Examples of minor car accidents could include a low speed, rear-end collision that results in a broken taillight or a fender bender with insignificant damage. However, regardless of how minor an accident you get in, it can feel like a big deal. While these accidents might cause slight damage to your vehicle, you could still sustain injuries.
If you did sustain injuries in what otherwise was a minor collision, you could still seek compensation from the liable party. A car accident lawyer can advise whether your best option includes accepting an insurance settlement or fighting for more through a lawsuit.
Examples of Minor Car Accidents
Minor car accidents happen every day. These crashes usually don’t affect the vehicle’s ability to function. For instance, you might sustain body damage but still be able to drive your car.
Examples of minor car accidents include:
- Broken taillights
- Broken windshields or windows
- Fender benders
- Rear-end accidents
You might not see your minor car accident as a big deal. However, you might develop injuries with long-lasting symptoms. So, by consulting an attorney, they can determine if you have a viable case. If so, they can help you through the claims or lawsuit process, so you don’t have to suffer the economic effects of a minor car accident.
Common Causes of Minor Car Accidents
Minor car accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. If drivers take their attention off the road for one second, they can collide with another vehicle.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that distracted driving is one of the most common causes of car accidents. Distractions include anything that takes the driver’s manual, visual, or cognitive attention off driving. Other causes of minor car accidents include:
- Driving under the influence
- Inexperienced drivers
- Driver fatigue
- Weather conditions
- Poor road conditions
Why Do I Need to Know Who Caused My Minor Car Crash?
Identifying the responsible party in your accident means you must determine the cause. These two factors correlate. You can gather evidence to prove the at-fault party with a proper investigation. Then, you can seek compensation for your losses from that party.
For example, if your accident occurred because of another driver’s negligence, the at-fault party would be the other driver. However, when accidents occur because of poor road conditions, liability could fall on a municipality or another government agency.
Injuries You Could Sustain From a Minor Car Accident
Minor car accidents typically don’t cause life-altering injuries, such as traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injury. However, you could still experience pain and require medical attention after a minor collision.
Common injuries you could sustain in a minor car accident include:
- Whiplash: Rear-end accidents are a leading cause of whiplash. While whiplash sometimes clears independently, you could experience pain in the future, requiring physical therapy or other medical interventions.
- Minor head injury: During the crash, you might bump your head on the dashboard or side window. While a minor bump to the head might not cause a significant brain injury, you could still experience physical pain.
- Cuts: If you have glass break during the collision or a sharp object in your vehicle hits you, you could sustain cuts that require medical intervention.
As you can see, even minor injuries could require medical treatment or physical rehabilitation. In addition, you could experience pain and suffering because of these injuries. You deserve to seek compensation for both economic and noneconomic damages. By filing a claim, you could do that.
You Could Still Sustain Damages From a Minor Car Accident
The aftermath of a minor car accident could leave you with physical and emotional issues you must live with for years. Thus, recoverable damages you could incur from a minor car accident include the following:
- Medical expenses: Even minor injuries could require medical intervention. So, you could seek compensation for any healthcare treatments you had to pay out-of-pocket through your claim.
- Pain and suffering: Injuries such as whiplash or lacerations could cause you to endure physical pain or discomfort. An attorney could help you quantify the value of your pain and suffering damages. In addition, they can gather evidence to prove you deal with physical issues because of the accident.
- Emotional distress: Even a minor car accident can cause trauma. That trauma could lead to emotional issues, such as anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder. Regardless of the crash’s severity, you could endure these issues for the remainder of your life. Your attorney can gather evidence to prove you deal with these losses and quantify their value.
You could have a valid car accident claim if you sustained these losses from a minor car crash.
You Have a Limited Time to Negotiate a Fair Settlement for Minor Car Accident Damages
If you plan to seek compensation for your damages, you must understand you must comply with your state’s statutory deadline. In Texas, Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003 allows the injured party two years to build a case against the liable party. So, before the deadline expires, you must settle the case or file a lawsuit to preserve your right to seek compensation.
Once the deadline passes, your chance to recover compensation lessens or goes away entirely. Thus, it’s important to start working with an attorney soon to have enough time before the deadline ends.
Contact a Car Accident Attorney Today
You shouldn’t have to suffer financial harm because of the negligent actions of another driver on the roads. However, when it comes to minor accidents, an insurance company could fight to avoid paying the compensation you need to deal with the aftermath of a minor collision. In this case, a car accident lawyer from Loncar Lyon Jenkins could fight for you to reach a fair settlement agreement outside of court.
Our team will help you during the claims process after a minor car accident has injured you. We understand the difficulties you could face after sustaining injuries. Thus, let us handle the legal issues so you can focus on healing. Contact us today for a free consultation.
