Are you struggling with costly medical bills, a sudden loss of income, and severe emotional distress because of a recent car accident on the island of Hilo, Hawaii? Don’t navigate this difficult time in your life on your own. Turn to the experienced Hilo car accident lawyers at Singleton Schreiber for help.
You may be entitled to compensation, and our award-winning Maui injury attorneys are prepared to do everything possible to help you get the best possible results.
As fearless advocates for crash victims and families throughout the nation, we’ve successfully forced vehicle manufacturers, insurance companies, employers, and government agencies to pay our clients over $3 Billion in monetary awards.
Contact our Hawaii car accident attorneys to discuss the details of your car accident case and discover why you’ll want our experienced legal team in your corner. Your first case evaluation is absolutely free.
What Do I Have to Prove to Win a Car Accident Case in Hilo, HI?
It depends on how you seek compensation after your crash.
Insurance will be the primary source of compensation for you after a wreck in Hilo. Under Hawaii’s no-fault insurance system, you’ll be required to file a claim with your own insurer to recover benefits from your car insurance policy - regardless of whether or not you caused the motor vehicle accident.
When you file your claim, you must simply demonstrate that you’ve sustained physical bodily injuries and/or damage to your vehicle in an auto accident. Your insurance company will pay benefits up to your policy limits. Since Hawaii has mandatory insurance minimums, you’ll be able to recover at least $10,000 in Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits for costs related to your bodily injuries and $10,000 in property damage benefits to replace or repair your car.
There are times when your crash-related damages will exceed your policy’s limits, especially if your injuries are catastrophic. In these situations, you can potentially file a civil legal claim for damages directly against an at-fault party (and/or their insurance provider).
When you file a car accident lawsuit, you’ll typically need to demonstrate that the other party (the defendant) was negligent and caused your car accident.
To prove negligence, you must be able to establish the following:
- You were owed a duty of care
- This duty of care was breached by the defendant because their actions were unreasonable
- The defendant’s conduct was the direct cause of a car accident in which you were injured, and
- You’ve sustained damages
Hawaii law requires the plaintiff in a personal injury claim to prove their allegations by a preponderance of the evidence. A fact finder has to believe that your story is more likely true than not.
Don’t worry about how to prove your case or get compensation after a car crash on the Hawaiian island of Hilo. Take the time you need to recover and trust our Hilo car accident attorneys to handle the rest. We’ll conduct a thorough investigation into your crash; evaluate accident reports, medical records, forensics reports, dashcam footage, and other key pieces of evidence; enlist experts to collaborate throughout the claims process; and build a claim that helps you maximize your financial recovery.
If the insurance company doesn’t make you a fair settlement offer, our award-winning Hawaii trial attorneys will be more than ready to take your lawsuit to a jury.
Representing Clients in All Types of Car Accidents on the Island of Hilo
Singleton Schreiber provides passionate, tenacious legal representation to Hilo crash victims and families in cases involving:
- Rollover accidents
- Rear-end collisions
- Head-on crashes
- Side impact collisions
- Highway accidents
- Single vehicle accidents
- Chain reaction collisions
- Low-impact collisions
- Speeding accidents
- Road rage accidents
- Distracted driving accidents
- Drunk driving accidents
- Accidents with uninsured motorists
- Fatal car accidents
Show the insurance company and other defendants in your case that you won’t be pushed around or manipulated into accepting a lowball offer. Make it clear that you’ll settle for nothing less than the best results by hiring our Hawaii car accident attorneys in Hilo to fight for you.
What Damages Can I Recover After a Hilo Car Accident?
Crash victims in Hilo will usually be able to request compensatory damages through an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit.
Compensatory damages include two categories of awards, each of which is designed to help victims deal with different aspects of a collision.
Economic damages are paid to help with the financial costs of a car accident, such as:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Disability
- Rehabilitation
- Property damage
- Nursing care
- Funeral expenses
Non-economic damages are paid to help victims handle much harder-to-value pain and suffering, which can include things like:
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
- Emotional distress
- Chronic physical pain
- Loss of consortium
- Reduced quality of life
- Inconvenience
- PTSD
Economic damages can be awarded without limitation as long as you have documentation to support your current and future financial losses. However, non-economic damages are typically capped at $375,000 under Hawaii state law.
What Happens If I’m Blamed For a Car Accident in Hilo?
You can still potentially recover compensation. However, under Hawaii’s modified comparative fault law, shared fault can limit or bar a third-party financial recovery.
Damages are awarded in direct proportion to fault up to 50 percent. So, sharing 10 percent of the blame for a fender-bender in Hilo would result in a 10 percent reduction in damages. Once shared fault exceeds half, the right to recover damages from a third party is forfeited.
Call Singleton Schreiber’s Award-Winning Hilo Car Accident Attorneys For Help Today
You’ll have a limited amount of time to seek compensation after a car accident in Hilo, HI. Barring any extenuating circumstances, you must file your legal claim within two years of the date of your crash. Once the statute of limitations runs out, you lose the ability to seek compensation from an insurance company or another liable party.
Protect your rights and increase the odds of a life-changing victory by calling Singleton Schreiber for help right away. Our Hilo car accident attorneys have decades of experience and a proven track record of success. As local lawyers with national resources, we’ve helped our clients win billions in compensation.
Today, we’re here to fight for you. Call our Maui car accident lawyers for a free consultation now.
