Auto Accident Law Firm

When you meet with an attorney from our auto accident law firm for a free case evaluation, the first item on the agenda involves determining the cause of the auto crash. To prove another party committed one or more acts of negligence, your personal injury attorney must first verify the cause of the motor vehicle collision.

Our personal injury attorneys have compiled a short list of the three most common causes of auto accidents.

Reckless Driving

Despite many municipalities installing traffic cameras at intersections and other strategically important locations, far too many motorists continue to violate speed limits. Exceeding the speed limit decreases the amount of time a motorist has to react to sudden changes in road and traffic conditions. Speeding also exacerbates the negative impact of an auto crash. Other types of reckless driving that cause car accidents include failing to signal, running a red light, and attempting to pass another vehicle in a no-passing zone.

Obtaining footage from a traffic or security camera can demonstrate another party committed an act of negligence by recklessly operating a motor vehicle.

Driving While Intoxicated

Under pressure applied by organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), most states have established a maximum blood alcohol content (BAC) level for drivers at 0.08 percent. However, the stringent BAC laws do not seem to have deterred many drivers from operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol dramatically reduces reaction times, which can lead to a collision on any type of road or highway. Operating while intoxicated also impairs the judgment of drivers who make poor decisions.

Distractions

Technology has ushered in a new list of possible distractions. From listening to music with headphones to sending text messages while operating a motor vehicle, distractions represent one of the most common causes of auto crashes. Although states have passed laws making it illegal to text and drive, a large number of motorists ignore the laws and continue to participate in one of the most dangerous driving practices. Other distractions that can cause a car accident include combing hair, eating a meal, and reaching for an item in the glove compartment.

You might wonder if hiring an auto accident law firm is worth the money. The question is not whether you can afford an attorney, but instead, the question is—can you afford not to hire an attorney? There is too much money on the line for you to handle a car accident on your own.

Here are the reasons why you should hire a personal injury lawyer from an auto accident law firm like Morgan and Morgan.

Conducts an Exhaustive Investigation

One of the most important roles filled by a car accident attorney concerns gathering physical evidence and speaking with witnesses. At Morgan and Morgan, we assign a properly credentialed investigator to provide support for every attorney who conducts an investigation for a client. Your lawyer obtains a copy of the official police report, as well as takes photographs of the accident scene. You should collect photos of your injuries and the damage done to your car. Gathering physical evidence helps your attorney determine the cause, which should lead to proving the presence of the four elements of negligence.

Your attorney also interviews witnesses, preferably as close to the date of the vehicle collision as possible to receive the most accurate accounts.

Prove the Four Elements of Negligence

To file a successful civil lawsuit that seeks monetary damages, your personal injury attorney from Morgan and Morgan must prove the presence of the four elements of negligence. The first element is to show the other party owed you a duty of care to protect you from sustaining one or more injuries. For a car accident case, proving the first element of negligence is easy to do, as motorists are legally responsible for protecting the safety of other drivers, passengers, bicyclists, and pedestrians. 

The second element of negligence requires your lawyer to demonstrate the other party breached the duty of care doctrine. Once your attorney establishes a breach in the duty of care doctrine, the next two elements consist of proving the breach caused your injuries and that your injuries generated financial losses.

File an Insurance Claim

Do you need an attorney to help you file an auto insurance claim? After all, the claim form appears to be straightforward. The answer is yes, and not just for filing the claim form. Your attorney not only ensures you submit a completed claim form full of accurate information, but your lawyer also monitors the claim form to ensure it receives the attention it deserves. Without an attorney providing legal support, the insurance adjuster processing your claim might delay reviewing it. The insurance adjuster also might deny a valid claim or approve a claim for a value that is not worth the compensation that you deserve.

Negotiate a Settlement

The personal injury attorney that you hire from our auto accident law firms has two opportunities to negotiate a settlement. First, your lawyer can negotiate with the insurance adjuster at any point during the review process, as well as before the filing of an appeal. Second, you have the opportunity to avoid a costly and time-consuming trial by negotiating a settlement during the discovery phase of the litigation process.

Negotiations in both cases start when your lawyer submits an initial offer, which the other party either accepts or rejects. If the other party rejects the initial offer, you might receive a counteroffer or a formal letter stating the other party’s intent to move on to the next step in the insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit process. Several rounds of counteroffers can follow the initial offer.

The most important type of legal support provided by an attorney from our auto accident law firm concerns getting you the compensation that you deserve. For a personal injury lawsuit, you can receive three types of monetary damages.

Special Compensatory Damages

Also referred to as economic damages, special compensatory damages cover tangible costs such as medical bills and repairs to property damage. Medical bills represent the costliest expense you can expect to pay after a car accident. Diagnostic tests, treatment programs, and physical therapy sessions can easily exceed ten thousand dollars in just a few days. You also have the right to request compensation for the cost of prescription medications and the use of an assistive device like a wheelchair.

If you missed work as the result of a motor vehicle collision, your attorney asks the judge hearing your lawsuit to compensate you for lost wages.

General Compensatory Damages

Victims of auto crashes often experience emotional issues produced by traumatic events. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) represents a common emotional distress issue that develops after a car accident. Symptoms of PTSD include fear, depression, and acute anxiety. The negative symptoms generated by PTSD and other types of emotional distress issues can have a prolonged impact on your career, as well as personal relationships. Your attorney calculates a value for compensatory damages by using a formula that factors in the value of special compensatory damages.

Punitive Damages

Judges and juries do not award punitive damages to help clients pay for the costs associated with special and general compensatory damages. Punitive damages punish the defendant for committing one or more acts of negligence. They also are supposed to deter defendants from committing future acts of negligence while operating a motor vehicle. If the defendant committed one or more acts of intentional negligence, the judge or jury hearing your case might award a value for punitive damages that exceeds the combined value of special and general compensatory damages.

Discover how you can receive just compensation for the injuries sustained as the result of a car accident by scheduling a free case evaluation today with our auto accident law firm.