Flint Fender-bender accidents are incredibly common, and although they may not be as serious as major vehicular wrecks, they can still lead to expensive vehicle damages and medical bills. You could suffer from minor or serious injuries, but you may not be able to recognize your injuries at the time of the wreck.
If you experience a Flint fender-bender accident, you need to take immediate precautions to ensure your safety. Additionally, you need to take certain steps to help you build your case in the event that you need to file a personal injury claim.
Common Causes of Flint Fender-Bender Accidents
Many different factors can contribute to a fender-bender accident, and most of them involve driver negligence. When you’re driving, you need to ensure that you drive cautiously and be on the lookout for drivers who may cause an accident for the following reasons:
- Speeding
- Running a stop sign
- Tailgating
- Running a red light
- Aggressive driving
- Driving while distracted
- Driving while under the influence of drugs and alcohol
- Failing to yield
- Hitting a car while changing lanes
Two other common causes of fender-bender accidents include bad weather conditions and obstacles on the road. Bad weather conditions can limit your visibility and cause dangerous road conditions. You need to drive extra carefully in bad weather because you can still be found liable even if you wrecked because of dangerous weather conditions.
If you suffer from a fender bender resulting from an obstacle in the road, you may have difficulty holding the liable person responsible. It can be nearly impossible to track down the responsible driver unless they pull over after your wreck or you’re able to record their license plate number.
What Injuries Can Occur After a Flint Fender-Bender Accident?
Fender-bender accidents are considered minor and usually don’t have over $500 worth of damages, but people can still suffer from injuries after these accidents. Common injuries that occur after fender-bender accidents include:
- Lacerations
- Soft-tissue injuries
- Fractures
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Whiplash and other neck injuries
- Disk herniation
- Bruises
- Internal bleeding
- Back injuries
If you suffer from an injury as a result of a fender bender caused by another person, you shouldn’t have to pay out of pocket for your injuries. You can file a personal injury claim to hold the negligent party responsible.
What Should I Do After Getting in a Fender Bender?
After experiencing a fender-bender accident, you need to take measures to protect your health and your personal injury claim. Follow these steps after a wreck:
- Ensure you’re in a safe position: The first step you need to take is to make sure you and your passengers are safe after the wreck. You don’t want your vehicle to be in the way of oncoming traffic or in another hazardous position. If possible, move your vehicle to the side of the road. If you can’t move your vehicle over, turn on your hazards.
- Call 911 if necessary: If you or someone else in the wreck suffered serious injuries, you need to call 911 to seek emergency medical attention.
- Call the police: In Michigan, you are required to report your accident to the police even if it’s minor. Contacting the police will also help your insurance or personal injury claim because police reports provide critical evidence.
- Don’t admit fault: People often apologize after car accidents instinctually even if it’s not their fault. Anything you say to others involved in your wreck can be used against you in the event that you or another person files a claim, so never admit fault at the scene. Additionally, anything you say to the police or to an insurance company can also be used against you in a personal injury claim. If the police ask you questions regarding the accident, answer truthfully but don’t overshare. Also, never talk to the other driver’s insurance company without a lawyer.
- Receive medical treatment: If emergency technicians arrive at the scene, receive medical treatment or an examination from them. Additionally, you should go to a doctor after suffering from even a mild car accident. You could have suffered from an injury that is not yet apparent.
- Collect contact information: While you’re at the scene of the wreck, you need to exchange contact and insurance information from the other drivers involved. Additionally, you need to collect the contact information of anyone who witnessed the wreck.
- Gather evidence: If you’re physically able, you need to gather as much evidence at the scene as possible. You can record eyewitness accounts, take pictures and videos on your phone, and record any elements that may have contributed to the wreck, such as poor weather or road conditions. Additionally, you can use the police report as evidence for your claim.
- Contact a personal injury lawyer: In Michigan, drivers are considered equally to blame after a car wreck unless there’s evidence suggesting a particular driver was at fault. If you plan on filing a personal injury claim, you need evidence indicating the wreck was caused by the other driver. You can strengthen your case by contacting a personal injury attorney. A qualified personal injury lawyer will help you receive more for your injuries because they have experience helping victims gather evidence and present their cases.
Contact a Flint, Michigan Car Accident Attorney
If you’re involved in a fender bender or another car accident that leaves you injured, you need a skilled car accident lawyer to help you with your claim. Here at Lee Steinberg Law Firm, our personal injury and car accident attorneys have years of experience helping Detroit and Michigan residents receive the money they deserve for their injuries. We can help you recover compensation for vehicle damages, medical bills, lost wages, loss of future earnings, pain and suffering, and more.
Contact our office at 800-533-3733, or you can click here to schedule a FREE CASE EVALUATION.
Video Transcript
This is Eric Steinberg from the Lee Steinberg Law Firm and I’m here to talk about fender benders. Fender benders are often thought of as being minor car accidents, but oftentimes they’re not. Just because there’s not a lot of vehicle damage, doesn’t mean there’s a lot of damage to the person. In fact, there’s been lots of scientific studies that have shown that even a minor impact or a “fender bender” can severely injure somebody. We’ve had cases where people have had herniated discs, low back pain, herniated necks, a wide variety of issues because of a so-called fender bender. If you’ve been involved in a minor car accident recently and you need some help, give us a call at 1-800-LEE-FREE. We can answer your questions. You can be entitled to different benefits like Michigan no fault benefits as well as pain and suffering. Give our office a call.
