You were a few short blocks from home when a distracted driver hit the back of your car. They were traveling slightly above the speed limit, and at the time of crash, it appeared that nobody was injured and the cars had just some damage. Nonetheless, you called the police, filed a police report, and went home after the ordeal. Since you feel fine, do you need to call an attorney? Can you just call the insurance company, make a claim for your damaged car and put this behind you? If and when the insurance company offers you a small sum of money for your troubles, so you “can get yourself checked out,” should you accept it? While, yes, you could do that, it’s not in your best interest and may cost you significantly in the long run.
While you may think you are uninjured, it may be that your injuries have not shown up yet. After a scary event like a car crash, your body experiences an adrenaline rush which can mask the symptoms of an injury. In the hours and days after the crash, you may start to feel some aches, pains or other symptoms of your injuries. This is especially true for “invisible injuries” like soft-tissue injuries, whiplash, muscle sprains and strains. Additionally, some injuries, such as concussions or traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) may take days or weeks to reveal themselves. By contacting an attorney soon after the crash, you will have the benefit of their advice on when and how you should seek medical care if you don’t have immediately obvious pain or injuries.
Once you speak with an insurance company and accept a nominal settlement offer, you cannot come back, ask for more or say you did not get enough. You will be forced to pay for any future necessary medical care on your own. By having an experienced personal injury attorney advocate on your behalf, you have a far greater chance of securing just compensation, full and fair reimbursement for all your harms and losses, not just for your medical bills, but also for lost wages, future loss wages, job retraining, pain and suffering, and mental anguish. Non-economic damages (pain and suffering and mental anguish) are nearly impossible to secure if you try and take on the insurance company yourself. Only an injury attorney who understands your rights and who knows how the insurance companies operate can maximize the likelihood of being able to collect these damages.
Hiring an attorney to manage your claim also puts the insurance company on notice that you are serious about wanting the compensation you are due. They know that you have a professional on your side who will not tolerate lowball offers and will fight for you to receive justice.
If you were involved in a minor accident, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by contacting an expert car crash attorney, like Rader Law Group. We offer free case consultations and only charge a fee if we settle your case or win a verdict in court. Call us today to learn your rights.
Rader Law Group, LLC
With decades and decades combined experience, the attorneys at Rader Law Group understand the meaning of Justice. Our one and only mission is to get each client the justice he or she deserves; our team of attorneys never back down when we know our client is right.
We offer our clients the compassion and guidance they need as they work through trying times in their lives. The balance of working relentlessly for our clients combined with our caring approach has helped us achieve a fantastic record of success with our clients. We get our clients the justice they deserve.
At Rader Law Group, You matter. Your justice matters. Your Justice Starts Here. 954-913-2273.
References Used:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Motorcycle Safety: Helmets, Motorists, Road Awareness | NHTSA. Accessed November 10, 2022.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Motorcycle Safety: Helmets, Motorists, Road Awareness | NHTSA. Accessed November 10, 2022.
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Crash Dashboard – Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (flhsmv.gov). Accessed November 9, 2022.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 1.1 Universal Motorcycle Helmet Use Laws | NHTSA. Accessed November 9, 2022.
The Florida Legislature. Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine (state.fl.us). Accessed November 10, 2022.