Reno Car Accident Lawyer

When you are involved in a car accident, life as you know it can change in an instant. If you have sustained serious injuries it may take you a long time to recover, and you may face hardships like medical bills, lost income, or permanent disability. The Christian Morris Trial Attorneys is home to attorneys with years of experience specializing in personal injury cases due to car accidents. We work with injury victims throughout the city of Reno, If you have been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing schedule a free consultation with a car accident lawyer. We are dedicated to helping our clients get the maximum for their financial compensation.

When you are faced with these uphill battles you should get the compensation you deserve from the accident. However, it is very important that you do not attempt to settle with the insurance company alone. It is no secret that insurance companies purposely pay out as little as possible to car accident victims even when it is clearly their insured customer’s fault. This means that, without the right type of legal representation, you may not get the financial compensation that you need and deserve. In order to avoid these issues, you need to have a skilled, knowledgeable and experienced car accident lawyer on your side.

We Are Here To Answer Your Reno Car Accident Injury Questions

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How Much Is My Reno Car Accident Case Worth?

The total compensation that you will receive will be primarily based on the seriousness of your injuries. For example, if you have a permanent disability or someone you loved died as a result of the accident, you will likely receive more than someone who received a few scratches. Cases are evaluated on an individual basis, and the best way to know for sure how much you may get as a result of the accident is to give our law firm a call.

Did you know that most of the claims in the country that are related to personal injury are the result of car accidents? Fortunately, for the most part, these types of accidents are not serious and they are typically handled between the insurance companies of the involved parties.

On the other hand, car accidents that leave victims with significant injuries and/or there is a lot of property damage, it is best to hire an attorney. As previously mentioned, insurance companies are for-profit businesses whose main goal is to save as much money possible by paying out as little as possible in insurance claims.

Do not consider your car accident lawyer as just your lawyer. A car accident lawyer is the client’s best advocate. They will work on your behalf against these organizations that try to avoid admitting fault. Insurance companies are constantly looking for ways to deny car accident claims. This is why it is so important to hire the best lawyer possible to make sure you get the financial compensation you deserve, and that your rights are not violated.

What Does A Reno Auto Accident Lawyer Do?

How Quickly Should I Contact A Car Accident Attorney?

If the car accident you have been involved in requires you to go the emergency room, you should contact an experienced personal injury attorney as quickly as you can. Many car accident victims are not aware that these types of cases have a statue of limitations. This means that victims have a limited amount of time in which they can sue the insurance company for injuries, loss of income, medical bills, etc. You will need to contact us as soon as a medical provider has confirmed that your injuries are the result of the car accident.

It is also important to note that it is not uncommon for police reports to include inaccurate information about the accident including who is at fault. We can review these reports on your behalf, and also offer you options that you can consider from an objective legal point of view. By getting in touch with Christian Morris Trial Attorneys as soon as you have been seen by a medical doctor, the process of having the legal representation you need will begin, and you will no longer have to worry about speaking with the insurance company.

Insurance companies like to contact accident victims in an effort to get a statement that could later be used to deny the victim’s claim. You can avoid this by contacting us at (702) 434-8282 to schedule a free consultation, or you can schedule a consultation online by filling out the form above.

The following is what you should do after you have been involved in an accident:

One of the first things you should do after you have been involved in a serious car accident is to immediately go to the emergency room. Out of all of the other things that you may be going through during this chaotic time, your health is the most important. By waiting to get the medical care that you need, there is a risk that any injuries you have sustained may get worse over time. You may also face a longer recovery period.

Waiting to get medical care can also affect any personal injury claim that you make. The insurance company, the judge and even the jury may view the delay in medical treatment as a non-verbal admission that your injuries were/are not as serious as you claim.

When speaking with the doctor, give an accurate account of the accident and keep all of the information related to your medical treatment such as records, appointment, doctor statements, list of prescribed medications, etc.

Do Not Leave The Scene Of The Accident

It is against the law to leave an accident scene. If there is personal and/or property damage, you must remain at the scene. If you leave before law enforcement arrives, you could be charged with a hit and run. You could also incur other fines and charges. Instead of leaving, find a safe place to stop your vehicle, observe the accident scene and provide assistance, if necessary.

Don’t Admit Fault

Nevada is considered an ‘at-fault’ state. This means that whoever is the cause of the accident is the one who will be financially responsible for injuries and damages. You should never speak to the other driver(s) about who is at fault, and you should NEVER admit the accident was your fault. It is best to wait for either the insurance company or the police to determine who was at fault.

There could be other circumstances that caused the accident that you do not know about. For example, there could have been dangerous road conditions such as slick spots in the road, or it could have been one of the other driver’s fault as well.

Check For Injuries

You should also check to see if either you or the other parties involved in the accident are injured. If anyone is injured, call the police and the ambulance immediately. Never leave it up to anyone else to call for help, and do not assume that emergency services have been contacted.

Avoid moving any person with visible injuries unless the person is in extreme danger such as in the path of oncoming traffic. Moving someone with injuries of any kind can worsen the injuries. Stay calm and remain with the injured party until medic arrives. Be sure that the person is as comfortable as possible.

Report The Crash To The Police

In the state of Nevada, all car accidents must be reported to law enforcement if:

They caused injuries
There were fatalities
There is property damage over $750

We recommend that both injury and non-injury car accidents are reported to the Reno Metropolitan Police Department. It is the law that accidents are reported to the police within ten days of the accident. Accidents can be reported by calling the police department, or they can be reported by providing a Traffic Accident Report to the police.

When speaking to the police, do not embellish your story, only provide them with the facts. However, make sure your account of the accident is detailed and includes important information such as the direction the vehicles were traveling in as well as any information you may have about witnesses.

Move Your Car If It’s Stopping Traffic Flow

As mentioned, if you are able to move your vehicle after the accident, move it to the shoulder or out of the way of traffic. Turn your vehicle’s ‘four ways’ or hazard lights on and place flares or cones out so passing drivers are aware of the accident scene. If you are not able to move your car, turn the hazard lights on and then move to a safe spot off of the road while you wait for law enforcement to arrive.

Gather Information

Always try to get a lot of information about the accident. If you can remain at the scene, collect information from other drivers such as their contact information and their insurance provider. Either write down or make a voice recording about the accident while the details are still clear. Also, get the name of the responding law enforcement officer, and the names and contact information of any witnesses.

Take Photographs

Use your smartphone, disposable camera or other video recording device to record the accident scene. Be sure to include visual evidence of the vehicles involved, the road, injuries, property damage and any other pertinent information. For example, if there was a object that was blocking the view of a road sign that caused the collision between the vehicles, take a picture of the sign and the obstruction. This is type of evidence you will need to bolster your injury claim.

Call Your Insurance Company

Auto insurance companies are very strict when it comes to how soon an insured driver must contact them about an accident. Call your insurance company and tell them the circumstances of the accident. You should follow your adjuster’s advice, but you should never admit the accident was your fault. If the other insurance company calls you, do not provide them with a statement. Refer their questions to your attorney.

Create An Accident File

If it appears that you may need to have legal representation, begin to keep an file that includes all of the information you have collected about the accident. Be sure to include all medical records and police reports. The more documentation you can provide, the better.

Get A Lawyer

The last thing that you will need to do is hire an attorney experienced in handling personal injury claims. We at Christian Morris Trial Attorneys will guide you by letting you know what you should and should not do and say after you have been in an accident. The lawyer will also speak with the insurance company, work on getting a settlement and even prepare your case for trial if the insurance company does not want to settle.

What Should You Do After A Car Accident?

Drunk Driving Accidents

Being under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol can create a lot of serious issues for other drivers who are on the road. A driver who is intoxicated does not have as much mental clarity as a sober driver. As a result, intoxicated drivers can go to sleep and even hallucinate while they are driving. This can lead to them losing control of the vehicle. They may even drive the vehicle in a manner that is unsafe for them, other drivers on the road and even pedestrians.

However, it is not uncommon for intoxicated drivers to walk away from car accidents completely unharmed because their bodies are in a sedative state when they are high off of drugs and/or alcohol.

Speeding Drivers

Speeding is another major cause for car accidents. Speeding drivers are not able to control their vehicles and come to a safe stop if necessary no matter if they are going a few miles over the speed limit, or they are driving 15 to 20 miles over the speed limit. This scenario makes them a negligent driver because they reduce the available room they have between another car if they must come to a sudden stop.

When a driver speeds, they may cause head-on accidents and rear-end accidents. The injuries that result from these types of accidents include back injuries, whiplash, neck injuries and spinal injuries.

Reckless Driving

Reckless driving is especially dangerous because these drivers disobey the traffic laws that other drivers on the road are following. Reckless driving can include the following infractions:

Speeding
Street racing
Not using signals
Swerving in and out of traffic
Disobeying traffic laws and signs
Reckless driving

Falling Asleep While Driving

This is a problem commonly seen among drivers of commercial vehicles such as tractor-trailers. When a driver is sleepy and operating a motor vehicle, that creates unsafe conditions for other drivers on the road. This type of driving is also considered negligent and can occur at night or during the day.

Most car accidents would easily have been avoided if the driver who caused it had been more cautious. Most negligent drivers involved in accidents were engaged in one of the following actions:

Distracted Driving

As advancements in technology evolve, so do the opportunities increase for drivers to be distracted while they are on the road. Distracted driving is one of the biggest reasons for car accidents in the country. Not only do drivers have more technology that can prevent them from focusing on driving, but other distractions such as drinking/eating or having other occupants in the vehicle can also keep drivers from paying attention to the road. Distracted driving is negligence because the driver is failing to pay attention to what they are doing.

What Are The Most Common Causes Of Car Crashes In Reno, NV?

How Is Fault Determined In A Reno Nevada Car Accident?

As mentioned, Nevada is an ‘at-fault’ state, and it is critical that you understand the way fault is determined in Nevada if you are involved in a car accident. If you are not able to prove that the other party was at fault, you may be held liable. This means that your injury claim may be denied, or you may get less financial compensation.

Fault is generally determined by negligence or negligence per se. Negligence per se is a legal term that means a law or statute was not obeyed. Negligence means that the at-fault party did not act with reasonable care. So, a driver can be determined to be negligent without disobeying a state or federal law.

To make a determination for fault, a full investigation of the accident must be conducted. A variety of evidence must be collected such as photographic evidence, witness statements, property damage, police reports, weather conditions at the time of the accident, etc.

There are some accident cases where an accident reconstruction team has to be called in. They are typically called in if there is a disagreement regarding who is at fault. At the conclusion of the reconstruction, it may be concluded that both parties were both at fault. When this occurs, all injury claims fall under comparative negligence.

Call Our Reno Car Accident Attorneys For A Free Consultation

The car accident lawyers at the Christian Morris Trial Attorneys have several decades of combined experience in handling car accident claims. We have an excellent working relationship with the courts and judges in Reno, and we have an excellent reputation of successfully representing car accident victims all over Nevada, including Reno, Henderson, and Las Vegas

When our clients have been injured due to the negligence, speeding or reckless driving of others, we will be dedicated to thoroughly examining the case in order to determine who is liable and the financial compensation that may be due. Our goal is to get as much compensation for our clients as possible because we are aware of how injuries from an accident can place monetary burdens on our clients and their loved ones.

Schedule a free consultation so we can further discuss your accident claim. There is no payment due to us unless we get you financial compensation from a court verdict or a settlement. Call us today at (702) 434-8282 or complete our free online contact form.