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Risk Assessment of Car Accident Lawsuits

Car Accident Lawsuits Are Very Low Risk If You Hire a Good Car Accident Lawyer

Lawyer Greg JimenoSome people are afraid of taking legal action after they have been in a car accident. They may assume that filing a car accident lawsuit will cost an unaffordable amount of money, that the process will take too long to settle and that they may lose the lawsuit if they do file one, among other fears concerning accident lawsuit risks.
While some of these accident lawsuit risks could be a valid concern in certain situations, others may not be in your case. While there are some risks associated with filing a car accident lawsuit, the truth is, not filing a car accident lawsuit could have a much more devastating outcome.

Risks of Being Found At-Fault for an Accident

 One reason to file a car accident lawsuit is to address a situation in which an insurer claims you were at-fault for an accident that you did not actually cause. When you are found at-fault for a car accident, the risks you may face include:

  • Inability to recover damages.
  • Expensive traffic tickets, although it is important to remember that civil liability for an accident is a separate matter from traffic violations.
  • Point accumulation on your driving record Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration for point accumulation information).
  • Increased insurance premiums.

Perhaps the most serious of these risks is the inability to recover compensation for your own injuries. Your own liability insurance will not pay for injuries sustained in an accident that you caused, though your policy may include optional medical coverage for this purpose. Because medical bills are often extremely expensive, sometimes totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars, being barred from compensation can wreak havoc on your finances.

If you are found at-fault for the crash, you will not be able to recover compensation from the other driver’s insurer to pay for your vehicle’s damage. If you do not carry optional collision coverage on your vehicle, you will likely be left with the bill to repair or replace your wrecked car. Even if you do have coverage, you will likely have to pay a deductible.

If you have been found at-fault in an accident that you do not believe you caused, a car accident attorney can help you file a lawsuit to prove your lack of fault.

Financial Risks in a Car Accident Lawsuit: Do I Have to Pay If I Lose? 

Many people also fear that if they file a car accident lawsuit and lose, they will be faced with very expensive attorney’s fees.

However, when you hire an attorney who works on a contingency fee basis, you are not responsible for any attorney’s fees unless you win your case. You will not owe your attorney a penny unless you recover compensation. In a contingency fee arrangement, the percentage of your compensation that the attorney will be paid is agreed to at the beginning of your claim.

When you hire the attorneys at Jimeno & Gray, P.A. your first consultation is always free. During this consultation, we can walk you through our contingency fee system. We will never charge you for our legal services unless your car accident lawsuit is successful.

The Risks of Not Filing a Lawsuit

There is no doubt that filing a lawsuit to recover compensation can take time and effort, and can also be emotionally exhausting. However, the risks of not filing a lawsuit outweigh the risks of filing a lawsuit. Risks of not filing a lawsuit include:

  • Not recovering compensation for your property damage expenses.
  • Not recovering compensation for your medical bills and future medical bills.
  • Not recovering compensation for your lost wages.
  • Not recovering compensation for your loss of earning capacity (if your car accident resulted in a disability).
  • Not recovering compensation for your pain and suffering.

If you do not recover compensation for the items listed above, you may be faced with the possibility of not being able to provide basic necessities for yourself or your family, not being able to pay your bills, and even having to declare bankruptcy.

If you were found to be at-fault (when you were not) and you do not file a lawsuit, you may also be responsible not only for paying for your own injuries and property damage, but also those of the other driver.

What Should I Expect in a Car Accident Lawsuit?

The financial risks in a car accident lawsuit are usually the most pressing fear for people. For others, simply not knowing what to expect in a car accident lawsuit can be worrisome.

There are multiple stages of a car accident lawsuit, including gathering evidence, filing suit, preliminary motions, pretrial matters, discovery, and actually going to trial. While these steps can be intimidating, your car accident attorney will guide you through everything you need to know, and will advocate for you every step of the way.

It’s also important to remember that the vast majority of car accident claims are settled long before trial.

For many, the biggest car accident lawsuit risks are emotional in nature. An experienced personal injury attorney who believes in your case and is committed to working for you can help ease these concerns.

The Risk of Not Filing Your Claim in Time

risk from not filingA car accident lawsuit risk that is very real is the risk of not filing your claim in time. In Maryland, you have only three years to file your car accident lawsuit from the date the accident occurred, according to the Code of Maryland section 5-101. If you do not file your car accident lawsuit within this time frame, you will most likely be permanently barred from bringing a claim. Do not take this chance. Consult with an attorney and file your car accident lawsuit as soon as possible.

Work with a Maryland Car Accident Attorney Today

maryland injury trialsBeing afraid of filing a car accident lawsuit, especially when you were just in your first major accident, is normal. To calm your fears and provide you with straightforward answers about your financial risks in a car accident lawsuit and other important details that you need to know, meet with the experienced Maryland car accident attorneys at Jimeno & Gray, P.A.

You can contact us online and provide us with the basics of your case using our online form, or you can reach us by phone for a free claim review. While you may believe that filing a lawsuit is too risky, in many cases filing a car accident lawsuit is the best chance you have to recover the money you are entitled to.