Car accidents of any kind can be severely damaging, and sometimes fatal, but head-on collisions can be particularly dangerous for everyone involved. Consider driving into a tree at 25 mph — this would most certainly set off the airbags, and there is a strong chance that some, if not all, of the people in the car suffer injuries of some sort. However, 25 mph is a fairly low speed, and would not be as bad as hitting a tree at 50 mph. The issue, then, with a head-on collision is that the overall momentum, is essentially doubled, meaning that two cars of the same size hitting each other head-on, each traveling at 50 mph, is going to cause significantly more damage.
Physics aside, head-on collisions are bad news for everyone involved, and are caused by one (or both) driver leaving their lane and drifting into oncoming traffic. This could be a result of distracted driving, it could be from a failure to use signals when turning, or any other number of scenarios that could end with two cars hitting each other head-on. Regardless of the cause, the outcome can be catastrophic.
If you have been injured in a head-on collision, then you need to start working with a car accident attorney in Atlanta as soon as possible. Depending on the situation, you may be entitled to far more money than the insurance company will initially offer you, and we will be happy to facilitate the negotiations. Read more about this process below, or schedule your free initial consultation now.
Personal Injury Claims After Head-On Collisions
After a head-on collision, you will need to determine who was at fault for the accident. This can be through your personal recollection, police reports, eyewitness accounts, traffic cameras, or any combination of these things. If it is determined that you were not at fault, then you may be able to seek additional compensation from the other driver’s insurance company. Keep in mind, though, that the insurance company will make you a settlement offer very shortly after you work with their claims adjuster.
Never Accept the Insurance Company’s First Offer
This offer is nowhere near the amount you are truly owed. Insurance companies work to settle claims as quickly as possible to avoid ongoing legal procedures, and most importantly, to save themselves as much money as possible. If you accept an insurance company’s offer, you will also be required to sign away your rights for any future legal action against their client. This means that if you have any injuries that emerge after you accept the settlement, you have no legal recourse.
Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer
It may seem that your first offer is the only option you have, but this is actually just the start of a negotiation process. Bringing on a car accident attorney from our Atlanta firm is a great way to work towards getting the amount you are truly owed. We will handle negotiations with the car insurance company, and if these negotiations fail, we will move the process into the Atlanta courts to fight for your money in a personal injury lawsuit.
Lawsuits After Head-On Collisions
If we must move to a full lawsuit, there are a variety of factors that we will be including in the lawsuit for personal damages. You may think that you are only entitled to repayment for your medical expenses, and perhaps your lost wages if you missed work, but that isn’t the case. Take a look at some common damages sought in personal injury cases.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are the more “obvious” parts of a personal injury lawsuit, because they pertain to factors that have actual dollar values. This includes things like your medical expenses, recovery costs, lost wages, short- or long-term disability payments, or any future medical payments we foresee.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages can be more tricky to calculate, because they refer to things that do not have agreed-upon dollar values. However, they are equally important. They include things like your pain and suffering, the emotional toll that the accident and injuries have had on you, and any other “intangible” effects of the incident.
Contact Us Today
For a free case evaluation or initial consultation, contact us through the website immediately. The sooner you act, the sooner we can begin to fight for the money that you deserve. When you are working with an Atlanta car accident attorney, you can be confident that your case is represented as it should be, and that your lawyer is fighting for what you deserve.