Car Accident Claims

If you are involved in a car accident, a journal can prove extremely useful in documenting and proving your injuries, expenses, and pain and suffering.

Automobile accidents can be extremely traumatizing especially if they cause serious injuries and property damage. Although most of us like to believe that it can never happen to us, especially if we drive carefully at all times, the reality is that all of us are at risk of being involved in an accident.

Despite your best efforts to stay safe, you may get involved in an automobile accident caused by another careless, negligent, or reckless driver. In this case, you can generally claim financial compensation for your injuries and property damage from an at-fault driver. However, to make a successful claim, you need to prove that the accident was the other person’s fault and that you suffered injuries as a result. To do this, it is extremely important that you record all facts and gather all possible evidence that can strengthen your claim. Maintaining a car accident journal can be helpful in preparing your case and making a successful claim.

This journal can be helpful evidence in your car accident case and may be shared with your lawyer and in court. Here is what you may record in your car accident journal.

Information to Include in Your Journal

Details about the accident: It is extremely important that you record all the details of the accident as soon as possible after the crash. You should include the details of the other driver, his behavior before and after the crash (drunk, distracted, drowsy, aggressive, etc.). Also, include the details such as weather conditions at the time of accident, road defects and other information that may be relevant to the cause of accident.

Medical treatment and doctor’s treatment: You can obviously get your medical records from your doctor, but it is important that you write down what your doctor said at your appointments. This will help you keep track of your treatment and recovery.

Pain and suffering: This step is very important because your pain will fade over time, and you need to document how bad it was to prove how much you suffered.

Impact of the accident on your life: If you had to miss work, vacations, family events, or you could not pursue your hobbies due to car accident injuries, you should note it down in your journal.

Note all details honestly and add a date to all your journal entries.

Keeping an Accident Journal

Make sure you maintain your journal in a convenient way so that you can make entries easily and then retrieve the information when required. You can keep a document on your computer or tablet or use the traditional paper journal. Whatever method you choose, the idea is to record all the information that may be relevant to your claim.

If you have been injured in a St. Louis automobile accident, it’s in your best interests to speak with an experienced St. Louis car wreck attorney as soon as possible.

Summertime is a great time to be out and about, enjoying the sun and warm weather. However, it’s also a time when car accidents seem to happen frequently.

Here are 10 common reasons car accidents happen in the summer months.

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1. People are driving more. With the warmer weather and longer days, people are naturally inclined to get out and about more. Unfortunately, this means more cars on the road and more opportunities for accidents to happen.

2. People are driving faster. With the good weather and open roads, people tend to let their foot off the gas a bit more and go a little faster than they normally would. This can lead to accidents especially if the drivers aren’t paying attention.

3. The roads are more crowded. With everyone driving more, the roads are bound to be more crowded and congested. This can lead to accidents as people jockey for position on the road.

4. There are more pedestrians and cyclists. With the nice weather, there are also more people out walking and biking. Unfortunately, this can lead to accidents, for example, if drivers don’t yield the right of way.

5. There are more construction projects. With the warmer weather, construction crews are able to work longer hours and get more projects done. This can lead to accidents if drivers aren’t paying attention to the road or if they don’t slow down in construction zones.

6. The days are longer. With the days being longer, there is more time for people to be out and about. Unfortunately, this means more traffic on the roads and more opportunities for accidents to happen.

7. People are vacationing. With the summer months comes the vacation season. As a result, people are traveling more, which means more cars are on the road. This can lead to accidents, especially when driving in unfamiliar territory or not paying attention to the road.

8. There are more young drivers on the road. With school out for summer, there are more inexperienced drivers on the road leading to accidents.

9. People are drinking more. With the warmer weather and summertime fun, people are more likely to drink alcohol. This can lead to drunk driving accidents if they’re not careful or if they’re driving after having too much to drink.

10. People are distracted. With all the summertime activities, people are more likely to be distracted while driving. Unfortunately, this can lead to accidents.

Have You Been Injured in a Summertime Auto Accident in St. Louis?

As you can see, there are many reasons why car accidents happen more in summer. Unfortunately, this means that the risk of being injured in an auto accident also increases. If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident, we can help. Give us a call 24/7 for a free case evaluation.

Failing to yield the right of way often results in serious and even fatal car accidents in St. Louis.

Yielding the right of way essentially means letting another car enter an intersection before you do. However, yielding the right of way transcends more than just driving in an intersection and touches every aspect of driving.  Other situations where drivers can yield the right of way include when merging into a multi-lane roadway or when you reach a dead-end while driving on a rural road.

Yielding the right of way isn’t about asserting your dominance on the road. On the contrary, it’s about letting another vehicle go before you to mitigate the chances of colliding with each other.

When Should You Yield the Right of Way?

Missouri has pretty straightforward laws on situations when you should yield the right of way. Here are a few situations when you should yield the right of way.

Intersections

• Motorists should yield the right of way when pedestrians are crossing the intersection legally.
• When entering a parking area, alleyway, or driveway, vehicles must yield right of way to crossing pedestrians.
• All drivers turning left should let all vehicles going straight go first before turning.
• In four-way intersections, you should generally let the drive that reaches the intersection first cross first.
• In cases where the intersection lacks stop signs or traffic lights, you should generally allow drivers coming from the right to pass before you proceed.

Emergencies and Emergency Vehicles

When ambulances and other emergency sound their siren, you should give them the right of way so they can get the victim to the hospital in good time.

Pedestrians With Disabilities

• Blind passengers, usually with a guiding dog or a white cane with a red tip, get the right of way in intersections.
• Pedestrians on wheelchairs or crutches also deserve the right of way, especially in busy intersections.

Yield the Right of Way to Sidestep Accidents

Yielding the right of way not only lets you avoid traffic violations but also helps mitigate car accidents. So make sure you yield the right of way appropriately to prevent accidents.

If you have been involved in a car accident due to another driver’s failure to yield the right of way, get in touch with an experienced St. Louis car accident attorney at The Hoffmann Law Firm 24/7 for a free consultation.