Philadelphia Rear End Accident Lawyer
When a Rear End Accident Turns Your World Upside Down, Stand Up For Your Rights
In Philadelphia, rear end accidents are among the most commonly experienced on our roads and highways. What makes these types of accidents so difficult to prevent is that they happen quickly. One moment you are following the law and getting towards your destination. The next your vehicle is impacted on its rear bumper. Whether the driver behind you was not paying attention or simply lost control of their vehicle, the result is that your vehicle is damaged and you are hurt.
These types of accidents are commonly referred to as “fender benders.” However, this name carries with it an expectation that the accident itself was relatively minor. Maybe your rear bumper was dented somewhat. Your neck may be sore for a few days but nothing more than that. A few aspirin and a quick trip to the body shop will fix you right up. That is what people think of when they think of a rear end accident.
In reality, rear end accidents can be quite traumatic. While there certainly are rear end accidents which occur at low speeds, even those can create significant injuries for those drivers involved. High speed rear end accidents are even more likely to cause significant injuries and are damaging to your vehicle, as well.
Philadelphia rear end accident lawyer, Anthony C. Gagliano, III, Esquire, P.C., understands the pain and frustration associated with rear end accidents. When you are working through your options after a rear end accident it is crucial that you determine what path makes the most sense for you to take. Our team of legal professionals understands the stress you are under after a rear end accident. Contact us today for a free of charge consultation.
How Serious Can Rear End Accidents Be?
As we have just discussed, the range of injuries possible in a rear end accident varies dramatically. What’s more, even simple, low impact accidents are still capable of causing significant injuries. Your physical health prior to the rear end accident certainly plays a part in determining how your body responds to an accident.
When a trailing vehicle rear ends you, the force of the impact is a transfer of the speed at which that vehicle was travelling. When the force of your vehicle combines with the rear impact of the trailing vehicle, you have a substantial amount of force to consider. That force reverberates through your vehicle. While the rear bumper may have absorbed the brunt of the force, it is likely that your body will absorb a considerable amount, as well. This is where severe injuries result from rear end accidents.
The other reality of most rear end accidents is that the vehicle in front tends to absorb more force and suffers a greater impact than the trailing vehicle. So, the negligent trailing driver may walk away unharmed physically from the accident. Whereas, you as the innocent driver are more likely to suffer worse injuries. It may even be the case that you are unable to walk away from the accident at all.
What Should Your Next Step Be After Suffering an Injury in a Rear End Accident?
Seeking medical attention is step one after being injured in a rear end accident. What type of medical attention you seek is up to you and your specific situation. Relatively minor injuries may require a visit to your primary care doctor. Rest and ice may help fix you up for the most part. A series of physical therapy appointments to work some kinks out and improve range of motion in your back or neck could also make sense.
On the other hand, if you are injured significantly in the rear end accident it could mean that you require more in-depth care. For example, suppose that you find yourself unable to walk away from the accident. You try to exit your vehicle and lose your balance. Being unable to get up from a seated position is a tell-tale sign that your injuries are significant. As a result, you may need to go to an emergency room or urgent care to have your injuries examined further.
Secondary care for serious injuries suffered in a rear end accident may look like occupational therapy, surgery and extended rehabilitation time afterwards. All the while, you are expected to return to work at some point. Even paid time off (if you have that at your place of work) will run out eventually. That is to say nothing of those of you reading this information who work in physically intensive positions. How you handle this period immediately after your rear end accident determines whether you can continue in your line of work.
Waiting to receive necessary medical care is not a good idea. Even if you normally wait out situations to determine if you need to see a doctor, this is not one of those times. ATtending to your injuries immediately is a good idea for multiple reasons. First, it will serve you best in terms of your health. If a doctor can help pinpoint a diagnosis that will tell you how severe your injuries are. Next, from the perspective of a potential claim or lawsuit, medical care is important to add legitimacy to any allegations made.
Protecting Your Ability to Receive Maximum Compensation by Receiving Immediate Medical Care
After suffering injuries in a rear end accident you need to think critically about how to recover damages for the injuries you have suffered. This requires you to balance not only medical care but a legal case simultaneously. A complicated process needing to be handled while you recover from serious injuries is a less than ideal circumstance to find yourself in.
The sooner you seek medical care the stronger your claim or legal case becomes. “Gaps” (as they are called) in your medical care after an accident opens up the ability for an insurance company to argue that some other incident caused your injuries. Documenting that you went straight from the accident scene to an emergency room removes a lot of doubt as to what caused your injuries.
When you need to prepare for filing an insurance claim or legal case it is critical that you document everything that you can regarding the rear end accident. Reaching out to law enforcement for a police report, taking photos of the accident and your vehicle and exchanging contact information with the at-fault driver are all sensible steps to take after an accident. Anthony C. Gagliano, III, Esquire, P.C. can help you to determine the next, best steps that you can take.
What Help Can an Experienced Philadelphia Rear End Accident Lawyer Provide You?
Being rear ended may appear at first glance to be a situation where determining fault is relatively simple. While it is usually the case that the vehicle which did the rear ending is at fault, that does not mean that your specific circumstances may make determining liability more difficult. Even if the other driver’s insurance company does accept fault for the accident that does not guarantee that you will receive the compensation you deserve.
The full extent of your damages and injuries is not always known immediately after the rear end accident. Sometimes your injuries do not manifest themselves until two or three days after the accident. An attorney who serves clients in rear end accidents knows how to guide you along the path towards maximum compensation. Anthony C. Gagliano, III, Esquire, P.C. is a lawyer who fights for his clients both inside and outside the courtroom. Talk with us today to schedule a free of charge consultation. When you hire our office to serve you in a rear end accident case you can expect us to help you with a range of challenges throughout the life of your case.
From determining the full extent of your injuries, to helping you negotiate a settlement that accounts for the severity of your injuries, Anthony C. Gagliano, III, Esquire, P.C. is here for you. We are serious about advocating for the rights of our clients. We organize, argue and then negotiate your rear end accident case to assist you when you are most in need. Do not sit idly by and allow an insurance company and their negligent insured to take advantage of you. Instead, be proactive about your rights and how you advocate for them.
What are Common Types of Injuries Sustained in Rear End Accidents?
Rear end accidents are different from other types of car accidents. In rear end accidents the at-fault driver strikes the lead car’s bumper squarely. The force of this impact is what causes the significant injuries that you may have suffered. As a result, there is a wide range of injury types which you can suffer in a rear end accident. Determining the extent of your injuries can take time. Working with an experienced Philadelphia rear end accident lawyer can help you determine your best course of action based on the injuries you have suffered.
Whiplash injuries are perhaps the most common type of rear end accident related injury. As the driver or passenger in the lead car, you are thrown back and forth upon impact from the trailing vehicle. Looking at the specific biomechanics of the impact, your midsection is propelled forward first, followed by your neck and head. This unnatural, jerking motion causes pain in your neck and spine almost immediately. Compressed discs in your lower spine creates pent up force which shoots up to your neck. That neck pain may be ongoing and persistent.
Range of motion limitations even result from a whiplash accident. Try looking over either shoulder after suffering a whiplash injury. It is no longer something you can do without thinking about it first. Even basic movements that you previously took for granted may be a chore and downright painful after a rear end accident.
Significant rear end accidents can cause the airbags in your vehicle to deploy. Even though the airbag deploying may prevent additional injuries, the force of the deploying airbag can cause injuries in their own right. Sudden airbag deployments can create burns, lacerations and even broken facial bones. This is why parents are warned to not allow children to sit in the front passenger seat of a vehicle until the child is of a certain height. The force of a rear end accident can propel your body into the door or steering wheel causing fractures of your arms or legs to occur as well.
What are the Important Steps to Remember After Being Involved in a Rear End Accident?
Seeking medical care is critical even if you don’t believe your injuries are “serious.” As we established earlier, it is possible that the full extent of your injuries do not reveal themselves until a day or more after the accident. Immediate medical care based on your specific needs improves your ability to recover physically but also financially from the rear end accident.
Insurance companies are not pushovers when it comes to accepting fault for a rear end accident. Even when the accident appears to be straightforward, it can still be the case that the insurance company drags its feet in accepting liability. You should consider working with an experienced Philadelphia rear end accident lawyer to expedite the process of having the trailing driver’s insurance company accept fault for having caused the accident.
One of the most important steps you can take after being injured in a rear end accident is to learn about all your legal options. Anthony C. Gagliano, III, Esquire, P.C. is the attorney Philadelphians have come to trust for handling their rear end accident cases. Having questions after a rear end accident is normal. Finding answers to those questions is as simple as contacting Anthony C. Gagliano, III, Esquire, P.C. Schedule a free of charge consultation with our legal team today.