How do you get back on your feet after a car-related injury?
Going up the stairs and picking up groceries feels different. You don’t sleep quite like you used to, having to lay in different positions or rely on pain medication to get through the night. The bills outside your medical expenses take an additional hit now that you’re not able to work as much. All in all, the aftermath of a car crash is one you feel months after the fact. For those that have recently come out of a collision and are fearful of what the future holds, a personal injury attorney can help make sure none of this comes as a shock.
A major concern of people who have been in a car crash is…what next? Do they first call their car insurance company and review their policy or do they put more focus on their medical bills? What if there is suspected drunk driving or distracted driving involved? Will they ever fully recover from this incident? Should any of these questions mirror your own a personal injury law firm can narrow your concerns down and organize them step-by-step. The United States sees millions of minor accidents, property damage and car-related deaths every single year.
Motorcyclists and truck drivers face the brunt of these damages. The former faces a higher risk of death and severe injury due to the lack of protection, while the latter frequently sees more widespread damage due to the size of the vehicle. The year 2015 witnessed over 32,000 fatal motor vehicle crashes across the United States, with just two years prior finding motorcyclists accounting for nearly 15% of all traffic fatalities. A personal injury attorney simply isn’t an option when you’re faced with not just your own severe injury, but others’.
The majority of car accidents and related workplace injuries can be avoided. It’s through daily hard work and constant awareness that the United States attempts to mediate the rates of these incidents. The average percentage of drivers that use handheld cell phones or other electronic devices saw a decrease from 4% in 2015 to just over 3% in 2016. Distracted driving can also constitute attempting to eat, drink or talk while behind the wheel. When it comes to the more widely known drunk driving, it’s thought drugs other than alcohol are involved in over 15% of all accidents.
Local laws are becoming more severe than ever, as even a second away from the road can result in a death. Oregon traffic laws, for example, state that a vehicle moving in traffic must have a turn signal used 100 feet before a lane change. The BAC (or blood alcohol content) required to make a drunk driving charge is fairly consistent all across the board save for Utah, which eschews 0.08% in favor of 0.05%. Suspicions of drunk driving require the aid of personal injury law firms to interview witnesses and cooperate with local law enforcement.
Some of the most common results from workplace injuries and car crashes are sprained muscles, broken bones and cuts. Whiplash is an especially potent condition that can require months of physical therapy to properly adjust. The year 2015 saw 88,000 motorcyclists sustaining minor to severe injury, down just over 4% from the 92,000 injured the year prior. A personal injury attorney can provide a more specific focus depending on the vehicle involved, such as workplace injuries or truck driving. Whichever you choose, rest easy knowing you have a professional who can walk you through the process.
The most important information to bring to your local law firm is your car insurance, your medical insurance, workplace injuries and any concerns involving distracted driving, drunk driving or vehicle negligence. Any concerns you have about having to be represented in front of the judge should be mitigated, as the vast majority of personal injury cases are actually settled pretrial. No more than 4% to 5% of personal injury lawsuits making it to the courtroom.
Getting back on your feet can feel impossible at times. Your personal injury lawyer will give you a leg up.
