Author: robertedenslaadmin

Auto accidents are one of the leading causes of death and fatal injuries in the US. The NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts show in the crash statistics that every year, about 11 million vehicles are reported to be involved in an accident. Fortunately, a majority of these accidents are minor and only result in property damage. However, it has been found that 1 in 3 car crashes result in injuries of varying degrees to the driver and passengers, while from that figure, 2 out of 10 accidents are reported to lead to life-threatening injuries.

Considering the high number of accidents on the roadways, there is a high probability of an American to be in accident once in their lifetime. In order to cope with the situation, here are some long and short-term tips that you can use to keep yourself safe, and know what you need to do in the following days of the accident.

What to Do Immediately after an Auto Accident

• Analyze your Situation: You should take a few moments to read the situation before you take any action. First, see if you or the occupants of your car are injured. Then evaluate your surroundings for any imminent threat such as oncoming traffic, fires, and other hazards. Your topmost priority should be safety of everyone involved in the accident.
• Call 911: Explain what happened to the operator so that a medical emergency team and law enforcement unit is sent to your location.
• Gather Evidence: After the situation has settled down, use your phone to make a video or take a few pictures of the accident scene. Make sure to cover the scene from different angles so that all the damages you have sustained can be easily seen. This can later be used a piece of evidence to prove your entitlement to compensation if you file a personal injury claim against the at-fault driver.

Make sure you don’t give any statement to the other driver or police that may appear like an admission of guilt.

What to Do in the Following Days of the Auto Accident

• Medical Checkup: In some cases, injuries do not manifest right away and take a few days or even weeks after the accident to become apparent. It is important that you seek medical attention regularly and do not miss any doctor’s appointments to ensure that you are not exhibiting any symptoms of delayed injuries.
• Do not Give a Recorded Statement to the Claim’s Adjuster: It is essential to inform your insurance provider about the accident so that the claim process can be put in motion. However, do not give a recorded statement to the claim’s adjuster who is likely to contact you within a day or two of the claim request, without consulting an attorney.
• Hire an Attorney: Whether you are pursuing a personal injury claim against the driver who is at fault or making a claim on your own insurance policy, it is recommended to have a reliable attorney overlook your case.

An experienced auto accident attorney can provide you with skilled legal counsel and make sure you do not make any potential mistakes that can affect your claim. Contact the Law Offices of Robert T. Edens, P.C. at (847) 395-2200 or online today to schedule your initial consultation.

Aggressive driving has become a serious issue, in which drivers willingly put their own safety and of others sharing the road in jeopardy. There have been repeated incidents of aggressive driving leading to traffic accidents, resulting in fatal injuries and even death. Over 11,000 people die every year from auto accidents caused by aggressive driving in the United States, according to a report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Moreover, the injuries and deaths from these crashes are costly as well, costing nearly $40 billion to the nation annually.

It is important to understand what is aggressive driving and what you can do to avoid it to ensure the safety of everyone on the road.

What is Aggressive Driving?

Aggressive driving can be described as a combination of traffic offenses that an individual commits resulting in a threat to another person’s life or property. Generally, it is caused by traffic congestions, irritation from extreme weather conditions, long commutes to work, and behaviors to other drivers. Moreover, an individual’s reactions, moods, and ability to manage stress while driving and off road can contribute to aggressive driving.

This type of dangerous driving involves actions or behaviors, such as:

• Speeding: Exceeding the posted speed limit for a particular area, or going over a safe speed in difficult road conditions, such as inclement weather, construction sites, and others. It also includes racing.
• Tailgating: Getting too close to the vehicle in front and making signals, like flashing or honking, to make them go faster or pressurize them to switch lanes to get out of the way.
• Road hogging: This practice refers to abruptly and frequently changing lanes by making close cuts in order to get ahead.
• Expressions exhibiting anger: This includes screaming, abusive hand gestures, and yelling at drivers and others sharing the road.
• Failure to obey traffic rules: This includes running red lights, speeding on the yellow light, not giving the right of way, and others.

Most people use the terms aggressive driving and road rage interchangeably. However, both are quite different. Acts and behaviors, such as flashing lights or honking in the middle of traffic or expressing anger using abusive language, come under aggressive driving, which only increase the chances of an accident and are not illegal to do. On the other hand, road rage refers to a criminal act where a driver makes an attempt to intentionally kill or injure another driver or passenger.

Ways to Handle Aggressive Drivers

• Avoid Getting Involved: If an aggressive driver is making rude gestures and abusive remarks, you need to ignore them, refrain from making an eye contact, and let them pass to avoid confrontation.
• Give way: If an aggressive driver is speeding up or tailgating or exhibiting signs to race, you need to put the temptation and your pride aside and let them pass to avoid increasing the chances of an accident.
• Call the Police: If the aggressive driver is being too rash, it is better to call the police and report them. By doing so, you may be able to save several lives.

Have you been injured by an aggressive driver in a car accident? You should make a personal injury claim and get the compensation you deserve for your damages. Contact the Law Offices of Robert T. Edens, P.C. at (847) 395-2200 or online today to schedule your initial consultation with our auto accident attorney.

Every day, hundreds of vehicle accidents occur in the United States where the damage to either the vehicle or the driver is insignificant. To avoid the lengthy process of making a claim to the insurance policy, both drivers tend to settle matters between them and decide not to report the accident.

For example, you got involved in a fender bender where the other driver was at fault, which caused little damage to both of your cars, but no one was injured. The at-fault driver makes you a deal that they will pay you for the damages if you do not report the incident to the local law enforcement department and not make a claim. You think it is a good way to avoid hassle and exchange contact information to provide the other driver an estimate of the repair costs.

But is it the right thing to do? If you see the situation from a contractual viewpoint, the answer is no. Almost all car insurance policies have a clause that makes it mandatory for you to report all types of accidents to the insurance company regardless of the extent of damage and injury.

Minor Damage can Take Form of Serious Injuries

Whether you have been involved in a fender bender or your car sustained a cosmetic damage, it is highly likely that you had to spot your vehicle abruptly to avoid more damage. In such a situation, your body may have suffered a jerking effect, either backward and forward or side to side. This can result in back injuries, neck injuries, head trauma, lacerations, cuts, whiplash, and other injuries, no matter whether the vehicle sustained any major damage.

Some injuries do not manifest right away, and may take some hours, days or may be weeks to surface. So, if you did not suffer from any injury and your vehicle was just scratched, there is a chance that you start experiencing symptoms of serious injuries. It is essential to report every incident and see a doctor right away to get full assessment of your health. This will allow you to know whether you sustained any internal injuries, like a head trauma or concussion.

If you do not get medical treatment immediately and report the incident, you will not be able to make a claim on the insurance policy of the at-fault driver to get compensation for your injuries. This is because you will have no evidence to support your claim that your injuries were related to the accident.

When Reporting Damage is required by Law

There are times when you are legally responsible to report a crash no matter the degree of property damage and injuries. You must report the incident, if it involves:

• Death or injury
• A government vehicle
• A criminal act
• Unlicensed or uninsured drivers
• Bicyclists or pedestrians
• A vehicle transporting illegal or dangerous goods
• Damage to highway, municipal, or private property

If you have been involved in an accident regardless of the degree of damage, you should report it to the authorities. Talk to an experienced and reliable auto accident attorney to discuss your case. Contact the Law Offices of Robert T. Edens, P.C. at (847) 395-2200 or online today to schedule your initial consultation.