751 Reservoir Ave, Cranston, RI 02910 | (401) 275-2039
If you or a loved one were injured in a car accident in Cranston in which you were not at-fault, you may be entitled to compensation to cover your medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, as well as other related losses. d’Oliveira & Associates does not charge any fee until you receive a settlement or award for your claim. Call us anytime at 401-275-2039 or by completing a contact form for a free (no obligation) case evaluation.
Types of Car Accident Injury Cases We Handle in Cranston Include:
- Distracted driving accidents
- Drunk or impaired driving crashes
- Rear-end collisions
- Hit-and-runs
- Merging accidents
- Multi-vehicle pileups
- Rollover auto accidents
No Fees Unless We Win Your Cranston Car Accident Case!
Our firm uses a contingency fee arrangement, which means that we do not charge any fees until we obtain a settlement or award on your behalf.
What Compensation Is Available After a Car Accident in Cranston?
If you were hurt in a car accident that was not your fault, you may be compensated for your accident-related expenses, such as medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and property damage to your vehicle.
To learn more about getting vehicle repairs, click here.
What Is My Cranston Car Accident Case Worth?
The total amount you may be able to recover depends on your particular case facts, such as the seriousness of your injuries, amount of medical attention you need, and your injuries’ impact on your life. Our seasoned car accident attorneys can estimate what your case may be worth.
Common Causes of Car Accidents
There are many causes of car accidents, but the most common include:
- Speeding – Driving above the speed limit poses a risk of injury to other motorists and pedestrians.
- Drunk driving – While the legal drinking limit is 0.08% blood alcohol concentration, consuming any alcohol before driving impairs motor function, reaction time, decision-making abilities, which pose serious dangers—including death—to others on the roadway.
- Distracted driving – Drivers may think that minor distractions, like adjusting the radio or setting a GPS, are harmless, but such distractions can dramatically increase the likelihood of a car accident.
- Poor road conditions – Poor road conditions, such as bad weather, improperly maintained roads, and construction, are hazardous to even the most careful drivers and may result in car accidents.
- Automobile Part Defects – Some car accidents are not caused by driver error at all, but design or manufacturing defects in the vehicle. All drivers should get their car regularly maintained and ensure that any recalled parts are repaired or replaced as soon as possible.
What Should I Do After My Cranston Car Accident?
- Turn on your car’s hazard lights to alert other motorists.
- Move to a safe location. Do not move your vehicle unless it is in a dangerous area.
- Call 911—request police and an ambulance (if needed).
- Photograph and/or document accident details, including:
- Time of the accident
- Place where the accident occurred
- Damage to any vehicles
- Visible physical injuries
- Obvious traffic violations
- Any witnesses who saw the accident
- Fill out a police report and get a copy.
- Obtain the other driver’s information—name, contact information, and insurance details.
- Get checked out by a medical professional to see if you were injured from the accident. You may not experience pain immediately following the collision, but it is best to get examined just in case.
- Save all accident-related documents, such as medical or vehicle repair expenses.
- Contact your insurance company so they are aware of the accident.
- Determine what insurance claim(s) you can file by looking at your insurance policy. Our experienced car accident lawyers can help you with this.
- Describe the accident in detail to your insurance agent.
- Give your insurance agent the other driver’s insurance information.
- Do not speak to the other driver’s insurance company without conferring with a car accident attorney first. This is because insurance companies attempt to swiftly settle claims for less compensation than you are entitled to. Nevertheless, if you decide to speak with the other driver’s insurance company, we recommend not disclosing specific details of the accident. For instance:
- Do not share how the accident occurred.
- Do not concede that you are at fault.
- Do not accept any settlement offers or insurance waivers until you have been dismissed from treatment and no longer have pain.
Is There a Time Limit to File a Car Accident Claim in Cranston?
Yes. RI law states that injured car accident victims have three (3) years from when the car accident occurred to file a personal injury claim.
However, do not wait to file your claim! You should give your car accident lawyer as much time as possible to investigate the case, review documentation, negotiate with the parties, and secure the maximum amount of compensation you deserve.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Settlement for My Cranston Car Accident?
There are many factors that affect how long a car accident case takes to settle. For instance, the seriousness of your injuries, disputes about who is at fault, and difficulty of getting documentation all change the settlement timeline. While the time it takes to settle a car accident claim differs in every case, our car accident attorneys are eager to support you for as long as it takes to obtain a fair settlement.
Will I Need to Go to Court for My Cranston Car Accident Case?
You will probably not need to go to court for your car accident case, as our firm settles most of our client’s car accident cases. Only about five percent (5%) of our clients’ cases ever go to court. In the unlikely event that your case goes to court, our car accident lawyers are prepared to fight for you and the compensation you deserve in the courtroom.
Auto Insurance Coverage in Cranston, RI
In RI, auto insurance is “fault-based,” which means that the driver who caused the accident must pay for accident-related injuries to other people or damage to their property.
Liability insurance coverage is mandatory under RI law. Drivers in RI are required to carry two (2) types of liability insurance:
- Bodily Injury or Death Insurance
- Applies to you or anyone you let drive your vehicle.
- Covers accident-related costs, like medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.
- Does not cover your own injuries (or death).
- Required coverage: $25,000 for injuries or death to one (1) person in one (1) accident AND $50,000 for injuries or death to two (2) or more persons in one (1) accident.
- Property Damage or Destruction Insurance
- Applies to you or anyone permitted to drive your car.
- Covers damage to or destruction of a person’s property resulting from one (1) car accident.
- Does not cover your own property damage or destruction.
- Required coverage: $25,000 for damage or destruction of another’s property in one (1) accident.
Alternatively, instead of the above two (2) policies, RI drivers may carry Combined Single Limit Liability Insurance.
- Applies to you or anyone you let drive your car.
- Merges injury/death and property damage insurance policies, so that the driver need only have one (1) combined policy instead of two (2) separate policies.
- Combined Single Limit minimum required coverage: $75,000.
RI also offers optional insurance coverage that may be beneficial to some drivers:
- Collision Insurance
- Covers the cost of accident-related repairs and/or replacement of your car, even if you caused the accident.
- If your car was totaled, Collision Insurance policies often pay the “Actual Cash Value” of your car (after your deductible), which is the depreciated value of a car with the same make, model, and year of your totaled vehicle.
- Lenders usually require that loaned or leased automobiles have collision insurance.
- Gap Insurance
- Covers the difference between the Actual Cash Value of your car and the remainder of your car loan or lease.
- Example: The Actual Cash Value of your car is $10,000.
- Comprehensive Insurance
- Covers non-accident repairs or replacement expenses if your automobile has been damaged or destroyed.
- Pays the Actual Cash Value of your car, up to your policy’s limits (after deductible).
- If you have financed your car, most lenders make you purchase comprehensive coverage.
- Example: Your car was vandalized, destroyed in a fire, or damaged in a storm.
- Uninsured Motorist Insurance
- Covers your accident-related injuries when the at-fault driver does not have car insurance or cannot be identified (such as a hit-and-run).
- Typically, does not cover property damage.
- Underinsured Motorist Insurance
- Covers your injuries from a car accident when the at-fault driver does not have enough auto insurance to reimburse for all your expenses.
- Medical Payments (“Med Pay”) Insurance
- Covers the medical expenses of you and your passengers, up to the policy’s per-person limit.
Should I Talk with My Insurance Company After a Car Accident in Cranston?
Yes. After your car accident, you should contact your insurance company and file a claim (or claims) as soon as possible. Relay the details of your accident to your insurance agent. Also, you should provide the police report and the other driver’s insurance information.
In addition, you should review your insurance policy to see what it covers, so you can file the proper insurance claim(s). Our knowledgeable car accident attorneys can help you through the insurance process. Make sure to keep all documents related to your car accident and insurance claim(s).
Should I Talk with the At-Fault Driver’s Insurance Company Following My Cranston Car Accident?
Until you have spoken with an experienced car accident lawyer, we strongly urge you not to speak with the at-fault driver’s insurance company. This is because anything you say can be used against you by the insurance company to minimize your compensation. Indeed, insurance companies only look out for their own financial interests and often try to undercompensate you.
If you decide to speak with the at-fault motorists’ insurance company, we recommend not communicating specific facts of the accident. Additionally, we advise against accepting settlement offers or signing insurance waivers until your medical professional has discharged you from treatment and you are not experiencing pain.
How Much Insurance Coverage Is Available in RI?
The minimum liability coverage required for RI drivers is $25,000/$50,000. This means each individual injured in the accident is covered for up to $25,000 and there is up to $50,000 coverage available total for the accident Many Rhode Island drivers carry more than this minimum required coverage and our Cranston car accident attorneys can advise you of the coverage that is available to you.
Dangerous Roads and Intersections in Cranston
- RI Route 2 and Reservoir Ave
- RI Route 12 and Park Ave
- Atwood Ave and Wayland Ave
- I-295 Exit 3
Why Do I Need a Cranston Car Accident Lawyer?
While hiring a lawyer is not always necessary, it is very beneficial to have an experienced car accident attorney on your side. Foremost, people who hire a lawyer usually receive greater compensation than those without lawyers.
Moreover, hiring a car accident attorney means that you always have someone looking out for your best interests. Our expert car accident lawyers know the games that insurance companies play and will skillfully negotiate with them on your behalf, so that you can focus on getting better.
Additionally, our car accident attorneys provide guidance and advice, explain your legal rights and choices, and answer your questions, which will dramatically reduce the stress associated with a lawsuit. Our experienced car accident attorneys can also provide clear-headedness, moral support, and peace of mind during these difficult times.
Why Hire d’Oliveira & Associates for Your Cranston Car Accident Case?
- We specialize in car accident cases. We have more than thirty (30) years of experience in successfully resolving our clients’ car accident claims.
- Each lawyer at our firm has been winning car accident cases for over two (2) decades.
- Our firm’s veteran attorneys know how to negotiate with insurance companies so that you are fairly compensated for your injuries.
- Most our clients’ cases settle out-of-court, so you will probably never have to go to court.
- We have won over $250 million in awards or settlements for our clients.
- Our firm provides free case evaluations.
- We are always available by telephone.
- We do not get paid unless you win your case.
- We are conveniently located on Reservoir Ave in Cranston.
Contact d’Oliveira & Associates’ Today!
Call our Cranston office at (401) 275-2039 or complete an online contact form for a free (no obligation) case evaluation.