Side Impact Collision Lawyer Scottsdale, AZ

When you have been in a car accident that resulted in side-impact collision injuries, it is time to reach out to Yearin Law Office to speak with their side-impact collision lawyer Scottsdale, AZ knows. This type of accident happens all too often: you are sitting in your car waiting for your light to turn green or you are proceeding through the intersection. All of a sudden, another car comes out of nowhere and smashes into your car. What happened? You did everything you were supposed to but still got injured. Unfortunately, not everyone is paying attention to the road or to traffic signals and when that is the case, others around them become injured. If this sounds familiar, reach out to us now.

How do these accidents happen? 

It may seem like an accident like this is easy to avoid. In truth, it is. If everyone driving their cars on the road paid more attention to the cars around them, the weather conditions, and traffic lights, we would have far fewer accidents. Like other car accidents, side-impact collisions happen because a driver was:

• Under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Ignoring the local speed limit
• Texting or taking a phone call
• Talking with someone in their car
• Eating or drinking food while driving

While not all of the above are illegal, they still constitute distracted driving and can put others on the road at risk for injury or death. If you believe the person who caused the accident was distracted, mention this to your auto accident lawyer Scottsdale, AZ offers. 

What kinds of compensation could I get from this accident? 

This always depends on the details of the case and what kinds of injuries you sustained. You may be able to receive compensation for medical and hospital bills, loss of income, and pain and suffering. It is your right to file a claim when you have been injured in a side-impact collision accident and you should not allow the other party’s insurance agent to scare you into throwing away the claim or settling for a low amount. It is not their job to protect you; it is their job to settle for as little as possible. 

5 Things You Should Do Following a Collision

It’s impossible to prepare for a collision of any kind fully, and you and other people involved will likely be in shock. While there’s no way to prepare for an accident, following these five steps fully can make the process easier:

Make Sure Everyone Is Okay and Call For Medical Attention 

Your first step should be to check yourself and others for any major injuries. If possible, drive your vehicle off to the side of the road as well. First, check yourself for injuries, your passenger(s), then the other parties involved. If you find yourself unable to move, don’t attempt to get out of the vehicle. Whether you have a few scrapes or someone has major injuries, you’ll still want to call the authorities. You’ll need to call the police anyway, so it doesn’t hurt to have them dispatch EMTs.

Receive Medical Attention 

Even if you don’t see any apparent injuries, still have the EMTs on the scene check everyone for injuries. Unfortunately, sometimes internal injuries can happen, and it may not be days later that you start to notice you’re injured. It also doesn’t hurt to visit your primary care provider afterward to see if the EMTs missed anything.

Start Gathering Evidence 

Your attorney will ultimately help you gather evidence, but you can start this process before picking up the phone. While you should also put your medical needs as the top priority, you can start gathering evidence the moment a crash occurs. Some examples of evidence you can gather yourself may include the following:

• Photographs of the scene, including damage dealt to all vehicles, license plate numbers, and damage to anything nearby, like the road.
• Photographs of any medical injuries of yourself and other parties.
• Personal testimonies and testimonies from other parties or witnesses involved.
• Medical records and police reports.

File Your Claim

Whether you’ll ultimately need an attorney or not, you’ll still need to file a claim with your insurance company. Be as thorough as possible when filing your claim, but never admit fault or even partial blame. Doing so can backfire and cause you to need to pay instead of the other party. You may also receive a call from the other party’s insurance company. If this happens, be polite, but don’t try to help the other person’s insurance company. Instead, you can simply tell them you are uncomfortable discussing the claim and that they should speak with your attorney, if you decided to hire one.

Hire an Attorney 

Not every side-impact collision will necessarily call for an attorney, especially if there are only minor damages. If you just have a car that needs a few repairs and you have no medical injuries, it may not make sense to hire an attorney, especially because car crash claims can take a year or more to settle. However, if you’ve sustained serious injuries, you’ll most likely want to hire an attorney. Unfortunately, insurance companies often don’t cover enough when it comes to severe injuries. An attorney can help ensure you receive more compensation.

If you are ready to move forward with your case, reach out to Yearin Law Office. We can help you when you are looking for a Scottsdale, Arizona side-impact collision lawyer to represent your claim.