Serious Car Accident Injury Lawyer
Car accidents occur every day on Illinois roadways. While all accidents can feel like major ones at the time, a good number of crashes are minor. Whether you were in a minor or major accident, it is wise to consult a car accident lawyer about your legal options.
Definition Minor Car Accidents
When many people think about car accidents, they imagine major ones, like head-on collisions or rollover accidents. However, minor car crashes do occur too. Minor car accidents typically only involve slight damage to a vehicle and do not cause life-threatening injuries. For example, if a driver backs out of a grocery store parking lot and hits your vehicle, it may be considered a minor fender bender. Your vehicle may have endured small dents, cracked windshield and other issues that still make it possible to drive away from the scene.
Common Injuries in Minor Accidents
A common misconception the legal professionals at Therman Law Offices, LTD hear about minor car accidents is that they can’t cause serious injuries. Although some accident victims may not experience any symptoms immediately after a fender bender, they may still require prompt medical treatment. If you delay medical treatment, your injury could get worse and require more extensive treatments.
Whiplash is one of the most common injuries people sustain in minor car accidents. If your head jerks back and forth rapidly during a crash, you could endure this neck injury. The injury can cause neck pain and stiffness, shoulder pain, dizziness and muscle spasms. Without prompt treatment, you are more likely to have chronic neck pain and reduced range of motion.
Other injuries victims may sustain in minor car accidents include bruises, cuts, broken bone, dental injuries and knee injuries.
What to Do After a Minor Car Accident
Since a minor car accident can still cause injuries, it is important to follow the proper steps afterward to ensure your right to compensation.
- Call the police so that they can file a report of the accident. The report will include important information, such as when and where the accident occurred and the names of everyone involved.
- Document the accident scene. Take photos of the vehicles involved in the crash, skid marks, broken glass and traffic signals. If you’re too badly hurt to take photos, ask a bystander for assistance.
- Get medical attention. A doctor should assess your injuries, no matter how minor they seem, and perform tests if necessary. Once your doctor knows the type of injuries you have, he or she can advise on the proper treatment.
- Be careful about what you say to the defendant’s insurance company. Stick to the basic facts and neve provide a recorded statement.
- Contact an experienced car accident lawyer as soon as possible. A lawyer will know the true value of your case and handle the negotiation process with the insurance company.
If you want to discuss your car accident case, you should schedule a meeting with an accident lawyer today.