After six years of steady declines the number of traffic fatalities increased in the first nine months of 2012. A report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimated that 25,580 people died in auto accidents from January through September compared to 23,884 during the same period in 2011.
Consulting a Clayton County attorney after an auto accident enhances a victim's ability to receive a reasonable settlement. If you have been injured in an automobile accident you should discuss your case with an accident attorney at Shane Smith Law.
Georgia auto accident victims will likely face four consideration areas following the accident:
- The accident's immediate aftermath;
- Auto accident lawsuits;
- Auto accident-related pain;
- Auto accident-related injuries.
Soft tissues include muscles, tendons, nerves, ligaments, and blood vessels. These need oxygen and they must operate properly. It is not uncommon for auto accident victims to go a period of time before discovering that a muscle was injured. Pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medications can cause scar tissue or adhesions to form, thus limiting proper soft tissue motion that is necessary for healthy blood flow. Scar tissue can then cause its own pain and symptoms. Yet soft tissue injuries may not appear on x-rays immediately after an auto accident.
Frequently, the lack of immediate soft tissue pain after an auto accident prevents a physician from properly diagnosing soft tissue injuries. The physician likely will rely on standardized tests such as reading vital signs and x-rays and a victim's reported pain. As a precaution, the physician may prescribe a treatment of pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medication so a victim will not feel any of the accident's effects. This treatment allows the victim to believe there are no injuries because there is no pain. But in reality, the injuries are not being treated; the pain sensation is muted but the injury still exists.
Auto accident victims may be awarded different forms of damages. Victims are entitled to compensation for pain and suffering, lost wages, medical expenses, and reduced earnings capacity.
Pain and suffering can be physical, mental, or emotional trauma or a combination of all of them. Some auto accident victims suffer physical pain from the accident and emotional pain in the form of recurring nightmares or psychological trauma. Victims should consult a medical professional and have records of medical treatments and therapies. They should also keep a journal starting on the day of the accident recording physical and emotional pain or anxiety and how the accident continues impacting their standard of living.
If you or someone you know has been hurt in an auto accident, meet with a Clayton County auto accident lawyer at Shane Smith Law. We can obtain the relevant evidence including police reports.