Wausau Auto Accident Attorneys

Wausau Car Accident Attorney

What You Get When You Hire Us

From our downtown office on North 3rd Street, the lawyers of Nicolet Law Office spend our days securing full and fair compensation for Wausau car accident victims, and for families whose loved ones have perished in those accidents.

No matter which side of the Wisconsin River you hail from, or whether the collision that harmed you happened on an east-side street or a west-side avenue, our award-winning team possesses the local knowledge and unmatched reputation to get you the money you deserve.

We've Helped Many People Like You

Over our 13-plus years of serving Wisconsin accident victims and their families, Nicolet Law has recovered more than $34 million in settlements, judgments, and jury verdicts for our clients.

Our recent car accident case results include:

• $1,200,000 on behalf of a young child who suffered burns in an auto accident;
• $300,000 for a victim of a motor vehicle accident; and
• $815,000 for a victim of a drunk driving accident.

Our past successes for clients in car accident cases do not guarantee the outcome of future matters we handle, but they do give our clients confidence in knowing they have a winning team of skilled attorneys on their side.

We See Too Many Accidents Here

Car accidents occur on both sides of the Wisconsin River in Wausau, but some locations see higher numbers of collisions than others.

With help from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, we can see the most car accident-prone spots in Wausau include:

• West Bridge Street at its intersections with North 1st and North 3rd Avenues;
• Stewart Street at South 17th Avenue;
• Scott Street and North 5th Street; and
• The Hwy 51 and West Bridge Street junction.

No matter where an accident happens in Wausau, however, the skilled car accident attorneys at Nicolet Law can help victims obtain full and fair compensation for their injuries and losses.

Wausau Car Accident Injuries

More than 3,000 crashes take place every year in Wausau. Many of the people in those accidents suffer life-altering injuries, and as many as 15 persons die.

Car accidents involve a great deal of force and very large objects that can cause serious injury to everyone involved in the accident. Any time you suffer severe injuries in a car accident, you may have grounds to file a car accident injury claim.

Common Wausau car accident injuries may include:

• Traumatic brain injury. Traumatic brain injury can permanently change the way the victim’s brain works. Many victims with traumatic brain injury have both long-term and short-term memory issues. Others may struggle with focus and concentration. Traumatic brain injury may also leave you with emotional challenges, including a long-term lack of emotional regulation.
• Back and neck injuries. Back and neck pain can prove catastrophic for many people. Back injuries can cause pain while sitting, standing, or moving around, depending on the extent of your injuries and how they impact you. In severe cases, victims may suffer from spinal cord injuries, which may lead to full paralysis below the site of the injury.
• Amputation. Amputees may need to go through substantial physical and occupational therapy as they learn how to cope with a missing limb. Limb amputation can occur at any point on the limbs, from fingers and toes to legs and arms. The more joints the amputee loses in the accident, the more limitations he may face later. Some amputees choose to use prosthetics to help replicate the appearance or function of the missing limb. While these devices can aid in independence, they also carry a substantial price tag.
• Burns. Some car accidents can cause severe burns for the victim, which may result in severe pain during the recovery. Burns also leave behind severe scarring and disfigurement, which can cause psychological complications for many victims. Burn victims also face a high risk of complication during the recovery process.
• Broken bones. Severely broken bones, especially if victims suffer multiple broken bones in the accident, can require substantial treatment, including multiple surgeries. Some victims never fully regain the function in a broken limb. Others may struggle with ongoing pain from that injury even after making a recovery. Broken bones can make it very difficult for victims to take care of themselves or to manage work tasks.

What to Expect When You Pursue Compensation After a Wausau Car Accident

You may know that you deserve compensation if someone else caused your Wausau car accident, but have little idea what to expect from the process. An experienced car accident injury attorney can help you understand your rights, explain the process of filing a car accident injury claim, and support you as you pursue compensation for your injuries.

Who Bears Liability After a Wausau Car Accident?

To determine who bears liability for your Wausau car accident, your attorney will evaluate police reports and take a look at evidence from the accident itself. Often, you can clearly see that the other driver caused your accident.

A driver who was engaging in several behaviors clearly shows liability for the accident.

• Driving while inebriated
• Driving while distracted
• Driving aggressively
• Ignoring the rules of the road, including speeding or running red lights and stop signs

Other times, however, another entity may contribute to the accident. Sometimes, you may need to pursue compensation from more than one driver behaving negligently at the time of the accident. Other times, your attorney’s investigation may turn up evidence that someone else contributed to the accident.

You might, for example, need to pursue compensation from the employer of a driver on the clock at the time of your accident, when that driver’s employer pushed negligent practices or policies that increased accident risk. Your attorney might also recommend pursuing compensation through an auto manufacturer or mechanic if mechanical failure caused the accident.

How Much Compensation Should You Expect?

An attorney cannot guarantee the compensation you will ultimately receive for your accident. The liable party’s insurance policy may limit the compensation you can ultimately receive for your injuries, since the terms of the policy may indicate a maximum payout for injury. You may also find that the number of people injured in the accident can change the amount of compensation you can pursue.

Most Wausau car accident claims, however, include the same general elements.

• Compensation for your medical expenses. Medical care in the United States can quickly drain your finances and create an immense burden, especially if you suffer from severe injuries. Your medical bills may begin with emergency medical care after the accident and continue to grow as you receive treatment for your injuries.
• Compensation for lost wages after your accident. Missing work can prove catastrophic for many people. Even if you have paid time off, including sick leave or disability leave, you may find your income cut during a period when you face more bills than ever. Through your car accident claim, you can seek compensation for some of the wages lost as a result of your accident.
• Compensation for pain and suffering. Your accident may cause significant losses that have nothing to do with your finances: loss of enjoyment of life, missed activities, and even missed opportunities. An attorney can help you determine how to include those factors as part of your car accident injury claim.

Wausau Car Accident FAQs

Your car accident can leave you with legal questions. Contact an experienced Wausau car accident injury attorney as soon after your accident as possible to get answers to any specific questions you may have.

1. How should I handle my medical bills after a Wausau car accident?

If you know another party caused your car accident, you may wonder if the liable party will have to pay your medical bills. While the liable party may have to offer you compensation for many of those bills, that party will not pay your medical expenses directly. Instead, you will pursue compensation through a car accident injury claim, then use that compensation to pay for your medical bills. If your medical bills exceed the amount of your settlement, especially if you have severe injuries that will lead to long-term medical bills, you will need to make other arrangements to pay those bills.

You may want to use your medical insurance to alleviate some of the burden associated with your medical care. Make sure you contact your insurance company to ask what type of coverage you have for durable medical equipment, including prosthetic devices or a wheelchair, in-home care if needed, or a stay in a long-term care facility.

2. Should I accept a settlement offer from the other driver’s insurance company?

At some point, you will probably accept a settlement agreement made by the other driver’s insurance company. That does not mean, however, that you should accept the first offer you receive.

Most insurance companies want to alleviate their financial liability as much as possible after a severe accident. They may contact you soon after the accident to issue a settlement offer, then pressure you to accept that offer quickly, without taking the time to think it through or to get in touch with an attorney. Failure to work with an attorney, however, could leave you failing to understand the compensation you really deserve for your injuries or struggling with when to accept a settlement offer.

Instead of accepting a low offer that may not fit your needs, talk to an experienced car accident injury attorney. You have time to reach a settlement agreement that fits your needs.

3. How long do I have to file a Wausau car accident injury claim after my Wausau car accident?

You must file a car accident injury claim before the statute of limitations runs out. The statute of limitations gives a specific amount of time that the victim of a serious accident has to file a claim. Several factors can influence the statute of limitations, including the age of the victim: a minor child may have longer to file a car accident injury claim than an adult.

While you may want to wait to file a car accident injury claim, you should get in touch with an attorney as soon after your accident as possible. An attorney can help guide you through the initial legal steps after an accident, including dealing with the insurance company that covers the liable driver or addressing your insurance company regarding your claim.

4. I did not seek medical attention immediately after my accident because I did not notice serious injuries. Later, I discovered back injuries that have affected me for months. Can I still file a Wausau car accident injury claim?

Ideally, you should always seek medical attention after a car accident, even a minor one. Car accidents can leave victims with severe injuries, including many injuries that you may not notice immediately after your accident.

Even if you do not pursue medical attention immediately, however, you can still file a car accident injury claim. Talk to an attorney after you find out about your injuries. The attorney can then advise you about the steps you will need to take next. If you did not seek medical attention immediately after your accident, but later discover serious injuries, it can increase the difficulty in proving when your injuries occurred. An attorney can help guide you through that process and increase the odds that you will get the compensation you deserve.

5. How long does it take to file a car accident claim in Wausau?

How long it takes to settle your Wausau car accident claim may depend on several key details. First, your injuries may determine how long you need to wait before you file a claim. If you suffered severe injuries, and your doctors do not yet have a clear picture of your prognosis, your attorney may advise waiting until you have a better idea of how much your medical expenses will cost and how much your injuries will ultimately impact your life before you file your car accident injury claim.

Likewise, severe injuries can lead to substantial medical bills, which may extend the time needed to file your claim. When you need to ask for substantial compensation for your injuries, the insurance company may fight harder to minimize your settlement. You may need to go through more rounds of negotiation, which can extend the time needed to reach an agreement.

Finally, the time to settle your accident claim may depend on your willingness to negotiate. During the negotiation process, either you or the insurance company can decide at any point that you want to accept a settlement offer. Once you sign that agreement, the negotiation process stops, and you need only wait for the insurance company or liable party to submit the check.

If you have to go to court to manage your car accident claim, it can further extend the time needed to reach an agreement. If you have to go to court, you will need to wait for a court date, then present your case and wait for a verdict.

Contact Nicolet Law Office today for a free consultation and learn more about your options following a car accident in Wausau.

Contact a Wausau Car Accident Attorney Today

If you suffered serious injuries in a Wausau car accident, do not wait to seek legal support. Our personal injury attorneys can help you understand your right to compensation, collect evidence on your behalf, and negotiate with the insurance company or fight for you in court if you need to go to trial to successfully conclude your claim. Contact Nicolet Law Office today through our online contact page or at (715) 716-5092 to learn more about your legal rights.

Wausau Office
408 3rd Street
Suite 303
Wausau, WI 54403
Phone: (715) 716-5092