Whenever you meet with an unfortunate accident, remember to keep calm and follow the basics.
If you have encountered the unfortunate incident of a vehicular accident or personal injury, then the first thing to do is seek the required medical attention. Once you finish with the medical help, you need to contact a car accident/personal injury attorney. Keep in mind there will be legal processes with insurance details, and therefore it makes a lot of sense to work with a legal expert. Even if you are unsure about the requirement of a legal attorney, you should still make an appointment to ensure the absolute protection of your rights.
Why do you need a personal injury lawyer?
The fundamental reason for the requirement of a personal injury attorney is pretty simple. An experienced lawyer will have the skills, technical knowledge, and expertise necessary to hold the “true-party” responsible for the accident or the injury. Financial compensation is vital as this will cover the medical costs of the accident. Your personal injury attorney will be able to help you receive the compensation you deserve.
It is vital to remember that medical costs can be crippling even if you have full insurance coverage in this day and age. Also, it would be best to remember that you might even suffer job loss due to an accident, which will compound the stress even more. A personal injury attorney is the best help that you can get to navigate through the complicated legal process and receive the necessary compensation for the loss of wages, mental stress, and medical bills.
Now, let us have a look at the common causes of personal injury.
Causes of vehicular accidents and personal injury
It is vital to remember that car accidents can be due to a variety of reasons. The following are the most common reasons.
DUI or Driving Under Influence
According to survey reports, the most common cause of vehicular accidents is driving under the influence of substances or alcohol. An expert personal injury attorney will hold the driver, insurance firm, and the alcohol server accountable in such a personal injury case.
Driver distraction
Distracted driving is the second most common cause of auto accidents all around the world. Drivers can fiddle with the radio, car control buttons, or mobile phones leading to the accident. This type of gross negligence requires professional intervention and legal help from your counsel.
Over-speeding
The third common reason for vehicular accidents is quite obviously speeding-related cases. Driving over the speed limit and not keeping in line with the traffic rules always causes accidents and personal injury cases.
Reckless driving
It is the most serious of all the road infractions, and it includes a failure to obey most traffic laws. A failure to follow the road signs, cautionary measures, running red lights, and stop signs, along with a blatant disregard for the safety of others, are all categorized as reckless driving.
Driver fatigue
Exhaustion, fatigue, and even drowsiness can severely impair the ability of the driver to make real-time decisions when it comes to driving on the road. Falling asleep on the wheel always results in catastrophic accidents and injuries.
Weather conditions
Roads can get slippery from snow, rain, or ice, which reduces tire traction. That results in accidents caused by the hydroplaning of the vehicles. Such weather-related accidents also require legal help to get the necessary compensations.
Road conditions
Poor road conditions and improper maintenance of roads can result in accidents through car damage and flat tires. To successfully negotiate compensation with governmental offices and agencies, you will need proper legal representation and counsel.
Vehicular defects
Keep in mind that parts of a vehicle can get damaged over time, resulting in catastrophic accidents. Any car owner is supposed to maintain their car regularly, and a failure to do so means you can receive compensation if you have received injuries from such a vehicle.
These are the most common causes of personal injuries as a result of vehicle accidents. In most of these cases, you will need legal counsel to appropriation blame and evaluation of the precise compensation in your case.
Now let us have a look at the steps to take right after your accident.
What to do after your accident?
If the accident is not your fault, you need to keep in mind the steps you need to take to ensure complete protection. Keep in mind that every accident is different, but the aftercare and strategies are similar for each case.
Take stock of the safety
After you have been in an accident, the first thing you need to do is ensure the safety of your passengers, yourself, and the car. If the vehicle is blocking traffic, seek help to remove it to a safer area. Remember that emergency responders will be at the scene within a few moments, so wait for the authorities to show up. If there are injuries to the head, spine, or neck, you need to ensure immobility till paramedics arrive on the scene. According to medical experts, further complications can always be averted in case of personal injuries with immobility.
Contacting the law enforcement
After you have ensured the safety of everyone involved, make sure to put in the 911 call to state your location and emergency as clearly as possible. Always confirm a 911 call before taking any further action. And once the law enforcement officials arrive, state your case clearly and help the officers do their job without hindrance.
Medical attention
Medical attention is vital after an accident, even if you are feeling fine. Keep in mind that internal injuries aren’t evident and apparent. The symptoms might even take a few days to develop. So, make sure to go for a thorough medical check-up within 24 hours of the accident. Keep in mind that seeking medical attention is vital since this will strengthen your case during negotiations with the insurance service providers and legal associates from the “other party.” If you have a primary care physician, make sure to take an immediate appointment to protect your rights. If not, head over to the nearest or local ER to get a complete report and treatment recommendation.
Documentation of medical treatment
Keep in mind that all medical treatment papers are shreds of evidence in this case. So, it makes a lot of sense to keep all the documentation close by and arranged for the ensuing legal processes. Documentation will allow you to file your claim and recover the damages from the insurance service provider. Also, the medical treatment, bills, and documents will allow you to establish a baseline of sorts for the medical compensation required after the accident.
But, how to choose the right personal injury attorney for the job?
Choosing the right personal injury attorney
If you are looking for the right kind of personal attorney, you need to learn about the various factors that make a legal counsel the best. It is a great idea to seek out all the information from the company website. For example, you must read all new content from Lem Garcia Law before making your mind up about a service. Here are some pointers you need to follow.
The experience
The more the experience of your personal injury attorney, the more is the likelihood of success as far as compensation is concerned. Remember that experience is the silver bullet in this field of work. The more the background knowledge, the better the legal counsel’s handling ability, even with the most tricky and complicated cases. When inquiring about the experience, ask specifically about the trial experience and awards received by the attorney.
Ask about the track record
A good track record of success is what you are looking for – always ensure that your attorney is a successful legal counsel with settlement results outperforming the unsatisfactory results. Be aware of a string of low settlements from insurance companies that proves that the legal counsel cannot secure the challenging and high-value cases.
Pay attention to the communication
Keep in mind the attorney-client relationship is highly critical, and you need your counsel to communicate with you as clearly as possible. You will also need to ensure that the attorney engages with you directly and adequately. During the initial appointment, pay attention to the following factors.
- Ensure they are willing to answer questions
- Ensure the legal expert is willing to answer every question
- Ensure strong communication and the ability to explain the legal procedure clearly
- Ask whether your legal expert is willing to travel as and when required for the case
Learn about the payment process
Personal injury cases usually require you to pay a fee to your advocate. It might be a contingency-fee-basis, or you might be required to pay an initial fee for the consultation. Always ask your questions before making any choice.
Whenever you meet with an unfortunate accident, remember to keep calm and follow the basics. Take care! Contact law enforcement and your personal injury lawyer to seek representation and settle claims.
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