Motor Vehicle AccidentsRear-End Collisions

Rear-end collisions, like any car accident, can cause serious injuries. These collisions can even be fatal, especially when the rear-ending vehicle is unusually heavy or traveling at high speeds when the accident happens. Those who suffer injuries or lose a loved one because of a rear-end collision should consider hiring an attorney to demand fair compensation from liable parties.

A car accident attorney in Jonesboro will take every aspect of your case off your hands. With this benefit, you will have more time for rest, recovery, and personal obligations while sparing yourself the headache of an insurance claim or lawsuit.

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What to Do After a Rear-End Collision

Every move you make is critical after an auto accident. Some pivotal steps to take after your accident are:

Getting Treatment and Documenting Injuries

Whiplash is one of several injuries that can affect you after a rear-end accident. You should not wait to seek treatment after your accident because:

• Your life might be at risk if you have yet to receive a thorough medical examination
• Your doctor will refer you for any X-rays, MRIs, and other medical imaging you require
• Your doctor will provide written documentation of your injuries and symptoms
• Establishing the precise nature of your injuries is an essential step towards obtaining the compensation you deserve

Never dismiss any aches, pains, or other abnormal occurrences as minor. Even feeling confused, disoriented, or irritable can be signs of a concussion or another injury. Allow a doctor to evaluate you as soon as possible, as they can uncover invisible injuries.

Hiring a Capable Rear-End Collision Lawyer

You have limited time, and your energy is best focused on recovery. Consider hiring a rear-end collision lawyer to oversee any insurance claims or lawsuits stemming from the rear-end accident, which is also important.

Seeking Mental Health Treatment

If you want to receive fair compensation for all accident-related damages, you need to document those damages. An attorney will help with this process, and they may even refer you to a mental health professional who:

• Can evaluate you for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and other difficulties that can result from an auto accident
• Can provide any treatment you need for accident-related conditions
• Can help evaluate any future treatment you need or symptoms you may face that are relevant to your case

Seeking medical care and mental health treatment serves two important purposes. First, you will receive all necessary treatment, which is a key step in healing. Second, these professionals will document the physical, psychological, and emotional harm resulting from your accident, which will benefit your case.

Keeping a Running Record of Your Damages

Nobody is more familiar with the hardship caused by your accident than you are. It may be helpful to keep notes about the physical pain, psychological distress, daily challenges, personality changes, and other hardships you face after the car accident. Your lawyer may use these notes as they calculate a fair settlement.

Letting Your Attorney Handle Your Case

Once you retain a lawyer, let them do their job. That job will be:

• Handling all interactions with insurance companies
• Determining exactly how much compensation you deserve
• Building a case aimed at securing the compensation you deserve
• Protecting you from any attempts to violate your rights or undermine your case

If your attorney needs you to do anything case-related, like giving a statement, they will let you know. Simply focus on your recovery while your lawyer attends to your case.

How Your Attorney Will Pursue the Settlement or Judgment You Are Entitled To

Your lawyer will take complete ownership of your case. An experienced lawyer’s familiarity with insurance claims as lawsuits, as well as the teams around them, will enable them to:

Devise a Personalized Case Strategy

Different accidents cause different degrees of property damage, injuries, and impacts on the victim’s life. An attorney will, therefore, create a case based on your unique circumstances, and they will consider the following:

• The specific injuries you suffered during the rear-end accident
• The severity of injuries, which is a key factor in the value of your damages
• The specific symptoms your injuries cause
• Whether or not your injuries are disabling
• The degree to which your injuries interfere with your work
• The extent of vehicle damage

Your lawyers’ strategy will involve filing one or more insurance claims or a lawsuit. This strategy may evolve based on, among other factors, whether liable parties agree to pay you fairly.

Provide Information to Insurers While Protecting Your Case

Insurance companies are a fixture in rear-end collision cases. Often, insurance companies are the parties responsible for paying accident victims. Your lawyer will handle all interactions with insurers, including providing information about your accident-related losses.

Attorneys deal with insurers because:

• Insurance companies sometimes use bad-faith tactics to avoid paying accident victims like you.
• Lawyers can efficiently provide information so the claims process moves forward as quickly as possible.
• Lawyers speak the language of insurance, meaning they can respond quickly and appropriately to denials and other correspondence from insurers.

Your lawyer will take full responsibility for your case, and dealing with insurers is part of that obligation.

Secure Evidence of Who Caused the Rear-End Accident

Documenting the accident is another one of your lawyer’s duties. Your attorney will move quickly to obtain evidence, such as:

• Eyewitness accounts related to the rear-end collision
• Any available video footage related to the accident
• The police report from the accident
• An expert’s digital reconstruction of the collision
• Any other evidence that helps prove who is at fault for your rear-end accident

This evidence will be a foundational part of your case, as proving fault helps prove who is liable for your accident-related damages.

Obtain Proof of All Your Accident-Related Damages

Proving your damages will be necessary for insurance companies or other liable parties to pay you fairly. Even when you prove your damages, liable parties may resist paying you. Even so, having concrete evidence of your damages is non-negotiable, and your lawyer may use:

• X-rays and other medical images of your injuries
• Photographs of any visible injuries
• Your doctors’ descriptions and diagnoses of injuries and symptoms
• Your doctor’s treatment plan, which can help determine your medical costs
• A mental health expert’s diagnosis of any PTSD, anxiety, and other forms of pain and suffering
• Estimates and invoices for vehicle repairs and other property-related expenses

Your lawyer may also use any verbal and written accounts you provide of injury symptoms and other accident-related challenges.

Calculate an Accurate Case Value

Before any rear-end collision lawyer can obtain a fair settlement, they must know how much compensation their client deserves. This means calculating the exact value of both economic and non-economic damages.

Negotiate a Settlement

Your lawyer will use proof of your damages, evidence of fault, and their settlement calculations during negotiations. They may negotiate with insurance representatives or defense lawyers for the party who caused your accident.

File a Lawsuit

When those who are financially responsible for an accident won’t pay the victim fairly, lawyers often file lawsuits on their client’s behalf. Your attorney can do the same in your case, if that’s the path you choose to pursue. While litigation is more complicated than an insurance claim, it might be the leverage necessary to obtain a favorable settlement offer.

Represent You at Trial

If you pursue a lawsuit, your lawyer may engage in a final round of settlement negotiations. A trial can involve:

• Completing pre-trial obligations like depositions
• Making verbal arguments
• Questioning witnesses
• Presenting evidence

Your lawyer will make a thorough case as to why the jury should award you fair compensation. While most cases don’t go to trial, a capable lawyer will be ready for any path your claim or lawsuit follows.

Recoverable Damages Your Attorney Will Include in Their Settlement Demands

The damages you experience from your rear-end accident will not be identical to any other accident victim’s. This fact is why your attorney will complete a detailed investigation of your damages, which may include:

Pain and Suffering

Our clients involved in auto accidents often exhibit many types of pain and suffering, which include:

• Lost quality of life
• Physical pain, including chronic conditions
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Sleep disruptions
• Scarring and disfigurement

These are just some types of pain and suffering you may experience. These issues can stem both from the experience of the accident and the effects of your injuries. A lawyer will arrange for a mental health professional to speak with you and identify the pain and suffering you’ve endured.

Medical Expenses

Your lawyer will seek fair compensation for any medical items and services you need after the accident. Each accident victim has different injuries, symptoms, and recovery needs. Trust your attorney to gain a complete understanding of your injuries, calculate all accident-related medical needs, and demand fair compensation from liable parties.

Professional Harm

Those involved in rear-end accidents may experience:

• Lost income
• Diminished earning power
• Missed opportunities for bonuses, promotions, and other performance-related incentives
• Other professional harm

Attorneys are familiar with accident victims taking time away from working, reducing their hours, changing roles, or even being totally disabled. Your legal team can accurately calculate and include your professional damages in settlement demands.

Property-Related Costs

Your lawyer will seek fair compensation for repairing or replacing your vehicle and any other property damaged during the rear-end accident. Your attorney will also consider temporary transportation costs and other property-related expenses from the accident.

Who Will Pay for the Cost of My Accident?

Your attorney will also answer this question. Some of those who can be financially responsible for the cost of a rear-end accident include:

• A motorist: Rear-end collisions often happen because a motorist engages in dangerous behavior, like speeding or tailgating. A motorist can also be responsible if they failed to service their vehicle and the neglect caused brake failure or another issue that led to the accident.
• A vehicle manufacturer: If a defective vehicle played a role in your rear-end accident, your attorney may seek compensation from the manufacturer of that defective vehicle.
• An employer: When employees cause accidents while on the job, their employer can be financially responsible for victims’ damages.
• A municipality: If dangerous road conditions were a factor in your accident, the municipality that allowed those dangerous conditions may be liable for your damages.

Your attorney can seek compensation through one or more insurance claims. If appropriate, they can file a lawsuit naming those responsible for your damages.

When Should I Hire My Rear-End Collision Lawyer?

You should hire your rear-end accident lawyer as soon as possible because:

• Your lawyer needs to secure all useful evidence while it is available to them, and such evidence may not be available after long
• There may be a statute of limitations for your case, which means your attorney needs to file any lawsuit or claim within a relatively short period of time
• Your attorney will start protecting you and your case the moment you hire them, so the sooner, the better

There is no reason to wait to hire your attorney, and there is every reason to retain them as soon as possible.

Hire Your Rear-End Accident Attorney as Soon as Possible

Once you retain a lawyer, you may feel a sense of relief knowing that an experienced counselor is fighting for every dime you deserve. This relief may also benefit your recovery, as stress can worsen accident-related injuries and mental health symptoms.

Find your Jonesboro personal injury attorney today and let them go to work for you.