FAQs

Attorney Glenn Honda and the dedicated team at Recovery Law Center have over 30 years of experience working with car crash victims in Hawaii. We have deep knowledge of Hawaii's state-specific laws and insurance requirements, which is crucial for navigating the no-fault system effectively. We are committed to making sure our clients' voices are heard and that they receive the support they need throughout the legal process. Our track record of fighting for maximum compensation, combined with our contingency fee structure and compassionate approach, makes us the right choice for your car accident case in Honolulu.

The timeline for resolving a car accident case varies significantly depending on several factors: the severity of your injuries, the complexity of the case, whether fault is disputed, the insurance companies involved, and whether the case settles or goes to trial. Simple cases with minor injuries might resolve in a few months, while complex cases involving serious injuries or disputed liability could take a year or more. Our team at Recovery Law Center will work diligently to resolve your case as quickly as possible while ensuring you receive maximum compensation.

After ensuring everyone's safety and calling 911 if needed, you should: (1) exchange insurance and contact information with all parties involved, (2) document the scene with photos of vehicles, injuries, and road conditions, (3) obtain contact information from witnesses, (4) notify your insurance company about the accident, (5) seek medical attention even if you feel fine, as some injuries may not be immediately apparent, and (6) contact an experienced car accident attorney to protect your rights. Avoid admitting fault or making statements about the accident to other insurance companies without legal guidance.

At Recovery Law Center, we work on a contingency fee basis, which means you won't pay us anything unless and until we recover money for you. This arrangement allows injured victims to access quality legal representation without upfront costs or hourly fees. We understand that serious injuries put financial strain on families, so our fee structure ensures that everyone can afford experienced legal representation. You only pay attorney fees if we successfully recover compensation on your behalf.

While Hawaii is a no-fault state, you can step outside the no-fault system and sue the at-fault driver if your injuries meet certain severity thresholds. You can pursue a lawsuit if: (1) your medical expenses exceed $5,000, (2) the accident causes permanent disfigurement, or (3) the accident results in permanent disability. These thresholds exist to ensure that only serious injury cases proceed to litigation while minor accidents are handled efficiently through the no-fault insurance system.

Hawaii is a no-fault car insurance state, which means that after a car accident, you must first file a claim with your own insurance company for payment of your medical bills, regardless of who caused the accident. Your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage will pay for medical expenses, lost wages, and essential services up to your policy limits (minimum $10,000 per person). However, you can pursue a claim against the at-fault driver if your medical bills exceed $5,000 or if the accident causes permanent disfigurement or disability. It's important to note that Hawaii's no-fault system only applies to injuries—property damage claims can still be pursued against the at-fault driver's insurance.

In Hawaii, you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver. However, insurance claims should be filed much sooner—most insurance policies require notification within days or weeks of the accident. For PIP benefits through your own insurance, you should file as soon as possible after the accident. Missing these deadlines could jeopardize your ability to recover compensation, so it's crucial to contact an experienced Honolulu car accident attorney promptly after your accident.

If your injuries meet the threshold to step outside Hawaii's no-fault system, you may be able to recover various types of compensation including: medical expenses (past and future), lost wages and lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, permanent disability or disfigurement, property damage, and other out-of-pocket expenses related to your accident. The amount of compensation depends on the severity of your injuries, the impact on your life, and the insurance coverage available. An experienced attorney can help maximize your recovery.

Since collisions happen in the blink of an eye, the moments immediately following are often a blur for victims. The following steps could help you protect yourself and your rights if you are involved in a collision:

1. Report the crash
2. Get medical attention
3. Take down witness information
4. Document the scene
5. Contact a lawyer

If your injuries meet the threshold to step outside Hawaii's no-fault system, you may be able to recover various types of compensation including: medical expenses (past and future), lost wages and lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, permanent disability or disfigurement, property damage, and other out-of-pocket expenses related to your accident. The amount of compensation depends on the severity of your injuries, the impact on your life, and the insurance coverage available. An experienced attorney can help maximize your recovery.

When you are involved in a motorcycle accident, the most important thing is to get the medical attention that you require. If you are safe and able, be sure to make a complete police report, take photos of the accident scene and your injuries, and get the names and contact information of any witnesses, if available. If you can’t do this yourself, have someone you trust do it for you. Do not accept calls from the insurance adjusters, or if you do, politely tell them that they need to talk to your attorney. Keep track of medical bills during medical treatment and recovery process. Our experienced motorcycle accident lawyers will assist you with lost or misplaced bills and records if needed.

According to Hawaii’s no-fault insurance laws, if the relevant insurance policy was active at the time of the crash, you may be eligible to recover:

• Payment of medical bills for your injuries and your passengers’ injuries up to the personal injury protection benefits (“PIP”) limit of $10,000 per person or more.
• Up to $20,000 per person ($40,000 per accident) for bodily injury liability to cover injuries of anyone who was injured besides you and your passengers.

In addition to these required amounts of coverage for injuries, your insurance policy or the relevant insurance policy of another driver may include compensation. Contact us for a Free Consultation. If you are determined to have been at fault, your insurance should pay up to $10,000 per occurrence to cover damage to the other person’s car or other personal property.

Jaywalking, or crossing a road outside of a crosswalk or away from a street corner, is against the law in Hawaii. If you receive a citation for jaywalking, you could face a fine of $130. Pedestrians can also face a $130 fine for entering a roadway when a traffic light is red.

In the United States, most pedestrian injuries occur between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Most pedestrian fatalities occur at night, between 5:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. According to researchers at Arizona State University, most pedestrian-vehicle accidents happen on Fridays and Saturdays.

Hawaii is a no-fault state. When a driver is involved in a crash, they generally turn to their own insurance company to cover the costs of their injuries. Pedestrians can seek compensation from their own insurer if the driver is uninsured.

If you sustain serious or catastrophic injuries, Hawaii law allows you to step outside the no-fault system and file a personal injury lawsuit. To qualify, your injury must meet the state’s serious injury threshold, which happens when your medical bills exceed $5,000 and you suffer a serious or permanent injury.

This could take a couple of months. You do not want to settle your Hawaii accident injury case until after you have completed treatment because you want the settlement to take into account all of your injuries and bills. Your injury lawyer will order all of your medical records and bills and write out a summary of your treatment. All of these documents will then be sent to the other driver’s insurance company for their review. Assuming that the insurance company accepts liability for the collision, then they will most likely make a settlement offer to resolve your injury claim. Once your Hawaii accident lawyer receives the settlement offer, he will negotiate with the insurance company to get their offer as high as possible. He will continue the negotiation until the insurance adjustor indicates that they have reached their final offer and are no longer able to make any additional offers. If their offer is reasonable, then your personal injury attorney will recommend you take the offer. If the settlement offer is completely unreasonable, you will need to decide whether to take them to court, a process that can be very long, time consuming, and stressful.

Insurance companies are in the business of making money and their employees are often directed to limit payouts and to deny liability whenever possible. Attorneys are advocates – which means that they have a professional obligation to represent you and your interests. Your case will not settle as quickly as it might if you handle matters on your own. With the guidance of an expert personal injury attorney from Recovery Law Center you would just need to submit information about your accident to the responsible insurance adjuster and a fair payment would be made to you that would cover your present and future medical expenses, lost time from work, and the pain, discomfort and limitations that you have as a result of your accident.

As your advocate, your lawyer will negotiate with the insurance adjuster to get the best settlement. Your attorney will advice you when the last and best offer has been made. It will be your decision to settle or take it to court, to follow your attorney´s advice or file a complaint in court. If you decide for filing a complaint the insurance company hires a defense attorney, who are not usually interested in settling the case. The case will first go to arbitration and the arbitrator will decide the amount you deserve.