Following an automobile accident, a variety of expenses may arise. In a serious accident, the most significant expense will be transportation to a hospital by ambulance or even helicopter and the subsequent medical treatment. Follow up visits to ensure that injuries are healing property and to mitigate neck and back pain will also be necessary. The next most immediate expense is the need to repair or replace the damaged vehicle as well as to find alternate transportation in the meantime. Finally, there may be indirect consequences creating financial loss such as lost time from work or even the possibility of never being able to return to work.
A person who has suffered any or all of these losses should consult an Accident Attorney in Oneida NY. Under the law, a person may sue a person who owed them a duty of reasonable care and breached that duty, causing an event resulting in damages to the person who is not at fault. When a person drives in a reckless or careless manner, such as speeding, following too closely, using a cell phone, or any other number of reasons and causes an accident, they are legally responsible for the financial loss of the injured person.
Although car insurance exists, it is often insufficient to cover these losses. The at fault driver may have been uninsured or underinsured. Their insurance company may dispute who was at fault in order to avoid paying on the claim. A person’s own insurance company may decide that it is not cost effective to fight the claim. If this occurs, they will usually pay the amount on the policy, but will later raise the premium or fail to offer a renewal.
Additionally, indirect expenses such as lost time from work or prolonged medically treatments may not be covered. An Accident Attorney in Oneida NY will be able to pursue alternatives to insurance claims, such as directly suing the at fault driver or their employer. Even if the driver currently has limited assets, a judgment may be obtained allowing for the garnishment of any future income in order to provide an eventual recovery.
