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Frequently Asked Questions

 

How am I compensated for my car accident or other personal injury claims?

In personal injury cases, you can be compensated for both your economic and non-economic losses.  These can include but are not limited to:

  • Past and future medical expenses
  • Lost wages due to time missed from work as a result of the accident
  • Lost future earning capacity
  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional distress
  • Loss of consortium

 

If you think you deserve compensation for one or more of these losses, it is important to consult with an experienced Maine personal injury attorney.

 

How long will my case take?

The timeline of how long your case will last will vary. This is one of the most frequently asked questions of prospective clients and sometimes the most difficult to answer.

You should never settle your case until you have reached a medical endpoint and your doctors have discharged you from care.

Because endpoint and discharge vary from person to person depending on the nature and extent of their injuries, the timeline of how long your case will last will also vary.

 

How much is my case worth?

No two cases are identical and no two cases are worth the same amount.

An attorney can take into account the following and more in order to determine the value of your claim:

  • Your prior medical condition
  • The extent and nature of your injuries
  • How the accident occurred/who is at fault
  • Your employment history and how much time from work you miss as a result of the accident

 

I was injured on someone else’s property. Is there insurance to cover my injuries?

Liability insurance is likely available.  If you were injured at someone else’s home or on someone else’s property and the property owner’s careless actions or negligence resulted in your injury, then you may be able to make a claim against the homeowner or commercial insurance policy.

 

I wasn’t wearing my seatbelt when my Maine car accident occurred. Does that matter?

Yes and no. Maine law does require that you as an occupant of a motor vehicle wear a seatbelt. However, had you forgotten to do so at the time of your car accident, the insurance company cannot hold this against you as a reason to withhold coverage. Read the Maine law.

 

Should I carry only the minimum amount of insurance on my car?

No. If you can afford it, opt to purchase an insurance policy that is more than the minimum requirements in the State of Maine.

The current minimum is $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident.

If you suffered permanent injuries, as the result of a car accident, the minimum policy may be insufficient to cover the on going costs of your condition.

 

The insurance company of the person who caused the accident is requesting a recorded statement. Do I have to give one?

No.  There is no legal obligation to give a recorded statement to someone else’s insurance company.

The only insurance company you should cooperate with after an accident occurs is your own.

Read more about navigating insurance companies here.

 

The insurance company has offered me money. Should I accept it?

Not until you have consulted with a lawyer. Consultations with personal injury lawyers are free. A car accident or injury lawyer does not collect on their fees until the claim has been settled and then only if you received compensation. A lawyer may discover that your case is worth far more than the insurance company initially offers.

Talking with an experienced personal injury attorney can help you understand what your case is worth.

 

The insurance company says I am partially responsible for the accident and my injuries. Do I still have a case?

You may still have a case if you were not 50% or more responsible for the accident.

Maine law states that you can still recover compensation for your injuries, even if you were comparatively negligent so long as your fault is not equal to or greater than the fault of the other party.

 

What if the person who hit me doesn’t have enough insurance?

Maine law requires that all drivers of motor vehicles carry insurance.  That coverage includes underinsured motorist coverage.

If the injured party doesn’t have enough liability coverage you would look to your own policy of insurance to see if you carried more than the responsible party.

Read more about navigating insurance companies, here.

 

Why do I receive mail from lawyers after my accident?

Your car accident report is, in fact, a public record so anyone can see it and anyone can access it. This includes car accident lawyers who are interested in representing you.

In the state of Maine, car crash reports are available online for $10.00 which may result in an attorney soliciting your case.

And while there are ethical rules regarding attorney solicitation, those rules do not outright prohibit solicitation via mail from a Maine attorney. Read more.

You may still have a case so long as you were not 50% or more responsible for the accident. Maine law states that you can still recover for your injuries, even if you were comparatively negligent so long as your fault is not equal to or greater than the fault of the other party.

While Maine law requires occupants of a motor vehicle to wear seatbelts, should you forget to do so, the insurance company cannot hold this against you as a reason not to pay you the compensation you deserve. Read Maine law.

This is one of the most frequently asked questions of prospective clients and sometimes the most difficult to answer.  You should never settle your case until you have reached a medical endpoint and your doctors have discharged you from care.  Because that varies from person to person depending on the nature and extent of their injuries, the timeline of how long your case will last will also vary.

Personal injury is named that for a reason:  it is personal to you. Therefore, no two cases are identical and therefore no two cases are worth the same amount.  You want to hire a personal injury attorney who learns the unique circumstances of your case. Factors such as your prior medical condition, the extent and nature of your injuries, how the accident occurred, and your employment history are important in determining the value of your case.

Having a free consultation with an attorney who has handled both sides of personal injury cases, like Christiana Mann at Mann Law, can help you understand the true value of your claim.  Insurance companies know that victims can be vulnerable and try and offer a small amount of money in order to settle a case quickly. Talking with an experienced personal injury attorney can help put your mind at ease of whether you are being offered fair compensation for your case.

Most likely, there is liability insurance available to you.  If you were injured at someone else’s home or on someone else’s property and they acted carelessly or negligently, then you would make a claim against their homeowner or commercial insurance policy.

In personal injury cases, victims can be compensated for both their economic and non-economic losses.  These can include:

Past and future medical expenses; Lost wages due to time missed from work as a result of the accident; Lost future earning capacity; Pain and suffering; Emotional distress; Loss of consortium

If you think you deserve compensation for one or more of these losses, it is important to consult with an experienced Maine personal injury attorney.