Dealing with Distress and Legal Matters After an Accident
Auto accidents are a harsh reality of the world. They can happen anywhere, anytime. They can be caused by anything from distracted driving to reckless and drunk driving. If you find yourself in this situation, it is important to know what steps to take and how to deal with the stress that comes with such an event.
When you experience something traumatic like a car accident, it can be difficult to know what to do. If you were the victim of an accident and sustained injuries, this is likely your first concern. But, there are some other things you need to think about too. Did the driver cause the accident? Did they have insurance? Should you hire car and truck accident attorneys? You might be at that point Asking “where’s a car accidenty lawyer near me?”
After you file a police report, contact your insurance company and get medical attention immediately, these next steps will help you deal with the legal matters that come after a car accident.
The Legal Matters After an Accident
One of the biggest concerns after you’ve been involved in a car accident is whether or not the driver caused it. Of course, you don’t want to blame someone without solid evidence. However, you also don’t want to be paying for their mistakes, and you also deserve fair compensation for any damages that you sustained. If the driver was responsible, they will be liable for all costs associated with your injury or any injuries that their actions caused.
In a slam-dunk case, it will be very obvious the other driver caused the accident. If they were driving under the influence and driving recklessly, that’s a pretty open and shut case. But, that’s not the only situation that you can find yourself in.
Some accidents are caused by external factors, such as potholes in the road, or “miss and run” cases where a third-party caused others to have an accident. In these cases, other parties may have liability beside the drivers for injuries and property damage that resulted from the accident.
The local municipality responsible for road maintenance would be liable in some cases, similar to slip and fall accident cases where someone’s property was deemed hazardous.
Slip and fall accidents can even be the result of miss-and-run car accidents – for example, a car running a red light while you’re crossing the road, and you twist your ankle avoiding the car – a situation that would best be handled by slip and fall accident attorneys.
PTSD and Emotional Trauma
PTSD is a condition that affects 1 in every 5 Americans, and it can be the result of just about any traumatic experience. This means it is possible that the impact of a car accident could cause PTSD. People who are experiencing PTSD consider a therapy treatment like a Client-Centered Therapy offered by a mental health professional.
Emotional distress can be a part of your lawsuit, as you deserve compensation for the trauma of an accident. However, it must be proven that your emotional trauma is a direct result of the car accident, and whether the distress was inflicted intentionally, or negligently.
For example, if the other driver was displaying road rage and intentionally tried to cause an accident, that could be considered intentionally causing psychological distress, and you could have a claim against that driver.
However, if the driver violated a statutory duty, like texting while driving, the emotional distress caused by the accident will be considered negligent.
Hiring An Attorney For your Case
If you have been seriously injured in a car accident, you should seek an auto accident attorney to avoid any potential problems later on.
Remember, you do not need to hire an attorney to file a lawsuit, but you may want to hire a car accident lawyer for the court proceedings.
Even if you have a great insurance company, an attorney will be able to help you decide if you’re due more money from your policy. They’ll also be able to gather evidence and prepare for a lengthy court case. Not all car accident lawsuits are that contentious, but they can be. It will take an attorney with experience and knowledge in these types of cases to be able to fight your case and help you get the compensation you deserve.
Conclusion
Traffic accidents can be painful and emotionally taxing, and they’re not easy to deal with. But with a little knowledge, you can take control of your situation and get the compensation you deserve.
Speaking with Car Accident Lawyers on the details of your situation will be the first step to recovering the compensation you deserve, even a simple case evaluation will give you a good idea of what the legal proceedings may look like.