Did you know that more than two million people are injured in car accidents every year? Getting hurt in a car accident is traumatic no matter where you were injured. However, face injuries from wrecks can be especially hard to deal with.
Not only are these injuries painful, but they’re also on display for the whole world to see. If you’ve gotten into car accidents and face injuries then you’re probably wondering what you should do next.
Oftentimes the stress of the situation can make it hard to figure out. To help you find out we’ve organized this article of steps that everyone should take. That way, you can stay as calm and collected as possible during the event. Let’s get started!
1. Gather Evidence If You Can
This step can get complicated, especially if you’re seriously hurt at the scene of the accident. If your injury is serious, then you or someone else should call 911. You should also do your best to treat the injury if it’s bleeding.
However, it’s also important to remember that this will be one of the few instances where you can gather first-hand evidence. If you were the victim of the crash, then odds are you’ll be filing a personal injury lawsuit.
Unfortunately, insurance companies and defendants will likely fight you tooth and nail over any damages that you’re owed. One way they’ll do this is by pointing out a lack of evidence in the discovery phase.
As such, if you or someone else can, then gather as much evidence as you can at the scene of the accident. Pictures and videos of the surrounding area are very helpful. Witnesses are also invaluable, so ask for people’s numbers if they saw the accident occur. You should also get a copy of the police report if you can.
2. Seek Medical Attention
Next, you should seek medical attention for your face injury. You should do this even if it doesn’t seem serious. Sometimes internal face injuries or concussions can be hard to detect.
Make sure to keep a detailed collection of your medical bills. This will help come in handy when you try to recover economic damages.
3. Consult With a Lawyer
Next, it’s time to find legal help. The good news is that most car accident lawyers and attorneys will provide a free consultation. During this time they’ll measure the strength of your case.
They’ll do this by asking questions about the nature of the accident, the extent of your injuries, and any evidence/records you might have. During this phase, you should also ask the lawyer any questions you might have.
It’s helpful to ask about any experience they have with these types of cases. That way you can get a good sense of if they’re a good fit for your specific case.
4. Move Forward With Your Injury Lawsuit
Once you have a lawyer it’s time to proceed with your injury lawsuit. The first step to this is filing the necessary paperwork. After that, both sides will begin the discovery phase.
This is essentially a phase where evidence is shared and witnesses are investigated. This is where have first-hand evidence comes in handy. After the pretrial hearings, everyone moves into the settlement phase.
This is where most car accident personal injury cases will be settled. However, if one party disputes during the negotiations, then the case will move forward to an actual trial with a judge and jury. If your case does go to trial, then you must experience legal help.
What Type of Face Injuries Are Commonly Associated With Car Accidents?
There are a variety of facial injuries that can occur when you get in a car accident. Most of these involve minor bruises, cuts, and lacerations. However, in some cases, they can cause serious broken bones, scars, and other physical trauma.
If one of the vehicles catches fire, then there is also the risk of facial burns. Here’s a complete list of some of the common facial injuries that accompany car accidents:
- First degree burns
- Second-degree burns
- Third-degree burns
- Broken zygomatic bone
- Broken mandible
- Broken maxilla
- Broken nasal bone
- Hypertrophic scarring
- Keloid scarring
- Contracture scarring
What Type of Damages Can You Recover From a Car Accident Face Injury?
There are three types of damages you can get from a car accident face injury lawsuit. The first is economic damages. This covers financial losses, like medical bills from your injury, or time lost at work while recovering.
The second is non-economic damages. These are factors that have negatively influenced the quality of your life. They can be things like physical and emotional pain, or mental health trauma. The last one is punitive damages.
This is for instances where the defendant was especially negligent or reckless in their behavior. It’s meant to punish them and prevent them from acting that way in the future.
Ultimately, the amount of damages that you can recover depends on the strength of your case. And, more often than not, this depends on the quality of your lawyer.
As such, you should make sure that your legal help has extensive experience in dealing with car accident injuries. Not sure where to find good legal help? Go to Hale Law to find some of the best accident attorneys available.
Want More Content? Keep Reading
We hope this article helped you learn what to do in the event of car accident face injuries. If you’ve been the victim of reckless driving, then you deserve compensation for both the emotional and physical pain you’ve gone through.
However, regardless of whether or not you pursue legal action, you should always seek medical attention right away. This can minimize the damage and potentially make the injuries less severe.
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Andrea Parker is a reporter for Zobuz. She previously worked at Huffington Post and Vanity Fair. Andrea is based in NYC and covers issues affecting her city. In addition to her severe coffee addiction, she’s a Netflix enthusiast, a red wine drinker, and a voracious reader.