I myself drive long distances on a daily basis – and when I say long distances, I mean a 70 mile round trip to work every day. This daily trip serves to remind me of the dangers of the road. My trip comprises mainly of going up and down the MI motorway. Accident hotspots on motorways can be the areas around junctions where traffic is meeting. This is similar to accident hotspots on any road where traffic meets at roundabouts, junctions, and where traffic is generally merging.
Injuries
A more common injury we see here at The Injury Lawyers as a result of a road accident is whiplash. Whiplash is a condition which can be greatly undermined, as it is mostly invisible to the naked eye – unlike a laceration or a broken bone. At The Injury Lawyers, however, we treat whiplash with the utmost seriousness as we know the severe pain it causes as well as the devastating effect it can have on people’s lives. Whiplash is an extremely unpredictable condition – a doctor may say you will recover in 3 months, but 1 year down the line you are still in pain. This is why it is advisable to gain the advice of a specialist personal injury lawyer. A good lawyer will normally not advise you to settle your claim before you have recovered for this very reason – if your settlement is based on a recovery period of 3 months, but you are still suffering in 1 year – you may have greatly undervalued your claim.
What to do after an accident
After an accident many people can be dazed and shocked – but if you able to do so, it is advisable to do the following things:
- Report the accident to the Police – the Police may give you an accident reference number, or they may want to compile a report. Police reports can be used as evidence in a personal injury claim – therefore it is advisable that you report the accident circumstances as accurately as possible.
- Check for witnesses to your accident – witness evidence can be extremely useful in supporting a claim and / or providing that little extra detail.
- Seek medical attention for your injuries – this not only assists with your injuries, but allows the medic to place a note of the incident and your injuries in your medical notes.
- Seek legal advice from a specialist personal injury lawyer – this is best done as soon as possible when the events are fresh in your mind. It is advisable that this is done directly with a law firm and not through a referral agency who may simply sell your claim to the highest bidding law firm rather than the firm that will give you the best service.
If you have any further questions regarding your potential claim feel free to give us a call.
