Car accidents can cause a range of injuries, including broken bones, muscle sprains, and whiplash. Although many of these injuries will be apparent at the time of the accident, others don’t appear until later.

Even minor back and neck injuries after a car crash can intensify and cause serious problems, possibly affecting your quality of life and your ability to work. It’s important to talk to a car accident attorney as soon as possible after an accident occurs, and keep all medical paperwork and documentation of missed work.

Visit a Doctor

As soon as you feel back or neck pain, seek medical attention from a licensed physician to have your injuries assessed. Though chiropractors are great for treating back pain, you will want to visit a physiatrist, osteopathic doctor, or another fully-licensed physician with in-depth knowledge of back injuries.

Common injuries include damage to the spinal discs, spinal canal, facet joints, and spinal cord. Herniated discs and spinal stenosis can be difficult to heal and can cause significant pain, so they may require months of treatment even if they seem mild at first. Soft tissue injuries are also common, especially in accidents in which airbags have deployed.

Make sure to keep copies of all documents, including scans, prescriptions, and receipts. These documents will be important for proving the extent of your injury and getting compensation.

Call an Attorney

Just like doctors, attorneys have specializations in a variety of areas. A car accident attorney with years of experience in personal injury cases can assess the merits of your case and advise next steps. Other attorney specializations may not be sufficient for handling the complexities of Michigan’s car insurance laws.

A car accident lawyer can walk you through the process of filing claims, and help you escalate your case if needed. By enlisting an attorney’s help from the beginning, you can focus on your recovery and make sure all paperwork is completed correctly and on-time.

Know Your Rights

In Michigan, auto accidents and insurance are covered by No-Fault Laws. These laws dictate that each party in a motor vehicle accident is usually covered by their own insurance, regardless of who caused the accident. This includes cases where the driver hit a pedestrian or cyclist.

Passengers who do not have their own auto insurance are often covered by a household member’s Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance. In a worst-case scenario where an individual is truly not covered by private insurance, they may be eligible for coverage under the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan.

Additional Coverage

You are also entitled to compensation for a certain amount of lost wages after an accident, as well as attended care services, transportation, and replacement services. Getting this compensation from insurers can be difficult, as insurance companies are reluctant to pay any more than they have to for your care.

Some auto policies exclude intentional acts from their coverage and may try to tell you that you can’t get compensation if you’re the victim of a road-rage accident. However, Michigan’s No-Fault Law contains specific provisions that allow road rage victims to get compensation in most cases. This law supersedes any policy provisions your insurance company tries to enact.

If your injuries are very severe and treatment costs more than what your plan covers, you may be eligible to sue the other driver and their insurance company to compensate you for pain and suffering or excess medical bills. Although these cases are uncommon, they can happen in accidents that cause permanent disability.

Get the Best Team

Car accident injuries can be complex, and getting you all the compensation you deserve requires expert knowledge. At Cochran, Kroll & Associates, P.C., we have a dedicated team of car accident and personal injury attorneys who can help you deal with short-term and long-term injury claims.

Senior partner, Eileen Kroll is a nurse attorney, which gives us extra knowledge of the medical side of car accident cases. We can handle your case with the sensitivity and care you deserve, allowing you to focus on recovering. Contact us at (866)-868-3779 for a free consultation.