Any rear end accident lawyer can attest that rear-end accidents are quite common in Buffalo. The key reasons why rear-end collision accidents have become very common on the roads today include:
- Traffic congestion
- Speeding
- Marginal drivers
- Following too closely
- Distracted drivers
- Drunk drivers
- Bad road conditions (e.g., ice, oil spillage, etc.)
If you were in a rear end accident in Buffalo, NY, you should talk to a Buffalo car accident lawyer as soon as possible.
Rear end accident lawyers can help you get compensation for any damages you may have incurred because of the accident.
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Types of Rear-End Car Accidents
There are basically two types of rear-end crashes:
- Simple: The simple rear-end crash is when one driver gets hit by another car from behind. It may occur during a lane change, or if the other driver is following too closely and fails to stop in time. In some cases, the front driver may suddenly slow down for whatever reason and may get hit from behind.
In the majority of these simple rear-end crashes, the police will look for the presence of any physical evidence like skid marks and site of impact, etc. The police will also determine if the driver at the rear end was speeding.
Information will also be obtained from any witnesses. In most simple rear-end accidents, the rear driver is at fault, unless proven otherwise. Talk to a rear end accident attorney if you have been in such an accident.
- The complex rear-end accident: These days, complex rear-end accidents that involve multiple cars are not uncommon mainly because of the vast number of motor vehicles on the highways and an increasing tendency of drivers to resort to speeding. Talk to a rear end accident lawyer if you were hit by a speeding car which resulted in a rear end accident.
The majority of these multivehicle rear-end accidents tend to occur when:
- The roads are being repaired.
- There is ice or oil spillage on the road.
- A drunk driver bangs into a car.
- The front driver suddenly slows down, makes a sudden lane change or stops in the middle of the road.
- The driver is following too closely at a high rate of speed.
- The driver(s) in the rear is distracted or not paying attention to the traffic ahead.
Talk to a rear end accident attorney if you have had a similar experience.
When a chain rear-end multivehicle collision occurs, there is mass confusion, and it is hard to decipher who exactly is at fault. A rear-end accident lawyer can help you during this process of determining fault.
In such scenarios, the cause of the accident may be the front driver who may have slammed on the brakes, suddenly changed lanes or may have slowed down for no apparent reason.
It is also possible that the drivers behind the vehicle may have been following too closely at high speed.
Determining who is responsible for initiating the accident can be a daunting task. Rear end accident lawyers can help in this regard as they know the signs and they know the factors that can be considered to determine who was at fault.
There are also other elements of multi-vehicle rear-end accidents that need to be considered. For example, what happens if you get hit from behind, and your car slides to the side or in front and hits another car in the rear?
Are you also at fault if this happens or is the driver who caused you to slide initially the one who is responsible? Talk to a rear end accident attorney about these things.
Most multi-vehicle rear-end accidents are thoroughly reviewed by insurance companies before they release any payouts, and that is why it is important for your rear end accident lawyer to do the same.
Sometimes the blame is equally shared but this entire process of identifying the root cause of the accident and the primary driver who caused the accident can be challenging.
Talk to a rear end accident lawyer if you were involved in such a rear-end accident in Buffalo, NY.
Should I Call The Police and a Lawyer After My Accident?
It is important to contact the authorities as soon as you are in an accident, no matter the type or severity. This is the law, and you must abide by it. If you are severely injured and need help, you need to call 911 and seek medical attention. Once you can, call a rear end accident lawyer.
The police can play an important role at this point as they can examine the scene of the accident and figure out what happened. Without a police report, the case can be difficult to resolve as both parties may blame each other.
The police will assess the scene of the accident, obtain statements from witnesses and even examine the driver for drug or alcohol use. The police can also act as a witness and may help determine who is at fault.
Once you have been cleared by the police to leave, call your insurance company and tell them what happened. Then call your rear end accident lawyer.
Providing Information to Your Car Accident Attorney
When a rear-end car accident occurs, you have to provide information to the other driver. As rear-end accident lawyers will tell you, you should only provide information that is relevant to your insurance company, phone, name and car registration.
Do not say too much other than that or talk too much to the other driver. Take photos of the accident area and get names of any witnesses. This information will be useful to your rear end accident attorney.
In the majority of cases where you are involved in a rear end accident and hit from behind, the other driver’s insurance company will make an attempt to speak to you, especially if they deem that their driver is at fault.
The name of the game is to settle the case without going to trial. The insurance adjuster may record your statement, and their aim is to get you to say something which they can use against you if the case goes to trial.
They will ask you questions that may seem benign, but be careful. These questions are designed to make you say something that you will regret later.
That is why you should always let your rear end accident lawyer deal with the insurance companies. There is no law that says that you are obligated to speak to them.
You should talk to your own insurance company and your rear end accident lawyer, but you don’t have to talk to the other driver’s insurance company. They might only be interested in a settlement, and their goal is to offer you an amount that is typically much less than what you deserve.
Let your rear end accident attorney sort these matters out for you. Once you settle, you can never go back to have the offer rescinded. Therefore, it is best that your rear end accident lawyer takes the lead in this.
Medical Exam After Your Car Accident
Whenever you are involved in a rear-end collision, always see a healthcare worker, preferably on the day of the accident. This is the first thing you rear accident attorney will advise you when you call them.
No matter how trivial the injury may sound, you should always get yourself checked out. Many nerve and muscle injuries often do not present with symptoms right after the accident.
If you miss going to the doctor on the day of the injury, no matter how severe your injuries turn out, later on, the other party will claim that they are not related to the accident.
It is thus important to get yourself checked out by a healthcare provider on the same day and get a medical report. If you develop symptoms later, continue to follow up with the doctor if you want to be reimbursed for all your medical injuries.
Waiting to seek treatment is not only bad for your own health, but it can also affect your settlement amount. Discuss this with your rear end accident lawyer.
What information should I obtain at the scene of my accident?
- If you are hurt, seek immediate medical attention by calling 911
- Get the name, license, number, car make, model, phone, the insurance policy of all driver(s) involved in the accident
- Record location, time and date of the accident
- Record how the accident occurred, the direction of the vehicles, obtain images of the road, the cars involved and the adjacent environment
- State the condition of the road and weather
- Get the names and addresses of all passengers in the cars involved in the accident
- Get the names and addresses of all witnesses
- Record damage to your car and other car(s) involved
- State what type of injuries you or others suffered
- Get the name and ID of all police officers called to the scene of the accident
- If the law enforcement officer issued a citation to the other driver, ask what the citation for and make a note of it.
- Observe if there was a need for immediate medical assistance for you or anyone else
- Determine if any vehicles were towed
- Remember if anyone stated that they were at fault or if anyone said that they were speeding.
Provide all this information to your rear end accident lawyer. Rear end accident lawyers can use this information to build your case and to get you the compensation you need.
Who is at fault in a rear-end collision?
If you have been hit from behind, then in the vast majority of cases, the accident is the other driver’s fault. In the eyes of the law, if the driver hits you from behind, they were either following you too closely or not driving safely.
However, there are situations when a rear end collision occurs because the driver in front abruptly stopped, suddenly changed lanes or slowed down. This may be due to deliberate brake checking, distraction, confusion or some type of automobile malfunction.
Whatever the situation, don’t admit to any fault or blame anyone when you are at the scene. Let the police officers do their work and whatever information you have, give it to your rear end accident attorney.
What type of injuries occur in a rear-end car accident?
Many types of injuries can occur following a rear-end collision, and it all depends on the severity of the accident. The most common injuries include:
– Spinal injuries, especially in the neck area, are very common. This may result in a whiplash injury that can result in prolonged pain and difficulty moving the neck.
– Lower back injury that can result in constant pain and difficulty with ambulation
– Head injury that can result in concussion
– Seat belt injury to the abdomen
– Injury to the nerves of the extremities
– Fracture of the upper and lower extremity
If you have been injured, talk to a rear end accident lawyer. All of the above-mentioned injuries are serious and require some type of medical or surgical treatment.
In some cases, the injury may not become evident after a few days or even weeks after the accident. Thus it is important to follow-up with a physician.
When the injury involves the extremities and nerves, extensive rehabilitation is required to regain function and strength. Discuss all these aspects of your injuries with a rear end accident attorney.
Talk to a Rear End Car Accident Attorney Today.
If you have been involved in a rear-end collision, whether you are the front or the rear driver, it is important to contact a rear end accident attorney.
In many multi-vehicle rear-end collisions, everyone blames each other. It is vital to speak to a rear end accident attorney if you’ve been involved in such an accident.
A Buffalo car accident attorney can help you sort this out and get the compensation you deserve.