The total value of a car accident claim or lawsuit depends on the severity of the accident victim’s injuries, the extent of their medical treatment, and their total medical costs. One of the best ways to maximize the settlement or litigation compensation you receive in your car accident case is to retain a skilled attorney to represent you as quickly as possible.
An experienced car accident lawyer near you can help you investigate your accident circumstances, file a personal injury claim with the appropriate insurance company, and negotiate with insurance company adjusters for favorable settlement compensation.
If the insurance company does not offer you a fair monetary award for your injuries, your lawyer can help you file a lawsuit and litigate your case to a conclusion in the court system.
Your attorney can also represent you at all litigation proceedings, including your civil jury trial, binding arbitration hearing, or mediation session. In short, your skilled Florence car accident lawyer will do everything possible to help you maximize your total monetary award and recover the full compensation you deserve for your accident-related injuries.
Typical Reasons Why Car Accidents Happen in the First Place
When people drive recklessly or carelessly, serious car accidents may unfortunately follow. One common cause of local traffic accidents is distracted driving.
Distracted driving can happen when drivers talk on a mobile device (even when using their Bluetooth capabilities), text and drive, listen to loud music or podcasts, or program GPS navigation systems.
A driver may also become distracted by non-electronic activities, including eating, drinking, or even daydreaming. When drivers turn their attention away from the road, look down, or remove their hands from the wheel, they can easily hit another car or pedestrian and cause serious injuries.
Traffic accidents may also happen when drivers violate common traffic laws. For example, a driver might speed, fail to yield the right-of-way to another vehicle or pedestrian at a traffic intersection, or fail to use their turn signal when making a lane change or turning onto an intersecting road.
Accidents also frequently occur when drivers exhibit reckless driving maneuvers or engage in various forms of road rage.
Road rage is just another word for aggressive driving. Many people drive aggressively when they feel that others are driving too slowly.
Aggressive drivers may also try to get ahead of other vehicles by speeding, weaving in and out of heavy traffic, failing to use their turn signals, tailgating other drivers, or cutting other cars off in traffic. However, the unfortunate result of these reckless driving maneuvers is often a severe car accident.
Finally, some car crashes happen when drivers engage in intoxicated or drugged driving. Regarding alcohol intoxication, passenger vehicle drivers are illegally under the influence if they have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) that meets or exceeds 0.08 percent.
Alcohol intoxication is extremely dangerous when driving because the driver might fail to see or appreciate other vehicles, or they might swerve uncontrollably in heavy traffic, bringing about a multi-vehicle collision.
At other times, an intoxicated driver may experience limited concentration abilities and delayed reaction time, preventing them from stepping on their brakes in time to avoid a severe crash.
If you sustained injuries in a recent car crash resulting from another driver’s negligent behavior, you should contact experienced legal counsel as quickly as possible. Your attorney can help you take the appropriate legal actions against the at-fault driver’s insurance company. Your lawyer can also assist you throughout the negotiation stage of your case and, if necessary, threaten the insurance company with litigation in court.
Accidents that Happen When Drivers are Negligent
When motor vehicle drivers are negligent, they can cause many different types of traffic accidents. A head-on crash is one common type of accident that negligent drivers can cause.
In these accidents, the front of one vehicle strikes the front of an on-coming car – usually at a high rate of speed. Because the vehicles strike one another directly, these accidents are the most likely to cause permanent injuries and fatalities.
Another common type of accident is a sideswipe accident. These accidents usually occur when a distracted or intoxicated driver swerves into another vehicle’s travel lane, pushing that vehicle into another lane – or off the road entirely.
Another common traffic accident is a rear-end collision or tailgate accident. These crashes usually occur when drivers speed, tailgate other vehicles, or are otherwise inattentive to the road. The force of a rear-end collision might cause an accident victim’s body to move abruptly forward and backward, leading to severe soft tissue neck and back injuries.
Finally, a broadside collision, or T-bone crash, happens when one vehicle hits the side panel of a car traveling on an intersecting roadway. These accidents frequently occur at highway merge lanes or at four-way traffic intersections, where a driver negligently runs a red light or otherwise fails to yield the right-of-way at the appropriate time.
If you or someone you love sustained injuries in one of these accidents, you should immediately retain the legal help you need. Your attorney can investigate your accident circumstances and help you get the ball rolling on the claims-filing process. Your lawyer can then start negotiating on your behalf with insurance company adjusters.
Injuries That Car Accident Victims Frequently Suffer
Victims of severe car crashes frequently sustain injuries that leave them incapacitated for an extended period. The injuries that a driver or passenger may sustain in a car accident depend on the type of accident that occurs, their bodily movements inside the vehicle, and whether or not a part of their body hits a vehicle component, such as the window, headrest, steering wheel, or doorframe, exacerbating their injuries.
Sometimes, the force of a collision is so strong that it causes the accident victim’s head to strike the steering wheel or headrest in their vehicle, bringing about a concussion or other traumatic head injury. At other times, a vehicle occupant’s knee or shoulder may strike the console or window, bringing about a fracture or broken bone.
Other common injuries that car crash victims frequently suffer include:
- Soft tissue neck and back injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Internal bleeding
- Bruises
- Open cuts
- Paralysis injuries
- Spinal cord damage
If you suffered one or more of these injuries in an accident due to another driver’s negligence, you should make your medical treatment a top priority. Specifically, you may need to consult a medical specialist, such as a neurologist or orthopedic doctor, or you may need to attend physical therapy sessions.
As you treat your injuries, complete all of your medical care and refrain from discharging yourself from a particular medical doctor or facility. Otherwise, the insurance company may assume your injuries are not severe and refuse to offer fair monetary compensation.
As you treat your injuries, your attorney can help you plan your case and gather the necessary documents to prove each legal element. For example, your attorney can begin collecting your medical treatment records, medical bills, police reports, and witness statements.
Once your medical treatment nears completion, your lawyer can assemble these documents into a settlement demand package and later forward them to the insurance company for consideration.
Filing an Insurance Claim after a Car Crash
After a car accident occurs, your lawyer can submit a settlement demand package to the insurance company for review. This demand package will typically include various documents, including your complete medical file, investigation results, photographs of your injuries, and property damage photographs.
The insurance company adjuster will then use these documents to determine whether or not they will accept liability for your accident. If they accept liability for the crash, they may start discussing settlement negotiations and numbers with your attorney.
During the settlement negotiation process, your attorney can be an invaluable help. Insurance companies do not have an incentive to compensate you fully or fairly for your injuries. In fact, they want to do just the opposite and save themselves as much money as possible.
Your attorney can highlight the strong points of your medical records and bring up other favorable aspects of your case to encourage the adjuster to offer you as much compensation as possible.
If that does not work, your lawyer can threaten the adjuster with a lawsuit – or even file a lawsuit in the court system on your behalf, seeking the full monetary recovery you deserve.
Your attorney will accompany you every step of the way, answering your questions and helping you make intelligent and informed decisions throughout the process.
Factors that Affect a Car Accident Settlement Amount
Every motor vehicle accident case is different. Therefore, the types and amounts of monetary damages that accident victims may recover will likely vary significantly from case to case.
Factors that may influence the types and amounts of monetary damages an accident victim ultimately recovers will typically include:
- The court where the case is pending
- The insurance company and adjuster with whom your attorney is dealing
- The nature and extent of your injuries
- Whether or not you suffered a permanent injury, disability, or impairment in your accident
- Whether or not you missed time from work due to your injuries or had to switch careers because of your inability to perform certain job duties
- The specific circumstances surrounding your accident
- The severity of any property damage to your vehicle
Your attorney can highlight the strengths of your personal injury case, downplay any weaknesses, and pursue the highest amount of monetary compensation on your behalf.
Monetary Damages that Car Crash Victims Ultimately Recover
The monetary damages that an accident victim recovers in their case via settlement or litigation will depend on many factors.
First, accident victims may be eligible to recover compensation for their past and anticipated medical costs, including doctor visits, medical procedures, and physical therapy.
Moreover, if the accident victim had to spend time away from work to recover from their injuries or to attend medical appointments, they can bring a claim for lost income. Also, accident victims who have to switch careers and take a lower-paying job because of their inability to perform specific job duties may be eligible to recover compensation for loss of earning capacity.
In addition to these tangible losses and other out-of-pocket expenses, car accident victims can receive monetary compensation for their intangible losses or non-economic damages.
These damages may include financial compensation for pain and suffering, mental distress, inconvenience, lost quality of life, loss of the ability to use a body part, loss of spousal consortium, lifetime care costs, and permanent disabilities.
Your car accident attorney can help you develop reasonable expectations for your case as a whole, as well as for the types and amounts of damages you may reasonably expect to recover in your case.
Speak to an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer in Your Area Now
In a car accident claim or lawsuit, time is of the essence. This is because, according to the statute of limitations, accident victims only have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit for damages, beginning on their accident date.
If the accident victim does not file their lawsuit within this timeframe, they forever waive their right to recover monetary compensation for their injuries and other accident-related losses. Therefore, if you recently sustained injuries in a car crash that someone else caused, the time to act is now.
Your car accident attorney can assist you with the investigation portion of your case and filing your claim on time. Your attorney can also litigate your case and represent you at all litigation proceedings.
Finally, your lawyer can help you decide whether you should accept or reject a pending offer from the insurance company or resolve your case at a litigation proceeding in the court system.
Perhaps most importantly, your experienced Florence personal injury lawyer protects your rights to receive compensation for the full value of your claim. They will calculate your claim’s worth accurately and negotiate until insurers pay what you deserve.
