Car accidents are a leading cause of serious injury and death. Not only do accident victims suffer physical pain, but the outcome of an accident can lead to long-term mental, emotional, and financial hardships.
Insurance companies work to minimize the amount they have to pay when one of their insured drivers causes an accident. If you’ve been hurt, you need the services of an attorney who understands car accident cases and how insurance companies operate in order to protect your rights.
REA Law is ready to help if you’ve been injured in a car crash or other motor vehicle accident. Start building your case by calling 775-300-7594 (NV) or 916-800-6090 (CA) for a free consultation with REA Law. We serve clients in and around Reno - Sparks and throughout Nevada. REA Law also has offices in Sacramento servicing California.
Read about the common types of car accidents and more:
- Drunk driving accidents
- Distracted driving accidents
- Rear-end accidents
- T-bone accidents
- Common injuries in a car accident
- What to do after a car accident
- Damages in a car accident case
- Do I need a lawyer after a car accident?
Drunk Driving Accidents
Being hurt by a careless driver is bad enough. A collision caused by someone who was drinking or using drugs literally adds insult to injury.
If you were hit by a drunk or drugged driver, REA Law will pursue maximum compensation for the injuries you’ve sustained. In addition to compensation for medical bills and other expenses, you may be eligible for punitive damages. If drunk driving was a major contributor to the accident and the injuries you sustained, attorney Ray Areshenko will examine the facts of your case and argue for punitive damages accordingly.
Punitive damages are a deterrent designed by the courts to dissuade people from engaging in an especially dangerous or socially harmful activity, such as drunk driving. Some states place a cap on punitive damages (such as Nevada), while others do not (such as California), provided the recovery is deemed reasonable by the court.
Distracted Driving Accidents
One of the growing causes of car accidents in Nevada, California, and all over the country is distraction. Though commonly associated with texting, distracted driving has many other causes, including:
- Talking on the phone
- Eating
- Conversing with passengers
- Grooming activities
- Tending to children or pets
Each of these activities takes a driver’s visual, manual, and/or cognitive capabilities off the road, elevating the risk of an accident. Texting and other forms of mobile phone use compromise all three of a driver’s capabilities to operate a car safely.
If you or a loved one was injured by a distracted driver, REA Law can help. Contact Ray Areshenko today for a complimentary case review in or around Reno, Nevada, or the Greater Sacramento area of California.
Rear-End Car Accidents
Accidents in which one driver hits another from behind make up a majority of car collisions nationwide. Rear-end accidents can have many causes, from drunk or distracted driving to an inadequate distance between cars in traffic.
One of the common injuries sustained in these car accidents is whiplash, a violent jerking of the neck in multiple directions. This form of soft tissue damage can have long-lasting effects on your health and bodily function, but it is unfortunately not immediately detectable at the scene of the crash.
This is just one reason why it’s so important to seek medical treatment after an accident. You don’t know when seemingly minor aches and pains after an accident can have an adverse long-term effect on your quality of life.
T-Bone Accidents
As the name suggests, these accidents happen when the front of one vehicle crashes into the side of another vehicle. They occur most frequently at intersections, when a driver runs a stop sign or red light or fails to account for nearby traffic when turning.
Side-impact airbags are becoming more and more common, but they aren’t standard on every vehicle. As a result, T-bone car accidents can result in serious injuries to the individuals sitting on the side of the vehicle that gets hit.
"I hired REA Law after being hit while driving. They settled the case for way more than a prior attorney I talked to said I could get, and reduced the amount I had to pay in bills so I got more at the end." - Carolyn, Avvo Review
Common Injuries in a Car Accident
Even “fender-benders” and seemingly minor car accidents can lead to significant injury, chronic pain, and more. Some of the most common injuries we see at REA Law after a car accident include:
- Whiplash
- Damage to the discs and other tissues in the neck and back
- Brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Severe burns
- Loss of a limb
- Damage to internal organs
Loss of life is a tragic outcome of serious accidents. If you lost a family member in a car accident, Ray Areshenko can pursue a wrongful death case to compensate you for the financial obstacles you face after losing your loved one.
At REA Law, your initial case evaluation is complimentary. We try car accident cases on a contingency basis, which means you owe us nothing in legal fees until Mr. Areshenko reaches an equitable settlement or achieves a jury verdict on your behalf.
What to Do after a Car Accident
Your case begins immediately at the scene of the accident. The insurance company will dispatch investigators to the location of the crash as soon as possible, so it’s important to take decisive action to protect your rights and increase the likelihood that you will recover maximum compensation.
The top 4 things to do after a car accident are:
- Seek medical care: If you have serious injuries, you be evaluated at the scene and transported to the hospital. However, just because you aren’t put in an ambulance doesn’t mean you should skip getting treatment. From concussions to soft tissue damage to internal bleeding, the extent of injuries after an accident isn’t always apparent. Going to the doctor will catch those injuries before they get worse, as well as start generating medical records and other documents that specify the injuries you’ve sustained, the treatments you’ve received, and the cost of medical intervention.
- Get the other driver’s insurance information: In order to file a claim, you need to know who hit you. If you don’t need immediate medical attention, be sure to exchange information with the other driver (or drivers) involved. Write down all crucial information from the driver’s license and proof of insurance card. You can also use your smartphone to take pictures of the documents.
- File a police report: When you call 911 to have emergency personnel dispatched to the accident scene, also ask for the police to respond, even if nobody is critically injured. The police officer will interview witnesses and document details at the scene that can support your claim.
- Contact an attorney: You should speak to a lawyer before talking to a representative from your insurance company or one acting on behalf of the other driver. These employees are in the business of using information against you in order to offer the lowest possible settlement; an attorney like Raymond E. Areshenko will act in your best interests.
As a lawyer formerly representing insureds on behalf of insurance companies, Ray Areshenko knows how these big corporations approach plaintiffs in car accident cases. REA Law is dedicated to hands-on service in your claim, but you can help us by following the steps above as soon as your injuries allow you to act.
Damages in a Car Accident Case
The amount of your recovery will depend on a variety of factors. Chief among these factors are the extent of your injuries and the financial burden you face in the wake of the accident.
When you consult with REA Law, we will review your case and discuss the compensation that may be available. You might be entitled to damages for:
- Medical treatment costs
- Lost income
- Loss of future wages as a result of being unable to perform job duties
- The cost of repair or replacement of your vehicle
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
Some damages are easy to quantify, such as the cost you incurred for emergency treatment, surgery, rehabilitation, and medication. Others, such as pain and suffering, are more difficult to assign an exact monetary value. After a complete review of your case, our attorney will be able to advise you how much you may be able to recover after the car accident.
Do I Need a Lawyer after a Car Accident?
Car crash claims might seem deceptively simple, but the involvement of one or more insurance companies will always lead to obstacles for victims trying to attain fair compensation for their injuries. As a former insurance company lawyer, Raymond E. Areshenko can provide you with knowledgeable representation after a car accident.
REA Law serves clients in Reno, Sparks, and throughout Nevada, as well as Northern California. If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, please call 775-300-7594 or email us for your complimentary case review. For service in California, please dial 916-800-6090 to start building your claim.
