A motor vehicle accident can have a devastating impact on you and your family. If you or a loved one has been injured, contact our firm to schedule a consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney.
Help You Need After a Motor Vehicle Accident in Alaska
According to the Alaska Department of Transportation, nearly 10,000 motor vehicle accidents occur every year, more than 30 percent of which result in injuries. If you or someone you love has been involved in a motor vehicle accident in Alaska, it is important you talk with an attorney about your rights and the compensation that you may be entitled to under the law.
At Walther & Flanigan, our lawyers represent people who have been injured in car, truck and motorcycle accidents, as well as bicyclists and pedestrians who have been struck by negligent motorists. Contact us to schedule a free consultation and talk with us about your claim. Call to make an appointment at 888-734-6547. We serve clients throughout Alaska, including Anchorage, Fairbanks, the Kenai Peninsula, Mat-Su Valley, and Southeast, along with Bush and other remote communities.
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If you are in a motor vehicle accident with a driver who does not have insurance coverage, you will have to rely on your own policy to provide the compensation you deserve. Let us help you deal with the insurance company to make sure they treat you fairly.
In addition to our personal injury representation, we also work with the family members of people who have suffered catastrophic or fatal injuries in Alaska automobile accidents. We can help you pursue the benefits you deserve after a tragedy in a respectful and honest manner.
Auto Accident Injuries and Compensation
An individual who has been injured in an automobile accident may be able to seek monetary compensation for injuries and damages. Cases are fact specific, typically with complex issues of proof and fault in dispute. Working with an experienced attorney from Walther & Flanigan in Anchorage, Alaska, will help you sort out your legal options.
Compensation for Your Losses
The injured party in a motor vehicle accident may be able to recover damages from the party or parties who caused the accident. Damages are monetary compensation for the victim’s injuries or losses. Compensable injuries include physical injuries like broken bones, spinal cord injuries and head injuries; the pain and suffering caused by physical injuries may also be compensable.
Damages may also be sought to pay for the victim’s medical bills — bills that arose directly after the accident, in addition to reasonable future medical bills. If the victim requires rehabilitative services or accommodations, such as physical therapy or a ramp leading to the home, these costs may be recovered. The accident victim also may recover lost past and future wages. Compensation for damage to personal property may also be recoverable.
Other damages that are more difficult to quantify may also be sought. Mental pain and suffering may be compensable, as may permanent impairment or disfigurement. Loss of enjoyment of life is also compensable in certain situations.
If the injured person was already suffering from a previous injury, that does not necessarily bar monetary recovery. The accident may have aggravated or worsened the victim’s existing injury, and the new injury can be treated as a separate matter from the underlying injury.
If you have been injured in an auto accident, it is a good idea to keep a daily diary documenting how the injury is affecting you, both emotionally and physically. This can be of great assistance when it comes time to show the effects of the accident.
Spouse’s Damages: Loss of Consortium
Even if the spouse of the motor vehicle accident victim was not in the car at the time of the crash, the spouse may also be experiencing a loss. Almost every state recognizes the claim of loss of consortium. Loss of consortium refers to the negative effect the accident has had on the marital relationship. The marital relationship generally comes with certain benefits, such as companionship, comfort, assistance, sexual relations and affection; the loss of consortium can be temporary or permanent.
Auto Insurance
It is most often the case that auto accident victims who recover in court or via a settlement are paid by the other driver’s insurance company. If the other driver is uninsured or underinsured, however, the accident victim must pursue other means of recovery.
The insurance policy of the victim may have an uninsured-motorist or underinsured-motorist provision that will compensate the victim. Other types of insurance policies, available through the victim’s spouse or employer, may also provide benefits. How significant a benefit and whether it is available depends, of course, on the specifics of the policy itself.
Amount of Financial Recovery
The level of damages to which the auto accident victim may be entitled depends on numerous factors. State law, the victim’s injuries, proving the facts of the case and even the victim’s own actions can come into play. So can the type and length of medical treatment, the insurance coverage of each party, the effect of the accident on the victim’s income and the permanence of the injuries. This is why an experienced attorney can be such a strong ally in planning the case and assessing damages.
Contact an Attorney
A motor vehicle accident can have catastrophic consequences, both for the victim and the victim’s family. Contact an attorney at Walther & Flanigan in Anchorage, Alaska, to discuss your legal options.
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