Getting rear-ended can be a very startling event. Most people are not looking backward and do not see the car crash coming. Rear-end collisions are often impossible to avoid for the driver in front. Depending on how fast the vehicle in the back was going, and the relative sizes of the two vehicles, these crashes can be very dangerous. Even if the damage to the vehicle you were in does not look too bad, the damage to you can be severe. If you get rear-ended, it is important to seek medical attention immediately. The sooner you seek care, the sooner you will have a complete picture of what injuries you have sustained. It is important not to wait too long to seek care. Your next step should be to contact an attorney. 

What Serious Injuries Can Rear-End Collisions Cause?

It is easy to think of most rear-end crashes as minor accidents. However, the forces involved in these collisions can cause serious injury, particularly to the brain and spinal cord. Injuries that are frequently sustained during rear-end collisions include: 

• Brain injuries - People who are in a vehicle that gets rear-ended often describe being thrown forward and then back into their seats. This sudden and harsh motion can shake the brain and lead to injuries like contusions and other traumatic brain injuries. 
• Neck and spine - The same motion that tends to cause brain injuries can also harm the spinal cord or neck. These injuries sometimes lead to long-lasting and debilitating pain. 
• Arms and hands- The driver of the car that is struck from behind often has their hands on the wheel. The sudden force associated with rear-end crashes can cause injuries to the arms, wrists, and hands. Losing the use of an arm or hand even temporarily can create a serious disruption in your life, forcing you to take time off from work or causing you to struggle with basic household tasks. 
• Facial injuries - If the accident was bad enough to throw you forward into the steering wheel or seat in front of you, you may have suffered a facial injury like a broken bone or disfigurement. 

The injuries people can sustain during rear-end crashes should not be brushed off, and they almost always warrant some type of medical attention. 

Following a car accident, victims can experience a number of difficulties that may affect their finances, their health, and their overall well-being. Even if a collision seemed to be fairly minor, it may have resulted in thousands of dollars worth of damage to a vehicle, as well as injuries that required costly medical care. The insurance policy of the driver who was at fault for an accident will usually cover some of these costs. However, in accidents caused by uninsured or underinsured drivers, victims may be unsure about their options for addressing their expenses. Fortunately, an experienced attorney can assist with these issues and make sure a person receives the proper insurance coverage, or they may help victims pursue compensation from other sources.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage

If an at-fault driver was uninsured, or if their insurance policy was unable to fully cover the extent of a victim’s damages, a person may receive coverage under their own insurance policy. In Texas, all liability insurance policies are required to include uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. At minimum, the amounts of this coverage must be equal to the limits for liability insurance. The Texas Transportation Code states that the minimum coverage amounts are $30,000 for the bodily injury or death of one person, $60,000 for injuries or deaths of two or more people, and $25,000 for property damage or destruction. A person may also purchase additional coverage above these policy limits, allowing them to receive more compensation if they are injured by an uninsured driver.

Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage will be available in situations where a driver who caused a collision had no liability insurance policy. Uninsured motorist (UIM) coverage will address cases where the at-fault driver had insurance, but their policy did not fully cover a victim’s expenses related to injuries or property damage. In these cases, a person may receive the maximum amount of coverage under the at-fault driver’s policy, as well as additional coverage under their own policy, up to the policy limits. 

Out of all the types of accidents you can get into on the road, crashes involving commercial trucks can be some of the most severe. These enormous vehicles can cause quite a lot of damage very quickly even in a relatively minor impact. Injuries sustained during a trucking crash tend to be on the more serious side. Personal vehicles can do very little to protect its occupants when it gets hit by a commercial truck. Because of how much damage a large truck can cause, drivers have a very important responsibility to avoid negligent habits that can lead to a wreck. If you were injured by a truck driver who was not operating his vehicle responsibly, an attorney may be able to recover damages on your behalf. 

What Careless Habits Can Lead to an Accident?

Truck drivers can easily pick up a careless driving habit. They spend long hours on the road and run the risk of becoming complacent. Accidents often happen when the driver least expects it. In many cases, a lawyer can investigate and reveal some type of negligence on the driver’s part. Common types of errors lawyers find include: 

• Cell phone use - When a truck driver spends his entire work day and then some behind the wheel, it can become very tempting to carry on a text conversation, or to pick up a phone to adjust the music or find a podcast. A commercial truck driver does not need to take his eyes off the road for very long to cause a devastating crash. 
• Hours of service violations - There are strict federal and state laws that truck drivers must follow governing how long they can drive without a break. This is to prevent drivers from becoming excessively fatigued and making a critical error or even falling asleep at the wheel. 
• Speeding - Some truck companies have taken to installing devices on their trucks to prevent speeding. Others have not. Drivers are often on a tight schedule and may resort to speeding in order to get to their destination faster. 
• Drug use - Most companies require their drivers to submit to drug tests, but this does not stop some drivers. Stimulants are a popular choice among truck drivers who must remain alert for long periods of time, although alcohol and other drugs are not entirely uncommon either. 

What type of negligence the driver who hit you might have been engaging in often is not apparent at the scene. You may need assistance from a skilled attorney investigator. 

The time period after a car accident can be very stressful. Trying to handle a claim yourself while you are injured will only add to your stress - and it could lead to a reduced award. You probably do not get injured in car accidents very often, so the process of recovering damages might be foreign to you. Even trying to add up the amount of money you have lost as a result of the accident can become complicated. When you have been hurt in a car accident, working with an attorney can take a lot off your plate. It can also help you make sure that the amount of compensation you demand will actually cover all your expenses and losses. The sooner you make a call to a lawyer, the better. Ideally, you should call the same day as the accident. 

How Can Working With a Lawyer After a Car Crash Injury Help Me?

When you have been injured, the last thing you want to be doing is handling the claims process without assistance. Here are some ways an attorney can help: 

• Complete compensation - A common mistake is to settle a car accident claim for an amount that does not fully compensate you for the entire amount of money you are out. You probably know to add up your medical expenses, but there are plenty of other compensable losses to consider. Your attorney can help you figure out how to factor in things like lost wages, future medical expenses, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. 
• Experience - Car insurance companies are notorious for trying to take advantage of people who are not represented and do not have experience with car accident claims. They may do things like making a lowball offer and calling it “generous” when an experienced lawyer would know better. 
• Legal knowledge - There are a large number of legal rules about negligence that most people are not aware of. An insurance company may try to intentionally mislead you. For example, they may suggest that you should not get any compensation because the accident was partially your fault. This is not true - you can recover for the portion of the accident that was not your fault. 
• Even footing - The insurance company you are up against has lawyers. They have experience and expertise. It is hardly fair for you to try to face off against them alone. Having your own attorney levels the playing field. 

Call a Nueces County Car Accident Lawyer 

Let The Edwards Law Firm take over your fight with the insurance company. Call 361-698-7600 for a free consultation with an experienced Corpus Christi car accident lawyer. 

After you get hurt by a careless driver, your situation can seem overwhelming. You have follow-up doctor’s appointments. You are missing work. You might be relying on your family or friends to help out around the house. You are getting bombarded by phone calls from insurance companies. Insurance wants a statement about what happened, and they keep asking for documentation - the police report, medical records, medical bills, proof of income and work absences. The whole time, you are in pain. There are about a million things going on when you want to rest and heal in peace. Pretty soon, you may just want this whole thing to be over with, so you are tempted to take the next settlement offer just to close this unfortunate chapter of your life. 

Doing so might be a mistake. It is important to speak with your own attorney before you consider taking a settlement offer. 

Why Should I Avoid Taking a Settlement Shortly After the Crash?

It might seem like it would be very convenient to get a quick settlement. When you are injured and getting medical bills now, it might seem like it makes sense to get a settlement now. Keep in mind, however - a quick settlement is even more convenient for the insurance company. Whether you are recovering damages from your own insurance company or the at-fault driver’s, they would not be offering these instant-cash settlements if it was not in their best interests.