After a car accident, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. This may mean calling an ambulance at the scene of the collision, visiting an urgent care center, or scheduling the earliest possible appointment with your primary care physician.
- Why Prompt Medical Care is Important
- Compensatory Damages Accident Victims May Recover
- How a Lawyer Will Handle Your Case
- Call Friedman & Simon, L.L.P. Today
Why Prompt Medical Care is Important
There are two main reasons why you should be diligent about seeking medical attention after a car accident:
- To protect your health
- To preserve your legal right to seek compensation by obtaining objective documentation of your injuries
Seeking Treatment for Your Injuries
This is the most important reason to see a doctor after a car accident. If you have severe physical trauma (e.g., a bone fracture) or are concerned that something is wrong, we urge you to get to a hospital right away.
If your injuries don’t present as severe physical trauma, you can make an appointment with your regular doctor to get checked out. Whiplash, for example, is especially common after rear-end collisions.
According to the Mayo Clinic, whiplash symptoms (including neck and head pain) often take several days to appear, and they could overlap with symptoms of other conditions. While whiplash frequently resolves on its own, it is best to see a doctor to rule out the presence of more serious conditions.
Supporting Your Case for Compensation
Many car accidents occur due to the negligent or reckless behavior of a:
- Driver
- Road maintenance contractor
- Vehicle maintenance contractor
- Auto part manufacturer
If this is the case for you, you have the right to file a lawsuit for compensatory damages from the liable party.
You will want to act quickly—as New York Civil Practice Law & Rules (CVP) §214 (the statute of limitations) states, your right to compensation is temporary. Furthermore, if you wait too long, important evidence might not be available when you need it, such as surveillance video footage.
Finally, in addition to the above-mentioned statute of limitations, there are other deadlines that apply to protecting and asserting your rights in a car accident case. For instance:
- An application for no-fault insurance benefits must be filed within 30 days of the accident.
- If a government agency contributed to the accident, the service of a notice of claim may be required. If so, this must be filed within 90 days of the accident.
By seeking medical attention as soon as possible after an accident, you are creating a paper trail (your medical records) that creates a link between the collision and your injuries. This is a vital component of any personal injury case.
For a free legal consultation, call 516-932-0400
Compensatory Damages Accident Victims May Recover
Car accidents often have major, life-altering effects on victims’ lives. You might even have lost a loved one. Whether you are seeking compensation for yourself or for the untimely death of a loved one, a lawyer from our firm is ready to take charge of your case and allow you the time you need to grieve and recover.
You could qualify for economic damages such as:
- Medical expenses
- Medical-related travel expenses
- Repair expenses
- Other accident-related expenses
- Loss of wages
- Loss of benefits
- Loss of earning capacity
- Loss of employment
If the accident negatively impacted your emotional and/or physical well-being, you could qualify for non-economic damages. The most common types of non-economic damages include:
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium (The damages a spouse suffers when their husband or wife are injured, including injury to the special relationship of marriage.)
- Impaired quality of life
How a Lawyer Will Handle Your Case
Our law firm would be happy to help with your case in many ways, starting with making our services accessible by working on a contingent basis. In short, you only pay us once we win your compensation.
In exchange for a contingency fee, our team will perform the following services:
Keep You Updated Regularly
By keeping you informed about your case’s progress, a lawyer from our firm will help you:
- Understand what is going on with your case
- Promptly address new developments that arise
- Give you a chance to ask questions and explain developments to you patiently, compassionately, and in the respectful manner that you are entitled to.
Identify Liable Parties
As already mentioned, your accident may have more than one liable party. Your lawyer will conduct an investigation to identify all of the liable parties in your case.
Communicate With Other Parties
Your lawyer will deliver all messages to and from the liable party, as well as their lawyers and insurance company.
Gather Evidence
To be successful, your case must prove the following chain of events:
- The at-fault party had a duty of care.
- They breached this obligation.
- They caused the accident that hurt you or a loved one.
- You suffered financial losses.
Our team will seek evidence from medical records, police reports, videos, photos, and more to build your case.
Calculate Your Damages
We would be happy to go over your case and figure out the cost of your various damages.
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Call Friedman & Simon, L.L.P. Today
After a car accident, see a doctor as quickly as possible. Then, consider contacting our team at Friedman & Simon, L.L.P. by calling (516) 932-0400.
We will help you fight for the compensation you deserve, and the initial consultation is always free. Our staff is proficient in Spanish, Greek, Bengali, Tamil, and Kannada.
Call or text 516-932-0400 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form