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Don’t you want a real attorney representing you? Why you should always meet your attorney in person.

Hiring a personal injury attorney can be a stressful and tough process. How do you know you are hiring the right attorney for you and your case? Do your research. Make sure the attorney you hire has a local office and is willing to meet with you in person to discuss your case.

Some law firms tend to advertise themselves as a local city attorney, yet come to find out their main office is in a different city hours away. This can be tricky when you don’t meet with your attorney in person. Your initial consultation will be over the phone and your contact will be faxed to you.

Once you sign the contract, they may send an adjustor to look at the damage your vehicle sustained in the accident. This may seem convenient but what they don’t tell you up front is that they charge you for the adjustor’s mileage to and from their office to your location.

Not meeting your attorney in person can also make it difficult to build rapport and a trusting relationship with them. You can only get to know a person over the phone so well. Constant faxing, e-mailing and phone calls takes away precious time in your life, especially when you can discuss details and documents in person, all at once with a local attorney in person.  It can also make you feel unprepared when you need to give statements and testimonies. This can potentially reduce your chances at getting a good settlement.

Benefits of meeting with your attorney in person

There are so many more benefits to hiring a local attorney that you meet with in person from the get go. You immediately can build rapport and trust with your attorney right off the bat from your initial consultation. You will have no hidden charges or fees for travel miles, etc. You can go over the contract in person with your attorney and ask any and all questions necessary at that time. Your local attorney can prepare you for everything relating to your case in person, from giving testimonies and statements, to going through an independent medical exam. They will be with you every step of the way in person. Would you feel better about your case when the first time you met your attorney in person was in court?

Attorney Charles V. Contrada is your local NW Ohio and SE Michigan personal injury attorney and he has handled cases throughout both states. The difference is Charles goes out of his way to meet with every single one of his clients in person to build an honest and trusting relationship. He will make sure you are prepared and comfortable with every step of the legal process regarding your case.

If you have been involved in a car accident, contacting a personal injury attorney as soon as possible will make the claims process much easier.  Attorney Charles V. Contrada will explain your legal options, guide you through the process. To speak to attorney Charles V. Contrada about a car accident in Ohio or Michigan, call 419.841.4400. Charles has helped thousands of individuals with car accident claims and will explain the legal options that are available to you. Call Contrada & Associates for comprehensive legal guidance that will help you to receive the most favorable outcome.

 

Company Car Accident: Who Pays?

If you are hit by someone driving a company car and you sustain injuries or property damage, what effect does this have on a subsequent lawsuit? Normally, these accidents are solely decided by the Law of Negligence. Negligence means fault.

Considerations such as speed, weather conditions, driver impairment and driver conduct are considered in all accidents. However, if you are injured by someone driving a company car, other considerations may apply. In these situations, the Law of Agency may apply.

In general, if you are injured by an employee driving a company car and they are acting within the course and scope of their employment, the company can be held liable under the theory of Respondeat Superior. The theory is that since the employer was performing the company’s work at the time of the accident, the company, in addition to the employee driver, should be responsible for any negligence of the employee.

Who is responsible?

If you are unable to settle your claim, your attorney will file a complaint on your behalf against the person driving the company car. Also be aware that other considerations come into play. For example, what if the employee was driving a company car, but it was off hours and they were using the vehicle for personal, not company business? Who is responsible then, the person or the company?

The company owner of the car could still be found liable in this situation. A car owner including a company is required to use due care when allowing someone to drive the vehicle. If the company failed to check the employee’s driving record or should have known that the employee had medical or other conditions that impacted the operation of the vehicle, it can be found liable for negligent entrustment of the vehicle. Vehicle owners can also be found liable if the accident was caused by the owner’s failure to properly maintain the vehicle. Depending on whether the car is owned or leased, an additional company could be responsible for vehicle maintenance.

However, there are many companies which have policies stating that the employee is not allowed to drive the car on their personal time. These situations make it difficult to figure out what exactly the employee was doing at the time of the accident. Hiring a personal injury attorney will help determine if the at fault party was using the company car for work or on their personal time in order to get the case settled.

If you have been involved in a car accident with a person driving a company vehicle, contacting a personal injury attorney as soon as possible will make the claims process much easier.  Attorney Charles V. Contrada will explain your legal options, guide you through the process and assist you in dealing with insurance companies and the company of the party involved.

To speak to attorney Charles V. Contrada about a car accident in Ohio or Michigan, call 419.841.4400. Charles has helped thousands of individuals with car accident claims and will explain the legal options that are available to you. Call Contrada & Associates for comprehensive legal guidance that will help you to receive the most favorable outcome.

Types of Compensation for Wrongful Death Case

When an individual loses a loved one in an accident, they are often able to purse damages for their loss. Those who are able to pursue compensation in a wrongful death case include spouses, children, and parents, and there are five different types of damages that are awarded to the loved ones of the decedent.

Wrongful Death Case: Types of Damages

The five different types of damages that are pursued in a wrongful death case include the following:

  1. Loss of Support – this type of damage compensates loved ones for the lost earning capacity of the decedent. To determine the amount awarded for loss of support, there are several factors that are taken into account.
  2. Loss of Services – the beneficiaries of the decedent are able to pursue this form of compensation. The loss of services include things such as household chores, work performed at a business, or things such as a grandparent offering daycare services to a grandchild. The beneficiary would be able to pursue damages that amount to the value of the services that will no longer be provided by the decedent.
  3. Loss of Society – losing a loved one does not just mean losing their financial contributions, but also the loss of their companionship, care, advice, guidance and more. This type of wrongful death damage allows loved ones to receive compensation for the things that cannot be directly related to a dollar amount.
  4. Loss of Prospective Inheritance – when someone’s life ends sooner than expected, there is a loss of prospective inheritance as the inheritance received by beneficiaries will differ had they lived a full life.
  5. Mental Anguish – when unexpectedly losing a loved one, there is a great deal of pain associated to the loss. Mental anguish allows beneficiaries to pursue damages for the emotional pain that results from the death of their loved one.

Filing a Wrongful Death Claim

It is important to realize that only the estate of the deceased can bring on a lawsuit. The estate can bring on the wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of all the beneficiaries. If the beneficiary cannot decide how to allocate the proceeds from the wrongful death claim, the probate court decides.

If you have lost a loved one in a wrongful death accident, it is very important to seek the guidance of a wrongful death lawyer. In order to ensure that the proper claims are made for damages, beneficiaries should hire an experienced lawyer.

Contrada & Associates is able to work on behalf of your family to help you receive the compensation that is deserved for the loss of your loved one. To speak to a wrongful death lawyer at our office about your wrongful death case, call 419.841.4400.

Bicyclist Hit by Car

As the recent National Highway Safety Traffic Administration (NHTSA) Share the Road campaign stated, bicyclists deserve a portion of the roadway as they are considered to be a mode of transportation. Many motorists do not realize that they must share the road with bicyclists, or they may become distracted behind the wheel and fail to see a bicyclist on the road.

An April 2014 report from the NHTSA states that in 2012 there were 726 pedalcyclist deaths, accounting for 2% of the overall traffic fatalities. This figure is 6% higher than the 682 pedalcyclists killed in 2011.

With the number of bike-car accidents increasing, it is imperative for bicyclists and motorists to be aware of the rules of the roadway, as well as pay proper attention to their surroundings. As the NHTSA states, “Bicycles on the roadway are, by law, vehicles with the same rights, and responsibilities as motorized vehicles.” We want to remind all motorists that they must respect bicycles on the road and share the road with them as it is required by law.

Hit by Car on Bike

Bicyclists who follow the laws of the road should enjoy the ability to arrive at their destination safely. If a motorist hits a bicyclist, they can cause serious injuries.

A bike-car accident can often result in tragic results as the bicyclists do not have a vehicle to protect them from the impact of the vehicle. This type of collision is essentially a large machine versus an unprotected individual. Our law office has helped bike accident victims after such accidents and through this experience, we believe the below 2 steps are essential for the injury claim process that follows a bike-car accident.

 1. Seek Medical Attention

It is imperative to seek medical attention following a bike-car accident if you are injured. Whether the resulting injuries are serious or not, if there is any discomfort after a bike-car accident it is wise to see your primary care physician or to visit an emergency room. Oftentimes injuries worsen after the initial impact, so bike-car accident victims should always seek the advice of a medical professional immediately following the incident, especially since sometimes the pain doesn’t start until the following day when it comes to muscle injuries.

 2. Contact a Bike-Car Accident Attorney

When involved in a bike-car accident, injured individuals should follow similar steps to what they would do after a car accident. One of the most important steps is to contact a personal injury attorney. After a bike-car accident, it is likely that the victim will begin to be contacted by the insurance company and will be asked questions about the accident. In the interest of the personal injury claim, it is best for bike accident victims to have communication with the insurance company go through their attorney.

Injured in a Bike-Car Accident

If you or a loved one was riding a bicycle when hit by a vehicle and sustained injuries from the accident, contact a personal injury attorney. Contrada & Associates has helped bike-car accident victims to receive compensation after suffering injuries due to the fault of another motorist and we can help you to obtain a favorable settlement.

To contact an attorney about your bike-car accident, call 419.841.4400. By calling the Contrada & Associates office, you will have the opportunity to speak directly with attorney Charlie Contrada about the accident you were in, the injuries that were sustained, and you will also receive guidance in regards to the next steps that you should take.