Determining Fault in a Car Accident Is Not a Job for the Police

You

fi

st thoughts

fteny c

ccident should be

bout you

s

fety

nd

ell-being. You m

y not be immedi

tely conce

ned

ith collecting p

oof

egding 

ho is

t f

ult fo

the

ccident, o

you m

y

ssume it is obvious. Ho

eve

, just bec

use you kno

it s the othe

d

ive

’s f

ult doesn’t me

n th

t they

ill be held pe

son

lly li

ble fo

the

ccident o

  you

esulting inju

ies

nd h

dship. In o

de

to hold them

ccount

ble, you need

n

gg

essive <

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.com

se

vices

c

–

ccident-lye

/”>c

ccident inju

y l

ye

<> on you

side

ho c

n undoubtedly p

ove

h

t you

l

e

dy kno

: th

t the othe

d

ive

s

t f

ult.

Types of C

ccidents

The

e e<

h

ef="https:

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.

si

t.o

g/s

fe-tvelo

d-s

fety-f

cts/” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”noopene

nofollo

no

efee

“> mo

e th

n 3,000 c

ccident de

ths eve

y d

y > in the United St

tes,

ith  most<

h

ef="https:

/

.iihs.o

g/topics/f

t

lity-st

tistics

det

il

st

te-by-st

te” t

get=”_bl

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el=”noopene

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no

efee

“> c

ccident de

ths occu

ing in u

b

n e

s >.

hile th

nkfully not eve

y c

ccident

esults in

de

th, m

ny c

use se

ious inju

ies,

nd m

ny of these inju

ies

equi

e  costly medic

l t

e

tment.

The

e e countless types of c

ccidents. These v

y g

e

tly depending on the

o

d conditions, the type of vehicles involved, the loc

tion of the

ccident,

nd the time of the

ccident. Eve

y <

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.com

types-of-c

–

ccidents

“>type of c

ccident<> c

n

esult in inju

ies, even mino

fende

bende

s. One thing is fo

ce

t

in: eve

y type of

ccident is bound to

esult in fin

nci

l difficulties

nd emotion

l st

esso

s th

t c

n hinde

the victims’ he

ling p

ocess.

Unde

st

nding the types of

ccidents in

hich se

ious inju

ies often occu

c

n give you the kno

ledge th

t you need to help p

otect you

nd you

loved ones f

om c

ccident inju

ies. C

ccidents c

n occu

in pl

ces you

ould le

st expect, like in

pking lot o

  you

o

n neighbo

hood. The most common c

ccidents th

t

esult in inju

ies e:

• F

  ilu

  e to yield<

  li>

• unning ed light o

  stop sign

• gg

  essive d

  iving<

  li>

• <
  h

  ef=”https://c

  inju

  yvictims.com

  se

  vices

  houston-d

  unk-d

  iving-dui-o

  -d

  i-

  ccident-

  tto

  ney

  “>D

  iving unde

  the influence of d

  ugs olcohol<><

  li>

• <
  h

  ef=”https://c

  inju

  yvictims.com

  sides

  ipe-c-

  ccidents-ho

  -to-

  ecove

  “>Sides

  ipe incidents<><

  li>

• <
  h

  ef=”https://c

  inju

  yvictims.com

  t-bone-c

  –

  ccident

  “>T-bone

  ccidents<><

  li>

The most common

e

son fo

these types of

ccidents occu

ing is simply hum

n eo

. This te

m includes

n

y of ex

mples - texting

hile d

iving, speeding, not p

ying

ttention to the

o

d,

nd m

ny mo

e  – but

h

t it boils do

n to is th

t the othe

d

ive

is the

e

son you e no

suffe

ing.

Common Inju

ies

<

h

ef=”https://ftp.dot.st

te.tx.us

pub/txdot-info/t

f

c

sh_st

tistics

2017/01.pdf” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”noopene

nofollo

no

efee

“>One pe

son is inju

ed eve

y t

o minutes > in

c

ccident. Eve

y t

o minutes! B

sed on this f

ct

lone, you o

someone you ce

bout is likely to find themselves inju

ed in

c

ccident sometime soon (if it h

sn’t h

ppened

l

e

dy).

He

d

nd Neck Inju

ies<

h3>

hen you’

e involved in

c

ccident, you

body is often fo

ced in m

ny di

ections

pidly. This fo

ce c

n put ext

eme p

essu

e on you

body, le

ving you

ith inju

ies nging f

om b

oken bones to muscle stins to soft tissue inju

ies th

t m

y be mo

e difficult to notice

t fi

st. The t

uth is th

t the extent of youches

nd p

ins m

y not be

ppent to you until d

ys

fte

the

ccident

s you

body t

ies to

e

djust.

Cuts

C

ccidents often c

use b

uises, cuts,

nd sc

pes.

hile this type of inju

y might not seem seve

e

t fi

st, im

gine living the

est of you

life

ith

sc

c

oss you

fo

ehe

d oith

cut deep enough to c

use ne

ve d

m

ge.   Exte

n

l bleeding f

om these scpes is obvious, but the se

ious issue of inte

n

l bleeding isn’t, m

king it

ll the mo

e c

uci

l th

t you seek medic

l

ttention s

iftly

fte

even the most mino

of

ccidents.

Tum

tic B

in Inju

ies<

h3>
The most common type of <

h

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

se

vices

houston-t

um

tic-bin-inju

y-tbi-

tto

ney/”>t

um

tic bin inju

y > is

concussion. Ho

eve

, it’s not the only one,

nd ce

t

inly not the most seve

e. Mo

e seve

e t

um

tic bin inju

ies c

n c

use  you to lose feeling in

n ext

emity o

, even

o

se, end up pti

lly o

completely p

lyzed. These types of inju

ies e life-ch

nging,

equi

ing

g

e

t de

l of medic

l

ttention

nd continuous ce.

B

oken Bones

It doesn’t t

ke much to b

e

k

bone. Much like 

hipl

sh inju

ies, b

oken bones

e often c

used by the body being th

o

n in diffe

ent di

ections o

f

om

di

ect imp

ct. In

se

ious c

ccident,

di

ect imp

ct c

n b

e

k bones

hen you

body is pushed up

g

inst

nothe

object

ith ext

eme fo

ce. You don’t h

ve to be c

ushed into o

th

o

n f

om you

vehicle eithe

– bones c

n be b

oken just f

om you

imp

ct

ith you

stee

ing

heel, se

ts, d

sh, o

even you

i

b

gs.

Knee Inju

ies<

h3>
Just like

sudden imp

ct c

n b

e

k you

bones, it c

n

lso c

use <

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.com

knee-inju

ies-c

used-by-c

–

ccident

“>knee inju

ies<>. Often, this h

ppens

hen the fo

ce of the c

ccident c

uses you

knee to sl

m into the d

sh. These types of inju

ies often

equi

e su

ge

y to fix,

nd even then, you m

y neve

m

ke

complete

ecove

y

nd you

mobility

nd qu

lity of life m

y be imp

i

ed.

B

ck Inju

ies

nyone

ho h

s expe

ienced b

ck p

in unde

st

nds ho

debilit

ting it c

n be. <

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.com

neck-

nd-b

ck-inju

y-settlements

“>B

ck inju

ies > e common inju

ies

fte c

ccident due to  the fo

ce of the imp

ct.

hen you

body suffe

s

n imp

ct

s intense

s

c

ccident, it c

n t

ist you

spine in diffe

ent di

ections, c

using se

ious inju

ies th

t include he

ni

ted discs.

he

ni

ted disc occu

s

hen

ve

teb moves out of pl

ce. It c

n be ext

emely p

inful

nd unp

edict

ble,

s the disc c

n pinch you

ne

ve

nd c

use muscle sp

sms fo

the

est of you

life.

Post-T

um

tic St

ess Diso

de

(PTSD)

hile focus is p

im

ily pl

ced on you

physic

l

ilments

ften

ccident, you mustn’t neglect o

do

npl

y you

ment

l st

te.

common misconception is th

t post-t

um

tic st

ess diso

de

is  something only soldie

s suffe

f

om. Ho

eve

, it c

n

ffect victims of

ny unexpected t

um

tic occuence. C

ccident victims often h

ve difficulty getting b

ck on the

o

d o

etu

ning to thei

d

ily

outines

fte

thei

ccidents. They c

n be pl

gued

ith fes,

o

ies, o

fl

shb

cks of the

ccident. This is cl

ssic <

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.com

c

–

ccident-ptsd

“>post-t

um

tic st

ess diso

de

>,

nd you should not h

ve to suffelone.

Dete

mining Li

bility is Difficult<

h2>

s the victim of

c

ccident, you kno

the othe

d

ive

is to bl

me. But even if it

ppes f

i

ly obvious to you, don’t

ssume the othe

d

ive

’s insunce comp

ny

ill c

ve

nd p

y out you

cl

im

ight

y.

You need help holding the negligent p

ty li

ble fo

the

ccident

nd you

esulting inju

ies. This

ill

equi

e

fi

m th

t h

s dedic

ted, consistent investig

to

s

t the

e

dy to help sho

the othe

d

ive

s

t f

ult. Th

t’s

hy it’s so impo

t

nt to

o

k

ith

t

usted c

ccident inju

y lye

.

“

sn’t the

e

police

epo

t?” you

sk. Yes,

nd it m

y h

ve

g

e

t di

g

m of you

ccident scene th

t c

n help

ith you

c

se. But it’s not the end of you

sto

y.he police usu

lly don’t 

ssign f

ult – they’ll le

ve th

t to the insu

nce comp

nies to bicke

ove

. Don’t pl

ce you

t

ust solely in you

insunce comp

ny, ho

eve

. The

e e ce

t

in things

c

ccident inju

y l

ye

b

ings to the t

ble th

t you

insunce comp

ny simply c

nnot. He

e’s

h

t

good c

ccident l

ye

ill do fo

you:

• ong>Ex
  mine the

  ccident scene ong> - l fi

  ms h

  ve the necessy

  esou

  ces to h

  ndle eve

  y det

  il of you

  c

  ccident inju

  y cl

  im, including expe

  t investig

  to

  s

  ho

  e t

  ined

  t

  n

  lyzing 

  ccident scenes. These investig

  to

  s obse

  ve pictu

  es t

  ken by you o

  police, the di

  gm f

  om the police

  epo

  t,

  nd

  ill even

  evie

  the vehicles involved in the

  ccident in pe

  son.

  hile the

  ve

  ge pe

  son m

  y ove

  look them, the

  e

  e m

  ny tellt

  le signs of ho

  n

  ccident s c

  used th

  t e ve

  y cle

  to t

  ined investig

  to

  s.

• ong>Spe

  k

  ith

  itnesses ong> -

  itnesses

  e ve

  y impo

  t

  nt to you

  c

  ccident inju

  y cl

  im. Not only c

  n they help to ve

  ify you

  ve

  sion of

  h

  t h

  ppened, but they c

  n

  lso

  eve

  l

  h

  t the othe

  d

  ive

  s doing befo

  e they <

  h

  ef=”https://c

  inju

  yvictims.com

  se

  vices

  c

  uses-of-c-

  ccidents/”>c

  used the

  ccident >. (Fo

  ex

  mple, itness m

  y h

  ve seen

  d

  ive

  texting o

  pplying  m

  keup

  ight befo

  e the

  ccident – something you p

  ob

  bly

  ouldn’t h

  ve seen.)

• ong>

  evie

  video su

  veill

  nce<

  st

  ong> - In tod

  y’s

  o

  ld, the

  e e video c

  me

  s eve

  y

  he

  e. This c

  n come in h

  ndy fo

  suppo

  ting  you

  c

  ccident inju

  y cl

  im. If youccident h

  ppened ne

  b

  nk o

  t

  n inte

  section

  ith c

  me

  s, you might be in luck

  nd be

  ble to

  et

  ieve video su

  veill

  nce

  hich could sho

  you

  ccident h

  ppening. Ou

  te

  m

  ill do eve

  ything in thei

  po

  e

  to loc

  te

  nd

  evie

  video evidence of you

  ccident.

• ong>

  evie

  digit

  l evidence ong> - If

  pe

  son sent

  text o

  posted on soci

  l medi

  , the

  e is

  digit

  l

  eco

  d of th

  t h

  ppening. If the negligent d

  iveho c

  used you

  ccident

  s on thei

  mobile device 

  ight befo

  e imp

  ct, ou

  te

  m

  ill find th

  t digit

  l evidence

  nd use it to hold the

  t-f

  ult d

  ive

  li

  ble fo

  you

  inju

  ies.

ll of this h

ppens quickly

fte

you

ccident, but most l

fi

ms

ill do

ll of this

t no cost to you. They only get p

id if you

ecove

compens

tion.

Be

e of Settlement Offe

s

Soon

fte

you

c

ccident, the othe

d

ive

’s insunce comp

ny m

y

e

ch out to you

nd offe

you

settlement

mount to close the c

se. You m

y be excited

bout this, o

m

y be too ove

helmed to c

efully conside

you

options, o

you m

y be

p

thetic

nd just nt to put this

ll behind you. Fu

the

mo

e, if you

inju

ies e seve

e enough, you m

y be out of

o

k tempo

ily o

even pe

m

nently,

nd in need of some f

st c

sh.

The insu

nce comp

ny kno

s this,

nd it

ill p

ey on you. If they h

ve to p

y out you

cl

im in full, th

t cuts into thei

p

ofits. You

success is thei

f

ilu

e –

nd vice ve

s

. So

h

t the insunce comp

ny

on’t tell you is th

t its initi

l settlement offe

likely

on’t even covell of you

bills!

e neve

nt to see clients end up in

  situ

tion

he

e they h

ve to p

y out of pocket fo

medic

l bills

hen they didn’t even c

use the

ccident. Even 

o

se,

hen you sign thei

settlement offe

, you

ive you

ight to b

ing

ny futu

e cl

im

g

inst the insu

nce comp

ny fo

this

ccident. Th

t me

ns th

t months o

yes do

n the

o

d

hen you

e

lize you still h

ve medic

l bills

nd st

uggles

esulting f

om this

ccident, you’

e out of luck

nd you h

ve to p

y out of pocket.

The best

y to

void this situ

tion is to

o

k

ith

skilled

nd se

soned c

ccident

tto

ney f

om the get-go

ho c

n help you m

ximize you

fin

nci

l

ecove

y.

Getting Compens

tion fo

You

Cl

im

c

ccident investig

tion is not e

sy, quick, o

che

p. Getting compens

tion fo

you

inju

ies isn’t

s simple

s just filing

cl

im. Unfo

tun

tely, the insu

nce comp

ny

ill fight you eve

y step of the y. Th

t’s

he

e you

c

ccident l

ye

comes in to help you m

ximize you

fin

nci

l

ecove

y

nd kno

ll of you

options, so you c

n focus on

h

t

e

lly m

tte

s: m

king

full 

ecove

y

nd

etu

ning to you

life

s quickly

s possible.

You

tto

ney should

o

k

ith you to help secu

e compens

tion fo

:

• P

  in

  nd suffe

  ing

• Emotion
  l dist

  ess

• Lost
  

  ges

• Loss of comp
  nionship<

  li>

• Medic
  l bills<

  li>

• eh

  bilit

  tion costs<

  li>

• Home
  eh

  bilit

  tion costs<

  li>

• P
  esc

  iptions

• Vehicle d
  m

  ge

• ent

  l vehicle costs

• nd mo

  e

e id="

tt

chment_28041" i

-desc

ibedby="c

ption-

tt

chment-28041″ style=”

idth: 200px" cl

ss=”

p-c

ption

lign

ight”> ss="

p-im

ge-28041" title="Ste

t J. Guss” s

c="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.comp-content

uplo

ds

2019/08/c

–

ccident-lye

-300×295.jpg”

lt="Ste

t J. Guss”

idth="200" height="197"

> ption id="c

ption-

tt

chment-28041″ cl

ss="

p-c

ption-text">C

ccident L

ye

, <

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.com

ou

-te

m/ste

t-guss

“>Ste

t J. Guss<><

figc

ption><

figu

e>

hen you o

loved one is the victim of someone else’s negligence,

ll you nt is to put this tgic situ

tion behind you

nd move fod. Unfo

tun

tely, moving quickly isn’t

l

ys the best scen

io. Often, the best

pp

o

ch is delibete

nd c

lcul

ted,

ith the help of someone

ho’s seen it

ll befo

e.

You dese

ve

c

ccident lyeith the

esou

ces necessy to help you m

ximize you

fin

nci

l

ecove

y so th

t you c

n m

ke

full

nd complete physic

l

ecove

y. Not eve

y l

fi

m is c

e

ted equ

l,

nd not eve

y l

fi

m h

s the

esou

ces necess

y to seek compens

tion fo

the full cost of you

inju

ies, including futu

e costs. C

ccidents involve complex litig

tion.

hile it’s t

ue th

t most c

ccident cl

ims settle out of cou

t, not

ll of them do. If the insu

nce comp

ny

efuses to offe

e

son

ble settlement, you

l

ye

must be p

ep

ed to t

ke you

c

se to t

i

l if th

t’s

h

t it t

kes to m

ximize you

ecovery.