident will affect the amount of compensation you can receive. This means that even if a driver is found partially at fault, they can still recover damages from the other party based on the percentage that they were found at fault for causing the accident.
The courts will determine the percentage of fault for each driver based on the evidence. For Mississippi, there is no threshold where a plaintiff is barred from recovering damages, even if they are found to be 99% responsible.
This only highlights why working with an experienced car accident attorney is crucial in Mississippi. The comparative negligence laws surrounding car accident settlements can complicate seeking justice, but you can receive compensation with guidance. By knowing how the fault allocation affects your compensation, you can better protect your rights and work towards a fair settlement.
How an Attorney Can Help Maximize Your Settlement
Hiring a car accident attorney will ensure you don’t accept a low-offer settlement from an insurance company trying to take advantage of you. After a car accident, you want to focus on healing and returning to your everyday life, and that can be difficult without someone to advocate for your rights and your best interests. An attorney will be able to negotiate with insurance companies, investigate the accident, and ensure that you only accept a settlement that is based on the true value of your claim.
Richard Schwartz & Associates’ Results in Car Accident Cases
At Richard Schwartz & Associates, our lawyers understand that accidents happen, even to the most cautious of drivers. When you need a legal team on your side, we are here to help you seek justice. Car accidents can drastically impact a family’s life, and our car accident attorneys across Mississippi will work to ensure that our clients receive the compensation they deserve.
Our results speak for themselves. Richard Schwartz & Associates have secured significant compensation for our clients who were injured in car and truck accidents. Our results are highlighted here:
- Car Accidents: We have secured nearly $8 million in settlements for our clients injured in car accidents.
- Truck Accidents: We have successfully secured over $7 million in compensation for clients injured in a truck accident.
- Motorcycle Accidents: As for our clients injured in motorcycle accidents, we’ve secured over $1.5 million in compensation.
Working with an attorney after a car accident will ensure you receive the compensation and justice you deserve. The value of your claim will vary depending on the circumstances of your accident, but regardless of the amount, you deserve justice. Contact Richard Schwartz & Associates today to ensure that justice is served.
