Auburn Car Accident Law Firm
Car accidents are one of the leading causes of personal injury and death. There more than 400 car crashes per day on Alabama’s roads resulting in countless injuries and over 1,000 deaths annually. By their nature, no one plans to get into an accident, but these events can change your life in an instant. When you are suddenly faced with painful injuries, lost time from work, and emotional distress, you need a strong advocate who will protect your rights.
The dedicated Alabama car accident attorneys at Haygood, Cleveland, Pierce & Thompson LLP, have decades-long experience working on behalf of accident victims and their families. If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident and suffered harm due to the negligent acts of another party, our experienced and compassionate Alabama personal injury attorneys will explain your options and work tirelessly to help you obtain the compensation you need to reclaim your life.
Serious and Catastrophic Alabama Car Crashes
With each passing year, there are more vehicles on Alabama’s roads. Many of the deadliest crashes happen along I-59, I-20, I-65, and I-459, but there are also serious wrecks on some of our state’s rural roads. The University of Alabama compiles crash statistics annually for the state and has determined that some of the overriding causes of these crashes are:
- Speed is a factor in many Alabama accidents, particularly speeds in excess of 50 mph. There is also an increasing number of accidents at speeds in excess of 90+ mph, which is leads to catastrophic injuries and fatalities.
- Distracted Driving. National studies show that 16 percent of all fatal crashes involve some form of distracted driving. In Alabama, it is illegal to text and drive, and there are laws in place that ban all cell phone use for novice drivers. Despite these laws, distractions while driving still occur and can be deadly.
- DUI/DWI.More than 10,000 people die annually across the U.S. due to impaired driving accidents. When a driver gets behind the wheel after drinking or using drugs, they endanger the lives of their passengers, other drivers, and even pedestrians.
While Alabama has a 92% seat belt use rate, that rate has actually gone down as fewer accident victims are being found wearing seat belts than in prior years. In 2016 alone, 403 people who died in car crashes were not wearing seat belts.
Injuries Resulting From Auburn Car Crashes
No one plans to get into a serious car accident, but when a serious accident does occur in Alabama, the results can be more severe than anyone imagined. According to the Centers for Disease Control, Alabama’s traffic fatality rate is one of the worst in the nation. The national fatality rate is 7.0 (per 100,000 population), while in Alabama the fatality rate is 13.7, nearly twice the national average.
According to experts and state regulators, this isn’t because our drivers are worse or our roads more dangerous than in other parts of the country. The problem is that accidents in rural areas of the state take longer for life-saving rescue and healthcare to reach victims. Just by virtue of living in a small town, there’s a chance that your injuries could be more severe, requiring additional medical care and time away from work. Some of the most common types of injuries resulting from car crashes include soft tissue injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones, lacerations, internal injuries, and traumatic brain injury.
Compensation and Recovery For Auburn Car Accidents
When you’ve been involved in an Alabama car crash, there may be more at stake than you think. Even a minor fender bender can result in serious injury that will take you away from your job and result in financial hardship for you and your family. More serious accidents can lead to a lifetime of medical care, mental anguish, loss of a career, and even death. When an injury is permanent in nature, Alabama law allows for additional compensation. If an accident turns deadly, relatives can file a wrongful death case and may be entitled to punitive damages.
While these damages may seem straightforward when someone else is responsible for your losses, this is far from the case. Alabama personal injury cases are complicated at best because of the way that the state views negligence. Alabama is one of just five U.S. states that uses the contributory negligence rule, which states that an injured party cannot recover damages if they were in any way at fault in the accident, even by just one percent.
Insurance Companies and Their Representatives Are Not Your Friends
When you are involved in a car accident that was someone else’s fault, it is not uncommon for one of two things to happen. Either the insurance company will attempt to place blame on you so that they don’t have to pay anything or they will offer you a quick settlement so they can minimize their cost and close the file as quickly as possible. There is a serious problem with both of these scenarios because neither is in your best interests.
Because of the nature of Alabama’s laws, it’s vital that you avoid speaking to insurance company representatives who are only trying to protect their bottom line. Instead, seek the immediate advice of an experienced Alabama personal injury attorney who can advocate for your rights and pursue the just and fair compensation that you deserve.
Contact an Experienced Auburn Car Accident Attorney
Every car accident is different. We don’t subscribe to cookie-cutter litigation, where each client receives the same treatment. At Haygood, Cleveland, Pierce & Thompson LLP, we understand that your accident was unique and we want to do what is in your best interests at all times.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident due to the negligent acts of another party, you have the right to seek just compensation for your losses. Our experienced and compassionate personal injury legal team are ready to speak to you about your options and take immediate steps to protect your rights. Contact us now at (334) 821-3892 or online to schedule a free no-obligation consultation.
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