Legal Review: The Foremost Cause of Injuries in the United States

Surprisingly, some are unaware that car accidents are the foremost cause of injury in the United States. This country experiences millions of vehicle crashes yearly, leading to over three million injuries. Statistics show that 90 Americans die daily from motor vehicle accidents.

Perhaps, apart from recovery, compensation is the first thing you or your loved ones think about when involved in a car mishap. You want to know how to recover damages from the at-fault motorist’s insurance firm.

This short piece explains the legal options you can explore after a car accident to claim compensation.

When You Can Sue for a Car Accident

You can only institute a lawsuit for a motor vehicle accident if another person or motorist negligently caused the accident.

At this point, we should understand what negligence entails. Negligence is when a motorist violates or breaches any traffic law or regulation, which leads to harm. It means the intentional, negligent act of the driver leads to an accident that injures someone or a group of people.

Examples of negligence entail driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, erratic driving, and speeding. In addition, it may take the form of carelessness, like drowsy or distracted driving. Some motorists will be texting or calling while driving. If they lose control due to this act and cause an accident, the victim can hold them responsible for negligence.

If another motorist’s negligence triggered or contributed to your car crash and subsequent harm, you can hold them liable for every cost and pain you incurred. The law mandates such negligent drivers to pay for their ill actions if you can prove such allegations against them.

However, your lawsuit lacks merit if the driver’s negligence was unrelated to your harm. In other words, you must prove that their negligence caused your harm for your case to be valid. It means you must cross the hurdles of technicalities to stand a chance of recovering damages from your injuries.

The Compensation You Can Receive for a Car Crash

Many factors dictate the compensation a victim can get for a car accident. Some of these factors include the severity and permanence of your injuries. Sometimes, a car accident compensation can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to cater to medical bills and other costs, like lost earnings due to incapacitation.

While the compensation cannot take away your pains, it aims to restore you to where you would have been financially if the mishap had not happened. It entails economic compensation to repay you for all medical bills and other costs associated with the injury that you have sustained. It also covers possible future ongoing medical expenses, such as physical therapy or medical care.

Furthermore, you can get non-economic damages for the emotional and physical trauma you experienced because of the injuries. This compensation ensures you do not suffer pain or trauma in vain.

The court awards punitive damages in some cases to punish the at-fault party. These punitive damages will serve as a warning to those who may likely toe a similar negligent path.

Speak to a Lawyer

“If you have sustained injuries or lost a loved one to a car accident caused by a negligent driver, hire an auto accident attorney to recover compensation,” says Attorney Rustin Smith of Smith Hulsey Law. They will protect your rights and go after the at-fault motorist to ensure adequate compensation. Allowing an attorney to handle your case will help you concentrate on healing.