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What Happens When You Sue After a Car Accident?

Car accidents can range in severity from minor fender benders to fatal tragedies. No matter how bad a collision appears to be, there may be long-lasting consequences that affect your health and wellbeing after the fact. This is just one reason why it is important not to rule out legal recourse when you are attempting to recover from the trauma of an auto collision.

According to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, over 150,000 accidents take place in a given year. Unfortunately, many of these collisions are due to negligent drivers, and the responsible party should be accountable for the harm and damage inflicted on the other driver. This is what you can expect from pursuing legal action.

Collect from insurance

Many people think of filing a lawsuit and mistakenly assume the other driver will be the target. While they might have been at fault for the collision, suing does not mean you are directly coming after them, though. Insured drivers have coverage specifically for this reason — you will be taking legal action against their insurance company for the liability coverage they have paid for.

Consider settlement options

After initiating legal action, it is likely the insurance company will offer you a settlement. Sometimes these settlement offers are lowball, though, and ultimately not in your best interest to accept. If you are unsure of how to handle this part of the process, consulting with an attorney may be the best way to determine the right option.

Recover and recuperate

Ultimately, taking legal action is about advocating for your needs and ensuring you have the resources necessary to recover from the accident. You likely have medical bills and other expenses that are piling up, and insurance companies will often try to avoid paying for these costs even if their insured is responsible. A lawsuit does not have to be stressful when you have the right legal representative on your side.