Hitting your head in a car accident can be a traumatic experience, both physically and emotionally. Even if you don’t feel any immediate pain or symptoms, taking the proper steps to ensure your health and well-being is wise.
A head injury, even a mild one, can have serious long-term consequences if not treated properly. By following these steps and consulting with a car accident attorney, you can protect yourself and recover compensation for your injuries.
Seek Medical Attention Immediately
If you suspect you have a head injury after a car accident, the first and most important step is to seek medical attention immediately. Some head injury symptoms may not appear right away, so get checked out by a doctor as soon as possible.
Common symptoms of a head injury include:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Nausea
- Blurred vision
- Memory loss
If you experience these symptoms or lose consciousness during the accident, go to the emergency room or see your doctor immediately. Even if you don’t have any visible signs of injury, such as a bump or bruise on your head, get evaluated by a medical professional. They can perform tests and scans to determine the extent of your injury and recommend the appropriate treatment.
Consult an Experienced Car Accident Attorney
Once you’ve taken care of your immediate medical needs, it’s time to start thinking about your legal options. If another driver’s negligence caused the car accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and other damages. This is where an experienced car accident attorney can help.
A car accident lawyer can help you file a personal injury claim. They can investigate the accident, gather evidence, and build a strong case on your behalf. A car accident attorney can also negotiate with the other driver’s insurance company to ensure you receive a fair settlement for your injuries and damages.
One of the most important things a car accident lawyer can do is show you how to understand the full extent of your damages. A head injury can have far-reaching consequences, both in the short term and the long term. You may require ongoing medical treatment, rehabilitation, and therapy. You may also miss time from work, which can result in lost income and other financial hardships.
A car accident attorney can calculate the full cost of your injuries and ensure you receive the compensation you need to cover these expenses.
Proving Fault in a Head Injury Claim
When you’ve been in a car accident and suffered a head injury, one of the most important things you’ll need to do is prove that the other driver was at fault. This means showing that the other driver did something wrong or negligently that caused the accident.
Proving fault can be tricky, especially if there weren’t any witnesses to the accident or the other driver denies responsibility. However, your attorney can gather several types of evidence to support your claim and show that the other driver was at fault.
One of the most important pieces of evidence is the police report. After an accident, the police typically come to the scene and create a report documenting what happened. This report can include important details like the position of the vehicles, any traffic violations that were issued, and statements from the drivers and witnesses.
Your car accident attorney can use the police report to help build your case and show that the other driver was at fault. For example, if the police report notes that the other driver was speeding or ran a red light, this can be strong evidence that they were negligent and caused the accident.
Another important type of evidence is witness statements. If there were any witnesses to the accident, their testimony can help prove that the other driver was at fault. Witnesses can provide valuable information about what they saw happen, such as whether the other driver was driving erratically or if they failed to yield the right of way.
Your attorney can work to identify and interview any witnesses to the accident and use their statements to help build your case. Sometimes, your attorney may hire a private investigator to track witnesses and obtain their statements.
Other types of evidence can be used to prove fault in a car accident claim, in addition to police reports and witness statements.
For example:
- Accident reconstruction reports: These are reports created by professionals who use scientific methods to analyze the accident and determine how it happened. They can provide insight into vehicle speed, braking, and impact angles.
- Medical records and bills: These documents can help show the extent of your injuries and treatment. They can also help establish a link between the accident and your injuries.
- Professional testimony: In some cases, your attorney may bring in expert witnesses to testify about the accident and your injuries. For example, a medical professional can testify about the severity of your head injury and how it will impact your life going forward.
Gathering all of this evidence can be time-consuming. This is why working with an experienced car accident attorney. Your attorney can handle the legal aspects of your case, including gathering evidence and building a strong argument for why the other driver was at fault.
Your attorney can also negotiate with the other driver’s insurance company to get you the full and fair compensation you deserve for your injuries and damages. If necessary, your attorney can even take your case to court and argue your case in front of a judge and jury.
Dealing with Insurance Companies
When you’ve been in a car accident and hit your head, you might think that the insurance company will be there to support you. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Insurance companies are businesses, and their main goal is to make money. This means they might try to pay you as little as possible for your claim, even if you have a legitimate case.
After you file a claim with the insurance company, they will assign an insurance adjuster to your case. The adjuster’s job is to investigate the accident and determine how much the insurance company should pay you. However, the adjuster might not have your best interests in mind.
The insurance adjuster might pressure you into accepting a quick settlement offer. They might tell you that it’s the best offer you’ll get or that you must accept it immediately. However, you have the right to take your time and consider the offer carefully. You should never feel pressured to accept a settlement you’re uncomfortable with.
Another tactic that insurance adjusters might use is to try to get you to say something that can hurt your case. They might ask you questions about the accident or your injuries, hoping that you’ll say something that they can use against you later. For example, if you apologize for the accident or downplay your injuries, the insurance company might use that to argue that you were at fault or that your injuries aren’t as serious as you claim.
Having an experienced car accident attorney on your side can be incredibly helpful. Your attorney can communicate with the insurance company on your behalf, so you don’t have to worry about saying something that can hurt your case. They can also evaluate any settlement offers and negotiate for a higher amount if necessary.
Your attorney can also gather evidence to support your claim, such as medical records and witness statements. This can be especially important if the insurance company tries to deny your claim or argue that your injuries aren’t severe enough to warrant compensation.
Seeking Compensation for Pain and Suffering
When you’ve been in a car accident and hit your head, you might be facing a long road to recovery. Not only do you have to deal with the physical pain and discomfort of your injuries, but you might also be struggling with emotional trauma as well. This is known as “pain and suffering,” an important part of any car accident claim.
Pain and suffering refer to the physical and emotional distress that you experience as a result of your injuries. This can include things like chronic pain, headaches, and difficulty sleeping. It can also include emotional symptoms like anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
These types of damages are known as “non-economic damages.” They don’t have a specific dollar value attached to them, such as medical bills or lost income. However, that doesn’t mean they’re any less important or deserving of compensation.
Pain and suffering can often be the most significant part of a car accident claim. The physical and emotional impact of a head injury can last for months or even years and can have a profound effect on your quality of life. You cannot do the things you once enjoyed, or you might struggle to maintain relationships with loved ones.
That’s why working with an experienced car accident attorney who can seek compensation for your pain and suffering is so important. Your attorney can use their knowledge of similar cases to build a strong argument for the full extent of your damages and can fight for the compensation you need to move forward with your life.
To do this, your attorney might use a variety of evidence to support your claim. This can include things like:
- Medical records and bills that document the extent of your injuries and the treatment you’ve received
- Statements from friends and family members who can attest to the impact your injuries have had on your life
- Professional testimony from medical professionals who can explain the long-term effects of your injuries
- Photos and videos that show the severity of your injuries and the impact they’ve had on your daily life
Your attorney might also use various methods to calculate the value of your pain and suffering damages. This can include things like the “multiplier method,” which takes your economic damages (like medical bills and lost income) and multiplies them by a certain number to determine the value of your non-economic damages.
Ultimately, the goal of seeking compensation for pain and suffering is to ensure that you’re fully and fairly compensated for all the ways the accident has impacted your life. It’s not about getting rich quickly or taking advantage of the system. It’s about ensuring you have the resources to recover from your injuries and move forward with your life.
Acting Quickly to Protect Your Rights
If you’ve been in a car accident and hit your head, so act quickly to protect your legal rights. This means getting medical attention as soon as possible and speaking with an experienced car accident attorney who can understand your options for seeking compensation.
One of the most important reasons to act quickly is the “statute of limitations.” This law sets a deadline for filing a personal injury claim after an accident. The exact deadline varies from state to state, but you have only a limited time to take legal action in most cases.
For example, let’s say you were in a car accident and hit your head, but you waited a year before deciding to file a claim. If the statute of limitations in your state is only six months, you may have missed your chance to seek compensation for your injuries and damages.
This is why speaking with an attorney as soon as possible after your accident is important. An experienced car accident attorney can guide you through understanding the deadlines and requirements for filing a claim in your state and can ensure prompt filing of your case.
Your attorney can also gather evidence to support your claim, such as medical records, police reports, and witness statements. This evidence can help prove that the other driver was at fault for the accident and that you deserve compensation for your injuries and damages.
Contact a Car Accident Lawyer Today
Don’t hesitate to seek legal help if you’ve suffered a head injury in a car accident. Contact an experienced Atlanta personal injury lawyer today to discuss your case and learn more about your options for seeking compensation. With the right legal guidance and support, you can focus on your recovery and move forward with your life.