Car accidents are scary, and often painful. And right after they occur, you may not be in the right frame of mind to contemplate a lawsuit and what you need to do to start preparing your claims. This is why, as soon as possible after a Car Accident Anchorage, it is important to retain attorneys to make sure you begin the process of setting up your claim in an effort to be able to obtain the maximum amount of compensation available.
Indeed, you only have two years from the date of your Car Accident Anchorage to bring your lawsuit. This is known as Alaska’s “statute of limitations.” If you fail to bring your lawsuit within that time, it will be dismissed and you will NEVER recover any money, no matter how obvious the other party’s liability may be and no matter how serious your injuries were.
While two years may seem like a long time, when you consider the amount of time it takes to obtain medical records and other documentary evidence and other wise complete a full investigation in order to file a proper complaint that lays out all the information and allegations required, two years flies by very quickly.
This is why, if you are able to, you should take certain steps immediately after the accident occurs. First, call the police, whose accident report will likely be the only document from a non-biased party entered into evidence at trial. Second, take photos of all cars and persons at the accident scene. It is important to do so because (i) you will be able to provide a detailed description of why the other driver was at fault, (ii) you will be able to demonstrate the medical conditions of the other parties at the time of the accident and (iii) you will be able to show the damage—or lack thereof—to other vehicles at the time, all so nobody can “fudge” the facts at trial. Obviously, if other parties are hurt, you should make sure to get them medical attention as soon as possible, too.
Sometimes, the Car Accident Anchorage results in death. This brings a new factor into play, known as the wrongful death claim. Although the two-year statute of limitations still applies, the wrongful death case is brought by a representative of the decedent’s estate who seeks to recover compensation to be ultimately paid to the estate’s beneficiaries. The estate representative is typically a family member, but can also be a person who was financially dependent on the decedent.
Clearly, there is a lot to know when it comes to car accident cases, but this is why there are attorneys available to make sure everything will get done timely and correctly to make sure you are able to achieve the highest possible payout.
