Common types of car accidents include head-on collisions, rear-end collisions, side-impact collisions, rollover accidents, sideswipe accidents, and single-vehicle collisions. These accidents happen for various reasons, and someone is always at fault.
Such accidents often result in injuries. In some cases, victims pass away from accident-related injuries. When these outcomes occur, it is only right that victims receive fair compensation for their damages. Hire a car accident attorney in San Jose to fight for the settlement or judgment your damages entitle you to.
Common Types of Car Accidents
Every day throughout the United States, victims suffer injuries in:
Rear-End Accidents
When a motor vehicle strikes another from behind, the collision is a rear-end accident. Some might casually refer to this as a “fender bender,” but there is nothing casual about motor vehicle accidents.
These accidents can cause many different types of injuries, with whiplash being a frequent result of rear-end collisions.
Head-On Accidents
Head-on accidents are the most dangerous type of car accident, as they have a particularly high rate of fatalities. These accidents put immense strain on victims’ bodies, as their momentum stops suddenly when the collision happens.
These (and other) collisions may result from:
- Distracted driving
- Drunk driving
- Drug-impaired driving
- Tired driving
- Vehicle defects
- Unclear lane markings
- Other hazards inside or outside of the driver’s control
While every car accident requires fair compensation for the victim, the cost of a head-on collision may be especially great.
Sideswipe Accidents
When vehicles scrape against each other in a glancing manner, this is often known as a sideswipe accident. This can occur when a motorist veers outside their lane or turns without maintaining safe clearance from other vehicles.
T-Bone Accidents
When vehicles collide in a T-formation (or a manner similar to a T-formation), we call it a side-impact accident or T-bone collision. These accidents can happen when:
- A motorist runs a red light
- A motorist runs a stop sign
- There is confusion about who has the right of way
Confusion or egregiously poor judgment by a motorist (like when a driver runs a red light) often causes such accidents. However, vehicle defects, malfunctioning traffic lights, and other issues can also cause T-bone collisions.
Single-Vehicle Accidents
A single-vehicle collision occurs when only one vehicle is involved in an accident. These accidents can happen when a vehicle strikes a fixed object or runs off the road.
These are some of the most common car accident types. If you or a loved one suffered injuries in one of these types of collisions or another type of crash, you should pursue all of the compensation you are entitled to.
What Victims Must Do After a Car Accident
Regardless of the type of car accident you were involved in, your primary concerns should be:
- Protecting your health and working toward physical recovery
- Securing fair compensation for accident-related damages
If you want to achieve these goals, you may:
- Seek the medical care you need: Getting medical care is essential to documenting your injuries and reaching maximum recovery. Even if you received some treatment after your accident, you may see a doctor again for detailed diagnoses, medical imaging, and a thorough treatment plan.
- Retain a car accident attorney as soon as possible: A lawyer will lead the fight for your financial recovery. Once you find a qualified lawyer to oversee your insurance claim or lawsuit, they will handle the rest of your case.
- Trust your doctors and lawyer: One benefit of finding a qualified doctor and lawyer is eliminating worry. You won’t have to spend valuable time or effort on your recovery or case—simply follow the advice of your doctors and lawyer.
These are time-sensitive steps. If you wait to see a doctor, you may not document your injuries as you need to. If you don’t hire a lawyer right away, you may lose valuable evidence and miss the deadline for filing your case.
Do I Need a Car Accident Lawyer to Represent Me?
Every accident victim should weigh the benefits of hiring an attorney. Those who hire a car accident lawyer:
- Don’t pay for the costs of their case: Car accident lawyers typically use contingency fees for their clients’ benefit. Lawyers only receive contingency fees if they negotiate a settlement or win a judgment for the accident victim. The law firm pays for all case-related costs, reducing the client’s financial stress.
- Prioritize their health: Car accident victims can only handle so much. With a lawyer handling your case, you should have more time and energy for your recovery needs.
- Get protection from insurance companies: Insurance companies sometimes use bad-faith tactics to avoid paying car accident victims what they deserve. Your attorney will handle all interactions with insurers, preventing any potential rights violations.
- Gain the benefit of their lawyer’s experience: Lawyers’ experience is priceless. Your lawyer should have many cases on their resume, and you will benefit from their experience. All the advice you receive from your attorney will be based on real-world experience and extensive legal training.
Don’t wait to find an experienced car accident attorney to handle your case.
Can I Afford a Car Accident Lawyer?
Thanks to contingency fees, you can afford to hire a car accident attorney. There will be no out-of-pocket cost. Your lawyer will have to secure compensation for you to earn their fee, so you will know your attorney is fighting for all the compensation you deserve.
What a Car Accident Attorney Will Do for You
Your car accident lawyer will build the strongest case possible, and this generally requires:
Determining Who Caused the Accident
Fault is unique to each car accident, and your lawyer will determine:
- Who caused the accident
- Who has financial responsibility for your damages
If a motorist caused the accident, their insurance provider may be financially responsible for your damages. In some cases, motorists lack insurance or do not carry all the coverage the victim needs. In such cases, you may sue the liable party directly.
Securing Evidence of Negligence
As your lawyer investigates the car accident, they will secure all evidence indicating negligence, which may include:
- Witness accounts stating that another motorist hit your vehicle
- Video footage showing how the accident occurred
- Experts’ testimony and reconstruction of the accident
- A police report detailing who is at fault for the collision
Your lawyer will know which evidence can benefit your case, and they will not wait to gather it for you.
Identifying and Documenting Your Accident-Related Damages
Documentation of your damages will be necessary to secure a fair settlement or verdict. Such documentation may include:
- Medical records detailing your injuries and related symptoms
- Medical images (possibly including X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans)
- Medical bills
- Mental health professionals’ diagnoses of your injuries
- Invoices for vehicle repairs and temporary transportation
- Statements proving the amount of income you’ve lost due to the car accident
Your own testimony about pain and suffering and other accident-related challenges may also help your case.
Establishing Settlement Demands
Your lawyer will use your damages to calculate a fair settlement value. This value will account for both existing damages and harm you will experience in the future.
Calculating the cost of a car accident may require complicated math. Attorneys know how to determine the cost of your damages, including non-economic harm like pain and suffering.
Negotiating a Settlement with Insurers
Once your attorney understands the full cost of your car accident, they will contact insurers seeking fair compensation. Most cases end with a settlement, and your lawyer will work to ensure yours does, too.
The settlement must be fair, and your attorney will have specific financial demands for the insurers. You will have the final word on whether to accept a settlement or take further measures to seek a fairer financial recovery.
Filing a Possible Injury Lawsuit
A lawsuit is often a viable option for car accident attorneys. If insurance companies or other liable parties do not meet your lawyer’s demands, your attorney will discuss the merits of filing a lawsuit with you.
If you allow your lawyer to file a lawsuit, they will then:
- File the legal paperwork in the appropriate legal venue
- See if liable parties are willing to provide a fair settlement
- Move forward with the legal process if liable parties are still unwilling to offer the compensation you deserve
The ability to file a lawsuit without hesitation is one of the many benefits of hiring a car accident lawyer for your case.
Going to Trial
As noted, your attorney can continue negotiating a settlement even after you file a lawsuit. If those with financial responsibility for your damages continue to refuse your lawyer’s settlement demands, a trial may be the next step.
Your attorney will lead all case-related duties, which generally include:
- Completing depositions, interrogatories, and other fact-gathering process
- Exchanging certain case materials with the defense
- Presenting and questioning witnesses
- Cross-examining the defense’s witnesses
- Present favorable evidence
- Critiquing unfavorable evidence
- Making oral arguments on your behalf
- Presenting documentation of your damages
Your lawyer will also file motions, make objections, and handle the other dynamic aspects of a trial. Rely on your lawyer’s experience in the courtroom, as this will be immensely valuable as they work to secure a fair judgment.
Your Lawyer Will Demand Fair Compensation for Each of Your Damages
Your attorney has a crystal-clear mission. They will work to obtain all of the money you deserve for both economic and non-economic damages, which may include:
Healthcare Expenses
Car accident victims often need extensive and expensive medical services, which may include:
- Ambulance transport
- Treatment in the emergency department
- Medical imaging
- Emergency and non-emergency surgery
- Visits with specialists
- Rehabilitation
You may also need medications, medical equipment, and other items related to your injuries. Your lawyer will account for all your accident-related medical services as they fight for fair compensation.
Pain and Suffering
Car accidents can be immensely traumatic events that cause:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Acute pain
- Chronic pain
- Lost quality of life
- Other conditions that have a detrimental effect on your quality of life
Lawyers understand how to diagnose and value pain and suffering, and they often work with mental health professionals to do so.
Lost Income (and Other Professional Damages)
The professional cost of your car accident may include:
- Lost income
- Diminished earning power
- Lost chances to earn overtime pay, performance bonuses, and promotions
If you suffer any other professional harm because of your car accident, your lawyer will value that harm.
Property Damage
Your legal team will determine the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle, getting temporary transportation, and replacing any personal items damaged during the car accident.
Disability-Related Damages
Disabled car accident victims often suffer significant harm, which can include:
- The permanent loss of income
- Lifelong pain and suffering
- Medical equipment costs
- Long-term rehabilitation costs
If you need a disability-friendly vehicle or alterations to your home, your lawyer will calculate the cost of those expenses.
The Cost of Losing a Loved One
When car accident victims lose their lives, car accident attorneys seek justice for surviving loved ones. Wrongful death cases often involve:
- Intense pain and suffering
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Lost financial support
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of the decedent’s contributions to their household
- A host of other economic and non-economic damages
Attorneys shield affected loved ones from the stress and trauma that wrongful death cases can bring. Allow a lawyer to fight for the justice you deserve.
What Makes a Good Car Accident Lawyer?
You should seek a car accident attorney who:
- Has ample experience with car accident cases
- Has a long record of obtaining high-value settlements and judgment
- Has earned many positive reviews from clients
- Feels like the right fit for your case
Choose your lawyer wisely, as they will be responsible for securing the compensation you deserve.
Hire Your Car Accident Attorney as Soon as Possible
Do not wait any longer to hire your attorney, as they have deadlines to meet and evidence to gather. Complete your free consultations and choose your car accident lawyer today. Doing so starts your legal claim and also provides peace of mind.
