Injuries

Can Airbags Cause Injuries When You are in Car Accident?

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Airbags reduce driver and front-seat passenger deaths by 29% and 32% respectively, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). There’s no disputing that they are an important safety feature, and while they can reduce deaths and injuries, they can also cause them.

According to flemingattorneys.com, it’s not uncommon for drivers and passengers to get hurt in a car accident because of airbags.

4 Types of Injuries

Head and Neck

Airbags can help prevent common injuries caused by frontal impact. The head and neck are especially vulnerable due to contact with the steering wheel.

But deployment can cause other problems with the head and neck, including facial trauma, spine fractures and in rare cases, decapitation. Studies show that a person can suffer damage to their eyes, especially if the person is wearing glasses. Orbital fractures are common, but occupants may also experience retinal detachment or lens rupture.

In cases where accidents are not head-on (front corner or offset from center impact), airbags may not be as effective at preventing head injuries because the impact propels the body in different directions.

Shoulder and Arm

In serious car accidents, airbags can prevent painful head impacts, but there is also an increased risk of damaging the shoulder and forearm. Clavicle injuries are especially common.

Fractures and dislocations are the most common types of upper limb damage caused by airbag deployment. Contusions, sprains, and abrasions can also occur.

When deployed, it can propel the forearm into the rearview mirror, center console, or even the windshield. The impact itself can hurt the forearm, wrist, or hand.

Torso

Front airbags prevent occupants from hitting the steering wheel, dashboard or windshield. However, deployment can also cause injury to the abdomen or chest. Drivers and passengers can suffer rib fractures, cardiac rupture and also damage their spine and heart valve.

Research shows that airbags can seriously bruise the chest wall, cause lacerations and burns, and in some cases, these injuries can be significant. Emergency radiographs may not expose these types of problems, so detailed chest imaging may be required.

Defective Products

Airbags can cause injuries even when they deploy and function properly. If Defective they increase the risk of injury or even death.

The Takata airbag recall demonstrates the potential danger of these defective products in vehicles. Many makes and models were recalled because it was discovered that long-term exposure to heat and humidity caused the airbags to explode upon deployment. In these situations, occupants have experienced significant pain and suffering and even death.

About 63 million airbags were recalled in the initial recall. Some vehicles, mainly Honda, Acura, Mazda and Ford vehicles, were at a higher risk of airbag explosion.

In 2019, additional Takata airbags were recalled because of faulty inflators that may explode or fail to inflate properly upon deployment. The cause of the problem is believed to be a faulty inflator seal. Improper sealing can allow moisture into the propellant used to inflate the airbag. This can cause it to inflate more slowly or, on the other hand, more aggressively and even explode. Metal parts become projectiles causing injury or even death to occupants.

Tips for Injury Prevention

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While airbags can cause injuries, the protection they provide often outweighs the risks. There are steps drivers and passengers can take to help prevent the risk of injury in a car accident.

Wear a Seatbelt

Airbags are designed to work in combination with seatbelts. Wearing a seatbelt is crucial not only to prevent airbag-related injuries but also to keep you safe if you are in an accident.

The seatbelt prevents occupant ejection, and the airbag acts as a cushion between the occupant and the dashboard, wheel, windshield, and other surfaces in the vehicle.

Without a seatbelt, the impact of being flung forward towards the steering wheel can seriously hurt you.

Give Yourself Space

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends drivers put at least 10” between the steering wheel and their breastbone. Giving yourself adequate space will help prevent injuries caused by airbag deployment.

The biggest risk of injury is during the first two to three inches of inflation because the force is the strongest in this range. Ten inches will provide enough space between the chest and the airbag.

Talk to a Lawyer About a Product Liability Case

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After sustaining injuries in an accident, you should first seek medical treatment. If it’s possible take pictures of the interior and exterior of your car or have a passenger or friend do so. In any case it’s imperative for you to see a doctor right away, failure to do so will allow the other side, the insurance companies and manufacturers, to claim your injuries were not a result of the accident.

If you feel that your injuries were due to a malfunctioning airbag, one that deployed or DID not deploy, or if subsequent to your injuries the manufacturer issues a recall for the make and model of your car, you may have a product liability case. Even if there is no recall you may have a case. The best thing you can do is contact a lawyer. Product liability lawyers, like many, take cases on contingency and always give a free consultation, so it’s in your best interest to simply search for a lawyer on Google and call their office.

Once a lawyer takes you on as a client, they will typically subpoena records and emails from the manufacturer to begin to build your case. The evidence they are looking for may be related to the design of the product, crash test results, corrective actions made to the design, and most importantly internal communications between employees. In general, if a manufacturer issues a recall, it’s because something isn’t working as designed.

In some product liability cases, it’s been proven that the defendants, the manufacturers, had prior knowledge about a problem with their product and were negligent in addressing the problem or did not communicate the issue to the public in a timely manner. A good product liability lawyer can secure the evidence required to win a settlement for you. In fact, they may have settled cases similar to yours before or taken them to trial. Don’t be afraid to speak out, in the long run, it’s in your best interest.

What Information Will You Need For Your Car Accident Lawyer?

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Being prepared for an initial consultation with an attorney is extremely important for a variety of reasons, mainly so that you can use your time during this consultation to get the best understanding possible of how you and the lawyer will be able to work together. Finding an attorney to take your case can be a surprisingly complicated process if you do it on your own, and oftentimes, people will need to go through this process on their own.

However, there is are services that can connect you with a car accident lawyer in Tampa without needing to go through all of the additional legwork of finding an attorney that covers your area of need AND who is available to take your case. By using the 1800injured.care referral service to connect with an attorney, you can focus on your personal needs and the work ahead of you.

Take a look below at some of the most important information that you should gather before an initial consultation with your attorney. Remember that once you start working with your lawyer that they will be able to advise you on the additional information you will need to gather, or will be able to gather the information on their own as you focus on your recovery.

A Copy Of Your Police and Accident Report

The accident report that the police will write will be one of the central sources of truth throughout the entire claims process and will give your attorney a good idea of what they are up against. The sooner you are able to get a copy of the police report in front of a lawyer the better since they will be able to identify any information that may be unclear or could be misconstrued so that you can begin to take steps to correct them or work around these blockers.

Contact Information and Statements From Your Passengers

If there were other passengers in the vehicle that were injured in the accident, your lawyer will benefit from knowing about the extent of their injuries, as well as their own perspective and account of the accident. Since they are firsthand eyewitnesses to the accident as well, their testimony and involvement will be helpful even though they will likely be handling their own claim process at the same time.

Medical Records Relating To the Accident

Any medical-related documentation that you can gather will be extremely informative for your attorney and will help them to get a better understanding of the situation than you will be able to do on your own. These medical records, much like the accident report, will be key documents throughout the entire process, so giving your attorney access to all of the related information as soon as possible will be a significant benefit.

Source:lawclues.com

Income and Earnings Statements

Equally important to providing your attorney with a comprehensive understanding of your situation is any relevant income information, such as previous paystubs, employment contracts, or anything else that they can use to understand how much money that you are losing each day that your injuries keep you from work. You will be able to seek compensation for these losses in your claim, as well as your medical costs and any other damages, but the more financial documentation that you can provide, the more clear and compelling of an argument your attorney will be able to make. A single pay stub isn’t going to cut it. Get your tax statements, work contracts, and bank statements together to present a full picture of your financial situation.

Your Insurance Policy

If the other driver caused the accident, then you will likely be going through their insurance to seek compensation for your injuries and financial impacts. However, it is very important for your attorney to understand what sort of insurance you have protecting you regardless, as they will need to interact with your insurance company to some extent regardless of who ultimately pays your damages. Your insurance company will need to know what is going on with your claim from time to time, and your attorney may be able to help you understand what will happen next.

Pictures of the Accident

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Take as many pictures of the accident and your injuries as possible. They will help your attorney to get an idea of the severity of the situation, and they will be very useful as you move forward with settlement negotiations or if you need to go to trial. Bruises fade, scars lighten, but pictures will always show the horror and pain that you had to endure in the early days of your injuries. If you do have to ultimately go to trial, these pictures will help your case by showing the judge or jury the actual injuries that you suffered, since they can seem very abstract months—even years—down the road when it goes to court.

Contact Information or Statements from Eyewitnesses

If you have any contact information for eyewitnesses, or if you already have gathered some eyewitness accounts of the situation, this information will be very helpful for your attorney to have. Every additional piece of context that your attorney can bring into your case will help to strengthen your position and allow for more aggressive negotiations. The more eyewitnesses that you are able to get statements from, the less the conversation becomes about your word versus the other driver’s word, which is important if there are disagreements about fault or the cause of the accident.

A Record of Any Communications That You Have Made Related to the Accident

If you have already filed an insurance claim, contacted your insurance company or the other driver’s insurance company, or taken any other steps on your own, then your attorney will need to know about these contacts and ensure that they are able to incorporate those steps into their own process. This is equally important because you may have unknowingly made a statement that could ultimately come back to haunt you, such as an innocuous apology that the other insurance company uses as proof that you admitted fault (although you did not). The more information your lawyer has, the better suited they are to help you.

How to Start a Class-Action-Law-Suit?

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Class-action is the most reasonable way of asking for justice when nothing seems to be working in favor of the person who was either harmed via financial or physical means by a corporation in any way. A class-action is relatively a procedure using which one or more persons who fell prey to the same legal activity conflicting their rights, unite with each other and fight the system together. A class-action law-suit would allow multiple people may be escalating above 100 or even 1000 of them to unite and file the law-suit against the very corporation or organization they fell the victim to.

Another reason for pursuing such a path in order to obtain justice is if they couldn’t afford to do so individually, thus shedding their personal differences and coming together for the common good.

 

Discreet process of filing a class-action-law-suit?

You would require multiple elements along the way of prosecuting your law-suit but in order to start or initiate it, all you do require is a “class-action complaint”. This is a single piece of paper that would help you to make a start. But in order to retrieve it, a lawyer has to review your case and all the legal dressing that has been piling up, and after he/she has made up their mind that a class-action lawsuit can be filed, you would be redirected to the class-action complaint.

The next thing is the conjuring of the report that would describe what kind of damages has the person leading the law-suit has filed against the defendant. It could either be a work-oriented accident or some other depravity that had befallen on the leading person for the law-suit and other companions that are unified against the cause and indeed filing the law-suit as a unit.

Furthermore, the law-suit would also put forward the conditions that the lead plaintiff agrees upon as compensation for the harm that has been caused against him as well as for others affected. For example, if a law-suit is being submitted on your behalf against the corporate you work for such as treating you indifferently then you need to bring on-board other people who have taken the same bullet as yourself by the same employer. It would help you to strengthen your case and get on with the law-suit on a more pressing note.

What are the requirements for filing a class-action?

Your lawyer will be doing his/her best to make sure that the current terms proposed within the law-suit meet the current requirements, but of course, there are going to be a few hindrances so to speak. The final shot is being called by a judge who has the complete authority of either facilitating or completely denying your claim whatsoever. There are following terms that would decide the fate of the class-action lawsuit filed on your request;

  • For your law-suit to get through a large proportion of people would have to be affected, otherwise, the judge can draw a simple conclusion as dictating the individuals to file separate law-suit in order to be entertained on judicial grounds.
  • The law-suit should involve factual and legal issues that were developed and initiated the request of filing a dedicated law-suit so to speak.
  • The person who is leading the law-suit otherwise person or plaintiff must bring in original reasons for the prosecution of this law-suit. Their claims or injuries should account for other people added within the law-suit as secondary. In order to summarize this point, suppose that the lead filer of law-suit suffered a greater degree of loss or harm so to speak then the judge would simply rule out the complete law-suit. The person then would be advised to file a separate lawsuit in order to seek justice and their names or ties with the ongoing law-suit shall be removed completely.
  • The lawyer representing the lead person or other members of the class in support of the law-suit must present the case with positive interest. In other meaning, the lawyer leading the law-suit should be experienced with these types of things and prosecutions.

This should be more than enough in order to get you started regarding all the potential elements that you require to start the legal proceedings for your class-action law-suit. If by any means you don’t find the necessary finances to conduct a law-suit then you can get the Tribeca lawsuit loans which would help you to get on with your crusade of getting imminent justice.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

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How many individuals can file the law-suit?

In order to begin with it, only one person could be enough but it is essential for the hearings if more than one or a small group of people is involved. In the end, the judged will decide whether enough volume of people is involved to consider it a dedicated class-action law-suit.

Who has the ability to file the class-action law-suit?

There are no restrictions for starting out with a law-suit, all you have to do is conjure an application to do so, but in order to actually get on with it the person should get in contact with a lawyer experienced in such proceedings.

How much would the lawyer take?

Most of the lawyers taking on these law-suits aren’t actually paid until the case is not won, even then the lawyer would receive a dedicated share for the last decision made by the court or get paid on the court order.

Can you get some kind of incentive for coming up with a class-action law-suit?

At the end of a class-action law-suit, the lead-plaintiff might come around a small incentive for starting out the class-action law-suit and or for being an active member or participator of the dedicated class-action law-suit.

If you want to get in contact with a lawyer, then what elements would you need?

Most of the class-action consultations are free and even some of them are even facilitated via online channels. Lawyers might note all the crucial details to develop a case to present for you and also request other hard proofs that you may have if the lawyer believes that the law-suit can even be filed, to begin with.

Mistakes To Avoid If You Want To File A Personal Injury Case

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When you are filing for any lawsuit, there is a procedure you have to adhere to. The law requires order so that the best and fair judgment is the result after the case has been closed. Unfortunately, some people try to use shortcuts to get justice, but as we all know, these stories do not end up well for anyone involved. So much so, for someone filing for a personal injury case, the following are the errors to avoid so as not to get dismissed.

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  1. Delaying getting treatment

Sometimes when you get hurt and think to yourself, ‘If the judge sees me like this, he/she will be more remorseful!’ This isn’t very wise, and it does not work in the court of law. Judges work with facts, and those facts must be by law and not by human nature. A judge may be remorseful at your situation, but you delaying seeking medical attention will not help. Instead, get medical assistance and get all the reports to show the severity of your condition.

  1. Handling your case alone

The temptation of sorting things solo may seem like a good idea, but not in a personal injury court. You need a voice of reason to do the talking for you. It would be best if you then got a Rosengard Law Group, for example, to represent you. The idea behind this is because they are familiar with the type of case you are presenting, and they have the professional expertise in sorting out such claims. Having one will work entirely to your benefit.

  1. Giving false information

Lying has never gotten anyone anywhere. You might rest today, get away with it, and tomorrow you will have to lie again to cover the first lie. And before you know it, you have a pile of lies with no truth to it. This only lands you into trouble in a court of law. So much so, always tell the truth, not twisting the revelation to fit in your claim. If you saw a sign warning you to enter a premises, say so. It might be that small truth saving you from being arrested for lying under oath or even worse getting your case dismissed for a dumb idea to deceive. The truth indeed sets you free.

  1. Negotiating without counsel

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When you file a lawsuit against an individual or company on a personal injury case, they will, without a doubt, try to reach you. These efforts are aimed to get you to negotiate with them so that you do not go to court since it may tarnish their name. So much so, if you decide to meet up with them, go with a witness and have a lawyer present so that they can get you the highest number. Going without back up will have you agreeing to something you shouldn’t have, and since you might have already signed a non-discloser, nothing can be done. Be smart and take with you counsel. It would be regrettable to settle on less as compensation while you could get millions.

  1. Settling before evaluation

As a general rule, you have to think twice before making any decision, and when it comes to personal injury cases, the same applies. In such circumstances, where a set amount of payout is typical, the accused always tries to make a negotiation as fast as possible. Such that if the compensation entails money, they will try to pay off the inflicted as soon as possible. And sometimes, this amount could be below what they could actually receive if the case goes to court. So, to avoid getting peanuts on a situation that you could reach millions, think, and do your calculations before signing any papers. Because once you go down that road, you cannot come back.

  1. Missing court dates

If you end up missing a court date without notifying the court, you are sending a pretty lousy message. The judge might even end up dismissing the case. Indeed your reason for missing a session might be legit, but since you sent no word out or send a representative, it displays a bad picture. So, the next time your doctor’s appointment coincides with your court date, inform the court of your absence. And if the session cannot be moved, send a sound representative to attend the hearing. Or even better yet, reschedule one of the two.

  1. Getting an incompetent lawyer

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Legal counsel, usually a lawyer who speaks on your behalf in court, can make or break the case for you. If they cannot relate to your situation, drop them at once. If they seem uninterested or do not know what they are doing, drop them as well. You might as well speak for yourself in court if the court allows. Either way, make sure you first have a sit down with the lawyer and have a chat before you hire them for the job. If you resonate with them well, they will help you beyond measure, and that is what you need, nothing else.

  1. Editing and falsifying your medical reports

Sometimes people who have been in accidents on someone’s property, or caused by their pets, tend to go overboard. The over-emphasizing and making the accident appear more severe than it is could land you into problems. Some people go to lengths of even bribing medical practitioners or witnesses to edit the occurrences and the reports. And this is a whole new offense that can be found out when expert advice gets consulted. What you may not know is that lies have a very short life span. And karma’s circle might be smaller than you think. So to avoid your case being canceled and to get served with yet another court case of bribing and falsifying documents, be real and get what you deserve, not what your greed yarns.

If you want to win, do not let such small avoidable mistakes be the reason not to get compensated for your injuries.

5 Top Tips for Submitting a Personal Injury Claim

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We all like to think we’re invincible, but accidents can happen to anyone of us at any given time. If you’ve been involved in an accident, it’s important that you seek justice for your injuries and losses. While the process s can be daunting and overwhelming, getting the compensation you’re entitled to be crucial. With that in mind, here are 5 top tips for submitting a personal injury claim.

Make the Claim Immediately

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If you have been involved in an accident, it’s important that you make your claim immediately. As all the details will be fresh in your mind, you will be able to give an accurate and descriptive account of what happened, meaning that there is less chance of any crucial facts going missing. If you decide to wait until you’re no longer able to work, this can cause all sorts of financial problems, making it process far more difficult to pursue.

Seek Out Medical Advice

If you have been a victim of an accident and have been physically or mentally injured, it’s crucial that you seek professional advice and diagnosis before making an injury case. Not only will doing this help speed up the recovery process, but it can also help maximize the amount of compensation you could receive.

Keep a Record of Your Journey

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From the moment the accident happens right through until the end of the personal injury case, it’s important that you document anything and everything that may be relevant to your claim. The more evidence you collect, the better, especially when it comes to getting compensation. Whether it be obtaining insurance records, medical records, hospital bills, or note of any assistance received from your loved ones, collecting and preserving all of this will help strengthen your case.

Understand the Legal Process

According to Zehllaw If this is the first personal injury case you’ve made, it’s only natural to feel a little confused by how the legal process works. Therefore, it’s important that you read up on some basic guidelines that will help you through your claim and help reduce stress levels. Once you know what you’re getting yourself into, you will be prepared for any eventuality along the way.

Find a Reputable Attorney

Seeking a reputable personal injury attorney can be the make or break when it comes to not only winning your case but getting the compensation you deserve. It can be all too easy to go with the first attorney you see, but doing your research first is strongly advised. Although the process of a personal injury claim can be overwhelming at times, having the support from your family and friends as well as from a reputable attorney can help increase your chances of compensation, getting you the settlement you rightfully deserve.

How to Reduce the Chance of Injury in a Car Accident

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If you obey the law and follow safe driving patterns, you’ll be able to avoid most potential car accidents. However, it’s impossible to bring your risk of a car accident to zero; unpredictable conditions can still take you by surprise, and there’s always the chance that some other driver can crash into you. 

According to DKBLawyers, it’s possible to seek legal action and get compensation for your injuries—including compensation for medical costs, lost wages, and even your subjective pain and suffering. But it’s usually better to prevent those injuries or at least limit them, in the first place. 

There are several strategies and habits that can help you do this. 

Safety Features

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First, look to the built-in safety features of your vehicle: 

  • Adjust your seat. Most people intuitively adjust the seat of a vehicle because it feels more comfortable, but it’s also important for safety purposes. If you’re too close to the steering wheel, the airbag might not be able to protect you properly. If your seat is leaning too far back, your seatbelt and airbag may not be able to protect you. 
  • Position your airbags properly. While you’re at it, make sure you adjust the steering wheel, which is where the airbag will deploy on most vehicles. Ideally, this will be aimed at a spot between your chest and head, distributing the pressure evenly across these two body parts. If the airbag hits you directly in the head, it could cause neck damage or fail to cushion you properly. If it hits you directly in the chest, it could crack a rib or result in heart problems. 
  • Wear a seatbelt. You’ve heard it a million times in your life, but it’s vitally important, and in most areas, it’s the law. Seatbelts are designed to safely restrain you in an accident, preventing you from flying through the windshield and preventing your body from hurting other passengers in the car. The discomfort you feel from wearing a seatbelt is minimal, and it could easily save your life. 
  • Drive with good posture. Though minor, it’s a good idea to try and drive with good posture. Facing forward at all times, with your hands and arms positioned at the side of the steering wheel will help you take the force of the accident as smoothly as possible. 

Driving Considerations

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Next, you can adjust your driving habits. 

  • Reduce your speed. Dropping your speed slightly is never a bad idea unless you’re holding up the flow of traffic. The faster you go, the more damage you’re likely to sustain during an accident since you’ll experience more extreme forces in the collision. Driving slower also gives you more time to react to your surroundings. 
  • Increase your following distance. Speaking of reaction time, increasing your following distance will also give you more time to respond. Cars in front of you can be unpredictable, so buy yourself a few extra seconds of time by giving them an extra car length or two of space. 
  • Brake gradually. Sometimes, you’ll be forced to slam on the brakes to avoid an obstacle or sudden change, but in most situations, it’s better to brake gradually, slowing to a stop as you approach an intersection or similar stopping point. It gives the vehicle behind you more time to react. 
  • Avoid inclement weather. Even if you feel confident in your ability to drive during extreme weather like snow or thunderstorms, you have to recognize that other drivers are weaker under these conditions. Avoid driving during these times altogether if you can. 
  • Distance yourself from bad drivers. If you see a particularly bad driver, or one that appears to be intoxicated, experiencing road rage, or otherwise unable to function properly, distance yourself from them. 

After an Accident

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If you are involved in an auto accident, you’ll likely face at least some damage—but there’s a chance for you to sustain further injuries if you aren’t careful. After the accident, get to safety as quickly as possible. If your car is drivable, get it to the side of the road. If it isn’t, it may be safer to stay in your vehicle, or it may be safer to exit the vehicle and get to the side of the road, depending on your position and the level of traffic around you. Turn on your warning lights, and take extra precautions as you get to a position of safety. 

At that point, immediately call the police; it’s a good idea to get a police report on the accident, no matter how it occurred. The responding police officer will also be able to take control of the scene, clearing it of debris and increasing your safety (as well as the safety of the people around you). 

You may not be able to prevent every accident, and you certainly can’t prevent every injury. But with these strategies, you should be able to limit the personal damage you sustain if you do end up involved in an accident. 

The Legal side of Car Accidents: Know Your Rights

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One of the worst things that can happen to you when you are on the road is if you bump someone with your car, or somebody hits you. As soon as it is established that everyone is fine, and you feel relieved that nobody is hurt, the horror starts. You call the cops, you estimate the damage on your car (which is why it is important to get insurance) and the hours and hours of waiting and paperwork.

Car accidents are very frequent in the United States, and a small percentage of them can be fatal for the eighter party involved. When driving, you should always be aware of your surroundings, as reckless drivers can appear from anywhere. When involved in a car accident, your rights need to be protected as every car accident has a legal side.

In this article, we are going to tell you about your rights when involved in a car accident.

What Are Your Rights When Involved in a Car Accident?

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When you get into trouble with the law, the rights are pretty clear. You have the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney. This is all from cops shows and CSI shows that we’ve watched from over the years. But have you asked yourself what are your rights when involved in a car accident? Remaining silent certainly isn’t going to help you there and you will only raise suspicion. All you will do is worsen the situation, and let’s not forget that this isn’t a movie – it’s real life.

· You Have the Right to Protect Yourself

We don’t mean literary self-defense, but protection against legal consequences. As a participant in a car accident, you have no legal or moral obligation to admit fault at the scene. If the other person is the other car is injured, the first thing might come to mind to say sorry. Avoid being sympathetic as it can be used against you as an admission of fault.

· Do Not Admit Fault

Moving on nicely from the last sentence, the police will take statements after a car accident. Photos will also be taken as evidence and anything else that might prove vital to determining who’s at fault. When giving a statement, never lie to the police but keep your statements short and strict to the fact. You don’t want to talk and talk because you can get yourself in more trouble then you are in at that moment. Answer their questions politely and stay collected. Again, never admit guilt or apologize.

· You Have the Right to be Treated for Injuries

If you’ve suffered injuries due to recklessness, carelessness, or general negligence by another driver while on the road, then you have the right to be treated for injuries. According to gainsberglaw.com, these rights apply if you’re residing in the Chicago area and are eligible for full compensation. However, such laws apply to other cities and states in the US. This is why it is important to know what your rights are in a state where you live and where you do most of the driving.

Responsibilities When Involved in a Car Accident

After a car accident, you have the right to safeguard the above-mentioned rights. However, if you’re involved in a car accident, you have certain responsibilities. Some of the responsibilities are listed below.

· Calling 911

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This is the first thing you should do if you’re involved in a car accident. You might have suffered injuries, the other person might have, or you both might feel fine. But when in a car accident, adrenalin can mask injuries, so you must contact 911 and an emergency responder.

· Document the Scene

If you’re able and in condition to take evidence of the scene, do it as it can prove vital in determining your innocence. Take photos of the scene using your smartphone including your vehicle, the other vehicle, street lights, signs, road conditions, and anything else that might have played a role in the accident.

· Talk to Witnesses

In most accidents, there will be witnesses. So it’s also important to talk to these people, take their contact information, and ask for their testaments if they agree to give. Don’t be skeptical because people are willing to help in these cases. They will not hold off information intentionally and the reason is that they know what it is like to be in these kinds of situations.

Source:fosterwallace.com

Conclusion

As you can see, car accidents can be quite complicated besides the usual procedures. There’s a whole legal side to it and you need to know what your rights are, when it is not your fault and when it is your fault. The most important thing is not to panic, but this can be avoided by educating yourself on the legal actions you can take in various cases.

3 Reasons for Hiring a Lawyer After a Car Accident

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Being in what appears to be a minor accident can seem like an inconvenience rather than a legal matter. Your car may be drivable despite the dent in the bumper, and the taillight is gone, but no one was injured, at least not seriously. So, why should you hire an attorney?

Injuries can Worsen Later

Source:stephenbabcock.com

Right after an accident, no matter the severity, your adrenaline is pumping, your thoughts seem to be rushing by, and you are late for work. Even though you feel fine at that moment, you shouldn’t refuse medical treatment.

Many minor fender benders can result in serious injuries like herniated discs, torn ligaments, or, one of the most common injuries, whiplash.

No matter how minor the accident seems, don’t refuse medical treatment at the scene or visit your primary physician in case an injury appears later. 

Refusing treatment can make it harder to receive compensation for necessary medical treatments and pain and suffering for injuries you sustained.

Speak to Insurance Company

Source:richardharrislaw.com

If the accident was the fault of the other driver, their insurance company would want to settle the claim as quickly as they can. The less time they spend on haggling with you, or an attorney, over the claim, the less money they will pay you.

That’s why you may get a call at home or a visit in the hospital offering a quick settlement. However, if you hire an attorney to represent you, they can speak to the insurance company on your behalf. According to ThomasLawOffices, they can help you receive compensation for injuries that need treatment right after an accident, as well as cover treatments that you may need in the future.

Timely Filing of Documents

An attorney will be aware of the statute of limitations for filing a lawsuit to receive compensation for any injuries you sustained, back pay for missing work, and pain and suffering. Many people are not aware of the statute of limitations, which can keep them from receiving the compensation that they deserve.

Source:wkfirm.com

In Illinois, the personal injury statute of limitations is two years. This statute applies to any personal injury case, including slip and falls, automobile accidents, or other causes. If your car has damage, then there is a five-year limit for filing a claim to recover personal property damages.

After you’re involved in a traffic accident, you may be disoriented, frustrated, or in pain due to any injuries you may have sustained. Instead of trying to deal with insurance agents or attorneys on your own, contact a personal injury attorney who will take care of the legalities for you. They can speak to the insurance company, gather the evidence from the police report, and medical reports to build a case to get you the best possible compensation for your injuries.

Don’t try to face the aftermath of an accident alone. Get the help you need so that you can get your life back on track after being injured.