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If you sustain injuries in a car accident that was someone else’s fault, you may file a personal injury claim or lawsuit with that driver’s insurance company.
However, when dealing with insurance company representatives and others throughout the legal process, you want an experienced, compassionate, and qualified attorney advocating for your interests. Otherwise, the chances are good that the insurance company will take advantage of your situation and attempt to settle your case for as little money as possible.
When speaking with prospective personal injury attorneys, you should ask them about their experience handling car accident cases and the results they have achieved for their clients.
Once you retain legal counsel to represent you in your case, your Baraboo car accident lawyer can handle the claims-filing and settlement negotiation processes for you.
Moreover, suppose the insurance company refuses to treat you fairly and make you a fair settlement offer. In that case, your attorney can pursue litigation in the court system and fight for your right to recover favorable monetary compensation.
Common Car Accident Types
Car accidents come in various forms, each with unique characteristics and contributing factors. Some of the most common types of car accidents that lead to injuries – and result from the negligence of other drivers – include:
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions are among the most prevalent types of car accidents. They often occur when vehicles follow too closely or fail to apply their brakes in time.
Common causes of rear-end collisions include distracted driving, sudden stops, speeding, and intoxicated driving. These accidents may lead to whiplash, neck injuries, and damage to the rear vehicle.
Parking Lot Accidents
Low-speed accidents in parking lots are common but can still result in property damage and physical injuries. These accidents may involve backing out of parking spaces, failing to yield the right-of-way to other drivers, or distracted driving in crowded parking areas.
Multi-Vehicle Pileups
Multi-vehicle pileups typically occur on highways and involve multiple vehicles colliding in a chain reaction. Sudden braking and driver inattention are the most common causes of these accidents. Multi-vehicle pileups can lead to severe injuries for all drivers and passengers involved.
Single-Vehicle Accidents
Single-vehicle accidents involve only one car and can result from various factors, including driver error, weather conditions, or road hazards. Examples of single-vehicle crashes include running off the road, hitting a stationary object, or overturning.
Suppose you suffered an injury as a passenger in a single-vehicle accident that your driver negligently caused. In that case, you can bring a claim against the driver’s insurance company seeking monetary compensation.
Head-On Collisions
Head-on collisions involve the front ends of two vehicles colliding directly. These accidents are often severe and can lead to catastrophic injuries or fatalities. Factors that may contribute to a head-on collision include intoxicated driving, overtaking another vehicle in a no-passing zone, and distracted driving.
Intersection Accidents
Accidents at traffic intersections involve collisions between vehicles approaching from different directions. Factors such as running red lights, failing to yield the right-of-way at the appropriate time, and misjudging the speed of oncoming traffic contribute to these accidents.
Intersection collisions can lead to broadside impacts or T-bone accidents, often causing severe injuries – especially if the vehicle on the receiving end spins around rapidly or overturns in the middle of the intersection.
Side-impact collisions (or Sideswipe Accidents)
Side-impact collisions occur when the front of one vehicle strikes the side of another, forming a letter T. These accidents often happen at traffic intersections and can result from failing to yield the right-of-way to another vehicle, running a red light or stop sign, or misjudging the right-of-way.
Side-impact collisions can also cause significant injuries, especially if the impact occurs on the passenger side.
Distracted Driving Accidents
With the rise of smartphones, GPS navigation systems, and other electronic devices, distracted driving accidents have become increasingly common. Texting, talking on the phone, or using entertainment systems while driving can divert a driver’s attention, causing them to take their eyes off the road and leading to a higher risk of collisions.
Injuries That Drivers and Passengers Frequently Suffer in Car Accidents
Car accidents can result in a wide range of injuries, from minor to severe. The nature and extent of injuries depend upon factors such as the collision’s impact, vehicle speeds, seat belt use, and airbags. Some of the most common injuries that car accident victims may suffer include:
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)
Head injuries are a significant concern in car accidents. TBIs can range from concussions, which may cause temporary memory losses, to more severe injuries that lead to long-term neurological damage.
TBIs may occur when a driver or passenger strikes their head on something inside their vehicle, such as the headrest, window, or steering wheel.
Broken Bones
The force of a car accident can lead to broken bones and fractures, commonly affecting the affected driver or passenger’s arms, legs, ribs, and collarbones. The severity of fractures varies, ranging from hairline fractures to more severe breaks that may require surgery and extensive physical therapy.
Whiplash
Whiplash is a soft tissue injury to the neck that results from a sudden jerking motion, often occurring in rear-end accidents. Some of the most common symptoms associated with whiplash injuries include neck pain, stiffness, and headaches. While whiplash is typically not life-threatening, it can lead to chronic pain and ongoing discomfort.
Internal Injuries
The force of a car accident can result in internal injuries, including damage to vital organs like the kidneys, spleen, or liver. These injuries might lead to internal bleeding, requiring immediate medical attention and possibly surgical intervention.
The impact can vary from minor damage to severe trauma, necessitating extensive medical treatments, surgeries, and ongoing monitoring to ensure the victim’s recovery and well-being.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Soft tissue injuries involve damage to muscles, ligaments, and tendons. These injuries can result in pain, swelling, and reduced mobility. Strains and sprains commonly occur in car accidents because of abrupt forward and backward motion. One of the most common soft tissue injuries that car accident victims suffer is whiplash.
Spinal Cord Injuries
High-impact collisions can lead to spinal cord injuries, which affect the nerves. These injuries may also lead to full or partial paralysis. The severity of spinal cord injuries varies, and victims may experience loss of sensation, control over bodily functions, or motor functions.
Open Lacerations and Cuts
Sharp objects, deployed airbags, and broken glass inside a vehicle may cause deep cuts and lacerations in an accident. As a result, the accident victim may need to receive stitches and may experience significant scarring in the affected areas, leading to embarrassment and humiliation.
Psychological Trauma
Car accidents can also have serious and long-standing psychological effects on victims, leading to conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression. Emotional trauma from a car accident may also require therapeutic support and intervention from counselors, psychologists, and psychiatrists.
Burn Injuries
Burn injuries may affect individuals involved in motor vehicle accidents where fires or explosions occur. These injuries encompass a spectrum, ranging from minor burns to severe, life-threatening ones necessitating comprehensive medical treatment and multiple surgeries.
The severity and complexity of these burns often demand prolonged hospital stays, specialized burn care, and ongoing rehabilitative therapies to aid in recovery and mitigate potential long-term impacts on the victim’s life.
Knee Injuries
A car crash can cause knee injuries like ligament tears or fractures when a sudden impact or twisting motion affects the lower body. These injuries may require surgical intervention and rehabilitation to correct.
One of the most important steps you can take after a car accident is to seek ongoing medical care for your injuries. While you focus on your medical treatment, your car accident attorney can handle the legal components of your case and begin advocating for all of your legal rights and interests.
Recovering Fair Monetary Damages for Injuries in a Car Crash
Recovering fair monetary compensation for car accident injuries involves navigating a process encompassing legal, medical, and insurance-related steps.
Some of the key elements involved in seeking financial recovery after sustaining injuries in a car accident include:
- Seeking prompt medical attention, including following up at a hospital emergency room or urgent care center and continuing to treatment until a medical provider or facility formally discharges you from care
- Documenting the accident scene, including taking photographs, obtaining contact information from all involved drivers, and speaking with eyewitnesses to the accident
- Report the accident to authorities, including requesting a copy of the police report that the responding officer prepares (details how the accident occurred, who was responsible for it, and whether or not the officer issued a citation to the responsible driver)
- Notify your insurance company, including reporting the accident to your insurance company promptly, providing accurate and detailed information about the incident, and being cautious about what you say to insurance representatives without first speaking to an attorney.
In addition, to maximize your overall monetary compensation, you need to speak with a knowledgeable car accident lawyer in your area as quickly as possible. A personal injury attorney can assess the circumstances of the accident, evaluate liability, and guide you through the legal process. They can also negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf and, if necessary, file a lawsuit.
Establishing liability is a crucial aspect of recovering monetary compensation in your case. Liability may be clear-cut or involve complex factors, depending upon the accident circumstances.
Monetary damages in a car accident case include medical expenses, property damage, lost income, and pain and suffering. Documenting these damages and calculating their monetary value is essential for presenting a comprehensive compensation claim.
Insurance companies will assess your claim and may offer a settlement. However, you need to review any settlement offer with an experienced car accident attorney who can negotiate on your behalf and ensure you receive the fair monetary damages you deserve.
If the insurance company refuses to offer fair compensation for your injuries, filing a personal injury lawsuit may become necessary. This legal step initiates a formal court process; a judge or jury determines the outcome during a presentation of evidence.
Recovering monetary compensation for car accident injuries involves a comprehensive and sometimes complex process. However, by consulting with an experienced car accident attorney early in the process, you can significantly increase your chances of securing fair compensation for the physical, emotional, and financial impacts of an accident.
Important Questions to Ask a Car Accident Lawyer
When retaining a personal injury attorney to represent you in your car accident case, you should ask several important questions.
First, ask the attorney how much experience they have handling car accident claims and lawsuits. Ideally, you want an attorney who regularly represents car accident victims and achieves favorable results for them.
Additionally, you want a lawyer on your side who regularly litigates car accident cases to a conclusion in the court system, including taking these cases to trial and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) proceedings.
You should always ask a prospective attorney about your car accident case’s likely settlement or verdict value. While your attorney cannot pinpoint your case’s exact value, they can ballpark the figure based on your injuries, medical costs, lost income, jurisdiction, and other factors. They can provide you with a range of the amount of a prospective monetary settlement, jury verdict, or binding arbitration award.
Finally, it is a good idea to look at a prospective lawyer’s website and review any favorable posts or client testimonials that they have available. To obtain a frank and independent evaluation, you may want to ask family members, friends, and colleagues about their familiarity or experience with a particular car accident attorney in your area.
Speak With a Knowledgeable Car Accident Lawyer Near You Today
If you recently sustained injuries in a car crash due to another driver’s negligence, you want the best lawyer to handle your case at every stage. A local car accident lawyer can fight aggressively for your interests and vigorously pursue the financial compensation you deserve from the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
Seek your free case evaluation with a car accident attorney now.
