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What are the first steps you should take after a car crash?

The Weinberger Law Firm

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The minute you exit your car after an accident, multiple thoughts that come into your head may leave you feeling overwhelmed over what to do next.

If you take some steps immediately after the accident, you can help reduce the amount of worry you feel. The time right after the crash is crucial for your safety and health.

Notice any people and vehicles

According to the AARP, taking in the scene around you can help you as you try to understand what to do next. If you notice the driver of the other car is lying hurt somewhere or does not respond, then you may need to call an ambulance.

Soon after this, you should move your car out of the way of traffic. The one exception is if the car is so damaged or unsafe that you should not climb back into it to try to turn it on.

Have a talk

After initially meeting the driver of the other vehicle, you both should exchange several pieces of information to make sure you can find each other after you both leave the scene. This information often includes phone numbers, full names and both your license plates.

You may even want to take pictures of your car and the other person’s car for future reference.

Make arrangements for transportation

If a tow truck shows up, you should make sure to verify that the credentials of the person driving it are correct. Finding a safe way to go to your destination may include calling a friend or loved one to help pick you up if your car is too damaged to drive.

What you do in the time immediately after a car crash is important for your well-being at the scene of the accident.

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When you want to feel the wind in your hair and the sun on your face, you may choose to take your motorcycle out for a ride. One aspect you may not immediately think about while riding is how a helmet can impact the results of a motorcycle accident.

Learning about the importance of helmets and how larger vehicles can harm you is important if you are in a crash.

Avoiding brain injuries

According to BMC Public Health, other vehicles with drivers who sit further up may not be aware of you as you both travel on the road. Since motorcycles are smaller and easier to miss, a driver may open their parked car door into your vehicle as you drive along the road.

A truck can also leave you struggling to stay upright because of wind gusts coming off the main body of it on busy highways. Wearing a helmet means that even if someone knocks you off your motorcycle, you can still protect your head and neck.

Staying vigilant

Trying to avoid minor injuries by wearing reflective gear and close-fitting pants can help you as you drive along. Part of this attention to safety includes wearing a helmet. Staying aware of the possible dangers of riding a motorcycle with drivers who may drive recklessly around you can help you understand what to do in an emergency.

Remembering to wear your helmet and choosing one that fits your head shape and size is important. The more securely it fits on your head, the more protection it gives you in the event of a motorcycle crash.

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If you or a loved one becomes injured due to the actions or negligence of another person, the severity of the injury will dictate the terms of a personal injury claim. While all injuries impact a victim’s quality of life, catastrophic injuries carry the most significant consequences.

Understanding the difference between typical personal injury claims and those that involve catastrophic injuries may help you determine what compensation options are available to you.

Personal injury claims

The instigation of personal injury claims is primarily on the basis of another party’s behavior, or lack thereof, that resulted in a serious injury or illness. These injuries may require extensive rehabilitation, time off work or a loss of employment, costly medical care and an interruption of the victim’s way of life.

Personal injury claims are largely an umbrella term for cases with serious injuries that seek some level of compensation, but not all personal injury claims involve catastrophic permanent physical harm.

Catastrophic injuries

Some accidents have life-changing consequences. By definition, catastrophic injuries involve long-term effects of an accident, including permanent physical or mental disability, a requirement for ongoing and intensive medical care or a significant interruption to your ability to sustain meaningful employment.

Personal injury cases for catastrophic injuries generally seek compensation for potentially lifelong damages. Compensation may not make up for the physical or emotional toll a catastrophic injury brings to your life, but it can help to recover economic losses and prepare you for future medical care and coverage that you would not have otherwise required.

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Dog-related liability varies from state to state. Some states abide by the so-called “one-bite rule.” Under this type of law, a dog owner cannot be held liable the first time their dog bites someone else, if the owner did not realize the dog had violent tendencies. After the first bite, however, the owner must take measures to control the dog and risks liability for any subsequent instances of dog biting.

California, however, does not follow this rule. In California, dog owners are “strictly liable” for any injuries caused by their dog. This liability applies to injuries to humans as well as to any animal owned by a human – such as a pet or livestock. The owner must pay for any medical care or other type of treatment for the injury.

In addition, the owner is not just liable for dog-bite injuries, but for any injuries their dog causes. If a dog knocks over an elderly woman walking down the street and she breaks her hip, the dog owner can be held liable for those injuries too.

It is worth noting that California courts have ruled that this liability will usually not apply to owners whose dogs bite a veterinarian – or veterinarian assistant – who is providing care to the animal.

Additional liability

The above-stated form of liability applies to all types of dog-induced injuries – even if the owner made a good-faith effort to control their animal and prevent the accident from occurring. However, if a dog owner neglected to take adequate steps to control their dog, then they could also be liable for negligence. If negligence can be proven, a plaintiff may also be able to receive payment for additional damages. Let’s look at two examples:

Acting responsibly

A pet owner is taking their dog for a walk. Suddenly, the dog gets excited and lunges forward. Its force overpowers the owner, who loses their grip on the leash. The dog runs into a nearby farmer’s market, tipping over a produce stand and knocking down a vendor. In this case, the owner had their dog on a leash. They tried (and failed) to act responsibly to control the dog. Therefore, they would likely only be liable for injuries to the vendor.

Acting negligently

Now, let’s take the same example as above, only this time, the dog isn’t on a leash at all. In this case, the vendor could prove that the owner was negligent by failing to restrain their dog, and they could be held liable both for the vendor’s medical care as well as for any damages and loss from the produce stand.

It’s important for victims of dog-related injuries to understand their protections under the law – and their rights to seek justice. An experienced dog-bite injury attorney can provide valuable guidance in this process.

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No matter what your destination is, you may encounter a truck driver that is speeding and switching lanes recklessly on the road.

In some cases, road rage could be to blame. This intense burst of emotions that fuels dangerous and law-breaking behavior often ends in a truck crash.

Failure to notice other vehicles

According to NBC News, an angry person focusing intently on one other driver on the road can lead to a crash. Since trucks are larger and heavier than most cars, they take longer to come to a complete stop. No matter how quickly a trucker hits the brakes, there will always be a long delay in an emergency situation.

This means that if truckers are not paying attention to the road around them because of road rage, then they may sideswipe or ram into your car.

Impulsive decisions

When road rage clouds someone’s decision-making, they may ignore stop signs and red lights in order to tailgate another vehicle. This increase in speed can leave you panicking. When a trucker near you is making impulsive traffic violations, you may hear repeated sounds of honking and see rude hand gestures.

Dangerous and aggressive behavior

Increased frustration over minor problems with other cars can lead to a trucker taking bigger risks while driving, such as attempting to run you off the road by trying to intimidate you. Road rage can lead to a serious crash in the span of only a few minutes or because of simple mistakes.

Noticing some subtle signs of road rage while sharing the road with trucks can help you if you are in an accident.

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Thanks to a popular celebrity’s diagnosis, aphasia has garnered national and international headlines in recent weeks. According to reporting from NBC News, this nightmarish condition interferes with a person’s ability to communicate. If you develop aphasia, you may struggle to talk, write and even comprehend language.

It is not uncommon for stroke victims to experience temporary or permanent aphasia. Still, it is possible to develop the condition after suffering a traumatic brain injury. If you hit your head during a slip-and-fall accident, you may be in store for significant communication challenges.

Your brain’s Broca’s area

The Broca’s area is the part of your brain that controls speech. This area is on the outside of the left side of your brain. While your skull typically provides effective protection, it is possible to damage your Broca’s area during a slip-and-fall accident.

Damage to the brain may happen in a couple of different ways. First, an impact to the Broca’s area may cause a direct injury. More commonly, though, swelling or bleeding on the left side of your brain may cause you to experience aphasia.

Your prognosis

It is important to note that aphasia may happen immediately or progressively over time. To improve your chances of making a full recovery, it is critical to go to the emergency room for an examination. After all, you may not realize you have a brain injury until hours or even days after your fall.

Doctors may recommend speech and language therapy to help combat aphasia. Ultimately, though, it may be necessary to seek financial compensation from anyone who caused or contributed to your accident to help you pay for the medical care you deserve.

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A thorough investigation at the site of a vehicle crash provides valuable insights into the cause.

In starting the search on behalf of an injured victim, a legal team may call in professionals who specialize in scene investigation.

Marking a scene

In the aftermath of a vehicle crash, law enforcement officers will arrive to secure the crash site. They will take photographs and videos and prepare accident reports. They will usually “mark the scene” by using flags or spray paint to indicate the location of key evidence. However, the police rarely have time to conduct a detailed investigation.

Evidence left behind

Professional accident reconstructionists will gather any remaining evidence. They will begin their work as soon as possible after the crash since evidence can vanish due to issues such as weather, sun exposure and passing traffic. Common types of roadway evidence include:

  • Gouges in dirt or pavement
  • Tire tracks and skid marks
  • Fluid stains such as brake fluid, engine oil and blood
  • Broken glass from windshields
  • Vehicle debris
  • Damage to objects such as guardrails, mailboxes and telephone poles
  • Cargo from vehicles
  • Final resting position of vehicles

Scene mapping

Investigators might also use surveying equipment to take measurements at the crash site. They then prepare drawings that show the conditions at the time of the accident and the evidence left behind. This is the scene mapping process. The legal team will add this information to police reports, any eyewitness reports and more. The scene investigation will provide valuable clues as to the cause of the crash and help the advocates for an injured victim to assign liability.

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If a reckless driver hits you, your life could change instantly. Whether you cannot return to work ever again or you struggle with debilitating pain, mental trauma or medical costs, traffic collisions disrupt lives in all sorts of ways. Sadly, many of these accidents occur because drivers fail to exercise caution and abide by traffic safety guidelines.

At certain times, the likelihood of a traffic accident increases. For example, inclement weather can lead to a crash. Aside from ice, snow, heavy rain and fog, some drivers do not realize that wind can also increase the probability of an accident.

How can wind cause car accidents?

According to information provided by the Federal Highway Administration, wind can increase the likelihood of a traffic accident in different ways. For example, strong winds can blow snow and whip up dust, interfering with a driver’s ability to see the road. Aside from adversely affecting visibility, wind can also blow debris onto the road and cause tree limbs to fall down. Sometimes, lanes become obstructed during windy conditions, which can also lead to an accident.

How can drivers avoid accidents during strong winds?

In some instances, it is smart to avoid driving until weather conditions improve. However, if you have to take to the road during strong winds you need to remain alert, especially if visibility is poor or you travel around sharp turns. Sadly, some negligent drivers speed or fail to pay attention to the road, and they should answer for the consequences of their actions if an accident leaves someone else with serious injuries.

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The head-on collision caused by a drunk driver drastically changed your life. Months of treatment and recovery are expected, however, it still will not assure that you will get your old life back after suffering debilitating injuries.

The negligence of the other driver has led you and your family to take legal action. But what kind of compensation can you recover after a serious car accident? You can seek compensation for a variety of different damages, including medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, and loss of companionship.

Medical costs, lost wages

Here is a breakdown of the types of damages an injured person and his or her family may seek after a motor vehicle collision:

  • Pain and suffering: Your injuries may be serious and life-changing. You and your family have been through a great amount of pain and suffering physically and mentally. The tension, stress, mental anguish and sorrow felt after a crash likely lingers, and, in some cases, you may have lost your enjoyment of life. In proving pain and suffering, you must provide supporting evidence such as medical records, photos, the accident report, medical bills and witness testimonials.
  • Medical costs: Health care workers may have worked around the clock to save your life. The initial treatment, possible surgeries, follow-up visits, physical therapy and even in-home care add up to exorbitant costs.
  • Lost wages: Your injuries may lead you to be unable to work temporarily or permanently. The financial hit on you and your family may last for months and even years. By reviewing your past earnings, you will prove that the serious injuries weakened your ability to earn a living.
  • Loss of companionship and affection: An injury may deny a married couple the capability of showing affection. Only the uninjured spouse may seek such damages. However, these damages cannot be recovered if damages are not recovered for the crash-related injuries.

A skilled personal injury attorney will provide you with insight, direction and hope.

A necessary financial cushion

The actions of a reckless and negligent driver have led to an abundance of challenges and heartache for you and your family. Compensation likely will not help you regain previous joys and aspects of your life. However, it can soften some of the sting and provide a financial cushion that will help you get through the initial phases.