This article covers in detail questions to do with types of personal injury cases and when to hire a car accident attorney. what to do if you have been unlawfully injured? How get the fair compensation you deserve following car accident injuries? At the end of the article, I will list for you contact numbers for some of the best personal injuries in states like New York, Philadelphia and others.
A 2021 study revealed that car accidents account for the largest (53%) of personal injuries in the USA. Among the list of causes of personal injuries, product liability contributes the least share at only 5.5%.
From a 2020 study, it was estimated that more than 96% of personal injury cases settle out of court without the need for going to trial. But do you think hiring a car accident attorney adds value as far as your settlement is concerned?
If you are not interested in reading this short article, please go through the contents below and look at only the topics of your interest. Here you go.
Page Contents
Common types of personal injuries?
Personal injuries can be defined as any injuries that affect your body, emotions, and mind as opposed to property damages. Without a doubt, car accidents are the leading cause of personal injuries worldwide today.
In the UK, the number of car accidents has been on the rise for the last 5 years. For instance, in the year 2021, more than 1,892 people were killed in more than 25,101 car accidents. Whereas there were more than 1,893 deaths from more than 25,831 accidents in the year 2020.
The 5 most common types of personal injuries include the following:
1. Automobile accident injuries. According to Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in the year 2019, there were more than 1.65 million car accidents in the United States of America. This accounts for the largest proportion of personal injuries registered in the same year.
2. Slip and fall injuries. According to CDC, more than 3.1 million people especially the elderly (65+ years) are treated in hospital emergencies each year. The most causes of slip and fall accidents include wet floors, defective rails, and many others.
3. Health worker’s Malpractice. Actually, the proportion of these personal injuries almost rivals automobiles only that a large number of them go unreported.
A report from this site indicates that in 2021, there were more than 20,000 medical malpractices in the USA alone. The same report indicates that at least 1.8 medical Doctors were culprits.
In my observations and independent studies, examples of medical malpractice include the following: Misdiagnosis, Delayed diagnosis, surgical errors, childbirth injuries, and so many others.
4. Wrongful deaths. If one person’s negligence causes the death of another, the family of the deceased has a right to claim compensation for the damages caused. Causes of wrongful death include criminal acts, car accidents, defective products like medicine, and many others.
A recent study by JohnHopkins University revealed that between 250,000 and 500,000 people in the united states die of wrongful death cases.
5. Workplace Injuries. These are illnesses and other injuries that occur due to the nature of your job. I recently read how people exposed to asbestos end and mercury ends up with different types of cancers. Every day we read more about people being injured by machinery in the factories. All those injuries are classified as workplace-based.
According to Zippia, at least 2.8 people out of 100 suffer from workplace injuries every year. It is estimated that more than 7 million people get injured in their workplaces yearly.
What Are the Main Causes of Car Accidents?
In my own opinion, overspeeding and drinking under influence are the main causes of car accidents today. The average car speed limit in the USA is 70 MPH. Unfortunately, this is the very speed beyond which car accidents are inevitable.
Other common causes of car accidents include driver distractions, overrunning red lights, failure to have safety features like the use of helmets and seat belts, and poor driving skills.
What to Do if You’ve Been the Victim of a Hit and Run?
A hit-and-run accident is an accident where one driver (vehicle) hit another car, object, or person and the at-fault driver drives away without sharing any information with the victims.
For those interested in statistics, in 2021, there were more than 16,936 hit-and-run accidents in the USA. This translates to more than 33 hit-and-run accidents per state in the united states.
You will have committed an offense if you left a car accident scene before informing the police or your insurance company. If you are a victim of a hit-and-run accident, always stay at the scene till traffic officers arrive unless you left for emergency medical attention.
If you or any of your passengers are injured, call 911 immediately. let traffic officers show up and compile car accident police reports. If possible get a copy or get the police officer’s contact number.
Take pictures of the car accident scene, your car damages, and any bodily injuries, and take pictures of any main features like buildings, road intersections, etc that are in the vicinity of the car crash. Call and inform your insurance right away.
Getting claims for a hit-and-run accident from the insurance company is very tough. This is because you may not have any evidence since the other driver already left and at worst you do not even know the car. Try to talk to any witnesses or any person nearby. Any information they give you like car color, number plate, etc could be very valuable. You may need to contact a personal injury attorney right away.
How Much is Your Injury Claim Worth?
As I said earlier, your insurance company will likely deny you a settlement. I have also seen situations where your own insurance company could even hire a lawyer to defend the at-fault driver. So if you just got involved in a hit-and-run car accident, call and inform your insurance provider but withhold valuable information because your case could likely go to trial.
You will need to claim against your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage in case you are unable to trace the at-fault driver. You could also get compensated by:
- own collision coverage and
- The other driver’s liability insurance coverage.
Every car accident causes different injuries and property damage. This means that determining how much is worth your hit-and-run accident is not straightforward. According to the claims adjuster I consulted, the average settlement amount for hit-and-run accidents is somewhere between $10,000 to $200,000.
If the Car that Hit Me Didn't Have Insurance, What do I Do?
There are many ways you can get compensated if the car that hit you has no insurance coverage. Here are a few ways.
1. In Contributory negligence-based states, a driver only gets compensated for the car accident damages only if the driver shares zero responsibility for the accident. For instance, if driver A is 10% at fault for the accident whereas driver B is 90%, no driver pays the other. Each receives no money.
2. In comparative negligence-based states, the driver who exhibits the highest degree of negligence in the accident pays the other driver. In the above situation, driver B will compensate driver A. In other adjusted comparative negligence states, both of you could pay depending on the percentage of negligence shared.
3. Uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance coverage. Some states require drivers to buy this coverage as part of the mandatory liability car insurance. If the car that hit you has no insurance coverage, you have an option of claiming through this coverage if you have it.
4. Collision coverage. This is not mandatory coverage but most drivers buy it to safeguard their cars. You can also file a claim through this coverage if you were wise enough and purchased it.
5. Sue the at-fault driver. If the at-fault driver has no insurance coverage but has some income or property, you could decide to file a lawsuit against him to force him to pay directly from his pockets.
How Long Will It Take To Settle Your Personal Injury Case?
It depends on many factors. Car accident cases vary from one to another. This is because different car accidents cause different financial losses and also, conflicting parties differ from one accident to another.
Most personal injuries settle after the injured person is declared medically fit and free from danger. Before the injured person has healed, it will be hard to compute the final settlement. For instance, the accident victim wants to know if he or she will have prolonged pain and suffering, any permanent disabilities, and any future medical costs like rehabilitation costs, etc.
A large percentage of personal injury cases settle within 3 months up to 3 years. Personal injury cases where the victim requires long periods of treatment take longer to settle.
I need to warn you that you should not accept offers from your insurance company soon after the accident. Car insurance companies in an attempt to cheat want quickly offer you the lowest settlement a decision you may regret later in case your medical bills far exceed the settlement.
Is It Worth Hiring an Attorney For Your Personal Injury Claim?
The answer is yes and no! If your settlement is likely to be small, hiring an attorney is useless and in fact very costly. There is this friend of mine who refused an initial $10,000 settlement from his insurance company, only the jury to award him $8,000 after hiring a personal injury attorney.
On the other hand, if you were involved in a major car accident or sustained major injuries, you most likely will settle for higher amounts of money because you have a long list of damages you could be entitled to. In this case, you should go ahead and get yourself a car accident attorney.
Any good lawyer should tell you how unpredictable are jurors. Some jurors are so lenient for plaintiffs while others favor defendants. Do not get surprised to learn that the way you dress, your personality, where the jury comes from, jury’s personal life all determine what they will award you as settlement for your damages.
Los Angeles Personal Injury Lawyer
If you are looking for personal injury lawyers from Los Angeles, we have you covered. Below is a list of good car accident attorneys from Los Angeles.
1. Scott A Ritsema. You can contact him at (323) 238-4683
2. Brian K. Andrews. Contact number: (800) 786-6562
3. Ben Mehdian. Tel number: (844) 844-7693. He offers free consultation and video conferencing.
4. Morgan & Morgan personal injury lawyers firm.
5. RMD Law – Injury Lawyers
NEW YORK PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEYS
According to the New York crash mapper, there were more than 36,743 total car accidents in the year 2021. Of the total crashes, 37,106 were injured motorists, 7,501 injured pedestrians, and the number of injured cyclists were 4,948.
Here is a list of the best New York personal injury attorneys:
- Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP. Contact them at:(347) 573-9194.
- Raphaelson Levin personal injury lawyers. Contact: 212-268-3222
Clearwater Car Accident Lawyer
Here are 2 of the best clearwater car accident lawyers and their contact numbers.
- Dolman Law Group. Contact them at 866-481-5503
- Roman Austine personal lawyers. Contact them at 727-361-6674.
Philadelphia Car Accident Attorney
For people living in Philadelphia, here is your handpicked list of the best Philadelphia car accident attorneys.
- The Levin Law Firm. Toll-free: 877-825-8542
- Brod Injury Law Firm. Contact them at (855) 276 3529
- The Rothenberg Law Firm LLP. Contact number (215) 732 7000.
In conclusion, a car accident attorney is a lawyer that handles injuries due to car accidents. Common types of personal injuries include automobile accident injuries, workplace injuries, medical malpractice, product liability, and many others.
