The personal injury claims process is riddled with legal complexities, and recovering fair compensation is rarely straightforward. Insurance companies often attempt to undervalue or deny claims without justification. If you sustained a permanent disability or lost a family member in a crash, you may be entitled to non-economic damages, but assigning a monetary value to pain and suffering requires intricate calculations. This is where an accident attorney can help.
An experienced injury lawyer can investigate your collision, interview witnesses, and help you gather evidence to prove negligence, liability, and the value of your damages. The amount of compensation you ultimately recover will hinge on the strength of your evidence, and one minor oversight could severely harm your claim.
If you were injured by a drunk, distracted, or negligent driver in Iowa, turn to Eells & Tronvold Law Offices, PLC. A Cedar Rapids accident attorney will help you fight for the maximum compensation. Call 319-393-1020 today to schedule a free initial consultation.
Let’s examine 10 types of evidence that your lawyer may use to support your claim:
Proving Negligence and Liability
It is not uncommon for a driver who caused an accident to deny liability. Iowa uses a comparative fault system to determine awards in personal injury cases, which means that your final recovery will be reduced by your percentage of fault. Also, if the court determines that you were at least 51 percent at-fault for the crash, you will not be able to recover any compensation.
As such, your attorney will attempt to gather evidence to prove that the other driver was either entirely or mostly responsible for your collision. This evidence may include:
- Pictures of the accident scene;
- The police report;
- Toxicology reports – if the at-fault driver was under the influence when the collision occurred;
- Witness testimonies; and
- Testimonies from accident reconstruction experts.
Proving the Value of Your Damages
If you were injured by a negligent driver in the state of Iowa, you may be entitled to compensation for past and future medical expenses, property damage, lost income, loss of future earning capacity, loss of function of the body or mind, pain and suffering, and punitive damages. Your lawyer may use the following evidence to prove the value of your damages:
- Receipts for home modifications that were necessary to accommodate a disability caused by the accident;
- Hospital bills, pharmacy receipts, and other evidence to prove the value of your medical expenses;
- Testimonies from financial and medical experts;
- Pay stubs, tax returns, and other proof of lost income and benefits; and
- Receipts for vehicle repairs.
An injury lawyer from Eells & Tronvold Law Offices, PLC can calculate your damages and help you avoid costly mistakes during the claims process. Call 319-393-1020 today to discuss your case with an accident attorney in Cedar Rapids.