Ever since the first Model T rolled off the assembly line in 1908, America has had a love affair with the automobile. But that love has not come without a price. Car crashes kill or injure millions of motorists each year in America. The only bright spot is that fatalities are falling due to better safety regulations. Injuries, on the other hand, have grown increasingly common as the total number of auto accidents continues to rise.
In the last year on record (2013), more than 3.5 million people were hurt in over 6 million reported collisions. Although most of these injuries were relatively minor-sprained wrists, contusions, abrasions, etc.-nearly one-third caused permanent damage. With that in mind, here's why you should always seek legal advice from local law firms if hurt in a car crash.
Reason 1: Damage May Be Worse Than It Initially Appears
When heavy, metal vehicles slam into each other at any speed, occupants are almost always hurt in some way. As we mentioned, more than half of those involved in car crashes require medical treatment. In many of these cases, victims sustain neck or back injuries that feel relatively minor at first but worsen over time. Because doctors cannot predict which of these problems will clear up on their own and which will cause chronic pain, they often play it by ear and try not to alarm the patient. The inevitable inference the patient makes is that the issue is nothing to worry about. As a result, he or she may not contact car accident law firms in a timely matter or, worse yet, may settle the accident claim before the extent of the damage is known.
Reason 2: Insurance Companies Will Try To Shortchange You
As a general rule, when an insurance company decides to settle a case as quickly as possible, it means they know something you don't. When it comes to collisions, the lawyers that work for them understand that back and neck injuries often involve delayed reactions that take days, even weeks to develop. That's why they almost always try to settle potential lawsuits as expeditiously as they can. Not only will they customarily contact the injured party shortly after the crash, they may even make settlement offers from the outset.
Reason 3: Time Is Of The Essence
Because there are so many personal injury suits clogging up America's courts, lawmakers have set more restrictive time limits on car accident cases. Experienced Best Auto Accident Law Firm Florida are aware of these deadlines and how they might affect your case. He or she can then meet the requirements and file a claim with the court before the deadline comes and goes.
For these reasons and many more it is always a good idea to contact a few local law firms before you enter negotiations with the other driver's insurance company.
