Any vehicle collision has the potential to put you out of work during an extended recovery period, but head-on crashes tend to have long-term physical and emotional consequences. Broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, and permanent mobility problems are all more likely in high-speed accidents when two vehicles collide face to face. When dealing with these types of devastating collisions, an experienced attorney is essential to recovering the full damages you are owed.
Head-on Collision Injuries in Virginia Accidents
Whether the accident involved a cargo truck or a passenger vehicle like a car or SUV, head-on collisions are frequently caused by negligent behavior. Anyone who gets behind the wheel in Virginia has a moral and a legal duty to follow traffic laws and keep other drivers and pedestrians safe. That duty is breached and the driver becomes liable for damages when they engage in behaviors like:
- Attempting to pass on the highway without enough space
- Distracted driving like texting, fiddling with knobs, or interacting with back seat passengers
- Driving the wrong way on a one-way street
- Drunk driving or driving under the influence of drugs
- Failing to heed traffic lights and stop signs
- Reckless driving during poor weather conditions
- Road rage incidents
- Speeding
- Tired driving
Head-on car crashes often occur at high speeds during highway travel, but there is still a possibility of extremely serious injuries at lower speeds. In particular, victims in these types of accidents are at risk of:
- Amputations
- Disfigurement and permanent scarring
- Fractures
- Internal organ damage
- Severe emotional issues leading to PTSD, depression, and anxiety
- Soft tissue damage
- Spinal cord or traumatic brain injury
- Wrongful death
Navigating the Legal Process After a Head-on Collision
Obviously, any of these major injury types suffered in a head-on crash has the possibility to radically change your life. Issues like loss of mobility, additional corrective surgeries required in the future, long-term pain management, and physical therapy can all drastically impact your future.
Activities you never thought twice about before can become extremely difficult, and you may be unable to go back to work and earn a living. Whether you suffered broken bones making it hard to complete tasks for your employer or a traumatic brain injury leading to cognitive issues, it may take time to acclimate to your new normal. To protect your legal rights after a head-on crash and recover compensation while medical bills are piling up, you need to act quickly.
Receiving compensation from the negligent party requires documenting your injuries, proving the root cause of the accident, and showing that someone failed to uphold the basic duty of care required by Virginia law. To get that process started, it is critical to pursue medical attention as soon as possible and keep a record of all medical costs and procedures.
After any head-on crash on a highway or city street, you should always take a trip to the emergency room as soon as possible―even if you don’t think you have any broken bones or serious head trauma. You may have internal injuries that aren’t apparent and need to be addressed quickly. Although it isn’t possible in every crash, taking photos of the vehicles at the scene and gathering contact details from anyone who witnessed the accident is also extremely helpful.
Why You Need an Attorney if You Were Injured in a Crash
Dealing with an insurance adjuster’s requests for paperwork and handling the complicated process of seeking compensation can easily become overwhelming when you are preoccupied with physical healing. You can remove a major source of stress during this difficult time by contacting an attorney to handle the legal issues and assist in the process of financial recovery.
Victims in head-on collisions can potentially recover substantial damages through an insurance settlement, or by pursuing an injury case in court against the at-fault driver who caused the head-on collision. Those damages may not just include direct medical costs, but can also cover:
- Lost wages during your recovery following the crash
- Future earning potential if your injuries interfere with employment
- Surgeries and physical therapy that may be needed in the future
- Non-economic damages like pain and suffering that reduces your overall quality of life
Due to the extremely high medical costs involved and the substantial impact on your life, insurance companies have a vested interest in either denying your claim or trying to get you to accept a lowball offer quickly.
The first offer frequently won’t cover the full amount you deserve, and insurance companies may try to trip you up and get you to admit fault even when you weren’t responsible. That’s why you need a skilled personal injury attorney to:
- Help you protect yourself from common insurance tactics like using old medical records or social media posts to dispute your injury
- Investigate the cause of the accident to find the best possible sources of compensation
- Gather and present evidence proving who was responsible for your injuries
- File legal paperwork within the Virginia statute of limitations on personal injury cases
- Effectively tell your story in court if necessary
With a Richmond personal injury attorney in your corner, you can seek the full amount you truly deserve and get back to living life on your own terms. To find out if your case is a good fit for pursuing a lawsuit, The Mottley Law Firm offers a free consultation that lets us learn about the specifics of your case.
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