Fresno Car Accident Questions – Part Two
Below are more questions that clients ask our Fresno car accident attorneys during their free consultation.
- What are pain and suffering damages?
When you are injured in a car accident, you suffer several different types of damages. Your financial damages or economic damages include the out-of-pocket expense related to the accident. Examples of financial damages include medical expenses, damage to property, and lost income. However, you also suffer non-economic damages. Non-economic damages are often referred to as pain and suffering damages. Examples of pain and suffering damages include physical pain, mental anguish, emotional stress, and loss of intimate relations. You can recover money for these claims in addition to reimbursement for your financial damages.
- Do I receive money for my lost income?
You can recover money for your lost wages in a car accident claim; however, you will not receive this money until the claim is settled. In addition to your past lost wages, you may also receive money for future lost income if you are unable to return to work because of a permanent injury or money for loss of earning potential if your injury results in a lower income.
- Can I recover money if I am partially at fault for the crash?
Yes, you might be able to recover some money even if you contributed to the cause of the crash. Under California’s comparative negligence laws, your compensation is reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to you for the crash, but you might still receive some money from the other driver’s insurance company.
- Should I accept the first offer from the insurance company?
Some insurance adjusters will offer a quick settlement because they know that accident victims who are out of work may be willing to settle because they need the money. However, these quick settlements are usually lower than the amount of your accident claim. The insurance company wants you to settle your claim now so that it does not have to pay the full value of your claim once you realize the full extent of your injuries and damages. It is in your best interest to consult with a Fresno car accident attorney before accepting any settlements. Once you accept the settlement and sign the release, you cannot recover any more money even if you realize you have additional injuries you were not aware of at the time you settled the claim.
- What should I do if I cannot afford an attorney?
Our Fresno car accident attorneys offer free consultations, so there is no reason for you not to contact our office to obtain advice from an experienced attorney. Furthermore, we accept many cases on a contingency fee basis. With a contingency fee, you do not pay any money up front, and you do not owe our attorney fees if we do not recover money for your claim. A contingency fee allows an accident victim to have access to competent legal counsel regardless of the victim’s current financial situation.
Accident Attorneys for Fresno And Central California Valley
If you have been injured in a traffic accident, contact Torem & Associates by telephone at (888) 500-5000 or online by using the contact form on our website. We urge you to take advantage of a free legal consultation before you discuss your claim with an insurance adjuster for the other driver.
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