Car Accident Lawyer

Establishing liability for the accident is essential if maximum recovery is to be obtained. When calculating the amount to which you are entitled, our lawyers will consider factors such as:

Avoid Admitting Fault

Contact the Authorities

After an accident, call the police right away so that an officer can be dispatched to the scene. Obtain a copy of the police report.

Get Medical Care

To avoid further injury, undergo a medical assessment and any necessary treatment at the scene. Otherwise, see a doctor as soon as possible. 

Speak with Witnesses 

Gather the names and contact information of any parties who may have witnessed the accident.

Gather Evidence 

Take photos of the cars, injuries, the roadway, and all traffic signals. You can also make a quick written note of your perception of how the accident happened. Be sure to include information about the weather and any other details.

Swap Information 

Obtain the insurance information for every other driver involved, including an agent's name and phone number.

Call Our Firm

Time is of the essence, so call an accident attorney at our firm right away to schedule your free consultation.

Sadly, most motor vehicle accidents are completely preventable through proper care and caution, and can usually be attributed to driver negligence, reckless driver behavior, or manufacturer negligence. The most common driver-related causes include: 

Distracted Driving

Whether a driver is texting, talking on the phone, manipulating the radio, or eating, they put others on the road at risk. Distracted driving is extremely dangerous. A driver can be distracted visually, physically, and cognitively, all of which can result in detrimental consequences. A variety of activities can distract a driver enough to cause an accident, including texting, eating, reading, putting on makeup, and talking to a passenger. Some estimates show distracted driving accounts for nearly 25 percent of all fatal auto accidents. 

Drunk Driving

When a driver operates a vehicle while impaired, they don't have the cognitive ability to handle various rigors of the road or to react to other drivers appropriately. Additionally, drunk driving can cause an individual to become drowsy, have slowed reaction times, and to lose focus on the road. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health's (NSDUH) 2016 study estimated that 20.7 million people over the age of 16 had driven while intoxicated during the past year. An equally alarming statistic released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that alcohol was involved in 28 percent of all traffic-related deaths. 

Speeding

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speeding was a factor in 30 percent of fatal crashes during the year 2012. Intoxicated drivers were more likely to speed, creating a dangerous combination of causes contributing to serious or even fatal accidents.

Running Red Lights

Running a red light or rolling into the intersection while making a right turn on red can have fatal consequences. According to Slate.com, rolling while turning right at a red light accounts for 6 percent of pedestrian deaths. While drivers are looking left for oncoming cars, they ignore the pedestrians coming down the right-hand sidewalk. 

Tailgating

Driving while angry or rushed can easily result in devastating injury. This can often lead to rollovers and other serious crashes. Following another driver too closely makes it difficult to avoid an accident in the event that traffic stops suddenly. This type of reckless driving can lead to rear-end accidents. 

Drug Use

According to the NSDUH, 11.8 million drivers drove under the influence of drugs during the year 2016. The most common drug found was marijuana. It is estimated that drivers that have marijuana components in their system are two times more likely to be involved in a fatal accident than sober drivers. Prescription drugs can also lead to accidents. A 2010 study found that 47 percent of drivers with drugs in their system involved in fatal accidents had used a prescription drug. Even common drugs prescribed by your doctor can impair your senses and ability to avoid accidents. 

Drowsy Driving

According to studies, driving while drowsy is even more dangerous than driving drunk. A study by the NHTSA found that 23 percent of drivers involved in accidents were classified as fatigued. 

Auto Defect

Some accidents can be caused by the equipment of the vehicle itself. Malfunctions can be the result of defective vehicle equipment: when tires are not properly measured and filled, brakes give out, the steering wheel locks up, and more. In these cases, the manufacturer may be responsible. Safety-related auto defects, such as faulty steering components, defective fuel components, bad accelerator controls, and poorly manufactured wheels, can cause devastating accidents. If a poorly designed or manufactured auto part directly led to your accident, you may be eligible for a product liability claim. 

Dangerous Road Conditions

Potholes, unkept roads, or other dangerous factors are the responsibility of the transit authority to maintain. If dangerous road conditions led to your accident, you could be eligible for a premises liability lawsuit. We can help you compile evidence that negligence on the part of the transit authority led to your accident. 

Evaluate the Extent of Your Injury 

When our firm takes on a personal injury case, we work with medical experts to evaluate your injuries and explain your damages to an adjuster and, if necessary, a jury. We also consult with life care planners to accurately calculate how your injuries will affect you for the rest of your life so that we can secure compensation for years to come, if necessary. 

Determine Liability

Most accidents involve both (or multiple) drivers denying liability. In order to get to the bottom of the case, it is important to enlist the help of an experienced personal injury attorney who knows what types of interviews to conduct and what pieces of evidence will shed light on how the accident occurred. Once all of the evidence is gathered, a clear case can be made for liability, and a demand for damages presented.

Negotiate a Diminished Value Claim 

Several steps must be taken when presenting a diminished value claim, including obtaining an accurate appraisal of your vehicle for both before and after the accident, requesting reimbursement from the insurance company representing the negligent party, and negotiation of the amount due. Insurance companies do not work for you – they work for their insured clients. This means you will need an advocate by your side, protecting your interests. An attorney can help by establishing liability, working closely with valuation experts to obtain accurate values, enforcing the validity of your claim, and filing a suit, if that is the best course of action. 

Ensure an Efficient Resolution

Collecting the best possible settlement or jury award requires legal representation. Let our attorneys handle the legal complexities of your case while you and your family concentrate on healing. We can gather evidence, file paperwork correctly and promptly, and handle any insurance adjustors on your behalf. We are here to protect your best interests and make certain that justice is served.

Recover Maximum Compensation

If another party's negligence caused an accident that cost your loved one his or her life, you deserve maximum compensation. Our firm has collected over $500 million for our clients. Bennett Johnson, LLP, has focused exclusively on personal injury for over 40 years, and we are prepared to help you and your family collect the restitution you are owed. 

Compensatory Damages

Victims are entitled to compensation to help them heal. In order to help their clients fully recovery, our lawyers can request recovery of damages for lost wages, medical care including therapy and prescriptions, pain and suffering for emotional damage and anguish, and damage to personal property, such as a vehicle or motorcycle.

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages extend beyond covering actual physical losses and are intended to “punish” the offender. When the actions of the negligent party are so egregious, like in cases of reckless driving or driving under the influence, courts may consider making an award of punitive damages.

Traumatic Brain Injury

Many accidents involve forceful hits to the vehicle, causing those inside to be thrown into windows or against the side walls of the car. When a driver or passenger hits their head suddenly against the inside of the car during an accident, the result can be severe damage to the brain. This may be a concussion or a more serious and lifelong injury.

Spinal Cord and Paralysis

 When the spinal column is damaged in an accident, it can result in partial or full paralysis.

Neck and Chest Injuries

The sudden jerking back and forth experienced by many accident victims can cause whiplash, internal organ damage, and internal bleeding. 

Neck and Back Pain

This type of injury may not develop until a few days following the accident, but can leave the victim stiff and immobile. Back pain can be one of the most difficult types of pain to treat, and it can also lead to depression or anxiety because some physicians are hesitant to prescribe medication to ease the pain.

Broken Bones

In order to properly heal, a broken bone has to be reset and given time to mend. In some cases, a complicated surgery may be necessary to fix a broken bone, which can be a traumatic event itself.

Soft Tissue Injuries

When muscles, tendons, and ligaments are stretched beyond their limit, a soft tissue injury can result. These types of injuries can mean long-lasting pain for the victim and typically requires daily medication to treat the pain.

Burn Injuries

Burns that occur from a fire during a car wreck might require a skin graft, a painful procedure that could leave permanent scarring. Unsightly scars can cause victims to withdraw from friends and family, leading to social isolation and depression. 

Head Injuries

Fractures to the skull, concussions, or having a brain bleed are all forms of brain injuries. These types of injuries typically require surgery and involve a lengthy recovery time, which could include extensive and costly rehabilitative therapy.

Internal Injuries

Internal organ injuries are common in large collisions, and generally require surgery. 

Death

After an auto, trucking, or motorcycle accident, a determination of the full extent of your injuries is essential. The purposes of having a full report documenting every injury include:

Showing that the injuries are directly related to and caused by the accident.

Establishing the injuries are new and do not pre-date the accident.

Establishing a monetary figure that represents your total loss, so you can pursue an accurate amount of compensation.

Proving whether full recovery is possible or if the injury will have lifelong repercussions. Lifelong injuries require additional compensation to cover the ongoing cost of therapy and lost capacity to earn a living, as well as diminished quality of life.

Establishing liability for the accident is essential if maximum recovery is to be obtained. When calculating the amount to which you are entitled, our lawyers will consider factors such as:

Lost Wages

Obtaining damages for time off work or lost wages.

Cost of Medical Care

Making sure all injuries are fully treated, or providing ongoing care if the injury cannot be fully treated.
 

Mental Health Care

Determining whether there are any psychological effects that require treatment through therapy or counseling.

Value of Bodily vs. Property Damage

Differentiating between bodily injuries and property damage injury.

Cost of Ongoing Care

Making sure medication and rehabilitative services are part of the compensation.

Establishing liability for a crash allows the victim to seek compensation for injuries sustained during the wreck. An experienced attorney can establish liability by:

Interviewing witnesses and documenting their accounts of how the accident happened.

Reviewing the police report and asking the officer on the scene to corroborate the details of the report or give additional data not contained in the report.

Taking the deposition of all parties involved or sending written discovery to get a clear picture of what transpired before, during, and after the accident.

Determining whether extenuating circumstances, such as road construction or distracted driving, played a part in the accident.

Analyzing the laws regarding the rules of the road and making a finding as to whether those rules were followed. Disregard of traffic laws is a good indicator of liability in a crash case.

Rear-End Collisions

Rear-end accidents occur when one car collides with the car in front of it. This type of accident is usually caused by inattention, distracted driving, or tailgating. In most cases, the driver of the vehicle that rear-ends the other car is considered to be at fault, unless the impacted vehicle was in reverse gear at the time. A common injury in rear-end collisions is whiplash. In general, injuries are more severe for occupants of the impacted car.

Side Impacts

Also called a t-bone collision, side-impact accidents take place when the front or back of one car impacts the side of another. These types of accidents often cause severe damage to vehicles and serious occupant injuries. Typically, the occupants on the side where the car was impacted suffer the worst injuries. Left-turn accidents, for example, can often result in side-impact collisions.

Rollovers

When a car flips over and lands on its side or roof, it is considered a vehicle rollover. While any vehicle can flip, sport utility vehicles (SUVs) are more likely to flip due to a higher center of gravity. The most common cause of a rollover is a sharp turn at high speeds. However, other factors, such as road and weather conditions, can also increase the risk of a rollover.

Head-On Collisions

A head-on collision occurs when the front ends of two vehicles hit each other. This type of accident is one of the most dangerous and can often lead to fatalities.

Single vs. Multi-Vehicle Accidents

A single-car collision is handled differently than one involving multiple vehicles. In single-car accidents, a vehicle strikes an object or pedestrian. The cause of these types of collisions is often more apparent. Multi-vehicle accidents tend to take place on highways and freeways and are more difficult to investigate. 

Whatever type of crash you were involved in, hiring an attorney can help ensure that you are treated fairly by your insurance company and that you receive the compensation you deserve. Our attorneys can investigate your accident and determine the best course of action.

Single-Car Crashes

Single-car crashes account for a large number of accidents, which may be caused by something other than driver error. Road conditions, weather, and defective auto parts can all play a part in a single-car accident. Rather than dismiss this type of accident as the fault of the driver, it is best to fully examine the facts so the responsible party can be held accountable.

T-Bones & Sideswipes

T-bones and sideswipes occur frequently and can cause catastrophic injuries. The side of a vehicle is less protected than other areas. Not all makes and models include side airbags.