Kalispell Car Accident Lawyer

Personal injury cases can be complex and time-consuming. The most important step in a personal injury case is ensuring that the proper evidence has been collected. The Kalispell personal injury lawyers at Heenan & Cook are experienced in handling these cases and understand the intricacies involved with a variety of claims.

Our attorneys work with each client to compile all necessary documentation, which often includes consulting with medical experts to ensure effective representation. The personal injury attorneys at Heenan & Cook will always put your best interests first and work to get you the best recovery possible. Contact our law firm for a free consultation to see how our firm can help.

Why choose Heenan & Cook for Your Kalispell Personal Injury Case?

The Kalispell personal injury attorneys at Heenan & Cook have decades of experience handling complex personal injury and general litigation matters. We understand more than just the laws around personal injury cases. We understand our client’s unique needs, which can include:

Medical challenges
Financial challenges
Rural communities
Pursuing proper compensation

The Kalispell personal injury lawyers at Heenan & Cook, PLLC offer dependable and reliable counsel for our clients. Our clients are top priority, and we will always work with you when gathering facts and evidence to provide you with proper legal analysis and the strong advocacy you need for a successful case.

How do I choose the Best Kalispell Personal Injury Attorney for My Case?

Choosing a competent, ethical and effective personal injury attorney can literally determine whether or not you are compensated for your injury, and how much. One of the factors that insurance companies look at when evaluating an injured person’s claim is who their lawyer is. If you are represented by a lawyer the insurance company doesn’t take seriously, then the insurance company will likely seek to resolve your claim for less money.

So how do you choose? The internet is filled with lawyer ads, all of which basically say the same thing. Many lawyers advertise as handling “serious personal injury” but, if they get such a case, actually refer it to someone else. Many lawyers pretend to be in Montana, but they are really in a city far away and know nothing about Montana or its laws!

Here are a few tips for hiring a competent Kalispell injury attorney:

Get a referral from an attorney you know. He or she will probably know someone who specializes in your area of need. Most of our law firm’s referrals come from other attorneys or legal professionals.
Ask about the firm’s background and philosophy. Some lawyers, in our opinion, are in it for the wrong reason- they are driven by money and see clients only in this way. Ask the lawyer you are considering hiring why they handle personal injury claims. If they don’t have a good answer, ask yourself whether this is the type of lawyer you want to handle your injury claim.
Ask who will handle your claim. Many firms rely heavily on non-lawyer paralegals or inexperienced associate attorneys to handle the bulk of the work. We do things just the opposite. We personally handle all of the legal work that goes into prosecuting clients’ claims. We believe that when someone becomes our client, they become our client and get personal attention throughout your claim.
Ask the lawyer about their credentials and track record. Don’t be ashamed to ask about the lawyer’s credentials, including experience in actually trying a case like yours. Ask the lawyer if they have published articles or written anything that has been accepted for publication in legal journals. Ask if the lawyer has spoken at legal seminars. These are signs of respect that the legal community has for the lawyer’s skill and knowledge.
Find out about the lawyer’s ethics. There is a reason some lawyers have a bad name- many of them deserve it. Lawyers know which other lawyers are ethical and which are not. Consumers, unfortunately, may not. Some lawyers commit ethical violations yet continue to practice law. Contact the State Bar at (406) 442-7660 or at www.montanbar.org) to find out whether the lawyer you are considering hiring has ever been subject to ethical discipline.

How can our Experienced Kalispell Personal Injury Lawyers Help?

In determining whether to hire a Kalispell personal injury attorney, you need to know what the attorney will do for you. When we take on an injury claim, we:

Advance the costs of prosecuting your injury claim (which can sometimes be substantial).
Meet with the client to discuss the claim and outline a common plan for successfully resolving the claim.
Educate our client about the litigation process and provide a “roadmap” for what the client can expect to encounter. When we bring a claim, it is important for our firm to make sure our clients understand just how hard we will both need to work to achieve a successful outcome.
Independently investigate the client’s claim, including compiling witness statements, photographs, documents, and physical evidence.
Reviewing applicable insurance policies to determine sources of recovery, including: (a) the responsible party, (b) our client’s policy, and (c) and additional insurance policies which may be applicable, such as worker’s compensation.
Review our client’s doctor’s records and discuss the claim with them.
Research any legal issues which we expect to arise throughout the course of the prosecution of the claim.
Analyze any liens in place which may take away from our client’s recovery, and determine whether the lien is enforceable or not.
Conduct negotiations with the insurance adjustor or the insurance company’s lawyer.
Prepare a complaint and summons.
Conduct “discovery,” which means asking for and responding to requests for information. This is both in written form (called “interrogatories” and “requests for production”) as well as through the recorded depositions of witnesses.
Hire necessary experts to support or prove aspects of our client’s claim.
Research, file and respond to motions brought pursuant to the rules of civil procedure.
Prepare our client and other witnesses for trial.
Organize exhibits for trial.
When applicable, schedule and prepare documents for mediation in advance of trial.
Explain our client’s claim and injuries to a jury at trial.
Research, file and respond to motions brought after trial, such as appeals or motions to overturn the jury’s verdict.
Inform our client through the entire process what can be expected, and offer honest (not sugarcoated) opinions about the status of the claim.

If you or somebody you care about has been injured in a car accident in Kalispell, Whitefish or anywhere in the Flathead Valley caused by the actions of another driver, you should be able to recover compensation for your losses. At Heenan & Cook, our team is here to help when you need a Kalispell car accident attorney by your side. We have extensive experience handling complex injury claims throughout Montana, and we will work diligently to recover compensation for your medical bills, property damage expenses, pain and suffering losses, and more.

What are Common Causes of Car Accidents in Montana?

Unfortunately, car accidents along Highway 93 and the Flathead Valley are not uncommon, and they happen in a wide variety of ways. Typically, we will find that most vehicle accidents are caused by the careless or negligent actions of one or more drivers on the roadway. Some of the most common causes of accidents that we help clients obtain compensation for include:

Operating while impaired by alcohol or drugs
Operating while distracted by a phone or another device
Other distractions inside the vehicle, including people or pets
Failing to yield the right of way
Failing to stop at stop signs or stoplights
Driving too fast for conditions or above the speed limit
Failing to use appropriate tires for snow or ice
Failing to properly maintain vehicles (headlights, brakes, tail lights, turn signals, etc.)
Tourists unfamiliar with Montana’s roadways

How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Claim in Montana?

Any person who wants to recover compensation after a car accident occurs needs to be aware of a few deadlines. First, most car accident claims in Kalispell are resolved through settlements with insurance carriers. Car accident insurance carriers in Montana typically require that the incident be reported within a day or two after it occurs. Failing to promptly report a car accident to an insurance carrier could result in the carrier delaying or denying the claim.

Additionally, car accident victims in Kalispell have three years from the date an accident occurs to file a lawsuit against the alleged negligent driver, per the Montana personal injury statute of limitations. Failing to file a lawsuit against the other driver within this three-year timeframe will result in the case being dismissed by the court and the victim becoming unable to recover compensation for their losses.

Call the Kalispell Car Accident Attorneys at Heenan & Cook Today

If you or somebody you love has been injured in a car accident caused by the negligence of another driver in the Flathead including Kalispell, the team at Heenan & Cook is here to help. We will not back down from aggressive insurance carriers, and our team will conduct a complete investigation into your claim. We know that you need coverage for your medical bills, property damage expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering damages, and more. When you need a Kalispell car accident attorney, you can contact us by filling out our contact form or calling us at (866) 601-6135.