You don’t have to contend with the aftermath of a car accident on your own. Instead, you can turn to one of Newport News’ car accident attorneys.
Christina Pendleton & Associates can establish accident liability on your behalf. In turn, we’ll fight to win you the compensation you need to overcome your accident-related losses.
File Your Claim Soon After Your Accident in Virginia
It’s easy to find yourself overwhelmed by expenses after a car accident. You’ll have to act quickly if you want to pursue a related claim.
According to Virginia’s statute of limitations, Code of Virginia §8.01-243, you only have three years to act on your car accident losses. If you try to file your case outside of this deadline, then you risk seeing it dismissed.
Note, too, that your three-year deadline begins on the same day that your accident occurs. The sooner you can schedule a consultation with a car accident attorney in Newport News, the sooner you’ll be able to get the civil process underway.
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Pursuing Compensation for Your Losses After a Newport News Car Accident
If you want to pursue compensation after a car accident, you can file a legal complaint. A complaint lets you bring your losses to the attention of the Newport News courts. You’ll need specific information on hand, though, if you want this request for compensation to hold water.
Newport News courts require complaints to identify a liable party and draw connections between that party and the filer’s losses. Complaints should also include an estimate of the injured party’s losses and related compensation.
So long as you’ve submitted your complaint within Virginia’s statute of limitations, you can follow the document up with a demand letter. Demand letters go straight to the party you want to hold liable for your losses and can begin your negotiations for support. These negotiations can take place outside of the courtroom and do not demand that you go to trial.
Trials vs Negotiations
You, a representative, and the liable party’s legal team can meet to discuss the compensation to which you believe you are entitled. During these conversations, an attorney can negotiate on your behalf.
This management can keep negotiations from becoming aggressive or unproductive. However, there are some incidents in which negotiations will devolve. If your negotiations give way, you can opt to carry your complaint forward to a trial.
While you’ll have less control over your proposed compensation at this point, you can rely on a judge and jury to establish liability in your case. In turn, a judge may choose to award punitive damages to your case. You cannot request punitive damages in your original suit, nor will they apply to your case unless you go to trial.
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Proving Liability After a Car Accident
While your instinct may be to hold another driver responsible for your damage, they may not be at fault in your accident. Instead, you can look to parties that weren’t even on the scene when your accident occurred.
For example, if road damage made it more difficult for you to control your car, government officials or construction crews may be liable for your losses. Alternatively, rideshare vehicles may look to their parent companies to protect them from your suit.
To determine liability, both you and car accident lawyers in Newport News start a liability investigation. Throughout this process, you can secure professional witness statements regarding an accident’s cause. We can also collect insurance or accident reports to establish evidence of alleged fault.
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Settlement Offers in Car Accident Cases
Private cars aren’t the only vehicles on the road these days. You can find yourself in a car accident with any manner of commercial vehicle, including a rideshare or a small business’s van. If you get into an accident with one of these vehicles, pursuing civil action may seem particularly complicated.
Accidents involving commercial vehicles don’t see you issue a complaint against that vehicle’s driver. Instead, you’ll level your complaint against the company that owns or rents the car in question. In turn, that institution may extend a settlement offer in an attempt to avoid undue time in court.
Don’t accept a settlement offer without comparing it against your own calculated expenses first. An attorney can help you elaborate on your losses and grow your personal settlement as needed. In turn, we can negotiate for a more substantial offer on your behalf.
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Estimating Compensation in Your Car Accident Case
The losses you face in a car accident are going to be economic and non-economic in nature. What do those terms mean, though, and how do they translate into compensation? To learn more about the specifics of your potential settlement, you can sit down with a Newport News car accident lawyer.
Economic losses are losses that you can seek out immediate repairs or care for. These can include injuries you endured in your accident as well as your property damage. Under certain circumstances, you may even pursue lost wages or opportunities for employment.
Non-economic damages require more time to address. These damages can include long-term trauma, pain and suffering, or even wrongful death. To calculate the economic value of these losses, you can reference the precedent established in other car accident cases throughout Virginia.
Consult with a Newport News Car Accident Attorney Today
Car accidents don’t have to devastate your finances. If you’re struggling with the aftermath of an accident, give our team a call. Our car accident lawyers in Newport News are ready to help you file a car accident claim. Together we’ll bring your concerns to the attention of a county clerk without putting you under more financial stress.
If you’re ready to discuss a car accident suit, contact one of our representatives. You can schedule your free case consultation over the phone or through our online form.
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