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Motor Vehicle Accident Injury Lawyers
At Accident Injury Lawyers Group, we have helped many clients obtain fair settlements for their injuries resulting from motor vehicle accidents. We know what it takes to win your case. Our attorneys handle personal injury cases in several states.
We represent people who suffer serious injuries as a result of negligent conduct by others. If you are looking for an experienced attorney to protect your legal rights after suffering significant injuries in a car accident, contact our office.
Our firm has years of experience successfully representing individuals in personal injury litigation involving auto accidents, trucking accidents, motorcycle accidents, slip and fall accidents, construction site accidents, defective
What to Do If You Are Involved in a Motor Vehicle Accident
If you or someone else has been injured in an accident, it is important that you seek medical treatment. You also need to file a claim for damages with your insurance company if you are at fault. But there are other things you may want to do as well. The following information will help you understand what you should do after the accident and how you can make sure you get fair compensation.
Get Medical Treatment Immediately After the Crash
The first thing you should do when you arrive at the scene of the crash is to call 911. This way, emergency personnel will be able to treat you immediately. They’ll take care of getting you checked out by paramedics so they know exactly what injuries you have sustained. It is always best to see a doctor right away. Even if you don’t think you’re hurt, you could have internal bleeding. Your doctor can check you out to determine whether any further action would be necessary.
Contact Your Insurance Company
The next step is to file a claim with your own insurance company. Let them know about the accident, but don’t give them all specific details about the accident unless you absolutely must. Tell them only what happened, not why it happened. Also, don’t mention names or specific facts about anyone involved in the accident. You’ll have plenty of time later to find out more information about each person.
Documenting the Scene
It is very helpful if you can document the scene of the accident. Take pictures of the roadway, traffic signals, signs, streetlights, etc. Get photos of the damage done to your car, including dents, scratches, broken windows, damaged bumpers, etc. Make notes on where you were coming from, where you were going, what direction you were traveling, etc. You should also note the name and address of the driver who hit you.
Contact An Accident Attorney
When you’re dealing with an auto accident, it can seem like everything is happening too fast. You’re trying to figure out what happened, and you’re dealing with all kinds of emotions. When you’re injured in a car accident, you should remember that you’re not alone. Many people go through this kind of situation every year. If you’ve been injured, you shouldn’t try to handle everything yourself. Instead, contact a reputable personal injury attorney. These attorneys have experience handling cases just like yours and can provide advice and guidance during this difficult time.
They can assist you in filing a claim for damages against the responsible party. An experienced attorney knows how to deal with insurance companies and negotiate settlements. He or she can explain your options to you and tell you how much money you might expect to receive. A good attorney will also advise you about how long your case might take to resolve.
Motor Vehicle Accidents
A motor vehicle accident involves two vehicles colliding head-on or side-to-side. In these types of accidents, one or both drivers are likely to sustain serious physical injuries. The severity of the resulting injuries depends upon factors such as speed, distance traveled, and level of intoxication. Some of these injuries include lacerations, fractures, dislocations, amputation, brain trauma, spinal cord injury, permanent disability, paralysis, death, burns, and amputation.
Car Accidents
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there are approximately 2.3 million crashes involving cars each year in the United States. Of those crashes, around 1.4 million involve some type of collision between automobiles and other vehicles. Approximately 30 percent of all automobile collisions occur in intersections. Other common places include parking lots, driveways, roadsides, bridges, overpasses, ramps, and railroad crossings.
Common Causes of Car Accidents
- Rear-end collision – this occurs when a vehicle comes into sudden contact with another vehicle from behind. It usually happens because the victim was distracted by something at the wheel and didn’t see the approaching car until it was too late. Rear-end collisions typically result in the most severe injuries.
- Side-impact collision – this occurs when the front end of one vehicle strikes the rear end of another vehicle, causing it to move forward. Side-impact collisions are often caused by driving while texting or talking on a cell phone, speeding, or failing to yield right of way. They tend to cause less severe injuries than rear-end impacts.
- Sideswipe collision – this occurs when one vehicle hits the side of another moving in the opposite direction. Sideswipes are often caused by failure to yield right of way, leaving no room to pass, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and distracted driving. This type of crash tends to produce the least amount of damage.
- Rollover – this occurs when a driver loses control of his vehicle and flips it upside down. The severity of rollovers varies depending on the angle of impact. Rollovers generally happen when a driver fails to maintain control of the vehicle or drives off the road. They can lead to serious injuries and even death.
- Head-on collisions – this is the most common kind of collision. It’s when two vehicles collide head-on. Head-on collisions usually occur when one driver suddenly cuts across traffic lanes without warning. They’re more likely to result in major personal injuries and fatalities.
- Single car accident – is also one of the many kinds of vehicle accidents but only involves one vehicle. An automobile might get into an incident involving a one-car crash if the driver loses their vehicles’ control because they fall asleep or if brakes fail.
Multiple vehicle pile-up – this is a series of multiple accidents that occur simultaneously. A large number of vehicles will often pile up together after being involved in a collision. These accidents can be very dangerous and lead to numerous deaths and severe injuries.
Motorcycle Accidents
In addition to cars, other vehicles can cause motorcycle accidents. Bicycles, mopeds, scooters, and motorcycles collide frequently because there aren’t many laws protecting riders. Motorcycles are often involved in accidents involving pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists. Injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident usually involve a rider being thrown off his or her bike, or being struck. Traumatic brain injury, neck injuries, back injuries, facial injuries, and broken bones are common injuries.
Truck Accidents
A truck accident can cause serious injuries or death for drivers, passengers, and other people nearby. Trucking companies have strict safety regulations that require them to provide safe trucks for transport. When these rules are violated, lawsuits can be filed against trucking companies. If a company doesn’t follow its own policies regarding truck maintenance, then accidents can occur. For instance, bad tires, faulty brakes, worn-out suspension systems, and improperly maintained engines can all contribute to accidents.
Types of truck accidents include:
- Collision with a stationary object – this happens when a truck collides with something like a pole, tree, building, bridge, wall, etc.
- Collisions with other vehicles – this includes rear-end collisions (where a truck hits the back end of another vehicle), sideswipes (when a truck hits the side of another vehicle), and head-ons (where a truck hits another vehicle head-on).
- Non-collision incidents – this includes equipment failures, defective parts, tire blowouts, improper load distribution, brake malfunctions, engine problems, electrical failures, and so forth.
Types of trucks that often get into accidents:
- Dump & Garbage Trucks
- Tractor-Trailers (also known as “semi-trailers,” “big rigs,” or “18-wheelers”)
- Tanker Trucks
- Flatbed Trucks
- Tow Trucks
Bus Accidents
Buses are used by schools, government agencies, hospitals, and religious institutions. Buses carry students, patients, elderly citizens, and cargo around cities and towns. Unfortunately, buses sometimes become victims of accidents. Buses can suffer from mechanical failure, road hazards, poor design, and human error. This leads to bus accidents that injure or kill people and damage property. Bus crashes often happen when buses are traveling too fast, or when the driver falls asleep at the wheel. Crashes can also occur when buses run off the road or hit obstacles on roads.
Types of bus accidents include:
– Front-End Collisions – where a bus hits the front of another vehicle
– Rear-End Collisions – where the back of a bus smacks into another vehicle
– Head-On Collisions – where a bus driver misjudges the size of an obstacle and causes a crash
– Non-collision Incidents – such as defects in the bus’ wheels, steering system, brakes, or suspension
Bicycle Accidents
Cyclists are vulnerable road users who need to be protected from motor vehicles by law. Bicycle accidents are among the leading causes of nonfatal injuries and fatalities in the United States. Most bicycle accidents happen during daylight hours on roads where cyclists should ride safely. Many states have adopted laws requiring motorists to yield to bicycles. However, it’s still possible to get hit by a motorist while riding your bike. Car vs. bike crashes is one of the most frequent types of bicycle accidents. The car driver is typically unaware of the cyclist until they slam into him/her.
How To Prevent Bicycle Accidents:
– Wear reflective gear
– Ride in well-lit areas
– Be aware of traffic around you
– Make eye contact with drivers
– Try to stay off busy streets
– Stay alert
– Do not drink and drive
– Avoid distractions such as talking on cellphones
– Never drive tired
– Always wear a helmet
Other Types Of Motor Vehicle Accidents
There are many types of vehicles that can lead to severe injuries or even death. Vans, SUVs, horses, ATVs, snowmobiles, farm machinery, construction equipment, boats, airplanes, helicopters, hovercrafts, tractors, and more can cause accidents. Regardless of which type of vehicle is involved in the accident, it will likely result in personal injuries or deaths.
Here are some examples of common types of accidents involving other motor vehicles:
– Construction Site Accidents – heavy machinery is being operated near high traffic areas
– Farm Equipment Accidents – large machines are being operated near busy highways
– Helicopter Accidents – helicopters collide with buildings, power lines, trees, signs, and other objects
– Snowmobile Accidents – snowmobile operators frequently operate their vehicles on busy highways or in dangerous locations
– Boat Accidents – many accidents happen on the water while being intoxicated, ignoring bad weather, or simply not obeying traffic rules on water
– Airplane Accidents – planes can fall out of the sky or collide with other aircraft
– Tractor Accidents – tractor drivers frequently exceed speed limits or operate heavy equipment without proper training
How an Experienced Vehicle Accident Attorney Can Help
A skilled lawyer knows how to navigate complex legal issues and negotiate on behalf of his client. A successful attorney negotiates with insurance companies and helps clients secure maximum compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain, and suffering, loss of future earnings, etc. He can also assist victims in pursuing civil lawsuits against negligent parties. An experienced attorney has years of experience dealing with all aspects of these cases and can provide valuable advice and guidance throughout the process. In addition to negotiating settlements, he can represent his clients at trial, filing motions and objections, cross-examining witnesses, presenting evidence, and arguing before juries.
Determining Liability in a Motor Vehicle Accident
The first step, in any case, is determining whether the defendant was liable for the crash. There are different ways liability can arise in collisions:
1) Negligence: A person must act reasonably when driving; otherwise, they are responsible for causing harm to others. If the defendant caused the accident because he acted unreasonably, then he is liable.
2) Intentional Conduct: Someone must intend to do something harmful. For example, if the defendant intentionally swerved into the path of the cyclist, then he is liable (even if no physical collision occurred).
If the defendant did not cause the accident himself but was negligent in failing to prevent it, then he is still responsible. This could include situations like when a driver fails to yield the right-of-way to cyclists, or where a pedestrian steps onto a highway without looking and causes a car accident. The victim would need to prove that the defendant failed to exercise reasonable care to protect him from harm.
In order to determine who is legally responsible for a crash, a plaintiff must prove three things:
1) That the defendant was operating a vehicle
2) That the defendant was negligent
3) That this negligence played a role in causing the crash
It’s important to note that proving negligence isn’t enough to win your case. To prevail, you’ll have to show that the defendant’s conduct was also reckless as to be considered intentional.
Motor Vehicle Accident Statistics
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 3 million people are injured in motor vehicle crashes yearly. Of those injuries, about 1.4 million are serious enough to require emergency room treatment. Another 400,000 people require hospitalization. Around 50,000 die due to their injuries.
Of course, most of us aren’t involved in major motor vehicle accidents. But even minor ones can leave lasting damage. According to the NHTSA, the average cost of a motorcycle crash is $10,000. And automobile crashes cost nearly twice as much.
Fatalities in motor vehicle crashes occur mostly among young adults between the ages of 20 and 34, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most deaths result from alcohol involvement, followed by speeding, distracted driving, and failure to wear safety belts.
Fatalities resulting from drunk drivers are down slightly, while fatalities resulting from speeding have increased. Distracted driving continues to rise, though.
Nearly half of fatal crashes involve pedestrians, bicyclists, or other vulnerable road users. About one-third of fatal crashes involve large trucks.
Many of these incidents happen during daylight hours. However, nighttime crashes remain an issue. Nearly 45% of fatal crashes involving pedestrians occur after dark, and more than 40% of fatal crashes involving motorcycles take place after dark.
A large number of motor vehicle accidents are caused by distractions. More than 2 million Americans die each year due to distraction behind the wheel. Some of them are killed by other motorists, while others are passengers who become the victims of auto accidents.
More than 65 percent of all drivers admit to being distracted at least once on the job. A recent survey found that almost half of the American drivers admitted to texting while driving.
About 10 percent of those deaths will be caused by distracted driving.
Distracted driving has taken many forms over the years — including cell phone use, eating and drinking, grooming, using GPS systems, talking with passengers, adjusting radio stations, and reading maps.
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer
If you’re injured as a result of another person’s negligence, contact a personal injury attorney immediately.
You may not know whether you have a claim until you consult with a qualified personal injury attorney. He or she will evaluate the facts of your case and determine what kind of legal action you could pursue against the responsible party/parties.
In some cases, you may be able to sue both the driver and any other parties who contributed to the accident. In other situations, you may only have recourse against the driver.
The best way to find out how to proceed is to talk with a knowledgeable personal injury attorney.
We offer free consultations and there are no fees until we have won the case for you. Call us today!
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