Re: Neck and Back injury from auto accident
The Statue of Limitations for this sort of accident is two years from the date of the accident. If you do not file a civil complaint (law suit) within that time your claims will probably be barred. Some questions that need to be answered are: You did not say how long it has been since the accident, but if you have not heard from the insurance company within thirty days of the accident, something is not right? Have you contacted the insurance company, and have you filed your version of the SR 13
Accident Report with the State? What is your insurance company doing?
It would appear that you need to contact an attorney immediately. Normally such matters are
handled on what is known as a contingency fee basis. In other words the lawyer gets nothing unless he or she recovers for you, and then gets a per centage that you have agreed upon in advance, in writing.
You should be careful as many firms doing contingency fee work will often end up with more
money than the client. A fair contact in a noncomplex accident situation such as you described would be 20 to 30 per cent of the net recovery (that is after the expenses and costs of the case have been paid). This means you would get 70% to 80% of the net recovery, compare this to a lawyer who signs you to a 50% contingency fee taken from the gross recovery (before costs are paid). If the damages awarded are $100,000.00, then the lawyer would get $50,000.00 off the top, and then pays all his expenses of litigation (this may include some rather interesting fees such has meals and hotel accommodations, etc., that may or may not have to do with your case...). Lets say there are $10,000.00 of expenses, $5,000.00 of which is for expert witnesses and accident reconstruction, and the rest to defray the law firm’s internal costs. Thus you receive only $40,000.00. Choose your attorney carefully.
If we can be of assistance, please contact us at Forrester & Associates, 256-435-1007.
