Car Accidents Attorney helping Williston, Burlington, Vermont and surrounding areas
Car accidents happen every day on the roads, streets, and highways of Vermont. Just a moment's carelessness can lead to a serious crash. When a negligent or reckless driver triggers an accident, the other drivers who suffer injuries deserve to be compensated.
If you were hurt in a car accident in Vermont that wasn't your fault, you may be entitled to compensation. For 30 years, Vermont car accident lawyer David Lynch has gone to work every day to protect the rights of people like you - people hurt in accidents caused by the carelessness of others.
At Lynch Legal Services, PLLC, we understand that you may never have had to hire a lawyer or pursue an injury claim before. You probably want to avoid conflict and get the matter settled with as little hassle as possible. We understand and respect that outlook.
We also know that you and your family shouldn't be stuck with the financial losses and medical bills from an accident that you didn't cause. What's fair is fair. Not all conflicts can be resolved fairly without professional help. Let our firm be your voice to advocate for your rights and help you pursue the recovery you need and deserve after an accident.
Contact our firm today to set up a free and confidential case evaluation with our Vermont car accident lawyer and to learn more about your rights. We can help guide you through the process of seeking compensation for your losses.
How Our Vermont Car Accident Lawyer Can Help You
When you've been injured because of someone else's recklessness, you deserve compensation for your injuries and losses. Our Vermont car accident lawyer can help you pursue the compensation you deserve by:
- Conducting our own investigation to make sure we have all available evidence in your case, not simply relying on the findings of police or the insurance company
- Leveraging our firm's resources to work with accident reconstruction experts to determine what happened in your accident and identify the party or parties at fault for your injuries and losses
- Helping you collect your medical records, bills, invoices, and other documents to ensure we pursue compensation for all your losses
- Filing your claims with the insurance companies and dealing with adjusters on your behalf so you can avoid the stress of haggling with people uninterested in helping you
- Making ourselves always available to speak with you and answer your questions, update you on the progress of your case, and advise you on next steps
- Negotiating for a settlement of your claim that provides you with fair and full compensation of your losses
- Preparing your case to be filed in court if necessary, and advocating your story and your rights if your case goes to trial
When you choose our firm to help you with your car accident claim, you will be charged no fees unless and until we secure compensation for you. That way, you can stay focused on your treatment and recovery knowing that you have an experienced, knowledgeable attorney advocating for your rights.
Pursuing Full Compensation in Your Vermont Car Accident Claim
If you've suffered injuries from a car accident you didn't cause, you shouldn't have to bear the financial burdens of medical bills and lost wages from missed work. Our Vermont car accident attorney can help you seek full and fair compensation for damages arising from your car accident, such as:
- Medical treatment, including ER and hospital stays, surgeries and other medical procedures, pain medication, and physical and occupational rehab
- Personal care, including home health care services or personal/home maintenance services you cannot perform yourself because of your injuries
- Lost wages and income from missed work
- Lost earning capacity because of a disability that prevents you from returning to work
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment or quality of life due to your injuries and resulting disabilities or physical disfigurement
Our firm can also ensure you receive full compensation for the damage to your car, including repair costs or replacement costs if your vehicle is totaled in the accident.
What if You Were Partly at Fault for The Car Crash?
Even if you bear some of the blame for your car crash, you may still be entitled to seek compensation for your injuries and damages. In Vermont, liability for car accidents follows the modified comparative negligence rule.
This rule states that an injured person is not barred from receiving compensation, so long as their share of fault does not exceed the fault of the other responsible party or parties. In other words, you can receive compensation as long as you bear 50 percent or less fault for your car accident.
If you do have some responsibility for your crash, your compensation will be reduced to reflect it. For example, if you incurred $50,000 in damages from a car accident that you are 10 percent responsible for, your compensation may be reduced by $5,000.
Time Limit for Filing a Car Accident Lawsuit in Vermont
In Vermont, the statute of limitations requires you to file a car accident lawsuit within three years of the date of the accident (minor children injured in a car accident have until three years after turning 18 to file suit). The only exception is when certain circumstances prevent you from timely filing suit. For example, you were involved in a hit-and-run accident and could not immediately identify the other driver.
If you fail to file your lawsuit before the statute of limitations expires on your car accident claim, your lawsuit will almost certainly be permanently dismissed, and you will lose the right to pursue compensation.
What to Do if You've Been Hurt in A Car Accident
If you've never been involved in a car accident, you may not know what you should be doing in the hours, days, and weeks after the accident. However, not taking the appropriate steps after being hurt in a car crash can have serious consequences for your legal options.
After an accident, you should:
- Call 911 if you or someone else has been seriously injured or appears to be in distress.
- If no one has been seriously hurt, you should contact the local police department (or the Vermont State Police if the accident took place on the highway) to have an officer come to the scene and fill out a police accident report.
- Get the names, contact information, vehicle/registration information, and insurance information from each driver involved in the accident.
- If any bystanders witnessed the accident, get their names and contact information as well.
- If possible, try to document the accident scene by photographing or videoing details such as the positions of vehicles after the accident, damage to the vehicles, skid marks on the road, traffic controls at the scene of the crash, the lighting, weather, traffic, road conditions at the time of the accident, and any visible injuries you may have suffered.
- Even if you don't feel like you were seriously hurt, you should still get physically checked out by your primary doctor or at your local emergency room or urgent care center to diagnose any injuries you may have suffered in the crash.
- Schedule a free initial consultation with a Vermont car accident attorney from Lynch Legal Services, PLLC to discuss your case and to learn more about your legal rights.
What You Need to Know About Dealing with Insurance Companies
Soon after you've been involved in a car accident, you may be contacted by insurance adjusters looking to obtain a statement from you regarding the accident. They may also ask you to sign paperwork or offer you money to help pay for medical bills and lost wages.
Although insurance representatives may seem friendly and helpful, you need to keep in mind that they are not looking out for your interests. They are focused on protecting the profit margins of the insurance company. These companies maximize their profits by paying out as little in claims as possible. That's why insurance companies will often do whatever it takes to convince you to accept less money than you deserve after a serious car accident.
Insurance companies know that you are vulnerable immediately after a crash and will try to take advantage of you. They know that you're facing extensive treatment for injuries and missing time at work while you recover. They know you need help at this time, so they may quickly offer you a check to help pay your hospital bills and other expenses.
But whatever amount the insurance company offers almost certainly will not represent the full extent of the losses you have as a result of your accident - or the maximum amount of compensation the insurance company may be willing to offer.
Insurance companies may also try to get you to talk about the accident or sign paperwork to "process your claim." In many cases, adjusters are looking for anything they can use against you. They will later say that you weren't as seriously injured as you claim, or that you were actually the one at fault for the accident.
Dealing with insurance companies can be stressful. That's why it helps to have an experienced Vermont car accident attorney representing you to deal with the insurance company representatives on your behalf. A car accident attorney can protect your rights and interests when dealing with the insurance companies and can push to make sure that the compensation they provide you represents a fair and full recovery of your past, ongoing, and future expenses.
Common Car Accident Injuries in Vermont
Cars have gotten increasingly safer for occupants in the event of an accident, particularly over the last 10 to 20 years. Nevertheless, car accidents can and still do result in a wide variety of injuries, including serious and life-threatening ones.
Some of the more common injuries suffered in car accidents in Vermont include:
- Broken bones
- Dislocated joints
- Soft tissue injuries such as tears of ligaments, muscles, and tendons
- Neck and back injuries, such as spinal disc herniations or ruptures
- Spinal cord injuries, which may lead to temporary or permanent numbness, weakness, or paralysis
- Internal organ damage and internal bleeding
- Head injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Amputations
- Burns
Common Causes of Vermont Car Accidents
Even a single act of carelessness can turn into a catastrophic car accident. Common driver-related causes of car accidents in Vermont include:
- Speeding or driving too fast for road conditions (such as snow, ice, fog, or heavy rain)
- Tailgating
- Unsafe lane changes (failure to signal, failure to check mirrors and blind spots)
- Unsafe turns (failure to signal, failure to yield)
- Running stop signs, yield signs, and red lights
- Drowsy or fatigued driving
- Texting-while-driving and other distracted driving
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Reckless driving, including excessive speeding or weaving through traffic
Car accidents may also have non-driver related causes, such as when a crash is triggered by a mechanical failure due to improper or inadequate maintenance, or by a design or manufacturing defect in the vehicle.
Talk to A Vermont Car Accident Attorney Now
If you have been hurt in a car accident in Vermont and someone else was to blame, schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with Lynch Legal Services, PLLC today to discuss your legal options.
We want to help you understand your rights and pursue the recovery you deserve. We take a down-to-earth approach to our client service so that you feel comfortable and confident in your car accident case, no matter how complicated it may seem.