Auto Accidents

If you've recently been in an auto accident, you may be concerned about working with insurance companies, recovering from any injuries you suffered, and repairing your car. But if you were the victim in an automobile accident, you should also be thinking about whether an auto accident lawyer can help you recover money to pay your accident-related bills and compensate you for pain and suffering.

When an accident is serious enough to cause fatal or severe injuries, or if alcohol was involved, the state will probably prosecute the driver who was at fault. But for all other automobile accidents, you, the other driver, and your insurance companies may be left to deal with medical bills and car repair expenses. Often these issues are ultimately resolved in court.

Causes of Automobile Accidents

There are many causes of automobile accidents. Among the more common:

• Distracted drivers, including drivers who are talking on the phone or texting, rubbernecking other accidents, fiddling with music, looking at the scenery, and paying attention to other passengers
• Drowsy drivers, including those who have been behind the wheel for more than two hours, those who are driving late at night or after a heavy meal, and those who have taken medicines that may cause drowsiness
• Impaired drivers, even if the driver isn't over the legal blood-alcohol limit
• Speeding
• Driving aggressively, including tailgating, failing to yield the right of way, yelling or making rude gestures at other drivers, ignoring traffic signals, and changing lanes frequently
• Weather, including rain, snow, fog, ice, sleet, and wind

If You Are an Automobile Accident Victim

Victims in an automobile accident may include the car's driver, passengers, by-standers, and even the spouse of an injured person.

All auto-accident victims may be able to recover money from the other driver, the owner of the car, and even the driver's employer to pay for the damage to your car, your current and future medical bills, and any permanent injuries you may have suffered. You may even be able to get punitive damages, which are designed to punish the other driver for his or her action.

If you are contacted by the other driver's insurance company, you do not need to provide them with any information other than your basic contact information. Nor should you feel pressured to provide them with an immediate description of your injuries. A personal injury lawyer who handles auto accident injuries can help you negotiate with the other driver's insurance company or decide whether your case should be heard in court.

Find a Local Auto Accident Attorney