Fender-benders generally rank among the most minor of car accidents. Property damage in these incidents also tends to be negligible. Even so, the sudden jerk force to the back of a vehicle can lead to injuries. Persons affected in these cases also deserve compensation for the damage to their cars or other personal items damaged in the process. An experienced attorney can assist with filing a personal injury claim and recovering compensation.
What Is a Fender-Bender?
A fender-bender is a low-speed car crashes that typically results in minor damage to the vehicle. These incidents often happen in parking lots or near intersections when one car rear-ends another. Property damage is usually limited to the fenders, but it could also cause breakable items to slide off the backseat or collide with other objects in the trunk. Additionally, the force of rear impact accidents can cause severe injuries.
What Kind of Lawyer Handles Fender-Benders?
Personal injury attorneys take on fender-bender cases and other types of traffic accidents. While this is a common practice area that most law firms cover, some lawyers only handle cases involving catastrophic injuries. These include brain and spinal cord injuries.
Thankfully, most attorneys do not charge fees for the initial consultation or a case review. In fact, you generally pay nothing until or unless the firm wins the case. Consequently, you have some room to look for suitable matches who will prioritize your case and treat you with compassion.
What Are Some Common Causes of Fender-Benders?
When reviewing your case, the attorney must identify the cause of the fender-bender. Most of these cases end with fault going to the person who struck the other car from behind. However, sudden braking and other factors could lead to the reverse or cause the court to assign partial blame to the driver struck from behind.
Speeding
Drivers who exceed posted speed limits endanger themselves and other road users. These drivers have a harder time stopping their vehicles at stop signs, stoplights and in emergencies. For example, you might stop as a child runs across the street, but the driver behind you fails to do the same. If a speeding driver collides with your vehicle, they will likely be at fault for the resulting damages.
Following Too Closely
Tailgating is dangerous driving behavior that leads to many fender-benders. Drivers who follow too closely behind other vehicles do not have time to stop if the car in front of them stops abruptly. Some states have laws that require drivers to maintain a safe distance between their cars and the cars in front of them. The general rule of thumb is to maintain one car length for every 10 mph.
Failure To Yield
Usually, failing to yield leads to T-bone collisions at intersections, but it can also cause fender-benders. For example, you stop at a stop sign before proceeding, but the other person fails to do so. No one else enters the intersection, but they end up striking the back of your vehicle. In some instances, they could hit the tail end of a car crossing the intersection.
Distracted Driving
Texting, talking on the phone, changing the radio station and other distracted driving habits put people at risk. If a driver succumbs to distractions, they might not see the car in front of them stop or slow down. If a distracted driver collides with your vehicle, they will likely be at fault.
Reckless Driving
Reckless driving can manifest in several ways. The individual might have road rage and attempt to intimidate you. However, miscalculation eventually leads to them striking the back of your vehicle. Some people might be reckless enough to strike your vehicle deliberately, often with the intention of fleeing the scene or causing maximum damage.
Why Should I Hire an Attorney After a Fender-Bender?
Even if you have minor injuries and the other driver is clearly at fault, an attorney increases the odds of the insurance company or court coming to the same conclusion. Here are some additional reasons to hire an attorney for your case.
The Attorney Has More Resources
Law firms have a team of professionals with one main goal: to help you recover compensation for your injuries. These professionals investigate accidents, recover evidence, speak to law enforcement agencies and file paperwork. Tapping into more resources can increase your odds of building a solid and convincing case.
The Attorney Handles the Paperwork
An attorney can help you file a personal injury claim if you have significant injuries or are unsure who is at fault. He or she also fills out the correct forms and negotiates with the insurance company on your behalf so that you can focus on your recovery. The lawyer might also need to file a lawsuit if the insurance company denies your claim or offers an unfair settlement.
You Might Need to Go to Court
Sometimes, you might need to use litigation to secure a fair settlement. This is more likely to happen if the other driver was driving recklessly, under the influence or does not have insurance. An attorney represents you in court in pursuit of the best possible outcome for your case. The attorney preps you for court if you need to testify.
You Have Nothing To Lose
Personal injury attorneys typically do not charge upfront for their services. Consequently, you can hire a Buffalo attorney risk-free. Successful cases that involve attorneys tend to pay for themselves with higher compensation values. States and local jurisdictions limit how much money attorneys can reclaim from personal injury awards and settlements.
How Can Cellino Law Help With Your Personal Injury Case?
No matter how minor your case might seem, experience matters. Some people might argue that more minor issues require the most experience because courts might view the case as trivial. We have recovered more than $2 billion for cases at varying levels of severity and treat each case with the urgency they deserve. Our team understands that even seemingly minor incidents can have life-altering effects on the people involved, such as missing an interview for a high-paying job because of the crash.
Are you ready to see what our team can do for you? Contact Cellino Law to get started.