Nobody chooses to get into a car accident. But the unfortunate truth is that accidents can happen any time, to anyone.
Accidents can cost years or even a lifetime of financial and physical distress. But there are solutions. Knowing your rights and how to advocate for yourself can help alleviate some of the painful aftermaths of car wrecks. A new guide by Jackson resident Alex Freeburg outlines your legal rights and options for getting in a car accident in Wyoming.
Freeburg published “Your Legal Guide to Wyoming Car Accidents” in January 2019 as a resource for Wyoming drivers. Wyoming’s roads are dangerous. According to Freeburg’s guide, just over 100 people die every year in car accidents across the state. The state’s sparse population makes driving, sometimes long distances, inevitable. But often, an accident is just the beginning of a long, harrowing journey.
Freeburg’s guide outlines each step of that journey in detail, from claim to trial. For example, it might seem intuitive to collect evidence of fault. But how much evidence, and what kind? People often forget to gather information about the other driver, which can be critical down the road.
Then there are injuries. Some injuries are simple, Freeburg writes, but most are not. If you were injured in a car accident, you want to make sure the full extent of your medical costs is covered — right? The better you understand your injuries, Freeburg writes, the more likely it is you are appropriately compensated. But to further complicate things, Wyoming is a “Modified Comparative Fault” state. So, if a jury finds you more than 50% responsible for a crash, you cannot recover any compensation for your injuries. A good personal injury attorney can help you prove liability so you get as much compensation as you deserve.
The guide also takes an in-depth look at different types of insurance, and how each can affect your claim. Freeburg calls negotiating insurance the “dance with the 800 lb gorilla because it’s a beastly process. Insurance adjusters can be “difficult or downright sadistic,” Freeburg writes. “I have been told that my client was faking PTSD; that my notes about a previous conversation were mistaken (i.e., I lied); and that letters I sent had disappeared (only to have the adjuster quote the missing letter back to me five minutes later.)”
That’s when it’s time to file a lawsuit, Freeburg says. And when Freeburg files a lawsuit, he’s in it to win it. The litigation process is a whole new beast. Freeburg outlines the process in his guide, but recognizes that his overview is “not an exhaustive discussion of litigation and trial, nor is it my last word on the subject.” The best way to navigate the process is with an attorney (and he happens to know a pretty good one).
If you’ve been in a car accident, Freeburg’s guide offers invaluable information for navigating what happens next. Better yet, it can help you feel prepared for the rare chance you get in a car accident down the road (pun intended). Freeburg wants Wyoming drivers to know: “you do not have to do this alone.”
“Your Legal Guide to Wyoming Car Accidents” is available for free online. READ IT
Learn more at TetonAttorney.com.
The Wyoming State Bar does not certify any lawyer as a specialist or expert. Anyone considering a lawyer should independently investigate the lawyer’s credentials and ability and not rely upon advertisements or self-proclaimed expertise.Â
