Car accidents are scary and bring about a lot of worry and confusion. If involved in a car crash, you will probably have questions like, who’s liable? Who will pay for the damages and medical bills? Nevertheless, they mainly result in severe injuries and property damage, making it critical to involve an attorney. Although the professional will guide you in the claim process, such cases involve multiple legal terms. And the car accident lawyer will help you understand them to ease the claim process.
Check out some legal terms pertaining to car accidents:
- Liability
Liability is a common term in car accident claims. This is legal responsibility placed on the person or party liable for causing the accident. In a car accident, the liable party is held responsible for causing personal injuries and property damages.
In some cases, one driver may be liable, and it might be easy to determine liability. However, both drivers may also have acted negligently. And the fault will befall the one who breaks road rules resulting in a collision.
- Negligence
You’ll often hear your Las Vegas Car Accident Lawyer mentioning this phrase during the claim process. The attorney will also inform you that the negligent party will be liable for the damages. You’re termed negligent when you breach the required duty of care or fail to abide by the set road rules, leading to another person’s harm and damages.
- Insurance
Once you can prove negligence by the other party, you can file for compensation through the insurance firm of the negligent driver. According to car accident laws in most states, all dives must have a minimum amount of collision insurance in their policies.
The insurance policy is a legally binding document that allows the insurer to pay for certain damages caused by the client. Therefore, if you fail to abide by the road rules and cause an accident, your insurance company will compensate the injured party for the damages.
The insurance coverage policies relevant to auto accidents are;
- Collision coverage
- Bodily injury coverage
- Property damage coverage
- Damages
Damages refer to the compensation amount paid to the person who incurs personal injuries or property damage. If you file a compensation claim following an accident, your attorney will determine the extent of the loss to define the value of your claim.
Examples of car accident damages include;
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Repairs to your car
- Replacement of personal property
However, the car accident attorney should prove that you incurred the said expenses. And this makes it vital to engage an experienced lawyer.
- 5. Settlement
Settlement is normally the last process in a car accident compensation claim. It’s a legal agreement between the insurance company and the parties involved to resolve and end the dispute. A settlement process includes compensation for an amount of cash that both parties agree on. Also, settlement may refer to an agreement by the insurance company for a certain amount of damages.
A quick wrap up
Car accident lawyers use different terms when handling your personal injury case. These apply to your case in various ways, and understanding them goes a long way. Therefore, if you get involved in a collision, hire a skilled attorney for guidance and information on the legal terms.
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