Alton Car Accident Lawyer
Car accident injuries can range from mild bruises to debilitating wounds to death. If you’re one of the millions of car accident injury victims, a personal injury lawyer can help you recover damages for your injuries. Don’t make a car accident claim without speaking to a personal injury lawyer first.
The Alton car accident lawyers at Hipskind & McAninch, LLC can examine your car crash case and determine the full settlement amount of your claim. Call today for a free consultation with a professional car accident lawyer.
Car Accident Injuries – Types and Severity
Even a relatively low-speed car accident can result in injuries. For example, a driver waiting at a red light may be rear-ended by another driver who is not paying attention. This can cause the front driver’s head to snap backward and forward in rapid succession, causing whiplash. This is a common car crash injury. Naturally, many car crash injuries can be much more significant. Victims can suffer severe cuts, broken bones, torn muscles and tendons, burns, traumatic brain injuries, and death.
According to the National Safety Council, car accidents are the second highest cause of preventable deaths.
If your loved one was killed in a car accident, our personal injury attorneys can initiate a wrongful death claim.
What to Do After an Auto Accident
If you’ve been injured in a car accident, the steps you take immediately after can have a profound effect on your personal injury claim.
Get to a Place of Safety
Your personal safety is paramount. Do not remain in your car or the location of the crash if it could put you in further danger. On the same note, don’t exit your vehicle before ensuring that it’s safe to do so.
Call 911
Summon rescue workers and police to the scene. The dispatcher will ask about the number of people injured and their types of injury, the location of the accident, a description of the vehicles involved, and any other questions that will help them determine what resources to send.
Get Witness Info
If it’s safe to do so, talk to bystanders to see if they witnessed the accident. If they did, ask for their contact information because witnesses tend to leave as soon as the accident is over. Your car crash lawyers can contact them and depose them about your case.
Take Photos or Videos
From a safe vantage point, use your phone to record the scene as it is after the crash. In particular, you’ll want to document the vehicle damage, visible injuries, bad weather, if it exists, street signs, and debris on the road. This can be invaluable when speaking with a car accident lawyer.
Get Medical Care
Allow rescue workers to examine you. This will not hurt your personal injury case. On the contrary, it will help establish a baseline for your injuries. Follow up by going to the hospital or your doctor as soon as possible.
Speak to a Personal Injury Attorney
The earlier you can talk to a personal injury lawyer about your case, the better. It takes time for car accident attorneys to research your claim and build a case to present to the insurance company.
Frequently Asked Questions About Car Accidents
As Alton car accident lawyers, we receive many questions at our firm. These are some of the most common questions. Of course, if you were injured in an accident, you can call Hipskind & McAninch, LLC for a free consultation to ask a lawyer whatever you’d like during your free consultation.
No. Both Missouri and Illinois are at-fault states, meaning that you file your claim through the liable party’s insurance company.
No, while it is common for attorneys to file lawsuits for personal injuries, most cases from car accidents do not actually go to court. They are settled before they reach that stage.
The initial consultation will mostly be an opportunity for the attorney to learn about your case and for you to ask questions. If you have a copy of the police report, medical records, etc., you should bring them to the appointment. However, if you have not had time to prepare these things, don’t delay making an appointment.
The statute of limitations for a car accident in Illinois is two years from the date of the accident. In Missouri, the statute of limitations is five years.
These periods may seem like an extensive amount of time, but you must pursue your claim expeditiously. Your lawyer will have a better chance of contacting witnesses and preserving evidence if they get the case sooner rather than later.
Car Crash Attorneys for the Plaintiff in Alton
For years, the attorneys at Hipskind & McAninch, LLC have been helping the victims of accidents seek justice. If you’ve been injured in a car accident, contact our office immediately to discuss your claim. Our attorneys work on a contingency basis, and all consultations are free. Call now.