Legal News Blog

Have you ever had a little fender bender and decided not to file a claim out of fear that your insurance premiums would rise? You are not the first driver to be in this position.  As a Missouri injury attorney I see this quite a bit.  A lot of people would prefer to just pay for the damages out of pocket and be done with it all. Usually though they’re only considering the following things:

1)      How much their premiums will go up.  This is something you really should be familiar with BEFORE you purchase your insurance policy, let alone file a claim. Although you may have initially been given a cheap deal most companies will hike up your premiums if you’re found at fault in an accident.

2)      Who was at fault? Not just who caused the crash, more than one party can be at fault in an accident.  Fault can be determined several different ways. Your premiums are almost certain to rise if you are found to be at fault for an accident.

Based on the above, you may think it’s a good idea not to report accidents to your insurance company.  Often times this can be the case if the police aren’t involved, and the damage seems that it’s going to be less than your deductible. If a police report is filed though, your insurance carrier is probably going to find out anyway.  There are actually a lot of insurance policies that state the policy holder must promptly report any accident.  You may not even have a choice!

Another thing to consider when deciding whether or not to report an accident is that injuries sometimes won’t manifest themselves for weeks after an accident, causing long term or even permanent physical damage.  If you do end having injuries develop you may ruin your claim by not reporting the accident.  If you injured someone else, you could find yourself being sued, and you won’t have the insurance company to support you.  This scenario could end up costing you way more in time and money than you would ever pay in increased insurance premiums.  This is why filing a police report is important.  It allows there to be an accurate record if anyone files a claim in the future.

Considering all of this, it seems like a no brainer that you should report an auto accident.  But as you’re aware, dealing with insurance adjusters can be difficult.  Every situation is different, and if you are having trouble deciding whether or not you should report an accident, speak with an experienced auto accident attorney to see what they have to say.  It never hurts to be informed.

While pedestrian accidents account for fewer injuries than victims of car accidents, they still represent a sizeable portion of the personal injuries in Orange County. Every year, thousands of victims will be struck and injured by cars while walking. Some of these will not survive their injuries; others will be permanently disabled, while still others will be facing a long and arduous recovery process. Few pedestrian victims “walk away” from a pedestrian accident with no injuries whatsoever.

Pedestrian accidents in Orange County may be even more frequent than the national average, given the high volume of both pedestrians and cars on the road. About 65 percent of all pedestrian accidents occur in urban settings, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, so Orange County has more than its share of these types of accidents. Further, the tendency of people in suburban areas to cross the road at a location other than a crosswalk means that more people will be struck by cars, as most pedestrian accidents occur in this manner. Finally, drunk drivers contribute to a large number of pedestrian accidents, so those walking at night are in greater danger.

Orange County pedestrian accidents can result in terrible injuries for the victims involved. These injuries not only include the obvious physical damage caused by a car striking a person, but also involve mental and emotional distress. Some victims suffer traumatic head injuries that result in life-long mental and emotional problems. Still others develop emotional difficulties after suffering continuous pain and fear from a pedestrian accident.

Unfortunately, many people look only at the physical damage caused by these accidents. It is very difficult for many victims of pedestrian accidents to explain that the emotional and mental toll may be even greater than the physical problems caused by such an accident.

In order to help pedestrian accident victims fully recover from their injuries, pedestrian accident attorneys work hard to secure not only payment of medical bills for physical problems, but also payment for pain and suffering and long-term mental treatment if necessary. By looking at the problem holistically, a personal injury attorney can help the victim recover a more substantial and useful amount that will actually serve to assist him or her in a full recovery.

Talk to a professional pedestrian accident attorney in Orange County today if you have been the victim of a pedestrian accident, and begin the process of reorganizing and reclaiming your life.

When you think of auto accidents, broken bones, concussions, sprained backs, and lacerations come to mind as common injuries. But there are a number of internal injuries that can also occur such a traumatic aortic injury that is a blunt chest trauma. It is estimated that 8,000 people sustain traumatic aortic injuries each year attributing to nearly 15 percent of deaths from fatal car accidents.

The aorta is the body’s main artery supplying blood from the heart to the rest of the body. It can be torn (aortic dissection) by either the forces from the sudden stop in a high-speed car crash, when a driver hits their chest on a steering wheel, or an occupant wears their shoulder belt or shoulder harness under their arm instead of on their shoulder.

A traumatic aortic rupture is a life-threatening injury that will cause uncontrollable internal bleeding. Approximately 40-70% of car accident victims that sustain this type of injury die at the scene of the accident. For those that survive to make it the emergency room, early diagnosis and treatment of an aortic tear is key as nearly 50% of patients with a delayed diagnosis and treatment won’t survive the first 24 hours. If you are involved in a car accident and violently strike your chest on the steering wheel, you should notify the emergency medical personnel immediately so they can check for an aortic injury which could ultimately save your life.

Losing a loved one in a fatal car accident is traumatic enough. Don’t let the insurance companies take advantage of you and devalue your personal injury claim. Contact an experienced personal injury attorney to evaluate your case.