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Auto Accidents
Our attorneys are experienced in dealing with auto accidents and actively guide you through every step on how to obtain the best outcome in an auto accident, slip and fall, or any other injury case. We are passionate about seeking financial compensation from any responsible parties on your behalf so that you can focus on healing. While we know the money will never fix your injuries, we make sure to try and recover as much as possible for you to ensure you can deal with the future costs associated with the injuries.
Auto accidents and injury law are complicated areas in which detrimental mistakes can be made early on and can impact your case. You have four years from the date of the accident to bring a lawsuit against the at-fault party or parties.
Who Can Recover in an Auto Accident Case?
- Drivers
- Passengers
- Spouses to those injured in an auto accident
- Pedestrians hit by an automobile
- Bicyclists hit by an automobile
What To Do
When you are injured in an auto, you need to:
- Get to a safe location out of the middle of the roadway if possible and immediately put on emergency flashing lights or flares to let other vehicles know there is a problem.
- Call 911 and report the accident, especially the location of the accident and the other party’s vehicle information that you can obtain that is involved in the accident. Try to get the license plates of all of the vehicles in case someone leaves the scene of the accident.
- Check on all occupants of your vehicle and make sure everyone is conscious and aware of the accident.
- Once everyone is safe, and those with serious injuries are being cared for, be sure to get your car insurance information and driver’s license located and available for the authorities.
- TAKE A PHOTO OF THE INFORMATION! Exchange information with the other drivers and use your cell phone to take photos of driver’s license, the vehicle make and model, insurance information, and license plate numbers.
- TAKE VIDEO of all conversations with the drivers or witnesses from other vehicles.
- TAKE PHOTOS of all damage to both vehicles.
- STAY CALM. Do not add to the tense situation by panicking, arguing, fighting, or otherwise becoming aggressive to anyone at the scene of the accident. Remember, everything you say and do will be witnessed by someone, and these actions can only complicate the situation further.
- Check yourself and other passengers for injuries once again, and be sure to take photos of any bruises, scarring, redness, or any visible signs of irritations that can be linked to injuries from the accident. Seek medical attention as soon as you can. Even if you do not believe you have suffered any serious injuries, seeking a medical evaluation as soon as possible is always the wisest course of action. Ignoring minor injuries that you may think are “no big deal” or will go away on their own may actually allow these to continue to worsen and delay or hamper your ability to receive the care you truly need.
CALL SSM LAW GROUP for assistance with filing your claim with the insurance companies involved and guidance through the process for recovery.
What NOT to Do
- Leave the scene of the accident without exchanging information
- Agree to settle out of court
- Delay seeking medical attention
- Speak with any insurance company before speaking with an attorney
- Post about the accident on social media.
Why Get a Lawyer
In calculating pain and suffering, insurance companies look at the severity and permanency of your bodily injuries. In other words, you will be entitled to more money for pain and suffering if you suffer a cut or broken bone than if you merely have to bruise on a body part. The more severe and permanent your injury is, the more pain and suffering you will experience. Insurance companies try to mitigate their responsibility early on by taking recorded statements or sworn statements related to your injuries so that they can limit their exposure to pain and suffering damages. Insurance companies also try to pin fault on you, the injured party, to avoid paying as much as possible. All of this is done with one thing intended, to get you to admit to certain statements regarding your injury and the claim early on without being fully informed and then use it against you in the future if needed.
It is important to get an attorney early on, which will guide you through the process and ensure you don’t get caught in the traps that insurance companies set to mitigate their liability.
How Do Auto Accidents Occur?
There are numerous ways that Auto accidents occur, but the most common reason is distracted driving.
Other common forms of auto negligence include:
- Driving while drowsy or fatigued
- Texting while driving
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Eating while driving
- Smoking while driving
- Aggressive driving
- Reckless Driving
- Disobeying traffic lights, signs, and other rules of the road
All of these things can cause auto accidents, and it’s important to try and know the cause of the auto accident when it happens so that your lawyer can use it to make sure the at-fault party gets held liable for their negligence.
Common Injuries That Result From Injury Accidents
Cars are large, heavy vehicles that have safety devices for passengers, but even with those devices, serious Injuries can occur to the occupants of any vehicle involved in an auto accident or injury accident.
- Broken or fractured bones
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Severe bruising
- Concussions
- Internal injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Paralysis
- Death
Pain and Suffering
In calculating pain and suffering, insurance companies look at your bodily injuries to determine how much you should be compensated. The more severe and permanent your injury is, the more pain and suffering you will experience. Your doctors and medical records are the evidence that proves this, and it’s important to accurately list all the injuries no matter how small if you believe they are associated with your accident claim. This must be done early on to ensure that you do not lose the ability to claim them as part of your damages in the future.
Experience Matters
We assist in personal injury cases resulting from auto accidents, including car accidents, motorcycle crashes, boat accidents, Personal Water Craft accidents or pedestrian accidents, and cyclist accidents involving a motor vehicle. We also handle accident claims that occur on the job, dog bites, nursing home abuse and neglect, defective products, hazardous conditions, slip and falls, and any other area involving being injured negligently by a third party.
It is important to pick a lawyer that is willing to go the distance and not try to settle your auto accident case for less than what it’s worth. As a firm that handles more than just auto accidents, we have experience in an array of practice areas that give us different approaches to handling claims. While some attorneys won’t handle your property damage claim, we handle more than just injury claims, so if they don’t want to settle your property damage claim for what it’s worth, we will assist you if needed.
Any party that causes your personal injuries must be held accountable and provide just compensation to you for your loss. Allow our attorneys to investigate your case and pursue the liable party on your behalf.
Areas of Practice
