Information on passenger injuries. If you are injured as a passenger in a car accident, the good news is that you are almost certainly entitled to compensation. There is really no way for the insurance company to argue that you contributed to the accident.
Immediately following an accident generally what people do is to see if everybody in the car is all right or in other words the occupants of the vehicle make sure nobody is hurt or injured. If there are no apparent injuries such as massive bruises or cuts, or broken bones then the assumption is that everybody is alright and people tend to move on with their lives. This attitude can be a costly and more importantly a dangerous assumption to make. If you ask anyone who knows anything about medical science, they will tell you that injuries are not always so obvious. In car accidents in particular, quite often injuries to the neck and back muscles can take a few days to materialize.
This is because there is something called internal injuries that may not be visible at first. Not only will it not always be visible the injured person may not even feel any discomfort or pain immediately following an accident or incident. Sometimes it may not be until a few days later that the person who is injured may start to feel any sort of pain or memory loss if there are any head injuries. Of course when this happens then it is a good idea to see a doctor as soon as possible.
From a legal perspective what this means is that you should not commit or sign anything regarding insurance claims when it comes to injuries resulting from an auto accident until you consult with a lawyer. Because if you find out later on that indeed you did sustain some injuries and you signed the legal papers stating that you didn’t, then you may not qualify for any insurance claims to cover your expenses. This is why it is very important to consult with a doctor before you commit to anything. Insurance companies and defense attorneys will use statements you made right after the car crash saying you are ok to cross examine you at trial and at your deposition.
If it is appropriate then immediately following an accident you should dial 911 and get medical help as soon as possible. Of course this should be done if you have any serious injuries. When it comes to passenger injuries our law firm has the experience and expertise to help you every step of the way. The most commonly asked question regarding accidents is, ‘Do I need to consult with a lawyer after and accident?’ The answer to this question is yes. You do not want to put yourself in a compromising situation when you deal with insurance companies or police regarding investigation of the accident you were involved in. That is why even in a small and seemingly non serious accident you should always consult with a lawyer.