Henderson, NV, and surrounding areas are densely populated, leading to thousands of car accidents per year. Recent traffic data reports that the area averages more than 50 accidents per day.
At J. Cogburn Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers, we have 40 years of combined experience representing accident victims. Since opening our law office in 2005, our Henderson car accident attorneys have gotten familiar with common questions and concerns that accident victims have.
Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions by drivers in Henderson, Nevada. Contact a Henderson personal injury lawyer at J. Cogburn Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers at (702) 541-9766 with any additional questions.
How Can J. Cogburn Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers Help After a Henderson Car Accident?
It’s usually a good idea to hire a personal injury lawyer, even after a minor car accident. If you sustained any injuries or property damage, a personal injury lawyer can help you.
If another party caused the accident, they are responsible for compensating you for your losses. That said, insurance companies are notoriously difficult to deal with and work hard to minimize payments to accident victims.
When you hire J. Cogburn Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers, our Henderson car accident lawyers can help ensure you get the compensation you deserve by:
- Investigating your accident to determine who was at fault
- Gathering evidence to show who was at fault
- Gathering evidence to show the amount of your damages
- Negotiating with insurance companies to get a fair settlement
- If necessary, file a lawsuit against the responsible party and represent yourself in court
Personal injury cases can be complicated, and insurance companies can be hard to deal with. Our Henderson personal injury lawyers know how to navigate the system to ensure you get the compensation you deserve. As a result, it’s a good idea to hire an experienced lawyer after a car accident in Henderson, Nevada.
What Should You Do After a Henderson Car Accident?
One of the questions we get the most is, what do I do first after an accident? Car accidents are scary and traumatic events. Victims often are overwhelmed in the aftermath and not sure what they need to do.
Here are steps to help make this process go as smoothly as possible.
- Make sure everyone is safe. Your priority immediately after an accident is ensuring everyone is okay and seeking medical attention if needed. If there are injuries, call 9-1-1 and get immediate medical care. Even if you don’t need immediate care, it’s a good idea to visit an urgent care center or your doctor’s office after an accident to get checked out.
- Report the accident to law enforcement. You always want to report accidents, even minor ones. Law enforcement will respond to the scene and create an accident report. Your insurance company will want this report. Additionally, the report has key information that will be important if you have to file a personal injury lawsuit.
- Gather information. This includes contact information, insurance details, and license plate numbers of all drivers involved in the accident.
- Obtain witness information. Get the contact information of any witnesses.
- Take photographs and videos of the accident scene. Scenes are usually cleared pretty quickly, so it’s helpful to document as much of the accident scene as you can.
- Notify your insurance company of the accident. Whether or not you were at fault, you need to notify your insurance company.
- Contact a personal injury lawyer. If you have property damage or injuries after an accident, a car accident lawyer will help protect your rights and ensure you get the compensation you deserve.
The sooner you contact a lawyer, the better. Your team will help you gather key evidence, document damages, and deal with insurance companies.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?
Car accident lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. This means that they only get paid if their clients are successful. The lawyer and client will determine a contingency fee at the start of representation. The fee is usually between 25% and 40%.
This means that when the client gets paid through a settlement or a verdict, a percentage of the award will go to the lawyer to cover attorney fees. For example, if the contingency fee is 25% and a client receives an award of $40,000, $10,000 would go to the lawyer as fees.
Contingency fees work well for clients because clients don’t have to pay lawyers anything out of pocket. Additionally, contingency fees ensure lawyers are fully invested in a client’s success because they only get paid when clients win.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Car Accident?
The statute of limitations for Nevada personal injury cases is two years. This means that you have two years from your accident to file a lawsuit against the responsible party.
It’s not always necessary to file a lawsuit. Many cases can be resolved through negotiations with the at-fault party’s insurance company. Even so, resolving the case or filing a lawsuit before the statute of limitations expires is important.
Once it expires, you have no right to file a suit for compensation. This also means that you have less negotiating power with insurance companies. For example, if the insurance company makes an unreasonable settlement offer, your team will reject it and say, “See you in court.” However, if the statute of limitations has expired, this will be an ineffective negotiating tactic.
A Nevada personal injury lawyer can help ensure that your case is handled in a timely manner and that you preserve your right to file a lawsuit.
Contact a Henderson Auto Accident Lawyer
Contact a Henderson car accident lawyer if you have additional car accident questions. Call J. Cogburn Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers with any questions or to schedule a free consultation. You can also visit our Henderson, NV, personal injury office.
