Every year, around 2.35 million people are injured or disabled in a car crash in the United States alone. Some also estimate that each individual will file an auto accident claim at least once every 17 years or so. Driving is dangerous, and getting into a collision can be expensive both in terms of property damage and health care costs. Here are a few reasons you might want to hire a lawyer if you have been harmed in a car crash.
Expenses
The average cost for each nonfatal disabling injury is about $61,600. If your auto insurance doesn’t cover the cost of your health care, you will have to pay for it out of pocket. If the worst occurs, and someone in your vehicle dies as a result of a crash, that cost can jump up to more than a million dollars. Medical care is exorbitant, and if your injury is so severe you can no longer work, you will need to get as much compensation as you can in order to make up for your lost wages. For example, if you’re an athlete whose leg was crushed in an accident, not only will you require a long physical recovery, but you might also never be able to participate in your sport again.
Many people who choose an occupation don’t expect to need a backup job, which is why so many individuals with debilitating injuries must take the time to retrain for another position. That disabled athlete could work as an accountant, but she would have to take at least two years of classwork for an associate’s degree. If insurance doesn’t cover her costs, she’ll never be able to go back to school and make a living for herself.
Minimum Liability Coverage
In the state of California, all drivers must legally carry insurance in case of an accident. Minimum liability coverage is the cheapest policy an individual can buy in the state. California requires all motorists to pay for a policy which provides:
- $15,000 for the injury/death of one person
- $30,000 for the injury/death of several people
- $5,000 for property damage
Remember, the death of one person in a collision could cost a family upwards of a $1 million. If your minimum liability coverage only goes up to $15,000, the rest of the costs will be out-of-pocket.
A lawyer comes in when you get into a car accident with an at-fault driver whose insurance only meets the minimum amount required. If someone else is at fault for your catastrophic injury, you want their company to pay everything it can. For example, let’s say the car collision caused you partial paralysis and you work in construction. You’re no longer able to hold a job in your field because this person made a driving error. However, the driver’s insurance can only pay up to $15,000 for your spinal cord injury, which will eventually exceed $4 million over the course of your lifetime. An excellent personal injury attorney can help you seek compensation from the at-fault driver if his or her policy is insufficient to cover your damages.
Our firm has recovered more than $50 million in verdicts and settlements. Contact us at (888) 480-3883 or fill out our online form with your case details. Let our Orange County car accident attorneys help you find the compensation you deserve. You won’t owe us anything unless we win.
