Getting rear-ended at a stoplight or stop sign, while you’re stuck in highway traffic, or traveling at speed on any kind of road can be a frightening and physically debilitating experience. From whiplash to cuts from broken glass to more serious injuries like broken bones and spinal cord tears, the effects of this sort of wreck can last for months, years, or even decades afterward. Often, the person who suffers those injuries isn’t at fault for the crash that caused them.
Fortunately, you can take legal action against anyone who caused you harm by causing a rear-end car accident in Eatontown through their own irresponsible driving. Through every stage of the legal process, an experienced auto accident attorney can make sure your civil claim is as strong as possible and work tirelessly to get you every cent of compensation you deserve.
What to Do After Being Rear-Ended
Regardless of who’s at fault for a car crash or where it happens, every person involved in the wreck is required by law to stop at the scene, trade contact and insurance information with each other, and contact police or emergency services if there’s serious vehicle damage or if anyone was hurt in the incident. Even if you’re not to blame for a rear-end collision in Eatontown, failing to do any of these things could lead to you facing criminal charges for a hit and run.
You also want to take some preliminary steps to gather evidence related to your crash, such as:
- Taking photos of all damage sustained by all vehicles involved
- Taking photos and videos of the surrounding area, focusing especially on local traffic patterns and any obstacles that might’ve blocked a driver’s view of the road ahead of them
- Getting contact info from eyewitnesses to the crash
- Looking for nearby traffic, dashboard, or surveillance cameras that might’ve recorded the crash and getting contact info from their owners
Once hired, your attorney will be able to factor this information into the claim they help you build against the person at fault for causing your injuries.
Getting Paid Fairly Within Filing Deadlines
As long as you can prove someone else was primarily at fault for causing an Eatontown rear-end car accident through their own irresponsible actions, you can demand money from that person for past and future forms of harm you’ll suffer because of their negligence, such as:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Car repair or replacement costs not already covered by insurance
- Mental anguish and distress
- Medical bills not already covered by insurance
- Loss of life’s pleasures
- Lost working and earning ability
No matter how severe your injuries are, you generally need to file suit no later than two years after the date of the crash, or else the statute of limitations will likely prevent you from getting paid anything at all.
An Eatontown Attorney Can Help Sue Over a Rear-End Car Accident
While it’s true that the rearmost driver is usually the one to blame for rear-end collisions, the court won’t assume that’s the case in every situation. If you want to recover financially for the harm you suffered in a rear-end car accident in Eatontown, you need to prove the accident happened because of the other driver’s negligence. That can be much easier said than done.
Fortunately, our winning lawyers can help you build the strongest possible claim and maximize your chances of getting paid what you deserve. Call Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers today to get started. You won’t owe us anything until we win the compensation you deserve.