Auto Accident Lawyers
Experiencing a car accident can be an extremely frightening and distressing ordeal, especially if you sustain injuries. In situations like these, having an experienced car accident attorney can be a crucial step. These attorneys will be your allies in dealing with all the consequences of the accident.
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What Does a Car Accident Lawyer Do?
After being involved in a car accident, you may be wondering what steps to take to receive compensation for your expenses. Auto accident lawyers understand that victims of car accidents will want to prioritize their mental and physical health, rather than dealing with complex insurance company procedures or legal cases. Experienced car accident lawyers will take the burden off your shoulders by handling insurance companies and your claims, allowing you to focus on your recovery. Of course, car accident lawyers will also strive to provide you with a fair resolution for your car accident claim.
Investigating Your Car Accident
Car accident lawyers collaborate with investigators, law enforcement, and reconstruction experts to precisely understand what happened in your accident. They gather crucial evidence, including accident scene photos, witness statements, surveillance camera footage, cellphone records, and more.
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Establishing Negligence
To win your case, your personal injury attorney must establish negligence. There are four elements to consider:
- Duty – The defendant owes a duty of care to the plaintiff to exercise reasonable caution. In car accident cases, all drivers have a duty to operate their vehicles safely and in compliance with traffic regulations.
- Breach – It must be shown that the defendant breached their duty by violating the law and/or behaving recklessly.
- Causation – It must then be demonstrated that the defendant’s actions resulted in the accident that caused your injuries.
- Damages – Finally, it must be proven that you suffered economic and non-economic losses as a result of your injuries.
Negotiating with Insurance Companies
A car accident attorney should have decades of experience in dealing with insurance companies that often attempt to settle claims for less than victims deserve. They will negotiate on your behalf and will never accept a settlement offer without your consent.
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Fighting for You in Court
If the defendant’s insurance company refuses to agree to a fair settlement, your attorney will have no qualms about taking your case to court. Auto accident lawyers are experienced trial attorneys and will be fully prepared to present your case to a jury.
How Much Does Hiring a Car Accident Lawyer Cost?
We believe that everyone should have equal access to the justice system, regardless of their income. That’s why car accident lawyers do not charge for their services unless they win your case. They bear all the costs upfront, so you don’t have to pay anything out of your pocket. The fees are based on the outcome (a percentage of the settlement or judgment you receive from the car accident) and will never exceed the total amount awarded to you.
If they cannot achieve a result for your car accident case, you owe them nothing.
What Can I Get from My Car Accident?
Auto Accident Lawyers will assist car accident victims in filing personal injury claims to seek compensation for the damages they’ve suffered in the car accident. Compensation can include the following economic and non-economic losses:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Lost wages and lost earning capacity
- Rehabilitation and physical therapy
- Mental suffering and emotional stress
- Loss of enjoyment in daily activities
- Loss of consortium/social loss
They also help clients pursue wrongful death claims against at-fault drivers to bring justice to their loved ones and provide security for their families’ future.
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What Causes Car Accidents?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there are more than 35,000 deaths and hundreds of thousands of injuries each year caused by motor vehicle accidents. It’s likely that everyone may be involved in an accident at least once in their lifetime. There are many types of car accidents, and they can have several causes, but the most common cause of car accidents is human error.
Distracted Drivers
The primary cause of car accidents in the United States today is distracted drivers. The number of deaths caused by distracted drivers increases every year.
Every time you take your eyes off the road ahead (visual distraction), take your hands off the wheel (manual distraction), or if your mind starts to focus on something other than driving (cognitive distraction), you jeopardize your life, as well as the lives of other drivers and their passengers.
With distracting technology, such as texting on your phone or changing the radio station, and distractions along the road, like bright advertisements, many factors can divert your attention from the road.
Drowsy Drivers
If someone drives while drowsy, their driving ability and judgment can be severely impaired. Driving while drowsy has been shown to affect drivers in a similar way to driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and poses a significant danger to the driver and others on the road.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, staying awake for 18 hours or more is equivalent to having a blood alcohol concentration of about 0.05% or higher. Those in professions that require late-night or extended driving, such as commercial drivers, shift workers, or ride-sharing drivers, are at higher risk of inadvertently driving while drowsy.
Drunk Drivers
Driving under the influence is the cause of approximately one-third of all deaths resulting from car accidents, with over 10,000 or more deaths attributed to drunk drivers every year. In the United States, it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher. Driving beyond this limit seriously affects visual function, impairs coordination, distorts object perception and speed, thus reducing overall vehicle control.
Driving under the influence can be entirely prevented, yet there are still 52 deaths per minute associated with drunk driving.
Speeding and Aggressive Drivers
Excessive speeding and aggressive driving are major contributors to fatal car accidents in the United States. While exceeding the speed limit accounts for a third of all deaths from car accidents, driving aggressively, regardless of the speed limit, also contributes to accidents due to speed.
Poor Weather Conditions
Driving in adverse weather conditions significantly increases the likelihood of a car accident. Some weather conditions such as ice, fog, snow, and rain force drivers on the road to slow down and drive cautiously.
Unfortunately, despite most drivers adjusting to bad weather conditions, some still drive recklessly. Reckless driving during bad weather conditions includes drivers who refuse to slow down, turn on their headlights, or maintain a safe following distance from other vehicles.
How to Protect Your Claims After a Car Accident?
Protecting your claim after a car accident is crucial in proving fault in your car accident case. Here are some things to keep in mind to safeguard your claim:
- Request a copy of the accident report: The police report will contain all the information you need about the car accident. It will also provide the officer’s opinion on what happened and who may be at fault.
- Contact your own insurance company: Even if you are not at fault or it’s a minor car accident, you should contact your insurance company to inform them that you’ve been involved in a car accident involving injuries.
- Document all expenses after the accident: You should not only track medical expenses but also the time you spend not working and property damage.
- Schedule all your medical appointments: It’s crucial for you to recover, which means you should consult with your doctor after the car accident. Not only will you get the necessary medical care, but this will also help determine the extent of your car accident claim.
- Don’t accept a settlement offer without consulting an attorney: The initial settlement offer is often the lowest amount the insurance company is willing to provide. Never accept a settlement offer from the insurance company until you’ve consulted with a car accident attorney.
By following these steps, you can help protect your claim and ensure that you receive fair compensation for the damages and injuries you’ve suffered in a car accident.