If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident in Elmhurst, then call Mike Agruss Law at (888) 572-0176 today to speak to a personal injury attorney. We can help you file a claim with the insurance company.
Types of Car Accidents
Car accidents happen for a number of reasons and result in the following types of crashes:
Sideswipe Accidents
When two vehicles traveling in the same or opposite direction strike each other on the left or right side, then the driver who failed to stay in their lane is usually at fault for the sideswipe accident. Sideswipe accidents are usually caused by a distracted driver or by a driver who does not thoroughly check the lane next to them before merging.
Head-On Accidents
Head-on accidents occur when the front end of two vehicles collide with each other. The most common cause of head-on accidents is distracted driving in areas with one-way roads or on two-way highways. Turning in the wrong direction on a one-way road or veering out of the lane on a two-way highway puts drivers at risk of hitting oncoming traffic. These accidents are common on curved roads where motorists are more likely to veer out of their lane and hit an oncoming car.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end accidents can range in severity from minor fender-benders to catastrophic crashes. These accidents happen when one vehicle is following too closely behind another vehicle or when one driver cuts off another driver, leaving the driver in the rear with no room to brake. Most rear-end accidents are caused by distracted driving when one driver is not paying attention to how close they are to the vehicle in front of them. Even a minor rear-end accident can cause painful whiplash, but severe rear-end accidents can lead to spinal cord injuries, concussion and other head injuries.
T-Bone Accidents
Usually occurring at intersections, T-bone accidents happen when the front end of one vehicle crashes into the side of another vehicle, creating a T shape. Also known as side-impact collisions, these result in catastrophic brain and spinal injuries.
Car Accident Injuries
Injuries are caused by the impact of the crash and by the body hitting objects within the car like the dashboard, seats, center console, or windows. Thus, car accidents result in a variety of injuries that range from minor to life-threatening.
Broken Bones
Broken ribs, femurs, collarbones, and fractures of the pelvis are very common due to the force of one vehicle hitting another. Broken bones usually require surgery, months of rest, and physical therapy.
Back And Spine Injuries
The back is made up of various muscles and 24 vertebrae surrounding the spinal cord. The discs in the back can slip out of place or break when the victim’s car is struck. Broken vertebrae can slice into surrounding soft tissues or the spinal cord, resulting in a loss of feeling, tingling, numbness, or an intensely hot, painful feeling.
Internal Injuries
Sometimes the trauma of the crash can burst blood vessels in the body. When the impact causes the victim to slam into the dashboard or the seatbelt, it can lead to internal bleeding in the abdomen and lungs. Symptoms of internal bleeding include chills, extreme abdominal pain, lightheadedness, and fatigue. Surgery is needed to stop the bleeding and repair the blood vessels.
Cuts, Lacerations, and Bruises
Being thrown from the vehicle onto gravel and pavement or coming into contact with shattered glass can lead to skin abrasions, deep cuts, and bruises. These injuries can result in a limited range of motion in the joints, excessive bleeding, pooling of blood under the skin, and skin infections. Bruised kidneys or a bruised bladder can lead to blood in the urine. A bruise in the brain is called a coup-contrecoup injury.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries from a car accident include skull fractures, brain swelling, blood pooling between the skull and the brain or inside the brain itself, nerve damage, and tearing of brain tissue or blood vessels.
Damages You Can Recover From Your Car Accident
Your attorney from Mike Agruss Law will help you recover three types of damages after your accident: economic damages, non-economic damages, and punitive damages. We exhaust all our resources to get you the maximum compensation for your losses.
Economic damages compensate you for your financial losses, including miscellaneous out-of-pocket expenses. The most common types of economic damages are:
- Medical expenses, including your hospitalization, surgeries, doctor visits, and physical therapy
- Lost wages
- Future lost earning potential if your injuries prevent you from going back to work
- The cost to repair or replace your vehicle
Suppose you have had to hire someone to provide home and transportation services for you because your injuries prevent you from completing them yourself. In that case, you should provide those receipts and invoices to your attorney at Mike Agruss Law so that we can fight for you to get back every dollar that you spent.
Non-economic damages are non-monetary losses such as pain and suffering. Non-economic damages also include:
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
- Permanent disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Punitive damages may be awarded if the defendant was found guilty of intentional misconduct or gross negligence, such as when a driver is drunk behind the wheel or was driving aggressively. Punitive damages are intended to punish the defendant for their outrageous or egregiously reckless behavior and deter them and others from engaging in such conduct in the future.
Call Our Elmhurst Car Accident Attorneys Today
Aside from their education and experience, you should assess an attorney based on how much you feel you can trust them. You will entrust your attorney with your future and need to be vulnerable when explaining how the injury has affected your family and yourself. Mike Agruss Law cares about helping you to recover from your injury and moving forward from this devastating period of your life. Previous clients describe us as responsive, respectful, and reliable. Call us at (888) 572-0176 to schedule your free consultation at our Elmhurst office.
