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Auto Accidents
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Rhode Island Auto Accident Basics
Massachusetts Auto Accident Basics
Connecticut Auto Accident Basics
How to Handle Your
Auto Property Damage Claim?
What To Do When Involved in an Auto Accident?
What Insurance Steps Should be Taken?
Questions About Auto Accidents and Answers From Auto Accident Attorneys
Why You Need an Auto Accident Attorney?
Why We Are Successful- Our Auto Accident Qualifications
Every year, thousands of auto accidents occur. They can cause severe
personal injuries and/or property damages. The resulting financial
difficulties due to lost wages and medical bills can be overwhelming.
If you have been injured in an auto accident you need the Law Offices
of d'Oliveira and Associates, P.C., to ensure you receive all of
the compensation you deserve. Give us a call or stop by one of
our fourteen locations for a free consultation and remember you
pay no legal fees unless a settlement is made on your behalf.
After an auto accident, you may have many questions about your
options and how
to proceed; the Law Offices of d’Oliveira and Associates, P.C. can help.
For a free consultation come into one of our RI or MA locations – or we
can serve you by coming to your home. No matter where you live, feel free to
send us a contact form or call us toll free at 1-800-992-6878 for your free initial
case review. Tell them you mean business, and let the lawyers of d'Oliveira & Associates,
P.C., go to work on your behalf now!
To fill out a confidential form, CLICK
HERE.
Rhode Island Auto Accident Basics:
Every insured
automobile in Rhode Island has a minimum coverage of $25,000/$50,000.
This means the insurance company will pay
up to $25,000 to each injured person, but no more than $50,000
total for each accident. Insurance will also cover $25,000 worth
of property damage. Some automobiles have coverage with much
higher limits. Although it is not required, Rhode Island recommends
drivers also have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.
Only the insurance company for the person at fault pays under
this coverage. This coverage compensates you for lost wages,
medical expenses, pain and suffering and mental anguish. The
insurance company will pay you under bodily injury for any injury
that is directly caused by the negligence of another driver.
Unlike in Massachusetts, there is no minimal requirement that
your medical bills exceed $2,000.
Although there is no personal injury protection or PIP in Rhode
Island, you can collect medical payments from your insurance
if available from the automobile you were in during
the accident.
However,
the medical payments money paid is a lien and must be paid back
from the proceeds of the liability settlement.
You may also be able to collect temporary disability insurance
(TDI), from the State of Rhode Island if you were employed in
Rhode Island and will have lost wages. You may qualify for additional
benefits such as workers’ compensation, if you were in
the course of your employment at the time of the accident, or
disability payments if you have disability insurance coverage.
You may also qualify for payment of your home mortgage, automobile
loan, or life insurance premiums if you have the applicable coverage.
You should check to see if you have any other coverage, in addition
to your automobile insurance coverage.
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Massachusetts Auto Accident Basics:
Every insured
automobile in Massachusetts has a minimum coverage of $20,000/$40,000.
This means the insurance company will pay up to $20,000 to each injured person,
but no more than $40,000 total for each accident. Insurance will also cover $5,000
worth of property damage. Some automobiles have coverage with much higher limits.
Massachusetts is a no fault state. Nevertheless, if the accident was especially
severe and the party had excessive medical costs, they can petition to have the
responsible party held liable. However, normally each driver’s expenses
and damages are covered by their individual insurance. All Massachusetts’ insurance
policies have Personal Injury Protection, or PIP, coverage. PIP will still cover
Massachusetts’s drivers if they are involved in out of state automobile
accidents. PIP will pay you or anyone else injured in your automobile for medical
bills, funeral expenses, and 75% of lost wages. The maximum amount of PIP coverage
is $8,000.
If you have secondary health insurance such as Blue Cross/Blue Shield, the PIP
insurance carrier is responsible for only the first $2,000 in medical bills and
your private health insurance carrier may pay for the rest. If they do not, PIP
must pay the balance. If you have Med Pay, or medical payments, coverage, an
additional $5,000 (or more) is available to pay for medical expenses for you
or anyone injured in your automobile. Unlike PIP, this coverage is not mandatory.
In addition to traditional liability coverage and PIP, Massachusetts also requires
motorists to have uninsured motorist coverage. Such insurance will provide coverage
to either vehicle or party for damages, which resulted from the accident. It
will cover an uninsured party, an underinsured party and a hit and run accident.
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Connecticut Auto Accident Basics:
Every insured automobile in
Connecticut has a minimum coverage of $20,000/$40,000. This
means the insurance company will pay
up to $20,000 to each injured person,
but no more than $40,000 total for each accident. Insurance will also cover $10,000
worth of property damage. Some automobiles have coverage with much higher limits.
Connecticut also requires drivers to have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage,
which will pay expenses for the insured party. Uninsured/underinsured coverage
provides $20,000 of coverage to each injured person and $40,000 total for each
accident. Uninsured/underinsured insurance also provides coverage in the case
of a hit and run driver. PIP or personal injury protection is not required in
Connecticut.
Other optional coverage in Connecticut is Medical Payments. Medical Payments
covers medical, dental, hospitalization and other treatment expenses. Medical
Payments will also cover the policyholder and other family members if they are
injured in another car or if they are injured while biking or walking.
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How to Handle Your
Auto Property Damage Claim?
You may have a property claim along with your
personal injury claim, or you may just have a property claim
as a result of your
auto accident. With your property claim, it may depend on who
is at fault. If the other driver is clearly at fault, you would
file a claim with their insurance company. The other driver’s
insurance will pay for a rental car and other car repairs. If
it is unclear who is at fault, you should file your property
damage claim with your own insurance company and your insurance
coverage will pay for the repairs.Once it is determined who
is at fault, your insurance company can subrogate against the
responsible party’s insurance. Subrogation allows an insurance
company to recover the money they paid, when the responsible
driver’s insurance was really the party responsible for
covering the property damage.
The insurance company gets to determine
whether or not your car should be repaired or is a “total
loss.” A “total loss” is when it costs more
to repair the car than it is worth. If the car is a total loss,
you may have to negotiate with the insurance company over the
value of your car. Commonly, the insurance company will try to
determine the pre accident value by looking in the Kelly Blue
Book. You can reject the number offered by the insurance company,
but you have to present evidence to show why you believe your
car is worth more money than the insurance company is offering.
The driver who is responsible for the accident is also liable
to pay for the towing and storage of the car until it is determined
whether it can be repaired or whether it is a “total loss.” back to top
What To
Do When Involved in an Auto Accident?
- Remain calm and do not move
your vehicle until the police arrive.
- Obtain names and addresses of any
witnesses to the accident, including passengers from the respective
cars.
- Obtain name and address of the other driver, along with
the license number, registration and insurance company’s
name.
- Take notes on the position of the vehicles, the weather
and road conditions and the time of day.
- Take pictures of the accident scene, vehicles and their
positions and any visible injuries.
- Note if any of the parties
involved committed any traffic violations or appear to be
under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- Notify your insurance
agent or company as soon as possible.
- Complete an operator’s report at the local Police station within five days.
- Seek
medical attention if you have sustained any injury no matter
how small.
- Call us at d'Oliveira and Associates, P.C., to
assist you with any questions you may have.
If you have any
questions or need legal
representation
please
do not hesitate to contact us at 1-800-992-6878
back to top What Insurance Steps Should be Taken?
- Contact the insurance company as soon as
possible after the accident. All companies require claims to
be filed
within a certain
amount of time after the accident. Do not wait too long to
file a claim!
- Read your insurance policy to determine insurance
coverage, in order to make the proper claims.
- Tell the insurance
company all of the details of the accident, including the
insurance information and coverage of the
other parties involved.
- Keep a written account of conversations
with employees of the insurance company.
- Save all paperwork
relating to your insurance claim, including medical bills,
repair bills and other expenses.
- Check to see if you have
additional insurance policies, which may offer coverage for
the injury or accident
that occurred.
- When talking with the insurance
company:
- DO NOT admit to any liability.
- DO NOT accept any estimates from your insurer
about a settlement or the value of your claim.
Do your
own investigation
or consult
an attorney.
- DO NOT sign any sort of insurance release
or waiver.
- DO NOT accept any settlement, unless you feel
it is complete compensation for your losses.
back to top Questions About Auto Accidents and Answers From Auto Accident
Attorneys
Injured
by a Hit & Run
Driver?
Injured by a Drunk Driver?
Injured in a Pedestrian Accident?
Injured in a Bicycle Accident?
Injured in a Rear End Collision?
Sustained Back or Neck Injuries?
Sustained Whiplash Injuries?
Injured by an Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist?
Injured by a Motorcycle Accident?
Injured by a Truck Accident?
Injured by a Bus Accident?
Was a Loved One Involved in a
Fatal Accident?
back to top Why You Need an
Auto Accident Attorney?
Auto accidents can be traumatic and dangerous. Seemingly minor
accidents can have long-term consequences. You may not realize
it, but you need legal assistance. Insurance companies do not
have your best interests at heart and will try to settle any
claims for the lowest possible amount. You need an attorney who
can protect your rights and get you the compensation you deserve.
An attorney can make sure you get the money you need to cover
medical bills, lost wages, property damage and pain and suffering.
If you or a loved one has been in an auto accident, you should consider contacting
an attorney who specializes in handling these types of cases. The attorneys
of d'Oliveira & Associates, P.C., would like to meet with you and discuss
the investigation of your injury. Our law firm has represented and assisted
numerous automobile accident victims in bringing lawsuits against other drivers
and insurance companies alike, and there are no fees unless we are successful.
To fill out a confidential form, CLICK HERE.
back to top Why We Are Successful - Our Auto
Accident Qualifications
Attorney Paul d'Oliveira and
his Associate Attorneys have settled thousands
of personal injury cases over the past
nineteen (19) years. With our help, you can receive compensation
for medical expenses, lost wages, damages to personal property,
pain and suffering and wrongful death, resulting from an auto
accident. Auto accidents have resulted in some of the largest
settlements for d’Oliveira and Associates. Our experience
and prior track record at d’Oliveira & Associates provide
us with the best qualifications to handle your auto accident.
Our past successes include:
Our client was injured in a rear-end collision with a tractor-trailer
truck and the vehicle burst into flames. She suffered a fractured
vertebra, lacerations and burns.
$1Million settlement
Our client was a 25-year-old woman who was in a motor vehicle
accident and suffered a brain injury.
$964,000 settlement
Our client was struck by another vehicle as a pedestrian and
suffered a brain injury, facial fractures and permanent loss
of vision.
$775,000 settlement
Our client was a passenger in a motor vehicle traveling at
a high rate of speed on a wet road when the driver lost control
and struck a large rock. Our client suffered severe head injuries,
and permanent paralysis.
$600,000 settlement
Our client was injured in an auto accident and suffered a broken
leg requiring pins and screws, a fractured pelvis, internal
bleeding and a laceration to their colon.
$550,000 settlement
Our client was injured as a passenger in a motor vehicle accident
and sustained a back injury which required surgery.
$500,000 settlement
Our client was a passenger in a motor vehicle accident and
suffered a brain injury.
$470,000 settlement
Our client was injured as a passenger in a motor vehicle accident
and suffered injuries to their back, neck and shoulder and
underwent spinal surgery.
$410,000 settlement
Our client was injured when their vehicle was struck head-on
by a truck and suffered multiple fractures and lacerations.
$400,000 settlement. Our client was injured while operating a motorcycle and suffered
from broken bones, road burns and multiple contusions.
$388,000 settlement
Our client was injured as a passenger in a motor vehicle in which
the driver fell asleep at the wheel. The vehicle struck a tree
and rolled over and our client suffered a severe fracture of
the wrist, which required surgery.
$350,000 settlement
Our client was involved in a motor vehicle accident and suffered
a broken pelvis, fractures to the arm and elbow, a dislocated
hip and lacerations. She had surgery on her hip and pelvis and
underwent extensive rehabilitation.
$347,500 settlement
Our client was injured as a passenger in a motor vehicle accident
and suffered lacerations and broken bones.
$325,000 settlement
Our client was a woman who was injured in a motor vehicle accident.
She sustained injuries to the neck and shoulder, which required
surgery and rehabilitation.
$320,000 settlement
Our client was involved in a rear-end collision and suffered
a back injury, which required extensive medical treatment.
$300,000 settlement
Our client was injured in a rear-end collision while stopped
at train tracks and sustained neck and back injuries that required
surgery.
$250,000 settlement
Our client was injured as a passenger in a motor vehicle accident
and underwent neck surgery.
$225,000 settlement
If you or a loved one has been in an auto
accident, you should consider contacting an attorney who specializes
in handling these
types of cases. The attorneys of d'Oliveira & Associates,
P.C., would like to meet with you and discuss the investigation
of your injury. Our law firm has represented and assisted numerous
automobile accident victims in bringing lawsuits against other
drivers and insurance companies alike, and there are no fees
unless we are successful. To fill out a confidential form, CLICK
HERE.
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