Car accidents take many forms, and all of them have their own specific dangers and common injuries. While the actual type of accident that you were involved in won’t necessarily change the outcome of your settlement or lawsuit, it is important to understand the risks inherent with a specific kind of accident. In terms of a settlement or lawsuit, the most important thing to establish early, no matter what type of accident you were in, is proving who was at fault. Once we have proven that the other driver is at fault, and therefore their insurance company is responsible for making the payments to you that you deserve, we can move forward discussing the amount that you are owed and the structure of your settlement.
Read more below to get a better idea of the specific problems that you may encounter after being involved in a side-impact crashes/accident, as well as a few examples of how these types of accidents can occur. Regardless of how they happened or whether or not your injuries resemble anything discussed below, contact us now to schedule a free initial consultation. During your consultation, we will be able to talk about all of the details of your case, learn about the steps that you have already taken, and give you an opportunity to learn about how we can help you navigate this complicated process and increase your chances of a positive outcome.
Steps After a Side Impact Crashes/Accident
Call 911 and Get Medical Attention
If you have been involved in a side-impact crash in San Diego or a surrounding area, the most important thing to do is make sure that all of your immediate medical concerns are addressed, either by the emergency responders at the scene of the accident after you call 911 or from your own primary care physician. Regardless of where you get treatment from, it is absolutely essential that you have your injuries examined so that you can avoid any possible complications.
Gather Documentation
Calling 911 has the added benefit of establishing documentation early into your claim process because the police will complete an accident report, issue citations if necessary, and take statements that will be very helpful moving forward. It is important that you do not make any statements to police that could be interpreted as an admission of guilt, which means that you should not even make an apology even if it seems like the “polite” thing to do.
Contact the Insurance Company
Once you have addressed your medical concerns, contact the other driver’s insurance company in order to initiate your claim. Hopefully, it was established in the police and accident report that the other driver was at fault. Regardless, the insurance company will assign a claims adjuster who will investigate the entire situation before returning to you with a settlement offer. Simple, right? Think again.
Hire An Attorney For Your Insurance Claims
Once the insurance adjuster makes their initial offer, they will likely position the offer as if it is the best chance you will get. This is not true, whether or not they want you to believe it is. The reality is that you should now be initiating an ongoing negotiation with the insurance company in order to reach a settlement agreement that is fair for you and adequately compensates you for your losses, expenses, and suffering.
With a car accident attorney in San Diego representing you, they will be able to handle these negotiations from a place of experience and expertise. In addition to acting as your negotiator, your attorney will be able to go through all of the information about your accident and arrive at a concrete, reasonable amount of money that you deserve after the accident, whether in a settlement agreement or at the end of a lawsuit. The hope is that you will be able to reach a settlement agreement without involving the California courts, but if you are unable to settle or there are additional factors that require the courts, your attorney will be able to guide you through this process as well.
Common Injuries From Side-Impact Crashes
Side-impact accidents cause a wide range of injuries, and each is unique because of the many variables that go into the crash. However, some of the more common injuries are things such as whiplash, sprains and bruises, and possible traumatic brain injuries like concussions. When a car is hit from the side, like a t-bone accident or a sideswipe, it is reasonable to expect that the passengers in the vehicle that was hit will be thrown from side to side, which is why they are at risk of injuring their necks or soft tissues with whiplash or smash into the window causing a concussion or impact injury.
The specific injuries that you suffer may or may not have a bearing on the amount of money you deserve after your accident. If you have an injury that impacts your ability to return to work, pursue your hobbies, or otherwise live your life, then the impacts are significantly more important than the actual injury, although we will work to quantify both the kind of injury AND the impacts while we explore the damages you are entitled to. Contact us now to get started on your side -impact crashes case as soon as possible.