New York No-Fault Insurance

Car accidents are some of the most common causes of accidental injuries – accounting for 2.35 million each year, along with 37,000 deaths.

The aftermath of a serious car accident can be extremely painful and stressful as you begin to recover from your injuries. However, knowing what to expect can help ease your anxiety.

There are a few important areas where preparation can go a long way and help you recover as quickly and stress-free as possible.

Don’t Wait – Seek Medical Treatment Right Away

If you’ve recently been in a car accident, it’s important to seek medical treatment as soon as you can. Even if you don’t think you need it, some injuries can become worse over time.

Having a medical evaluation right away helps ensure you catch any injuries or other issues in their earlier stages, which can allow for a better recovery.

Additionally, it’s important to have medical documentation of your injuries – especially if insurance companies are involved. Depending on the circumstances of the accident, the other driver and their insurance company may be liable for medical expenses and other damages related to your injuries.

Delayed Injuries

As mentioned above, some injuries don’t show their full symptoms right away. While a broken bone or deep cut are obvious injuries that require immediate emergency treatment, conditions like whiplash aren’t always obvious in the beginning. These injuries can often become nagging and may require physical therapy in order to fully heal.

Some common delayed injuries suffered in car accidents include:

• Headaches can be a symptom of concussions, whiplash, blood clots, and brain injuries.
• Neck and shoulder pain are often related to whiplash and spinal injuries.
• Abdominal pain can be a sign of internal bleeding.
• Back pain may be a symptom of whiplash, spinal injuries, and ligament injuries.
• Numbness and bruising may indicate herniated discs or spinal injuries.

What If I Can’t Pay For My Medical Bills?

If you don’t have health insurance or if your medical bills exceed your coverage limit, there are other options. If you were the victim of a negligent driver, that driver and their insurance provider may be held liable for your medical expenses, and possibly other damages such as pain and suffering.

In some cases, you may need to consider taking legal action. A personal injury lawsuit can help cover your medical costs and compensate you for other setbacks related to your injury, such as lost wages, loss of future earnings, cost of future medical care, and more.

Additionally, these lawsuits help hold negligent drivers accountable for the harm they’ve caused.

Do I Have A Case For A Lawsuit?

It depends if you or the other driver were at fault for the accident.

In order to have grounds for a lawsuit, you must prove that the other driver’s negligence caused the accident and lead to your injuries.

Sometimes it’s immediately clear who was at fault, but other times it requires an investigation. Some common forms of driver negligence which lead to auto accidents include:

• Drunk driving
• Failure to follow rules of the road, such as failing to use a turn signal or stop at a red light.
• Distracted driving, such as sending a text message behind the wheel.
• Falling asleep at the wheel
• Speeding

If you’ve been seriously injured in a car accident and believe the other driver was at fault, it may be helpful to speak with a personal injury lawyer about your legal rights.