Questions About Accidents And Serious Bodily Injury?

At Stovall & Associates, we represent people who have been seriously hurt in an accident, even if they may partially be at fault. If someone's act contributed to your injury we may be able to help you. At Stovall & Associates, our attorneys are dedicated to providing accident victims and their family members with the legal help they need during this difficult time. We are here to guide you through the legal process, one step at a time, working to put you in a position where you can begin to move forward with your life. Started nearly four decades ago in 1987, Stovall & Associates is full-service Las Vegas personal injury law firm  that has served thousands of injured victims  in Nevada. Contact us today at 702-258-3034 to get help now!  In the meantime read some of the most frequently asked personal injury questions below:

How Do I Know If I Need A Personal Injury Attorney?

Not every accident requires the help of a lawyer. At the Stovall & Associates law firm, we are happy to meet with you to determine if we feel there is a legal cause of action in your accident case. You can sit down with one of our personal injury lawyers at no cost for a confidential consultation. If we feel you do not need our services, we will explain that to you.  Even if we feel you need an attorney to help you with your case, you are never required to hire an attorney, but when an attorney is involved your case is worth more money. When hiring an attorney you can expect up to three times the amount you could have recovered doing it alone. Also, you will not have to do any work and deal with insurance companies who are notorious for taking advantage of inexperienced self-represented individuals. If we are hired to represent you in your accident case, you can rest assured each of our attorneys are prepared to stand by our clients through every step of their case and go all in with you. When you win, we win.

Why Should I Select Stovall & Associates?

Personal injury cases are extremely difficult to litigate and require the highest possible level of attorney knowledge and skill. Because of our extensive experience handling personal injury claims, we are fully prepared to develop and execute the most appropriate and aggressive legal strategies to best represent you and your legal rights.

• We promise to go all in with you! We do not use retainers or billable hours. It is important for our clients to know that our personal injury lawyers go “all in” with them — we refuse to get paid until we win their case. We ask for no money to speak to you, consult with you, or give you legal advice. We only get paid when you do. We work on a “contingency fee” basis (meaning our payment is contingent upon winning the case and we agree to the amount up front), we also front all the costs — court filings, experts, medical records, etc.
• We will get you the best medical treatment and the get you the maximum settlement or jury verdict. We will not pressure you to settle your case for less than you deserve.
• We provide Aggressive negotiation. Once our case is airtight, we issue a demand to all the people and/or companies at fault for harming our client. Then begins a period of settlement talks where we show the other side that we mean business and we would likely win at trial so they might as well pay up now. This allows our clients to move on more quickly than if the case had to go to trial. We know from experience that insurance companies are far more likely to offer a great settlement if the victims are represented by counsel. Usually this is three times the amount they offer when a party has no lawyer on tier side. We will not quit until justice is served and we have the right amount of money to ensure our client gets the best outcome possible.
• We are one of the few personal injury law firms that offer five-star litigation. In the rare event that a pre-litigation settlement cannot be reached, Stovall & Associates is ready to file a lawsuit and prepare for trial. All the while, we would continue trying to resolve the case out of court — it is not uncommon for defendants to get scared as trial approaches and to agree to a settlement at the last last-minute. This happens when the insurance companies see that we mean business and are ready to fight it out for our clients.

What Do I Do Immediately After A Crash?

After a severe crash, call 911 and get the medical help you need right away. Gather all the evidence you can at the scene like photos and witnesses if you  are physically able to do so. Call Stovall & Associates as soon as possible so we can protect your legal and financial rights. We will be able to make sure valuable evidence is preserved. Do not talk with the insurance adjusters, give them a statement or accept any settlement offers. Make sure you exchange information with the adverse driver if you can. You must also report the accident to your insurance company.

How long does the whole injury  process take?

I am worried I can't afford to hire an injury lawyer. What can I do?

Do I Move My Car Before The Police Arrive?

If it is possible and wouldn't put you in further danger, you should move your car out of the flow of traffic after an accident. If you do move your car, make every effort you can to pinpoint exactly where your car was immediately following the crash, and take photographs with your cellphone to document not only your car, but those of any other parties involved. These pictures will be another critical part of defending your legal rights after being hurt in a crash.

Do I Need To Collect Information From Other Drivers?

If you are safely able to do so, it is always a good idea to gather the pertinent information involving the other drivers involved in the crash.

People Approached Me And Said They Saw Everything – What Do I Do?

If you can, it is always best to obtain a written statement from any witnesses, including their name and contact information. This information could prove important in your legal case.

Do I Provide A Recorded Statement To An Insurance Company?

You may feel that the accident was in no way your fault, so there is no harm in providing a recorded account of what you think happened. Most auto insurance policies have a requirement within the fine print that says you will agree to provide a recorded statement following an accident. In actuality, no matter how honest you feel your statement is, providing a recorded statement to an insurance claims investigator prior to speaking with an experienced accident injury lawyer is NEVER a good idea. The type of questions you will be asked – and the manner in which they ask them – can very likely come back to haunt you. Get advice from a qualified, personal injury attorney at Stovall & Associates before you agree to provide a recorded statement to anyone.

What Do I Do If I Get A Traffic Citation?

Just because you received a citation, or the other driver involved claims you are to blame, that does not necessarily mean you are 100% liable for the accident. We often have successfully settled cases where the victim received a ticket and the police found that the victim was at fault. In the event you feel you are not at fault, you should contact an attorney as soon as possible. Stovall & Associates will be able to review the facts of your accident and even hire experts if needed in order to help prove the other driver was at least partially at fault.

Sometimes law enforcement agencies investigating a crash will generally issue a citation to one or more of the driver's involved after they complete their investigation at the scene. You and the other drivers involved could be cited for a civil infraction, or a criminal citation may be issued for more serious offenses, like DUI or reckless driving. In cases like those, or crash cases that involve serious bodily injury, we strongly recommend you seek the legal counsel of Stovall & Associates experienced personal injury attorneys. This will help alleviate your fears and answer your questions – it doesn't cost a thing to come in and talk to us about your accident.

What if I do Not have Heath Insurance?

What If The Other Driver Has No Car Insurance?

If one or more of the other drivers is not carrying any auto insurance, you can make a claim for damage repair to your vehicle under the collision coverage of your car's policy. Just because the at-fault driver does not have any insurance coverage, that does not mean you will be barred from recovering anything. Many people also carry UIM/UM (Underinsured/Uninsured) coverage or even PIP/MedPay (Personal Injury Protection/Medical Payment) coverage on their personal auto insurance policy. Many times, people do not even realize they have these types of coverage on their policy.

UIM/UM Coverage – Essentially, if you have this type of coverage, your auto insurance company will provide coverage up to the amount you are insured for (in most cases) in the event that the at-fault party has no insurance or is underinsured.PIP/MedPay Coverage – This type of coverage will help pay for your medical bills (even if you are at fault for the accident). This type of coverage also provides coverage to you even if you are not in your vehicle at the time of the accident (Ex: you were hit by a car while crossing the street).

Even if you carry what is called “uninsured motorist” coverage, that will only pay for bodily injury, not for damage to your car. If the accident is minor, and you do not have collision coverage, you may be able to negotiate with the other driver(s) in an effort to get them to pay for the damage to your vehicle. If it was a major accident that involved injuries, but the other party has no insurance, your best recourse may be to file a lawsuit against the at-fault party in order to be financially compensated for your losses.

If you are seriously hurt in a crash, you will be facing a number of financial hardships, including all the medical costs related to your injuries. Even if the other parties that were found to be responsible for your injuries have no auto insurance, there may still be an opportunity to receive money and justice. Our personal injury attorneys analyze each specific case to determine every legal course of action to protect your rights and to help you obtain the compensation that you deserve.

Do I Need To Look For Medical Treatment For My Injuries Right Away?

Now, more than ever before, seeking immediate help from an experienced auto accident attorney after having been involved in an accident has become critical in protecting your legal rights and could severely impact those who are seeking fair and legal compensation after having been in an accident.

If I File A Claim With My Insurance Company, Will My Rates Go Up?

In Nevada, the answer is no. Pursuant to Nevada Revised Statute 687B.385, an insurance company is not allowed to cancel, raise premiums, or refuse to renew your insurance policy if you make a claim when you are not at fault. It should be noted however, that you must be less than 50% at fault for the above to apply.

In the event you feel that your insurance company raised your premium illegally, you may want to make a complaint with the Nevada Division of Insurance. In the event you are unhappy with the outcome, you should contact an attorney to potentially pursue legal action.

The Other Driver Is Claiming I Am Partially at Fault. What Should I Do?

If you do not believe that you were at-fault for your car accident but the other driver is claiming that you were indeed partially to blame, you should not hesitate to hire an experienced car accident attorney. In order to properly determine  fault, an attorney who has the resources necessary to investigate your case is a must. Your attorney can hire accident reconstruction and other experts who can piece together what happened, analyze evidence, organize documents, and more to prove that the other driver was 100 percent to blame. Evidence that may be analyzed includes property damage evidence, electronic control module data, witness testimony, physical evidence, angle of impact, and more.

I Was In An Accident & Hired Another Law firm – Can I Still Get Help?

Generally, you have four years from the date of the accident to file a civil lawsuit against another party. In cases of wrongful death fatalities, the statute is just two years. The key is to seek medical evaluation and treatment, along with accurate legal advice from one of our personal injury attorneys, as soon as possible following a crash.