It can be overwhelming to deal with the aftermath of a wreck. You may be dealing with significant medical bills, ongoing treatment, inability to work, and stress among friends and family members. You shouldn’t have to deal with this alone. If you or a loved one are involved in a crash, Vancouver WA car accident lawyers from the Etengoff Pak Law Group – Vancouver Personal Injury Attorney can help. Call us today.
Common Causes of Car Accidents in Vancouver, WA
Each year, thousands of car accidents occur in Vancouver, WA. They may result in serious injuries or property damage. In any situation, you should contact Vancouver WA car accident lawyers to protect your rights after a wreck.
Common car accident causes in Vancouver include the following:
- Driver error
- Drunk driving
- Distracted driving or texting while driving
- Dangerous roads
- Construction zones
- Defective auto parts
- Reckless driving
- Speeding
- Severe weather
- Inexperienced drivers
- Disregard of traffic laws
- Aggressive driving
- Failure to yield or stop at a traffic signal
Vancouver WA car accident lawyers can evaluate your situation and help you determine the cause. This is the first step in proving fault in a car accident. We will initiate an investigation that will establish who caused your accident and help you obtain compensation from their insurance company or from the individual who is liable through a personal injury lawsuit.
Types of Car Accidents
Car accidents can vary in severity. Often, the type of car accident in which you were involved will determine how badly you were injured or the extent of your property damage.
Common types of car accidents include the following:
- Sideswipes
- Head-on collisions
- Rear-end collisions
- T-bone accidents
- Rollover accidents
- Teen driving accidents
- Elderly driving accidents
- High-speed accidents
- DUI accidents
- Intersection accidents
- Fatal car accidents
- Parking lot accidents
- Lane change accidents
Our Vancouver WA car accident lawyers will review video evidence, information from eye witnesses, accident reconstruction, police reports, and other information to determine what type of car accident you were involve in. We will paint a picture for the insurance company, judge, or jury to build your case for recovery of compensation.
What to Do After a Car Accident in Vancouver WA
Motor vehicle accidents are an everyday occurrence on Washington roadways. Despite this prevalence, drivers involved in accidents make two very common mistakes:
- Minimizing the extent of their injuries
- Relying on insurance companies to protect their interests
You can avoid making these mistakes by following these steps after a car accident:
Seek medical care
If you are seriously injured, call an ambulance right away. Go to a hospital and get medical attention from an emergency department.
Check the health of your passengers and other people involved in the accident. They may need assistance. If you feel you do not need immediate emergency treatment, make sure you see your primary care doctor or visit an urgent care center as soon as possible. Don’t talk to other people at the scene about your injuries, and don’t minimize how badly you were hurt.
Call 911
If you were involved in an accident, you may be required to report it to local authorities. It’s best to call 911 right when the accident occurs. You can request a police officer and ambulance, if necessary. The officer will make an official report that can be used as evidence later.
Collect information at the scene of the accident
If you are able, take pictures, record videos, and collect contact information from anyone who may have seen the crash. This will help your Vancouver WA car accident lawyers when they begin an independent investigation of the situation.
Exchange information with other drivers
Make sure you provide your name, address, and insurance information to other drivers who were involved in the accident. Also, collect information from their drivers’ licenses and insurance cards. It’s often easier to take pictures of these cards instead of writing everything down.
Call a Vancouver WA car accident lawyer
As soon as you’re able, contact a lawyer to handle insurance issues and discussions with the other drivers who were involved. The insurance company is only interested in minimizing your compensation recovery. Don’t make the mistake of dealing with them alone or accepting a low-ball settlement that doesn’t cover your expenses.
Car Accident Injuries
Some injuries sustained in car accidents are readily apparent, such as broken bones, lacerations or contusions. Others are less obvious and may take an extended period of time for symptoms to develop. In either case, Vancouver WA car accident lawyers will emphasize discovery of all injuries in order to maximize health recovery.
Car accident injuries in Vancouver, WA include the following:
- Whiplash and other neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Soft tissue injuries, such as lacerations and contusions
- Broken bones
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and concussions
- Polytrauma
Medical care for car accident injuries often requires many visits to the doctor, and it can even require months of physical therapy. It’s important to seek medical attention right away to discover all of your injuries as quickly as possible. The sooner you begin treating, the quicker you will recover. Our Vancouver WA car accident lawyer will help you obtain the medical attention that you need so you can focus on recovering from your injuries.
Dealing With Insurance Issues
Washington is a “fault state,” meaning if you sustain a car accident injury, you seek recovery for your damages:
- From your insurance company
- From the insurance company of the other driver
- By filing a civil lawsuit against the other driver
While most people understand the other party’s insurance company is not on their side, they are often surprised to discover their own insurance company is not much better. Insurance adjusters are in a hurry to settle cases. In addition, if there are any issues as to liability they may assign partial liability to you as the injured driver. Your attorney will be the first to tell you that the insurance company’s main goal is making money, and that means doing whatever they can, even underhandedly, to lower your payout. In reality, they are not in it to help you.
Why You Need Vancouver WA Car Accident Lawyers to Advocate for You
Your attorney only has your interests at heart and will fight for maximum recovery. Once you retain counsel, you no longer need to deal with the insurance company; that will be your lawyer’s job. Many people are reluctant to seek the services of an attorney because they have paid for insurance premiums and worry they will ultimately get less money in a settlement. Two facts:
- Auto accident victims represented by counsel are statistically more likely to receive higher awards than unrepresented claimants even factoring in legal fees
- A car accident attorney will take the case on contingency, where no fees are due until a recovery is earned at the end of the case. No money is due up front.
By working with an attorney, you won’t have to handle the legal paperwork and issues on your own. Your attorney can help you with the following:
- Obtain medical records and bills
- Conduct an independent investigation of the accident
- Prove the other party’s negligence
- Obtain testimony from witnesses at the scene and expert witnesses
- Estimate the value of your claim and prove fault
- Negotiate with insurance companies
- File a car accident lawsuit on your behalf
Obtaining Compensation After a Car Accident
Our Vancouver WA car accident lawyers have extensive experience working with insurance companies and other parties to help our clients recover the maximum amount of compensation possible. If you or a loved one was involved in a car accident, you may be able to recover for the following:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Physical limitations
- Disfigurement
- Property damage
- Loss of quality of life
Contact Vancouver Car Accident Lawyers for Legal Advice
It can be difficult to prove negligence after a car accident. It requires in-depth knowledge of the law, as well as how a car accident claim works. Our Vancouver WA car accident lawyers have worked with clients who have been involved in many different types of accidents. We can guide you through the process, in addition to helping you obtain recovery.
Protect your interests. In the event of a car accident injury, call the Etengoff Pak Law Group – Vancouver Personal Injury Attorney and speak to an attorney at (360) 693-2919.
