Reno Car Accident Attorney

The number 5,000,000. That is how many visitors come to Reno each year, according to the Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority (RSCVA), and over half of those visitors arrive by car. Whether they come in on I-80, the 395, or the other highways, there is a lot of traffic to contend with on a regular basis. More out-of-town visitors also increase the chances of motorists getting into an accident.

Auto collisions occur for a wide range of reasons. When a driver’s negligence contributes to the accident, you need help from your doctor and an experienced Reno Car accident lawyer. Whether you’ve been involved in a crash with an out-of-town visitor or one of Reno’s residents, our legal team at the Law Office of Matthew L Sharp can provide you with the information you need about filing a claim and seeking fair compensation for your losses. So, give us a call or email us for that insight now. It’s free.

Types of Motor Vehicle Collisions That Occur in Washoe County

When you tell your family you’ve been in a car accident, they’ll want to know what happened. You might not have all the facts initially, but it is essential to understand the type of crash you’ve been involved in and the causes to help your car accident lawyer in Reno build the narrative of what happened to you. Here are some of the types of wrecks you could have experienced:

Distracted Diving

The Nevada State Police Office of Traffic Safety clearly states that driving while using a cell phone is a violation. They explain: ” A driver may not talk, send or receive messages or search the internet on a cellular telephone or other handheld wireless device unless using a hands-free accessory.”

Using a cell is just one of the many distractions a driver can be engaged in. Eating, drinking, smoking, changing the radio, and looking for something that fell off a seat could all be distractions. Those can lead to taking your eyes off the road and your hands off the wheel, which can lead to accidents.

Drunk Driving

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs might be one of the easiest acts of negligence to prove. If a suspected drunk driver caused your crash, they will either be tested at the accident scene or transported to a hospital for the same. Pending the results, they may be immediately arrested and booked on criminal charges. This can be a straightforward example of negligence.

Head-On Collisions

A front-end crash can only happen if one car wanders into another lane. Whatever the reason this occurs, the driver who made that lane change would likely be held liable for the collision. These are particularly violent accidents that can lead to catastrophic injuries.

Highway Crashes

These collisions typically occur at high speeds. Because of this, they can cause a chain reaction or multi-vehicle wreck. Determining who the at-fault party is for these crashes can be challenging.

Intersection Wrecks

The vast majority of car accidents happen at intersections. When a driver blows through a red light or stop sign, they can easily slam into another vehicle with the right of way. Collisions like these are another clear example of negligent driving.

Rear-End Accidents

Fender-benders are one example of a rear-end crash, but not the only type. These common types of car accidents often occur in congested traffic, parking lots, interstates and highways, and anywhere else when a driver isn’t paying attention to what is in front of them and brakes far too late. Depending on the force of the impact, these accidents can trigger severe physical trauma such as whiplash or traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).

Regardless of the collision type that injured you, you’ll need support that a Reno car accident lawyer can provide with the legal process so you can continue focusing on recovering from your injuries. The assistance that the Law Office of Matthew L. Sharp can provide to help you establish what happened in your car accident and who was at fault can prove invaluable in your situation.

Steps To Take After a Reno Car Wreck

There are three crucial things to do immediately following a Reno car accident:

1. Check for injuries
2. Call 911
3. Get to a safe place

Even if there aren’t any apparent serious injuries, you should still call to have the police report to the scene and make an official report. Either that day or the following one, you’ll need to tend to any injuries and deal with the damages to your car.

Your accident led to the creation of a crash report, medical records, and repair estimates. You need to obtain copies of all those documents to support your claim. You’ll also need to make copies of pay stubs if your accident has kept you out of work.

Whether you’ve had a chance to compile these records yet or not, you also need to prioritize getting in touch with one of our Reno car accident lawyers to discuss your legal options. Here at the Law Office of Matthew L. Sharp, initial consultations with our attorneys are free.

What Not To Do After an Auto Collision in Nevada

While you’ll want to follow the steps outlined above following a car wreck in Reno, avoid doing the following:

Discussing the Details of Your Accident With Insurance Companies

You’ll need to report the accident to your insurance company, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be filing a claim with them yet. You may want to discuss whether or not you should contact one of the Reno car accident attorneys in our office.

Signing Anything

If you provide a statement to the police who report to the scene, you may be asked to sign that. However, you shouldn’t sign anything else until you review it with your attorney first. That includes anything from the insurance company.

Arguing About the Accident

At the crash scene, you should not apologize or admit fault. You don’t want to discuss any details of the accident with the other driver. Leave that for the police to sort out.

Posting Online

Getting into a car accident is something you might want to share with your friends and family on social media. Anything you post can be used as evidence against you. Even an innocent post about your recovery or car repairs can be misconstrued.

Accepting a Settlement Offer

The insurance company that represents the at-fault driver might be in a rush to settle the claim. They could assess the value of your car and simply offer that payment without consideration for your injuries. You should not accept any settlement offer until you thoroughly review all the options with your Reno car accident lawyer.

Determining the Value of Your Car Accident Damages

Some tangible and intangible damages, generally referred to as economic and noneconomic losses, could result from your involvement in a car accident.

The tangible damages would be all the bills that have accumulated, such as ER visits, tests, medications, surgery, hospital stays, and physical therapy. The intangible damages would be your ongoing chronic pain issues and how that has impacted your quality of life. You could also be suffering from mental anguish. An attorney can help you assign a monetary value to that loss.

As you work with your attorney to calculate your total damages, your attorney will need to consider several factors. The following are issues that the insurance company or, eventually, a jury might need to weigh include:

Vehicle Damage

The greater the damage to your car, the more likely you are to receive a higher settlement. That is why taking as many photos of the scene as possible is essential.

Prior Medical History

The injuries you suffered in a car accident might aggravate a preexisting condition. That is something that the insurance company will try to assert to diminish your settlement amount. A skilled lawyer will have a strong counterargument to support the severity of your injuries and how, but for the accident, you wouldn’t be in such tremendous pain.

Type of Medical Care Received

The type of medical care doctors prescribe you after your accident is also an important factor. For instance, chiropractic adjustments might be viewed as significant as a surgical procedure.

Provable Negligence

Certain issues of provable negligence can impact your settlement in a positive direction. If you can prove that the at-fault driver was speeding, using their cell phone, or showing they were cited for driving under the influence (DUI), this can establish a pattern of negligence, enhancing your claim’s worth.

Potential Injuries

There can be devastating damage to a car even though the driver walks away with only a few scratches. There can also be a fender bender that doesn’t damage the vehicle but can leave the driver with whiplash. Here are the wide range of potential car accident injuries:

• Fractured and sprained bones
• Torn ligaments
• Lacerations
• Internal bleeding
• Burns
• Concussions
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Neck or back and resulting spinal cord injuries

These injuries can mean missing several days or weeks of work. They might also require surgery, hospitalization, and ongoing physical therapy. No matter the severity of the injury, you should not have to pay for any medical expenses resulting from an auto collision that is someone else’s fault.

A car accident lawyer in Reno in our office can provide you with the knowledge necessary to recover compensation for your current and future losses. So, get in touch with us to schedule a complimentary initial consultation.

Support a Reno Car Accident Lawyer Can Provide

The vast majority of car accidents result in an insurance claim being filed.

If you caused an accident, like backing up into a concrete barrier in a parking lot, you will probably be able to handle the claim on your own. However, when another driver’s negligence leads to a collision, you need help from experienced Reno car accident attorneys. That is when you should contact the Law Office of Matthew L. Sharp.

When we agree to represent you in your car accident case, that support can begin immediately. Our car accident lawyers can help with the following tasks:

• File initial paperwork for the claim
• Take over communications with insurance companies
• Coordinate with the insurance adjuster
• Answer all of your legal questions
• Conduct a thorough investigation
• Calculate all your economic and noneconomic damages
• Gather all relevant evidence

These are just the tasks that involve the insurance claims process. If the insurance company denies your claim, presents a lowball offer, or wants to shift the blame for the accident onto you, the only recourse might be to file a civil lawsuit. If this happens, we will represent you in court and present all the evidence and testimony to a jury that supports your version of what caused the car accident.

We need to hear from you before any of that support can begin. You can schedule a free consultation to tell a Reno car accident lawyer in our office what happened. Our firm, the Law Office of Matthew L. Sharp, will then be able to provide you with information about the possible next steps. You want to make an informed decision about all your options. So, call or email us now to speak with an attorney to best do that.