Car Accident Lawyer

Hurt in a car accident? You don't have to face the insurance company alone.

A car crash can change your life in the time it takes to read this sentence. One moment you are driving to work or picking up your kids; the next you are dealing with an emergency room, a totaled vehicle, missed paychecks, and an insurance adjuster who is already building a case against you. At Silver Key Law, we represent people who have been injured by careless drivers, and we level the field against the insurance companies that try to pay them as little as possible.

From the first phone call, our job is to take the weight off your shoulders. We investigate how the crash happened, gather and preserve the evidence before it disappears, document the full scope of your injuries and losses, and deal directly with the insurance companies so you can focus on healing. You pay no fee unless we win.

Why hiring a car accident lawyer matters

Insurance companies are not on your side. Their business model depends on collecting premiums and paying out as little as possible, and they have teams of adjusters and lawyers whose job is to minimize what they pay you. Studies and decades of practice show the same thing: injured people who are represented by a lawyer typically recover substantially more than those who try to handle the claim themselves, even after attorney's fees.

Here is what an experienced car accident lawyer does that you cannot easily do on your own:

• Stops the lowball offer. Adjusters often call within days, before you know the full extent of your injuries, and offer a quick settlement that looks like a lot of money but is a fraction of what your claim is worth. Once you accept, the case is over. We make sure you understand the true value before anyone signs anything.
• Preserves the evidence. Skid marks fade, vehicles get repaired or scrapped, surveillance footage is overwritten, and witnesses forget. We move quickly to secure the police report, photographs, dashcam and surveillance video, electronic data from the vehicles, and witness statements.
• Builds the medical record. The link between the crash and your injuries has to be documented properly. We work with your treating physicians to make sure the record reflects the full extent of your harm, including injuries that do not show up until days or weeks later.
• Calculates the real damages. Your claim is not just the ER bill. It includes future medical care, lost wages and lost earning capacity, property damage, and the physical pain and emotional toll of the injury.
• Tries the case when necessary. Insurers pay full value to lawyers they know will go to trial. We prepare every case as if a jury will decide it.

Common causes of car accidents we handle

Most collisions are not "accidents" in the truest sense — they are the predictable result of a driver choosing to do something dangerous. We handle cases involving:

• Distracted driving — texting, phone use, eating, and other inattention behind the wheel.
• Drunk and drugged driving — impaired drivers who put everyone on the road at risk.
• Speeding and reckless driving — driving too fast for conditions, weaving through traffic, and aggressive driving.
• Running red lights and stop signs — failing to yield the right of way at intersections.
• Rear-end collisions — following too closely and inattentive driving, a leading cause of whiplash and spine injuries.
• Improper lane changes and merging — failure to check blind spots and signal.
• Drowsy driving — fatigued drivers, especially late at night.

Types of car accident injuries

We represent people with the full range of crash injuries, from those that heal in weeks to those that change a life permanently:

• Whiplash and other neck and back injuries
• Herniated and bulging discs
• Traumatic brain injuries and concussions
• Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
• Broken bones and fractures
• Internal injuries and organ damage
• Lacerations, burns, and scarring
• Soft tissue injuries

Some of the most serious injuries are the ones you cannot see right away. Adrenaline can mask pain for hours or days, and conditions like traumatic brain injury or internal bleeding can be life-threatening if not caught. That is why we tell every client the same thing: get checked out by a doctor, even if you feel fine.

What compensation can you recover?

Every case is different, but the categories of damages available to an injured person generally include:

• Medical expenses — emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, physical therapy, medication, and future medical needs.
• Lost income — wages lost while you recover, and lost earning capacity if your injuries affect your ability to work going forward.
• Property damage — repair or replacement of your vehicle and other damaged property.
• Pain and suffering — the physical pain and emotional distress caused by the injury.
• Loss of enjoyment of life — the impact on your ability to do the things you used to do.

We also look closely at the available insurance coverage, including the at-fault driver's policy and your own underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage, which is often the difference between a partial recovery and a complete one.

What to do after a car accident

If you are reading this after a crash, here are the steps that protect both your health and your claim:

• Get medical care right away and follow your doctor's instructions. Your health comes first, and gaps in treatment are used against you.
• Keep everything — do not repair or get rid of your vehicle, and save all paperwork, bills, and correspondence.
• Photograph everything — the vehicles, the scene, your injuries, and anything else relevant.
• Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurance company before talking to a lawyer.
• Do not accept a quick settlement before you know the full extent of your injuries.
• Call a lawyer as soon as possible so evidence can be preserved and deadlines protected.

Frequently asked questions about car accident claims