When a car accident occurs, the aftermath can be confusing and stressful. Injured individuals must contend with medical expenses, car repairs, and the insurance claims process. At the same time, they face calls from an insurance company, legal questions, and often pain and suffering from car accident injuries. Understanding important legal and insurance words can make a big difference.
At Recovery Law Center, attorney Glenn Honda has spent over 29 years helping people in Hawaii who were injured in accidents. He knows that an informed injured party can make better choices. That is why learning car accident terms you should know is not just helpful, but it can also protect your rights. Our firm specializes in personal injury, and we strive to secure fair compensation for our clients.
Why Knowing Car Accident Terms Protects You
Legal and insurance terms may seem complicated, but they have a significant impact on every car accident case. For example, an at-fault driver may argue that an injured party failed to use reasonable care. An insurance adjuster may offer a settlement based on the actual cash value, rather than the replacement cost. Without understanding these terms, an injured person risks losing fair compensation.
Knowing these words also helps when reading a police report, discussing physical injuries with doctors, or meeting with a lawyer. It ensures you can explain injuries caused by the crash, such as broken bones, neck injuries, or internal injuries. The more you understand, the more control you have over your recovery.
Common Car Accident Injuries and Related Terms
Car accident injuries range from mild to severe. Some common examples include:
- Soft tissue injuries: Damage to muscles, tendons, and ligaments. These may not be visible on scans but can still cause pain.
- Head injuries: From concussions to traumatic brain injury, these can change an injured person’s life.
- Spinal cord injuries: These may cause paralysis and require ongoing medical treatment.
- Back injuries and neck injuries: Often linked to rear-end collisions or head-on collisions.
- Broken bones and internal injuries: These physical injuries often lead to high medical bills.
- Psychological injuries: Conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder and emotional distress.
If you are involved in a car accident, always seek medical attention immediately. Even if you feel fine, injuries resulting from crashes sometimes appear later. Quick medical attention helps document the accident case and supports future claims.
Insurance Company and Insurance Policy Terms
After an accident occurs, dealing with an insurance company is unavoidable. These are some terms you should know:
1. Insurance Company and Insurance Adjuster
After an accident occurs, the insurance company investigates the claim. An insurance adjuster is the person assigned to your case. Their job is to minimize payouts, not maximize your recovery. Be cautious when communicating with them; let your lawyer guide the conversation.
2. Insurance Claim and Claims Process
An insurance claim is your formal request for accident benefits, including payment for car accident injuries, medical bills, and property damage. The claims process involves submitting documents, answering questions, and sometimes negotiating settlements.
3. Insurance Coverage and Insurance Policy
Your insurance coverage depends on the insurance policy you purchased. Auto insurance policies outline liability coverage, bodily injury coverage, property damage limits, and additional coverage options, such as underinsured motorist coverage. Understanding your financial responsibility helps you know what the insurance company should pay.
4. Actual Cash Value and Actual Cash
When your car is totaled in a car crash, insurers typically pay the actual cash value, which is the replacement cost minus depreciation. It’s not the full amount you paid for the car, but the market value at the time of loss.
Legal Principles in a Car Accident Case
Several legal principles shape how a car accident case works. These include:
- Legal responsibility: This determines who is liable for damages. The at-fault driver is usually legally responsible.
- Comparative negligence: A rule that reduces compensation if the injured party is partly at fault. For example, driving over the speed limit may lower recovery.
- Burden of proof: The injured person must provide evidence that the other party caused the accident.
- Reasonable care: Drivers must follow traffic laws and drive with due care and caution. Failure to do so is a wrongful act.
- Financial responsibility: The duty drivers are responsible for paying for damages when they are legally liable.
Evidence Needed in a Car Accident Case
Building a strong case requires further evidence. Common terms that cover this aspect include:
- Police report: An official document detailing how the accident occurred and the parties involved.
- Witness statements: Testimony from people who saw the car crash.
- Medical treatment records: Proof of injuries caused by the accident.
- Vehicle damage photos: Evidence of property damage and car accident injuries.
- Lost wages documentation: Pay stubs or employer statements showing missed work.
Types of Car Accidents
Car accidents can occur in various ways, depending on multiple factors. Here’s a breakdown of the common types of car accidents:
- Rear-end collisions
- Head-on collisions
- Running a red light
- Distracted driving accidents
- Drunk driving crashes
- One-way street mistakes
Medical Terms Related to Car Accidents
Understanding medical expenses and injuries resulting from car accidents is important:
- Bodily injury: Legal term for harm to the body, often covered under auto insurance.
- Physical injuries: Includes broken bones, back injuries, and soft tissue injuries.
- Future medical care: Costs expected long after the accident, such as surgeries or therapy.
- Primary Survey (ABCDE): Emergency trauma assessment: Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure.
- Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS): Neurological scale to assess consciousness after head trauma.
- Cervical Spine Precautions: Measures to protect the neck and spinal cord during rescue.
- Trauma Code / Code Blue: Emergency alert in hospitals for critically injured patients.
The Claims Process Explained
Many injured parties are unfamiliar with the claims process. Here are some of the basic steps:
- An accident occurred, and the wounded party notifies the insurance company.
- An insurance adjuster investigates by reviewing the police report, witness statements, and vehicle damage.
- The injured person seeks medical treatment and provides evidence of car accident injuries.
- The insurance company offers a settlement based on insurance coverage and actual cash value.
- If the offer is unfair, a lawyer can file a personal injury claim in court.
Recovery Law Center makes sure the injured person understands each step. We help provide evidence, negotiate with the other party, and if necessary, file a lawsuit.
How Recovery Law Center Helps With Car Accident Terms You Should Know
After being involved in a car crash, the parties involved often feel overwhelmed by the legal process. A car accident case is more than just telling your story. You need to provide evidence, understand what the insurance adjuster wants, and know what legal responsibility means. At Recovery Law Center, we guide each injured person through the legal process.
Our team explains complex legal principles in plain language. If the other driver is at fault, we help prove negligence. If your auto insurance company denies coverage, we review the insurance policy and challenge the decision on your behalf. If you suffer serious injuries such as spinal cord injuries or traumatic brain injury, we calculate future medical care costs and fight for accident benefits.
We also handle disputes about comparative negligence, underinsured motorist coverage, and the actual cash value of vehicles. With decades of experience, we understand how to handle insurance companies that attempt to minimize payouts. We help you recover damages for medical treatment, lost wages, and pain and suffering. And if you are unsure where to begin, we offer a free consultation.
Your Advocate After a Car Accident
Every car accident case is unique. The other driver may deny fault, or the insurance company may dispute coverage. But one fact remains: knowing car accident terms you should know makes the process easier.
At Recovery Law Center, we fight for people in Hawaii who have been injured in car crashes. Attorney Glenn Honda has spent decades helping clients recover damages for medical expenses, lost wages, and emotional distress. He believes every insured person deserves fair treatment.
If you or a loved one was involved in a car accident, contact us today for a free consultation. We will explain your rights, handle the insurance company, and ensure you receive the coverage and compensation you deserve.
