Car Accident Attorney in Nampa, Idaho

Have you been injured in a vehicle accident? If so, there are two important questions that you should ask yourself. First, have you called a car accident lawyer in Nampa, Idaho? And second, have you signed the authorization forms from the insurance company?

Do I Need to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer for My Wreck in Nampa, Idaho?

Let’s talk about the first question. If you have not yet called a car accident attorney in Nampa, you should do this as soon as possible. Even if your case is relatively minor, consulting with car accident attorneys in Nampa, ID can help you to understand the process and the value of your case. You may feel that you do not need a lawyer in order to file for the compensation you need. However, more often than not, hiring Nampa car accident lawyers to represent your interests when negotiating with the insurance companies makes sense.
In a study performed by a group of insurance companies, it was found that people who do hire a car accident attorney tend to recover much more in damages than those who do not. For this reason, we urge you to speak to a Nampa car accident attorney at Joe Frick Injury as soon as possible. If you hire an experienced car accident attorney from Joe Frick Law to help with your Nampa insurance claim, we will handle all the negotiations for you and help you to recover a larger settlement than you could on your own.

Should I Sign an Insurance Authorization Form?

It is important to inform your lawyer if you have signed the authorization forms from the insurance company. Hopefully, the answer is no. No matter what the insurance adjuster may tell you, absolutely do not sign an authorization form allowing an insurance company to access your personal medical records. These authorizations are used to search not only medical records related to your Nampa car accident, but your entire private medical history. Insurance companies will search through years of records to attempt to locate a similar injury so that they can argue that the injury you suffered in the car accident already existed.

When is Another Party Liable for My Car Accident in Nampa?

If you can prove that another party is at fault in your car accident, you can hold that party liable for damages you have suffered. Proving fault may sound straightforward, but in most cases, this is a complicated issue that is hotly disputed. In general, the fault is shown by proving negligence, and this is best done with the help of Nampa car accident lawyers. Negligence is defined as actions (or inaction) which the party in question knew, or reasonably should have known, would place others at risk. In order to prove negligence, you and your car accident attorneys in Nampa will need to prove the following:
Duty. First, you must establish that the at-fault party had a legal responsibility to be concerned with your safety. In the case of a car accident, this is usually pretty straightforward.
Breach. Next, it needs to be shown that the party in question deviated from their duty to the safety of others.
Causation. Then, it is necessary to prove the connection from the breach of duty to the accident and your injuries.
Damages. Finally, it is necessary to prove the amounts you are claiming in both economic and non-economic damages are fair and just.
If fault is in dispute in your car accident case, contact an experienced car accident attorney in Nampa as soon as you possibly can. With your car accident lawyer, you can review the details of your case and construct a solid argument to establish liability.

What if My Actions Contributed to My Car Accident?

If you were partially responsible for the circumstances surrounding your accident, you may still be able to recover some compensation. The state of Idaho uses a comparative fault standard in accident cases. In this system, as long as you are less than 50% responsible for the car accident, you can still recover compensation, but your compensation will be reduced by the percentage of your fault.
For example, consider a person who suffers a serious injury in a Nampa car accident and sustains damages totaling $50,000. However, after investigation, it is determined that the injured person is partially at fault for the accident, and their percentage of fault is found to be 10 percent. Then, the other driver would be responsible for the remaining 90% of liability, and the settlement for the injured party will be reduced by that 10%. So, instead of being able to recover the entire $50,000 settlement, the injured party would only recover $45,000.
Comparative negligence enables a person injured in an accident to receive some amount of compensation, albeit a lower amount, even if they were partially at fault for the accident. In the alternative system, contributory negligence, contributing to the car accident could prevent an injured person from recovering any compensation at all – so, in our opinion, Idaho’s system is the better option.

What Compensation May I Recover for My Nampa Car Accident Injuries?

In the state of Idaho, those who are injured in a car accident are able to seek compensation to completely cover the losses suffered in the accident. These damages can include economic (or monetary) losses as well as non-economic (or intangible) losses. Some of the specific things a car accident lawyer in Nampa may be able to help you recover as compensation include:
Property damages
Emergency room and ambulance fees
Hospital bills
Rehabilitation costs
Medical visits
Medical equipment
Mental health therapy
Lost wages
Lost future earning ability
Pain and suffering
Disfigurement
Loss of consortium
Loss of quality of life
Punitive damages

When Do I Need to Pursue Legal Action with the Help of a Nampa Car Accident Attorney?

In the state of Idaho, you will have up to two years to pursue legal action after your car accident according to the statute of limitations. The case does not need to be resolved within that period, but the claim must be initiated within the two-year window. Failure to pursue legal action within that time limit will mean that you are no longer able to recover compensation for that accident, in most cases. Two years sounds like a long time, but it is important to work quickly to ensure you do not lose evidence and any witnesses will have the accident fresh in their minds. If you have been injured in a car accident in Nampa, contact our experienced car accident attorneys right away.

Common Questions Following a Nampa Car Accident

Here at the Joe Frick Injury, we represent many clients in personal injury and car accident cases. If you have been injured in a Nampa car accident, chances are we have handled a case similar to yours, potentially involving the same insurance companies. Here are some of the most common questions we are asked as car accident lawyers in Nampa:

Can I Afford to Hire a Nampa Car Accident Attorney?

If you feel that you cannot afford a car accident attorney, you are probably mistaken. If you have been injured in an accident and you are not at fault, your compensation will be significant, even after the fees associated with hiring a car accident lawyer. You deserve a full and fair settlement for your injuries, and we want to help you recover that compensation.

How Do I Get a Rental Car after a Nampa Car Accident?

After you have been injured in a car accident, one of your primary concerns beyond your own injuries is your vehicle. After all, you have medical appointments and visits with a car accident attorney in Nampa to keep up with while your vehicle is damaged. As a result, many clients ask us about getting a rental car while they are waiting for their vehicles to be repaired or replaced.
Following a car accident, the most common places to get a rental car are from your own insurance company or from the at-fault party’s insurance company. If you have rental car reimbursement with your own insurance policy, then your insurance company should cover the costs of the rental for you. This is typically faster than working with the at-fault party’s insurance company, because the other driver’s insurance will only pay for your rental car after they have accepted responsibility for the accident. However, if this is your only option, it is another way to ensure that your rental car is covered.
We understand that it can be a serious inconvenience to be without a vehicle – particularly when the car accident was not your fault. Your car accident lawyers in Nampa will work to make sure that the appropriate insurance company compensates you for days that you spend without a working vehicle.

Do I Have to Provide a Recorded Statement to the Insurance Company for a Rental Car?

At times, the at-fault driver’s insurance company will ask for a statement on the record before they will offer to pay for your rental car. You should be very careful about providing such a statement because it can and will be used against you later. In general, we advise that you consult a car accident lawyer before you provide any kind of statement to an insurance company.
Whether you decide to use your own insurance or the other driver’s insurance to cover your rental car, make sure that you return the rental as soon as the insurance company asks. In general, you must return the rental vehicle once your vehicle has been repaired or after your insurance company has provided a fair offer to replace your damaged vehicle. Not returning your rental vehicle promptly can mean you will be responsible for the additional rental fees.

Who Pays for My Medical Bills After a Nampa, Idaho Car Accident?

Injuries resulting from a car accident in Nampa can cause expensive medical bills which need to be taken care of to avoid damaging your credit. This can be extremely frustrating, especially when you are not at fault for the accident. Your car accident lawyers in Nampa will work with your own medical care providers to ensure that the bills are sent to the appropriate insurance companies. In many cases, an overlooked medical bill is sent to a collection agency due to the bill being sent to the wrong insurance company. Your car accident attorney in Nampa can ensure you avoid this problem.
Unfortunately, your medical bills will likely not be paid promptly by the at-fault driver’s insurance company. This is because while your case is still pending, the other insurance company will not pay any bills until you agree on a settlement amount. In these cases, your car accident lawyers in Nampa may be able to find a doctor who will treat you on a lien basis, to be paid after your case is settled.

How Soon Should I See a Doctor After a Car Accident in Nampa?

The easiest answer to this question is “yesterday.” If you have been injured in a car accident in Nampa, even if you think the injuries are not serious, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. Sometimes injuries resulting from car accidents do not show symptoms for days following an accident.
If your injuries become worse in the days and weeks following the accident and you wait until then to see a doctor, the at-fault driver’s insurance company will most likely refuse to pay for it. The usual argument is that since you did not see a doctor until weeks following your car accident, those injuries must not have been sustained in the accident itself.
While it is possible to prove that your injuries were caused by the wreck, the best practice is to see a doctor as soon as you are able after your car accident to ensure you do not have to deal with this issue in the first place. If nothing else, you can rule out the potential of a serious injury, and at best, you can ensure that the at-fault driver’s insurance company has no reason to deny paying your claim. Once you see a doctor, you should follow their recommendations precisely. Again, failing to do so can result in your claim being denied.

Consult with a Nampa, Idaho Car Accident Attorney Today

If you have been injured in a car accident in Nampa, Idaho contact an experienced car accident lawyer at Joe Frick Injury today.