Automobile Accident Injury Cases

Hundreds of auto accidents occur every day. In the year 2001, 3 million people were injured in motor vehicle accidents of which 41,300 were fatal, making auto accidents the leading cause of injury and death in the United States. The impact a car accident can have on someone can be tremendous. Even in simple fender bender car accidents, an individual can suffer back and neck injuries that have a lasting adverse effect. It is advised to contact both an attorney specializing in car

accidents and the proper medical professional as soon as possible after the accident. Injuries sustained from a car accident, no matter how minor, can later end up causing aggravated pain and medical costs for which you may be personally responsible for if not reported in a timely and proper manner.

If you have been involved in an automobile accident or traffic collision, the law holds the responsible party liable and compensates the injured party. You may be entitled to recovery of damages by the negligent party's insurance company and/or by your own if the negligent driver was uninsured or underinsured. In the simplest of cases, your insurance company will handle the matter, compensating the injured party. In many cases, you can recover for medical bills, property damage, lost wages, pain and suffering and emotional distress. Never proceed with a negligence claim without first obtaining legal advice. An attorney experienced in the practice of personal injury law knows the court system, can cut through insurance company red tape, and will make sure you are justly compensated for all current and future damages.

Our professional team will represent your interests in obtaining top dollar settlements, providing you have insurance. In many cases we obtain prompt payment for damage to your car, lost wages, rent-a-car bills, all medical bills, and pain and suffering from the responsible parties insurance company without the need for a formal lawsuit.

Attorney Joel B. Hoffman has 13 years experience in auto accident cases with a 92% success rate. He strives to achieve the maximum settlement value in the shortest period of time. During a free consultation, he will assess your case and will honestly tell you whether your case has merit and if you have a strong claim. A requirement in all cases is that the accident must be the other person's fault and both parties must have auto insurance unless the injured person is a passenger and covered by the driver who has insurance.

Once the case is deemed to have merit and Mr. Hoffman is retained as the attorney of record, there is no cost to the client for legal services or medical treatments for most cases and can usually be resolved without litigation. Mr. Hoffman finalizes most cases within 2 to 4 months from the date of the accident, at which time, the client receives the net balance of the insurance settlement after the medical bills and attorney's fees are paid. Generally, it works out to be a 3-way split between the client, the attorney and the doctors. Unfortunately, not all cases are so simple. In more serious injury cases, litigation may be necessary in order to obtain large six-figure-plus judgments or verdicts. If for some reason there is no recovery, there is still no cost to the client for legal services.

Mr. Hoffman offers personalized attention and aggressive representation against the insurance companies, which in many cases, will try to take advantage of inexperienced individuals and give a lowball offer to those who do not fully understand their legal rights of what they are entitled to recover. In all cases, time is of the essence. Failure to act by certain deadline dates may result in a person losing his or her right to recover. Also, within only the first week, important physical evidence can be lost and witnesses may become hard to find.

Call the police and insist that a report be filed with the police, sheriff or highway patrol.
Obtain the name, address, insurance information, vehicle license number and driver's license number of any and all other persons involved in the accident. Also get the names, addresses and telephone numbers of all witnesses.
Photograph the accident scene, including all vehicles involved (before repairing) and any visible injuries (cuts, bruises).
Refrain from making any type of statement or signing any papers without first consulting with a car accident attorney. Anything said at the time of the car accident can be used against you and disqualify potential car accident compensation.
Talk to no one about the accident or injuries other than your doctor or lawyer, especially not an insurance adjuster. Consult an attorney before giving a recorded statement or signing a release for an insurance company.
Sign nothing without consulting a lawyer. Truthful statements made in an attempt to be helpful can easily be misinterpreted and turned against you.
Seek immediate medical treatment and tell your physician or surgeon exactly how the injury occurred and describe all symptoms and complaints. Be sure to report memory problems, confusion or disorientation, however minor these things may seem at the time.
Write down all the information you can and take subsequent notes on any harm you suffered and their daily affects.

Determining Who Is At Fault
Car accident attorneys understand the complexities that car accidents entail, including both legal and insurance matters. Determining who is at fault for a car accident can be difficult, due to the many factors a car accident can involve. A car accident attorney has resources to quickly and effectively determine who the liable parties are. Even if someone involved in a car accident thinks that they are partly at fault for the car accident, they may still be able to collect damages.

A determination of who was at fault will depend on who was the careless driver based on traffic laws. Where there was a traffic violation, there is a stronger presumption that the traffic violator was at fault. However, where there were no major traffic violations, a court or insurance company will have to determine who was at fault based on the accounts of the drivers and eyewitnesses, if there were any.

If you were hit from behind, however, it is nearly always the other drivers fault, because traffic laws require that drivers must maintain a certain distance from the automobiles in front of them to be able to stop in time. Moreover, cars making a left turn are nearly always liable to cars coming straight in the other direction unless the car going straight was going to fast or ran a light.

Frequently Asked Question
Q: What fees are paid for this type of legal service?
A: Our firm works on a percentage of the settlement. Therefore, we have a vested interest in the outcome of your case. In rare cases where there is no recovery, no fee is charged.

Q: Will I have to pay for medical treatment?
A: In most cases, we can find an appropriate medical provider to treat you on a lien which means they will be paid directly out of the settlement. Of course any medical insurance you may have in your possession is also factored in to the equation.

Q: Will my insurance go up if I proceed with a legal claim?
A: Generally speaking, a person’s insurance will not increase due to an accident claim, provided the cause of the accident is not your fault.

Q: Should I report the accident to my own insurance company?
A: Whether or not the accident is your fault, it is important that you promptly report the accident (within 72 hours) to your insurance company so that they may notify the DMV with an SR1 form. Failure to do so may result in your drivers license being suspended.

Auto Injury Accident