Snowmobiles are both a fun recreational vehicle and a useful tool for getting around in the winter. However, these vehicles can also be very dangerous. Snowmobiles offer little protection to their riders, and when crashes occur, they often result in serious injuries.
After a snowmobile accident, recovering fair compensation can be critical to your recovery. At the 1Law Richfield office, we have helped countless accident victims get back on their feet after an injury. Our Richfield snowmobile accident lawyers know how to deal with the insurance companies and can help ensure that you get the money you need after a crash.
When considering hiring a snowmobile accident attorney in Richfield, you will likely be curious about what actions they will take on your behalf. The quick answer is that your attorney will take over every aspect of your legal case and fight to recover compensation on your behalf.
More specifically, your lawyer will get started on your case by launching an independent investigation into your accident. This investigation will likely involve:
The primary purposes of this investigation will be to establish liability and build your case for compensation. Upon completing their investigation, your lawyer will assess the damages you have suffered and calculate the full value of your claim. Next, your lawyer will consult with you about how to proceed.
They will present all your options and go over the pros and cons of each. Your lawyer will inform you of how strong your case is and let you know their opinion of how best to proceed. When you reach a decision, your lawyer will complete the necessary paperwork and submit your claim to the liable party’s insurer or file a lawsuit with the court.
If you choose to file a lawsuit, your attorney will proceed to go through the pretrial process and eventually represent your case in court. However, it is essential to note that many of these cases never end up going to trial. Throughout every step of the process, your attorney will negotiate with the opposing counsel to attempt to negotiate a fair settlement deal.
According to Utah Code Ann. § 78B-2-307, snowmobile accident victims generally have four years to file a lawsuit against the liable party after a crash. However, it is critical that you are aware of the fact that special circumstances could apply to your case, which would alter the amount of time you have to file.
For example, when the liable party is a government agency, the amount of time you have to file a lawsuit will be significantly reduced. Hiring an experienced snowmobile accident attorney shortly after your accident is the best way to ensure that you meet all deadlines.
Hiring a lawyer early will also put them in the best possible position to build a strong case on your behalf. By getting started early, your attorney will have a far better chance of gathering useful evidence. Additionally, they can record witness testimony while the event is still fresh in the minds of those who were present.
Personal injury lawyers typically charge their clients differently from most other types of attorneys. Rather than add a charge to your bill for every minute they spend working on your case, a Richfield snowmobile accident attorney will work on a contingency fee basis.
Under this payment system, your lawyer will only get paid if they succeed in getting you compensation. If your lawyer is able to secure damages for you, they will be paid as a preset percentage of the compensation that you recover. With your lawyer working on a contingency fee basis, you never have to worry about paying a single penny out of your own pocket.
You can also rest assured that your lawyer will do everything in their power to ensure you receive compensation since otherwise, they are working for free. Additionally, since your lawyer gets paid more when you collect more money, you can feel confident that they will work to ensure you recover as much money as possible from your accident.
After a snowmobile accident in Richfield, you will likely be eligible to recover various damages from the liable party. Damages you can recover are split into three categories:
These are the losses you suffer that have a direct and quantifiable monetary impact on your life. Essentially, these damages aim to directly replace every penny that your accident has cost you and will cost you in the future. Common economic damages include:
These damages are far more difficult to properly compensate. Non-economic damages are the losses you suffer that go behind financial concerns. There is no way for the law to truly replace non-economic damages. No amount of money can bring back a loved one or heal a permanent disability.
Because these damages are more profound, and the legal system is limited in its options for compensating injury victims, non-economic damages often make up the bulk of the compensation received by snowmobile accident victims. Common non-economic damages include:
Punitive damages are different from economic and non-economic damages. Unlike those, punitive damages are not compensatory. They are not focused on losses suffered by the accident victim. Instead, they are concerned with the actions of the at-fault party.
Punitive damages are meant to punish the liable party. They are only awarded in cases where the actions of the at-fault party were egregiously negligent or carried out with blatant disregard for public safety.
After a snowmobile accident, the best way to ensure that you recover fair compensation for your injuries is to hire an experienced Richfield snowmobile accident lawyer. At 1Law, our team of snowmobile accident attorneys will work hard to ensure you recover fair compensation for your damages.
To get started, give us a call, fill out our online contact form, or use our free chat tool. We offer free, no-obligation consultations, so there is no risk in reaching out to us today to learn more about your options.