Head-on collisions are the most serious car accidents. When motor vehicles suddenly stop due to a head-on accident, your head, neck, bones, and internal organs can sustain injuries.
Make healing and your financial recovery your top priorities after your accident.
Below are some steps to take to prioritize both your physical recovery and compensation with the help of a car accident lawyer in Phoenix.
What You Must Do After a Head-On Car Collision
You are not alone after your accident. Doctors and a trustworthy car accident attorney can help ensure you get the support you need. As the victim of a severe auto accident, you owe it to yourself to:
Protect Your Health
You made the right decision if you have seen a doctor after your accident.
You may even want to see another medical professional if:
- You did not undergo diagnostic imaging (such as X-rays or MRIs)
- You did not receive a written diagnosis for injuries
- You have symptoms that the medical professional did not address
- New symptoms have emerged since your initial examination
- You believe further medical care is necessary for any other reason
Car accidents may cause post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other forms of pain and suffering. Because head-on collisions can cause particularly terrifying and harmful injuries, you may need mental health services following the collision.
Protect Your Case (By Hiring a Lawyer)
Be aware of the risks you face after a head-on accident, as you may:
- Suffer from psychological and emotional problems
- Face pressure from an insurance company to accept a lowball settlement
- Make a mistake when giving statements to insurance companies
- Feel immense financial pressure and be tempted to accept quick compensation (even if the offer is less than you deserve)
- Fail to recognize the ways in which liable parties are operating in bad faith
The slightest mistake, misstatement, or decision can have long-term financial consequences. Protect yourself by hiring a head-on car accident lawyer to deal with insurers and advise you throughout the claims process.
Exercise Caution in Everything You Do
A lawyer will significantly reduce the risk you will make a mistake or a rash decision. If you have questions or uncertainties, merely call your lawyer and ask for their advice.
Your attorney should provide clear, easy-to-follow advice about what to do after your head-on accident. If you have chosen a qualified, trustworthy attorney, merely follow their advice.
Rely on the Professionals (Including Your Doctor and Lawyer)
The time after a head-on accident is not for guesswork. Rely on those with experience and knowledge in matters related to your case—including medicine and the law.
By trusting your lawyer and your doctors, you will:
- Not accept a settlement without knowing the merits and drawbacks of that settlement
- Not be credibly accused of worsening your injuries by failing to prioritize your recovery
- Rely on the experience and training these professionals offer
- Place your case in the best possible position for success
You should carefully choose your doctor and lawyer (though you shouldn’t wait to choose either). If you pick an attorney and doctor worthy of your trust, their guidance will be priceless.
Why Head-On Car Accident Victims (in Particular) May Benefit from Hiring a Lawyer
Some car collisions are minor enough that you might exchange insurance information and proceed. Head-on collisions, however, are different, as they are disproportionately likely to cause serious injuries.
As the victim of such a serious accident, you may hire a car accident attorney because:
- You’re injured: If you have injuries, you must be wary of making injuries worse, causing new injuries, or extending the recovery process. Hiring a lawyer can prevent you from jeopardizing your health further.
- You’re psychologically fragile: A head-on accident can be an intensely traumatic event that has lasting psychological and emotional aftershocks. You may need time and space to heal, and re-experiencing the details of your accident (by handling your own case) can prove detrimental to your psychological well-being.
- You deserve a large financial recovery: Those with serious injuries often deserve large financial recoveries. Many accident victims believe hiring a lawyer is the smart decision when a large sum of money is at stake. If you feel the same, you should not hesitate to retain an experienced car accident attorney.
- You want a lawyer’s resources on your side: Attorneys cover the upfront cost of clients’ cases, using contingency fees to make this happen. Law firms often invest significant resources into head-on accident cases, including experts’ testimony and reconstructions of the accident. These are the kinds of resources you might be unable to secure or afford without a lawyer.
- You aren’t experienced with insurance claims or lawsuits: Most of us recognize that inexperience is often a disadvantage. The same can be true when leading an insurance claim or lawsuit. If you don’t have much (or any) experience seeking a large financial recovery after a severe car accident, consider hiring someone who does.
- You don’t have time to handle your case: Even before you were in an accident, you may have had little time to spare. Your life may be even more complicated now, so you may lack the time (or energy) to handle a successful claim.
It is no secret why victims of severe auto accidents hire attorneys. An injured party’s limitations and the experience and support a lawyer offers provide plenty of reasons to work with a head-on car accident lawyer.
Every Injury Requires Your Attention
Whether you suffered a traumatic brain injury, internal injury, or other health problem because of a head-on accident, each of your injuries demands your full attention. Your health may suffer if you try to handle an insurance claim (or even a lawsuit).
Work with an attorney not only because you want a fair financial recovery. Work with an attorney because your health and recovery are worth it.
Specific Damages You May Suffer Because of a Head-On Car Collision
Attorneys refer to the harm that an accident victim experiences as “damages.” These damages determine the amount of compensation your lawyer will demand from liable parties, so they are critically important to your case.
Common damages among victims of head-on car collisions include:
Medical Bills
Victims of head-on accidents may need:
- Ambulance or Medevac transport from the accident scene
- Emergency treatment
- Hospitalization
- Medications
- Medical imaging
- Surgery
- Other medical services and items
Your attorney will work closely with your doctors to understand your medical needs and track accident-related healthcare costs.
Rehab-Related Costs
If you need rehabilitation as part of your recovery process, your attorney will keep a record of rehab-related costs. This may include the cost of transportation to and from rehabilitation appointments.
Disability-Related Damages
Those with disabling medical conditions may:
- Need various types of medical equipment
- Need disability-related devices and additions for their home
- Be permanently unable to earn an income
- Experience intense pain and suffering due to the harsh realities of being disabled
- Need an in-home caregiver
In addition, a disabled individual’s loved ones may also lose quality of life, and a financial recovery should reflect this.
Professional Damages
Accident victims often endure temporary or permanent professional harm, which may include:
- Lost income
- Inability to earn bonuses and promotions
- Lost overtime opportunities
- Diminished earning capacity
- Loss of fulfillment and other psychological benefits that come from working
Experienced attorneys understand how to calculate and document such professional harm for head-on accident victims.
Vehicle Repair Costs
A head-on collision can cause catastrophic vehicle damage.
You should receive fair compensation for:
- Replacing a totaled vehicle
- Repairing a vehicle that isn’t totaled
- Obtaining temporary transportation
- Replacing any other property damaged during the head-on accident
Every damage counts when seeking compensation for a head-on accident. While property damage may not seem as significant as medical costs or pain and suffering, your lawyer will seek fair compensation for such damage.
Pain and Suffering
Anyone who has been in a severe auto accident knows that pain and suffering can take several forms, including:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Physical pain, which can be both immediate and chronic
- Depression
- Anxiety, including generalized anxiety and acute fear of being in motor vehicles
- Sleep disorders
- Lost quality of life
Your lawyer will discuss with you the challenges you have faced because of your head-on accident. They may also have you meet with a mental health provider so they can diagnose conditions like PTSD.
Calculating pain and suffering is not a simple task, and it’s a duty that experienced car accident lawyers know well.
Mental Health Service Costs
If you need any treatment for pain and suffering after your head-on accident, your lawyer will include these costs in your case. You should never hesitate to get the treatment you need due to cost. Your attorney will work hard to ensure you receive the necessary compensation and treatment.
A Wrongful Death
The dangerous nature of head-on accidents means they are disproportionately fatal.
This tragic outcome leaves survivors with immense losses that can include:
- Grief and other forms of acute pain and suffering
- Loss of the decedent’s income and employer-provided benefits
- Loss of the decedent’s household services (which can include helping with chores, handiwork, safety and security, accounting, and more)
- Funeral costs
- Burial or cremation costs
- Loss of consortium (including but not necessarily limited to a spouse’s companionship)
Cases involving a wrongful death can be particularly traumatic. Whether you suffered an injury or lost a loved one, allow a lawyer to spare you from the stress and challenge of completing a claim or lawsuit. Your attorney will ensure you focus on your well-being by handling every case detail.
How an Attorney Will Help You After the Accident
Lawyers are capable legal counselors who will manage every detail of your case. From protecting you to developing a strategy and executing that strategy, your lawyer will take complete ownership of your case.
Expect your car accident lawyer and their team to:
- Remove all doubt about what you should be doing after the head-on car collision
- Be always available to answer your questions and address your concerns
- Develop a personalized strategy that may include filing an insurance claim or lawsuit
- Deal with insurance companies (protecting you and your case in the process)
- Oversee your case from start to finish
- Enable you to spend the necessary time and energy on recovery and rehabilitation
Your lawyer will work to secure the entire settlement or judgment you deserve. This will allow you to cover expenses, receive the treatment you need, and overcome your head-on collision (even if it takes time to do so).
Steps to Building a Head-On Accident Case
To build the strongest case possible, your car accident attorney will:
- Establish fault for the head-on accident: Your lawyer will weigh all relevant evidence and information to determine who is at fault for your accident. The fault is closely tied to financial liability for your accident-related damages.
- Secure evidence: Your lawyer and their team will obtain any eyewitness testimony, video, and other evidence establishing fault for the accident.
- Document your damages: Your legal team will obtain medical records, invoices for vehicle repairs, evidence of lost income, and any other documentation of your accident-related damages.
- Determine your case value and fight for a settlement: After calculating the financial cost of your damages, your attorney will negotiate with insurance companies or other liable parties.
- Sue and go to trial, if necessary: Lawyers should be willing to file lawsuits on behalf of head-on car accident victims. If your attorney pursues a negotiation but liable parties refuse to offer the money you deserve, your attorney may file a lawsuit and ultimately sue on your behalf.
Trust a lawyer to lead your case from start to finish.
Hire Your Car Accident Lawyer Today for Your Free Consultation
Multiple deadlines may apply to your case. Don’t wait to hire your lawyer and let them begin fighting for the compensation you deserve.
David Abels
Partner
David Abels has carved a niche for himself in the personal injury law sector, dedicating a substantial part of his career since 1997 to representing victims of various accidents. With a law practice that spans over two decades, his expertise has been consistently recognized within the legal community.
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