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Car accidents are often a frightening experience, especially rear-end collisions which tend to occur without warning. In many cases, rear-end car accidents happen due to a driver being distracted, speeding, or negligent in some other way.
If you have suffered injuries in a rear-end car accident in Hazel Crest, you might find that insurers are skeptical of your claim. Getting a knowledgeable car accident attorney on your side right away could make a big difference in the ultimate disposition of your case.
Rear-end collisions occur when a car slams into the back of another vehicle. Occupants of the lead vehicle might suffer clear injuries like fractures, cuts, and abrasions. A sudden impact from the rear can cause the skull to jerk back and forth violently, and the neck might hyperextend. These injuries could produce symptoms like soreness or stiffness to the neck, shoulders, or upper back, as well as headaches, blurred vision, and dizziness. The symptoms might resolve quickly but sometimes they could severely disrupt a person’s ability to function normally.
Unfortunately, neck hyperextensions are not as easy to document as a fracture or flesh wound. That opens the door for insurers to claim that an injured person is exaggerating their symptoms and does not deserve compensation. A local rear-end car accident attorney could offer evidence of the changed lifestyle and habits since the accident, but a claim is weaker without supporting medical records.
Drivers who are rear-ended sometimes do not experience immediate distress. Symptoms of neck hyperextension might not manifest until several days after an accident or it might be subtle at first and increase with time.
Anyone who has been in this type of accident should consult with a doctor as soon as possible, even if they are not experiencing symptoms. After learning that the patient has been in a rear-end collision, a medical professional is likely to order tests to rule out certain possible injuries. A trained physician might pick up signs of latent injuries before symptoms become severe enough for the patient to notice them.
Seeking immediate care boosts any eventual claim because it documents the injured person’s condition right after the crash. Even when the medical professional cannot make a firm diagnosis, the tests are evidence that the wreck impacted the person’s health. A lawyer who handles back-end impact car accidents in Hazel Crest could introduce the medical records to support a claim for damages.
Statutes of limitation restrict the timeframe in which an injured person might bring a lawsuit seeking damages. The law allows an injured person two years from the date of their accident to file a lawsuit or else they lose the right to sue. Establishing a relationship with an attorney soon after a crash offers assurance that the statute of limitations will not bar a claim.
There are some exceptions to this rule. The statute does not begin to run for minors until two years after they turn 18, no matter how long ago an accident happened.
Furthermore, if the other driver was an employee of a state or municipality who was working at the time of the collision, there is cause for urgency. Plaintiffs who have grounds to bring a lawsuit against a unit of government have only one year to file a formal notice of claim. If a plaintiff fails to file the notice, they may not name the governmental entity as a defendant in any eventual lawsuit.
Insurers might be aggressive about defending claims for injuries sustained in rear-end collisions. They might question your veracity and try to deny you compensation. An experienced lawyer could help someone injured in a rear-end car accident in Hazel Crest get a settlement that offers fair and reasonable compensation. Turn your case over to a professional and schedule a consultation today.