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Writer's pictureAttorney Carli K. Bryant

A Comprehensive Guide to Personal Injury Claims, Property Damage, & Car Wreck Insurance

Updated: Feb 23, 2023


Sometimes, people get harmed due to the actions of others. In some situations, the person may hold other people responsible for their actions and accountable for the harm caused.

Usually, a person who has been harmed holds others responsible through a personal injury claim. Typically, a personal injury claim requires the assistance and help of a professional legal representative. Anyway, you must know the parameters of personal injury.

When a person acts in a negligent manner and ties (intentionally or unintentionally) harms you, then that person has legal accountability for your damages and injuries.

For the damages and injuries, you can seek compensation through a personal injury case. Typically, the case is handled in civil court. You bring the claim forward and have a lawyer who represents you in the court.


The most common type of personal injuries is:

Medical Malpractice

Wrongful Death

Workplace Accident

Premise Liability

Products Liability

Injury from a slip and fall

Injury from misdiagnosis

Pedestrian Injuries


How Cell Phones Cause Car Accidents?


For the last 10 years, the number of personal injuries and death from vehicle accidents caused by cell phones have jumped from 120% to 850% in the U.S.

Besides, States and Cities are scrambling to enact traffic laws, aimed at decreasing the rising number of fatalities. In Alabama, there have been many deaths due to cell phone usage while driving.

Drunk driving was/is the primary cause of car accidents. Now, distracted driving has joined it. The high-speed is also one of the main causes of car accidents. There are a few ways car drivers get distracted while using cell phones.


Manual Distractions

Manual distractions refer to the shifting attention of the drivers from the road. For example, when the driver takes one or both hands from the wheel and reaches for a phone, text, or dials someone’s number, it can cause an accident, injury or death of someone.


Visual Distractions

When a driver takes his eyes off the road, even for a moment, it is enough time for his car or vehicle to travel several lengths.

For instance, the driver could hit another car in front of him. Most often, the driver drifts out of his travel lane while looking at his cellphone.

So, there is a need for a brief “switching time” to shift his attention back to the road. The switching time is required by the driver so that his brain can register the change. This is the time the driver will not have to avoid a collision.


Cognitive Distractions

Distraction does not only mean reaching out to your cellphone, dialing a number, or typing a text. It also means using a hands-free cellphone.

Many research studies have shown that drivers looking straight ahead can also experience “inattention blindness” when they talk on their cellphone with hands-free in their ears. Simply put, multi-tasking while driving is fatal.

A distracted car driver who caused the accident is legally accountable for compensating the victim of the accident. For example, if you are a victim, you can start by filing a damage claim or case with the at-fault car driver’s insurance company.

It is just a start to file your injury claim with the at-fault insurance company. You may think it is obvious that the other car driver has caused the accident. Nonetheless, you will not see a single penny in compensation unless you have the evidence or convince the adjuster.

Anyway, when you have a car accident, we recommend doing some important things. First, make sure you get to a safe area. Once done, you need to stop the car and get out of it. It is important to check who is involved in the accident, or who has caused it.

Don’t forget to call the police. Dial 911. The police must arrive at the crash site. You must collect as much info as you can so that you can accurately document the scene. This will help you explain what has happened, and the police will inscribe the report based on your info.

Likewise, you need to get the police report (we will explain that later in this article.) and contact your attorney to file your insurance claim against the individual or people that you believe had caused the accident.


The best way to handle the uninsured at-fault driver


A car accident is dangerous and can change your life instantly. The damages to your car mean shoveling a lot of money out of your pocket so that you can pay for the repair job. Also, you may spend even more money if you opt to buy a new car.

For instance, you have been injured in an accident and there is a lot of frustration because of the financial stress, medical bills, pain, suffering, etc.

If the accident, which has caused a lot of turmoil was not your mistake or fault, then you deserve compensation for the damages and injury from the at-fault driver.

Typically, the at-fault car driver’s insurance company will provide compensation. However, what to do if the at-fault driver does not have insurance?

Not having car insurance is completely illegal in the State of Alabama. This can cause driver's license suspension.

The fact is that some hundreds of people in Alabama still navigate the roads without any insurance – posing serious threats when car accidents occur.

In most situations, the at-fault driver does not or cannot pay out of his or her pocket for the injuries or damages he or she has caused.

If the driver who has caused the injury is not insured, your insurance coverage is usually put to use. Let us explain this!

You have purchased car insurance and pay a premium, which means the insurance company will protect you in the accident or similar event with a completely uninsured or underinsured driver.

However, because your insurance will cover the expenses of your damages or injuries, it does not mean that you won’t file a claim against the at-fault driver who is either underinsured or uninsured.

You must contact a professional and experienced personal injury attorney who will help you get the amount of compensation you deserve.


Headaches after a Car Wreck


Headaches after a car wreck are common complaints, which come from many sources. For instance, some people suffering from headaches before the accidents may find their condition has become consistent or more painful.

Other people won’t experience headaches for some time – i.e. for a few hours, days, or a week after the car wreck. Many factors lead to headaches after an auto accident.

Visiting a doctor helps determine the causes of the headaches after a car wreck. This way, the doctor can prescribe treatment and medication to help alleviate your pain.

There are several ways in which a passenger gets injured in a car wreck. As a result, the person has painful headaches.

Sometimes, the headaches are persistent. Experts argue that some causes are not immediately identifiable. Some of the most common causes are a strike or blow to the head and the whiplash.

The headache severity depends largely on the force exerted and the impact during the wreck. Many injuries can cause headaches after a car wreck or accident, there are certain injuries, which are likely to occur and may cause a lot of pain than others.

The most common are Post-traumatic Headache, Postconcussive Headache (also called migraine headache), Muscle-Contraction or Spasm Headaches, Whiplash Headache, Fracture Headache, as well as Occipital Neuralgia Headache or Pinched Headache.


Maintain Proper Records of Your Headaches.

We recommend you to keep records about your symptoms after a vehicle wreck. It is important to focus on the records of headaches.

Your doctor can get help from the written headaches records and this way. He or she understands your condition.

Also, this helps the doctor to prescribe adequate treatment. In particular, this is important if you are experiencing headaches for quite some time after the accident.

Therefore, make sure you mention the date and time in the records – i.e. when you start getting headaches, the period for which they last, the severity of the headaches, etc.

What is the value of a headache claim?

It is not easy to determine the value of a car wreck claim, especially the one that involves the headaches. It is because there are various factors involved.

The value, thus, can include all medical costs that result from the accident, pain and suffering, loss of income resulting from the trauma and deterioration of quality of life.

We must tell you that putting a dollar value to your suffering and pain caused by your headaches is not easy.

At Bryant Law Firm LLC, we have professional, experienced, and qualified attorneys who can help calculate the value of a headache claim based on economic losses.

You need the professional services of a qualified and competent Alabama car wreck or accident attorney to prove your claim adequately and get you the rightful compensation. You need to provide the necessary evidence to the attorney. For instance, the police report.


How to get a car accident report in Alabama?


Keep in mind that there are various significant aspects and things you must do after a car wreck. The first thing you must do is to get a copy of the car accident report filled out by the police.

The report about the car accident contains vital information about the accident. It is useful to have an insurance claim or file a lawsuit.

Therefore, you must comprehend that even in minor collisions. You need to get a copy of the car wreck report.

The best way to get the report is by visiting the “Alabama Law Enforcement Agency” website. Once there, you need to fill out an accident or crash report form.

After filling the form, the agency will provide you with a PDF copy of your crash report for a fee of $17. You can purchase the report through your credit card.

You can access the purchased report for 7 days. You need to use Adobe Reader to open, view, and print the report. It is because the report is in the PDF form.

What happens if you are in a Car Accident with a Ridesharing Service?

You may ask about the ridesharing services like Uber, Lyft, or taxi. In such a situation, the driver is accountable for your Uber, Taxi, or Lyft car accident.

The reason is that the driver is at fault, and he or she should have insurance, which will cover your injuries. Simply, your claim is valid.

Fortunately, ridesharing companies like Uber and Lyft have big insurance policies. For example, Uber requires drivers to carry $1 million in insurance.

This means if you are involved in an Uber, Taxi, or Lyft car accident, you can make a claim and the ride-sharing company will cover for your injuries.

For Lyft and Uber, drivers are contractors and the matter is a significant legal problem in a car crash. Law enforcement agencies and legislators have defined the boundaries of liability and financial responsibility.

If you are a victim, you may find that Uber, Lyft, or any other ridesharing services are not easy to contact without a lawyer.

The primary reason is that most ride-sharing reps avoid contacting passengers about the case. So, if you face such a situation, you can contact an attorney at Bryant Law Firm LLC.


Hit by a Car Outside a Crosswalk


Can you file a pedestrian claim if you were hit by a vehicle outside a crosswalk? This is an important question asked by many victims. Let us answer this question!

The answer is “Yes.”You can file a claim a car has hit you outside of a crosswalk. Keep in mind that winning the claim depends entirely on the accident circumstances.

Although crosswalks are areas where you, as a pedestrian, have the right of way or walking, these are not the only places where car drivers should exercise care.

Car drivers are required to exercise or practice a duty of care while navigating the streets. This, likewise, applies to pedestrians because they are at greater risk to get injuries and suffer from pain compared to the drivers of other vehicles.

Alabama’s crosswalk laws have covered the duties owned by pedestrians and drivers. Most of them are about outside of crosswalks.


Can you file for a property damage claim after a car wreck?

You can suffer bodily injuries after a car accident. However, the car accident can also result in property damage, which includes damages to your car and your personal property that is within the car at the time of the crash.

Cellphones, laptops, jewelry, purses, etc. are examples of personal property. The law for personal property damage will protect you in such a situation. An insurance claim form includes your personal property when you start to seek recovery.

When you are in a car crash, it is important to contact a car crash or accident property damage attorney at Bryant Law Firm LLC to make sure that your claim is fired adequately. The attorney at Bryant Law Firm LLC will ensure you receive a full recovery.

On the other hand, if you were involved in a crash with a semi-truck, the attorney would file your claim and work substantially to get a full recovery for all the damages done including bodily injuries, car damage, and personal property damage.


How does Covid-19 affect Personal Injury or Car Accident Lawsuits?


The novel coronavirus a.k.a. Covid-19 has stunned the world. There have been millions of cases around the world and thousands of deaths.

Just like the covid-19 has impacted all aspects of life, industries, commercial activities, etc. it has also affected personal injury and car accident claims.

To promote social distancing, Alabama courthouses are closed during the pandemic. There are a few processes, which can be done in courts.

Every week, the courts are open for a limited number of days. So, in injury cases, the courts in Alabama only address emergency matters.

Besides, the courtroom’s bottlenecking processes, schedules, and protocols will slow the timeline for a car crash and personal injury claims.

So, during the pandemic, it can take weeks or even months to get a response from the court. Although the situation is tense, we are hoping for the best.

Handling Children At Home While Injured During the Covid-19 Pandemic

If your children are injured as a result of a car accident, it is not easy to handle them, especially during the covid-19 pandemic. So, you must have a stable environment during the pandemic.

Here at Bryant Law Firm LLC, we suggest maintaining a good sleep schedule, waking up early in the morning, starting your day and doing the necessary things, etc. Also, make sure you take care of your children and give them prescribed medicines so that they can recover quickly.

Do not go outside the home unless you have a necessary errand. Make sure your children are away from the TV screen, especially the news channels and social media channels. Because they have injuries, the fear of the coronavirus can impact their immune system.

A strong immune system is vital for wounds and injury healing. Make sure you and your children wash their hands, wear masks if they need to go outside – for example, follow-up with the physician.

So, these are a few things you must do to handle your children at home while injured during the covid-19 pandemic.


Wrapping up, the underlying purpose of Bryant Law Firm LLC is to compensate people who sustained wounds or injuries because of the car crash or accident due to some else’s negligence.

We understand that personal injuries can widely vary, which often include fractures, spinal cord injuries, headaches, pain, soft-tissue injuries, brain injuries, or even simple bruises and bumps.

These types of injuries often require the help of a personal injury lawyer to help you file the claim and get the rightful compensation.

Bryant Law Firm LLC will help you file a claim with the parties involved and then put them on notice that you are going to seek compensation.

We will attempt to negotiate a suitable settlement offer with the negligent party. This is done through back-and-forth talks. If negotiations are not successful, we will file a lawsuit.

For more information, you can contact Bryant Law Firm LLC and discuss your personal injury, property damage, car damage, etc. with experienced and professional attorneys. Good Luck!


 

Contact:

Bryant Law Firm

120 19th Street North, Suite 328, Birmingham, AL 35203

carli.bryant@bryantlawfirmllc.com | 205-267-8561




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