What to Do if You Injured Your Back in a Rear-End Auto Accident
Rear-end collisions can come out of nowhere and leave you hurt and confused. On top of the physical pain, medical bills, vehicle damage and lost income can all add up to tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Sometimes people find they cannot recover all of the damages through simply filing an insurance claim and instead have to actually sue the driver responsible for the accident. It is in these cases that a good personal injury lawyer will prove invaluable.
Negotiating with Insurance Companies
In most cases, the driver who is at fault will have their insurance company contact you. The insurance company may present a financial settlement to you which might seem attractive at first, but you should definitely talk to an experienced legal professional before you make any hard-and-fast agreement, especially if you’ve suffered back injuries which can lead to long-term or even permanent disability.
Keep in mind that it is this insurance company’s responsibility to protect the at-fault driver, not you. Reaching out to a personal injury lawyer is worth your time because it can sometimes result in a settlement worth tens of thousands of dollars more.
Injuries and Compensation
The number one thing you will do after the accident is file a personal injury claim requesting compensation from the at-fault driver’s insurance company. Time is of the essence in back injury cases and so you and your lawyer should immediately review what steps you took post the accident. It is best to seek medical attention as soon as possible
Common types of injuries after a rear-end collision include neck sprains or whiplash, cervical fractures, herniated discs and possibly serious spinal cord injury. Lifting, turning your head or other basic bodily functions may be impaired and it’s possible that you’ve sustained disabling injuries.
The police report is going to be the main document that supports your statements in proving the other driver was negligent and that his or her negligence is what caused the accident that led to your back injuries.
In addition to the police report, keep detailed information about any of the expenses that you incur which includes repair to your vehicle, lost wages, medical bills or hospital stays including medication, costs for medical treatment that you may incur in the future, earnings that you would have received if not for the accident in the future and any pain and suffering that demonstrates your loss of enjoyment of your life. In cases of back injury, there may even be a complete loss of mobility which is hard to put a price tag on.
Outlining damages related to emotional damages due to your injury are best done with the help of a personal injury lawyer because these types of damages are harder to define.
Writing a Legal Complaint
Once the above steps are complete, you will need to write a legal complaint which consists of information about you and your lawyer and clearly states the reasons why you are seeking financial compensation. The actual legal process begins once the formal complaint is filed.
Of course, this does not mean that your particular case will make it through the court system but it does show to the party who is at fault and their insurance company that you are serious about receiving the compensation you deserve. Each state has a different statute of limitations for these types of cases so it is a good idea to book consultation with a personal injury lawyer to discuss your options and proceed from there.
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