Driving comes with many freedoms, but also many expectations regarding safety on the roads and trust that other drivers are also following the rules. An unfortunate reality of driving on the road is that accidents can and do happen.
An accident can be one of the most stressful experiences you encounter, but you do not have to deal with your claim on your own. Having a car accident lawyer on your side can help protect your rights and give you peace of mind.
The Belleville personal injury attorneys at Nelson & Nelson have helped with accident injuries of all types in Illinois and Missouri, including car accidents.
Our team of experienced auto accident attorneys can work to ensure your claim is taken seriously and that you receive the right compensation following an injury.
What to Do After a Car Crash
Your health and your passengers' health are the most important concern.
If you've been in a car crash, the next few hours and days matter more than most folks realize. A few simple steps now can protect your health and your rights down the road.
Focus on two things: your health and securing basic information. As soon as you are safe and stable, call a personal injury attorney. They can handle the rest, and the sooner one is involved, the more they can do for you.
1. Check on Yourself and Others
Check yourself for injuries. Check on your passengers. If you can safely get out, check on the other driver and anyone else involved. If anyone is hurt, call 911 immediately. Adrenaline can mask pain that shows up hours or days later, so err on the side of getting help on the way.
Be a human first. You can worry about insurance and fault later.
2. Secure the Scene
If the crash happened on a busy road, move vehicles out of traffic if you can. Turn on your hazard lights. Use flares or cones if you have them. Be careful getting in and out of your vehicle with traffic moving around you.
3. Call the Police and Preserve Information
Always get a police report, even if the crash seems minor. That report creates an official record you may need later. Ask the officer for the case number so you can get a copy.
Exchange insurance information, names, phone numbers, and license plate numbers with the other driver. Get contact information from any witnesses. Stay calm. There's no need to argue about what happened — the investigation will sort that out.
Don't admit fault, and don't give a recorded statement to anyone's insurance company without talking to an attorney first.
Take a lot of pictures. Photograph all vehicles from multiple angles, the overall scene, specific damage, the road, intersection, traffic signs, tire marks, and debris. Photograph your injuries too. Take your time, eliminate blur, use good lighting, and don't be afraid to take too many.
You can sort through them later, but you can't go back and recreate the scene.
As soon as you are safe and stable, call a personal injury attorney. The earlier they're involved, the more evidence they can preserve.
How an attorney helps here: A police report is a starting point. An attorney can file FOIA requests, pull data downloads from the vehicles, track down surveillance video from nearby businesses, and photograph the scene before conditions change. Evidence goes away quickly.
They can also tell the insurance companies to stop contacting you directly, so you're not pressured into a quick settlement.
4. Get Medical Treatment — As Soon as Possible
If you are hurt, get treatment. If you think you might be hurt, get treatment. If you feel fine but were in a significant crash, get checked out anyway.
Many crash injuries don't show symptoms right away. Soft tissue injuries, disc herniations, and concussions can take days or weeks to fully present. If you wait to see a doctor, the insurance company will use that gap against you. They'll argue that if you were really hurt, you would have gone sooner.
It's not fair, but it's how they operate.
Go to the ER, urgent care, or your primary care doctor. Tell them you were in a car crash and make sure they document everything. Then follow through — keep your appointments and follow your doctor's recommendations.
Use your own health insurance. Don't worry about getting the other driver's insurance to pay for treatment right now. That's not your job, and it will only slow you down. An attorney can sort out who owes what later. For now, focus on getting the care you need.
How an attorney helps here: A good attorney knows the doctors in your area who understand crash injuries and take them seriously. They can guide you to providers who will give you thorough, honest care.
They also coordinate between your health insurance, the other driver's insurance, and any other coverage so your bills are handled properly. If you haven't called an attorney yet, do it now.
5. Keep Your Records
Save everything: the police report, medical bills, medication receipts, records of missed work, photos, and insurance correspondence. If you're unsure whether something is important, keep it. Your attorney will sort through it.
How an attorney helps here: There are typically three insurance companies involved in a crash case — your health insurance, the other driver's auto insurance, and your own auto insurance. Each has its own interests, and they don't always cooperate with each other or with you.
An attorney keeps this organized and works to reduce what gets paid back out of your recovery so more money stays in your pocket.
6. Call a Personal Injury Attorney
If you haven't already, now is the time. A good personal injury attorney takes the investigation, insurance calls, paperwork, and strategy off your plate so you can focus on your health.
They secure evidence before it disappears, guide you to good doctors, navigate three layers of insurance, and deal with the adjusters so you don't get taken advantage of.
Most personal injury attorneys offer free consultations and work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you don't pay unless they recover money for you. There's no downside to making the call early.
The Bottom Line
After a car crash, make sure everyone is safe, get medical treatment as soon as possible, preserve what you can at the scene, and secure basic information. As soon as you are safe and stable, call a personal injury attorney. Don't try to handle the investigation, the insurance companies, or the legal issues on your own.
Focus on your health. Call an attorney. Let them handle the rest.
How Our Car Accident Attorneys Can Help
The process for filing a personal injury claim can be challenging to navigate, especially if you don't have legal experience. Dealing with injuries and emotional trauma is already hard enough without trying to fight insurance agents and file paperwork.
Insurance companies can be very aggressive and may try to intimidate you when you're at your weakest. Insurance companies often try to shift the blame of your claim so they owe you nothing. That’s why you need a skilled representative on your side.
Our team of dedicated car accident attorneys can investigate the collision and gather evidence to support your claim. The negligent driver’s insurance company may also try to settle quickly before all of your complications from the accident come to light. Our car accident lawyers ensure victims and their families are protected.
We can handle settlement negotiations on your behalf and demand the right compensation for your injuries. If a fair settlement cannot be reached in negotiation, we are more than prepared to represent you in court and fight for what you deserve!
Common Causes of Motor Vehicle Crashes
Virtually all car accidents are due to negligence in some form. Every personal injury claim requires proving that the at-fault party neglected their “duty of care” which led to the accident. Some of the most common reasons for auto accidents include:
- Speeding
- Failure to obey traffic signals
- Illegal lane departures
- Drunk driving or driving under the influence of drugs
- Sleep-deprived driving
- Distracted driving (including text messaging)
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2019, there were a total of 1009 fatal car crashes in Illinois, 375 of which were speeding-related; while in Missouri, 328 out of a total of 880 were speeding-related.
In Illinois, 31% of total traffic fatalities were due to alcohol-impaired driving (blood alcohol concentration of.08 or higher), and 27% in Missouri were caused by alcohol-impaired driving.
Nationally, the number of fatalities due to distracted driving rose 9.9% compared to 2018. (Sources: Traffic Safety Facts Annual Report Tables and Traffic Safety Facts Overview) In most cases, the at-fault party may be one or both of the drivers, but in some instances, motor vehicle crashes happen due to negligence on the part of the car manufacturer or even the government.
In these instances, the accident victims can file their personal injury claim against the car manufacturer or the state or city government responsible for maintaining signage, roads, and clear views. Non-driver causes of traffic accidents include:
- Inadequate signage
- Poorly maintained roads
- Obstructed views
- Mechanical failure of car parts, such as the brakes
Common Injuries Resulting from Car Crashes
Even seemingly minor auto accidents can result in surprisingly serious or long-term injuries. Motor vehicle crashes can result in physical injuries that include:
- Broken bones
- Cuts and bruises
- Soft tissue injuries
- Back and neck injuries
- Internal injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Burns
- Lost limbs
- Paralysis
Car Accident Compensation
Being involved in an auto accident can result in serious or life-altering injuries. The time after a car accident can be uncertain and overwhelming both financially and emotionally. If you have been injured in a car accident, you may be entitled to compensation including:
- Reimbursement for medical bills, prescription medications, and physical therapy
- The estimated cost of future medical treatment
- Current and future lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Disability
- Scarring or disfigurement
Contact Our Car Accident Lawyers in Belleville, IL
If you or someone close to you has been injured in a car accident due to someone else’s negligence, contact Nelson & Nelson today at (618) 277-4000 to schedule your free case evaluation. Our auto accident lawyers can help fight for you so you can focus on your recovery.
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Nelson & Nelson Attorneys at Law, P.C.
420 N. High Street
Belleville, IL 62220
Phone: 618-277-4000
Availability: 24/7
Service Area
Belleville, Cahokia, East St. Louis, Edwardsville, Fairview Heights, Fayetteville, Freeburg, Mascoutah, Millstadt, O'Fallon, Shiloh, St. Louis MO, and St. Louis County.
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