Car AccidentS IN THE BAY AREA - LAWYERS

San Francisco Injury Lawyers > Car Accidents

In 2007, nearly 30,000 people were killed and over two million people were injured in traffic accidents. Most accidents are caused by the carelessness ("negligence") of inattentive, inexperienced, or impaired drivers. The two most common types of car accidents are rear-end collisions and failure to yield to oncoming traffic when making a left turn. Speeding, running stop signs or red lights, unsafe lane changes, and the inability to drive safely because of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs are other leading causes of traffic accidents.

The impact of a car accident may be anything from a sharp jolt that results in "soft-tissue" injuries to the neck, back, and shoulders to a disastrous, high-speed head-on collision that can result in broken bones, head and brain injuries, loss of a limb, paralysis, severe burns, serious internal injuries, or even death.

If you have been involved in an automobile accident, you should seek immediate medical care for your injuries. Quite often, a person who has been injured in a car accident does not immediately feel injured, other than a few scrapes and bruises. However, a day or two - sometimes as much as a week or two - later, the victim will wake up in the morning with severe pain and limited range of motion in his or her neck, back, and shoulders or other joints. These are known as "soft-tissue" injuries, because they are injuries to muscles and ligaments rather than to the bone itself. Soft-tissue injuries can be severe and disabling, especially when not treated promptly.

Passengers injured by a careless driver are also entitled to full compensation for their injuries. If the driver of the car the passenger is riding in is the one who is negligent, the passenger is entitled to recover damages from the driver. Because the passenger may be friends with the driver, he or she may be hesitant to seek compensation from the driver. However, it is important to know that, in most cases, the driver has insurance that will cover your medical bills, time off work, pain and suffering, and other damages. The purpose of insurance not only is to protect the wrongdoer from losing his or her house and other property, but also to ensure that people who are injured or killed due to his or her carelessness are adequately compensated for their injuries.

If you have been the victim of a careless driver - particularly if your injuries are severe - it is extremely important that you obtain the services of an experienced personal injury law firm as soon as possible. The insurance adjuster of the careless driver will often try to persuade you that you do not need a lawyer, that the insurance company will be fair with you, and that the lawyer's fees will come out of your pocket. However, the adjuster's job is to settle a case as quickly and cheaply as possible. Remember, the adjuster works for the insurance company, not you. Studies consistently show that car accident victims who are represented by a competent and experienced personal injury law firm end up with significantly more money in their pockets even after the lawyer's fees are paid than accident victims who are not represented by a lawyer and try to do it themselves.

San Francisco Injury Lawyers > Car Accidents

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Car AccidentS IN THE BAY AREA - LAWYERS