Fighting for Your Fair and Full Compensation
Being involved in a car accident is stressful and traumatic enough. After an accident, you might be saddled with huge medical bills, missed time at work, and other expenses and effects that can be crushing financially. In such cases, it’s critical to speak with a Livonia car accident lawyer who can help you to recover compensation and make sure that you’re not held financially responsible for an accident that you did not cause.
While there are many car accident lawyers in Livonia and in Michigan, finding a law firm with a reputation for success and a team of compassionate, experienced attorneys is not always easy. At Goodman Acker, our Livonia car accident lawyers have a record of standing up for their clients, pursuing justice, and accepting only maximum settlements for clients.
The team at Goodman Acker has a 99 percent success rate.
Time is of the essence if you’ve been in an automobile accident. So, contact our car accident lawyers in Livonia for immediate assistance with managing your claim and obtaining damages that you’re owed. Call Goodman Acker at 248-286-8100 and ask for a free consultation to learn more about how we can help.
Here’s what you should know about the Livonia car accident lawyers at Goodman Acker:
- 150+ years of combined legal experience,
- A success rate of 99% for cases we conclude,
- Routinely featured by newsgroups, like Fox 2 News and Local 4 Detroit,
- Available 24/7 for client emergencies,
- A growing group of completely satisfied clients we’ve served,
- Won millions of dollars for our clients, and
- Free initial consultations to get you started.
Damages that Our Car Accident Lawyers in Livonia Can Help You Recover
Most people are familiar with the concept of damages in a personal injury case. For example, if Rick hits his neighbor’s mailbox as he backs out of his driveway, he should pay to replace the mailbox.
Damages in a car accident claim follow that same principle. However, there’s a big difference between destroying a mailbox and destroying someone’s health and safety. So, additional damages are available in car wreck and other personal injury claims.
But let’s start with economic losses. The tangible, out-of-pocket expenses following a car crash claim usually include:
- Medical Bills: The average hospital bill following a serious injury wreck is over $55,000. In a catastrophic injury case, like a spine injury case, the medical bills could be over $5 million. These figures usually don’t include ancillary medical costs, like transportation expenses (ambulance and helicopter medevac costs), medical devices, and prescription drugs.
- Lost Wages: Usually, the lost wages component of economic losses is more like lost productivity or lost economic opportunity. Even after they go back to work, most car crash victims have good days and bad days. It may be several months, or even longer, before they completely put their injuries behind them and focus on work.
- Property Damage: In most cases, a mailbox is just a mailbox. But property like the family car often has an emotional value which, in many situations, exceeds its financial value. Our Livonia car wreck lawyers can obtain compensation for both kinds of losses in these situations.
With the exception of property damage and perhaps lost work, if the victim was self-employed, calculation of economic damages is often rather straightforward. Noneconomic damages, which victims are also entitled to under Michigan law, are different. These damages include:
- Pain and suffering,
- Loss of enjoyment in life,
- Emotional distress, and
- Loss of consortium (companionship).
It’s difficult or impossible to place a price tag on these losses. To calculate a fair amount, our Livonia car accident lawyers usually multiply the economic losses by two, three, or four, largely depending on the facts in the case.
Additional punitive damages may be available as well, in a few extreme cases. Jurors may award punitive damages if there is clear and convincing evidence that the tortfeasor (negligent party) intentionally disregarded a known risk. Punitive damages are especially common in certain types of personal injury claims, such as birth injury cases.
Consulting with our car accident lawyers in Livonia helps determine what types of compensation your case involves. As knowledgeable truck accident attorneys and motorcycle accident attorneys, we handle accident cases involving these vehicles as well.
I’ve Been in a Car Accident in Livonia. What Should I Do Next?
Advice from Our Livonia Car Accident Attorneys to Keep Yourself Safe and Help Ensure Maximum Compensation
Although car accident victims could be entitled to substantial compensation, many people unintentionally do, or don’t do, things that hurt their legal claims later. As a result, they could lose some or all of the compensation they need and deserve.
At Goodman Acker, we’ve won millions of dollars for families just like yours. Because of our experience, we know what victims should do, and what they shouldn’t do, in the wake of a car crash.
- DO See a Doctor: Many car accident victims refuse medical treatment because they don’t “feel” injured. But you never know how badly you are hurt until a qualified doctor examines you. Most car crash injuries are degenerative. The longer you neglect them, the worse they get. A few hours could make a big difference.
- DON’T Talk to the Other Driver’s Insurance Company: Because of their injuries, many car crash victims aren’t thinking clearly after an accident. As a result, they could unintentionally say damaging things to an adjuster who is trained to take advantage of such people.
- DO Speak with a Lawyer: Just like you don’t know how badly you are hurt until you submit to a doctor’s examination, you don’t know how much compensation you might be entitled to until you speak with a Livonia car accident lawyer.
Not just any lawyer will do. Your attorney should be experienced in personal injury law and be able to meet with you and answer your questions. Our legal team has the right combination of expertise and accessibility. So, you can rely on us to handle your case.
After you’ve been hurt in a car accident, don’t burden yourself with insurance and settlement negotiations. Instead, let our Livonia car accident attorneys handle your case.
Understanding Michigan’s No-Fault Insurance
As a no-fault car accident state, car owners must purchase insurance that covers at least some expenses in the event of an accident. This way, insurance will pay for some expenses and damages no matter who caused an accident.
No-fault insurance is designed to get car accident victims compensation more quickly. Instead of having to file a claim against or sue another driver, some victims can turn to their own insurance coverage. However, your insurance may not cover all expenses and damages. If you still have costs resulting from your accident that insurance does not cover, it’s best to speak with our Livonia car accident lawyers about filing a claim against the responsible party.
Car Accidents FAQs
Common Questions for Our Livonia Car Accident Lawyers
If you’ve been in a car accident, you probably have more than just a few questions for our Livonia car accident lawyer. Below are several common questions our firm frequently hears.
It’s not possible to know the exact value of a case without looking at the conditions and factors involved. By reviewing your case with our car accident attorneys in Livonia, you can have a clearer picture of how much your case is worth. As a general estimate, take the sum of all your damages (meaning medical bills, missed time at work, auto repairs, and more) and multiply it by three. That figure may approximate the value of your case.
If you are pursuing an accident claim or lawsuit, the duration depends on several factors. These factors include the extent of your injuries and complexity of treatment, your ability to return to work, liability issues, and twists and turns in the negotiation process.
The Livonia car accident lawyers at Goodman Acker not only have the experience and knowledge needed to win cases and to help secure compensation for accident victims, but we also have the resolve and dedication needed to fight for maximum compensation. We offer firsthand personal attention for each client and case, because our legal team wants the best outcomes for everyone we serve. Additionally, we don’t back down from the serious accident cases involving spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injury, and other catastrophic injuries. We handle the tough cases that require determination and resolve.
Yes, in many cases. Michigan follows a modified comparative negligence rule. So, even if you were partially to blame for your accident, you may still be able to recover compensation via a claim or lawsuit as long as the extent of your fault does not exceed 50 percent. Your compensation will be reduced by the percentage that you were deemed at fault.
Car accident victims must have actual damages, meaning monetary expenses, that resulted from the accident. Typically, a defective product, such as a defective tire, or a negligent driver causes such accidents. In order to obtain compensation from other drivers and entities, it’s usually necessary to demonstrate their negligence and show that their negligent actions caused the accident.
If you need to find out more about the claims process and resolving your car accident case, schedule a free consultation with our team by calling 248-286-8100. When you choose Goodman Acker, it’s a good decision.
Get Help from Our Livonia Car Accident Lawyer
By teaming up with our car accident attorneys in Livonia, you’ll give yourself and your case the best chances at full compensation. Our experienced legal team at Goodman Acker will answer all of your questions, handle insurance negotiations for you, review evidence to build a strong case, and, in short, help you obtain the damages that you deserve.
With a success rate of 99 percent for the cases that we conclude, we’re confident that we can help you and your situation. We’d be glad to take the opportunity to learn more about you. Please feel free to give our Livonia car accident attorneys a call at 248-286-8100 and ask for a free consultation today.
LEGALLY REVIEWED BY BARRY J. GOODMAN
Barry J. Goodman has devoted his professional life to keeping courthouse doors open for victims seeking justice. Always a tireless advocate for his own clients, Goodman sees his responsibility as a Detroit personal injury attorney in a broader sense as well. [ Attorney Bio ]
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