A car accident can happen in mere seconds, but the outcome can have lifelong consequences. If another party has wrongfully caused you or a loved one injuries in a car accident, you may have legal options. Seeking representation from an Ottawa car accident lawyer from Schweickert Ganassin Krzak Rundio, LLP will get you on the road to the justice you deserve.
Our experienced, skilled attorneys understand how a car accident can affect your life and how overwhelming it can be to file a claim on your own. We can help you through the process so you can focus on healing. We’ll make sure your claim is filed on time and given to the right people. However, many people may still wonder if they need a lawyer’s help in a car accident claim. Let’s see the various ways a car accident lawyer can help you.
An Attorney Can Protect Your Rights
When you have representation, you know someone is looking out for your best interests. You’ll want an experienced professional at your side because car accident claims can become complicated. For example, at the scene of the accident, the liable party may seem apologetic and willing to work with you. However, many drivers may worry about what a car accident claim will do to their premium rates and they may try to avoid responsibility. When you have a lawyer, they’ll explore the facts to determine who acted negligently and how the negligence caused your injuries because they’ll thoroughly investigate the accident.
Another reason why you’ll want a lawyer’s help is because they’ll fight to get you the maximum compensation. After a car accident, the insurance company will say they want to settle the matter as soon as possible. They’re looking to save as much money as they can. Protecting their bottom line is more important to them than making sure you get the full compensation you deserve.
Representatives may try to get official statements from you, which they will later use against you. Or, they’ll attempt to get you to settle early. You may not even know the full extent of your injuries at that point. If you get an incomplete settlement, it can lead to financial stresses later. You may need continued medical care to heal from the injuries while still balancing taking time off work and maintaining your household. You want to be able to recover without worrying about the legal process. Having an Ottawa car accident lawyer fight for your compensation is your best chance of achieving that with the peace of mind that it will be done right.
How Car Accidents Happen
We’ve helped many car accident victims get justice. While each person’s case has its own unique details, there are a few common themes in car accidents.
Types of car accidents include: rear-end crashes, T-bone or side-impact collisions, head-on collisions, and side swiping. The reason why the impact happened may include:
- Distracted driving
- Driving while intoxicated
- Inexperienced driving
- Aggressive driving
- Speeding
- Following too closely
A distracted driver is doing something that takes their mind off driving, eyes off the road, or hands off the steering wheel. While the most common form of distracted driving is using a cell phone for texting, a driver can also become distracted if they’re reaching for an object, eating, or paying attention to something on the side of the road.
These drivers tend to think they can multitask. They look away from the road to do the distracting task, look back at the road, and then don’t have the time to react to what’s in front of them. Rear-end and side-impact collisions can happen from this. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 3,450 fatalities because of distracted driving in 2016.
When someone has been drinking or is under the influence of drugs, their faculties are slower and they are unfit to drive. Drunk drivers caused 10,497 fatalities in 2016. An intoxicated driver may drift out of their lane and side swipe another vehicle, or they could veer into oncoming traffic and cause a head-on collision—one of the most deadly kinds of accidents.
Inexperienced drivers are often teenage drivers who have just received their license. New drivers may not understand they need practice to get comfortable behind the wheel so they’ll be able to handle busy, fast-paced highways or driving at night. They may need to build up to those points. An inexperienced driver may not be able to accurately judge how quickly other vehicles are driving around them or the space between their vehicle and another.
An aggressive driver may speed, tailgate, and weave through traffic. They don’t follow the rules of the road and may be subject to road rage if they’re stuck behind a slower driver. When someone drives aggressively, they have less control of their vehicle and less time to make quick decisions. According to the NHTSA, speeding-related fatalities increased by 4% in 2016, with 10,111 deaths.
These accidents can cause devastating injuries. Let’s take a look at what injuries a car accident can cause.
The Consequences of Driver Negligence
While there are safety features in a car like the seat belt and air bags, along with the car’s body, a crash can still result in devastating injuries. Some common ones include:
- Traumatic brain injury
- Whiplash
- Spinal cord injuries
- Facial fractures
- Broken bones
- Organ damage
- Amputation
Car accident injuries will most likely need immediate medical treatment and some may require hospitalization or surgery. The costs of this treatment can be staggering when added on top of your other financial responsibilities.
When your Ottawa attorney examines your case, they’ll consider what the accident has cost you in medical expenses, lost time, pain and suffering, and loss of a normal life. Then, we will help you fight for your compensation so you can recover from those economic and non-economic losses. Should your case need to go to trial, our lawyers have experience in presenting cases to juries and getting favorable results for our clients.
To get started on your legal journey, give our office a call today. In a no-obligation, free consultation, you’ll speak with one of our car accident attorneys about what happened. We’ll answer your questions about the process and how we can help you. Together, we can find a way for you to get fully compensated and move forward.
