Injured in a Highway Car Accident? Here's Why You Need a Lawyer

Any car accident can have far-reaching consequences for a victim, passengers, pedestrians, and the family members of the people who have been hurt. Due to high speeds and many vehicles sharing the road, highway car accidents can leave devastating consequences. If you or someone you know has recently been injured in a serious accident, you need to consult with a highway car accident lawyer as soon as possible.

A highway car accident lawyer can help you to determine your legal right to file a claim, total the potential damages for your case, and help you understand the legal process ahead of you as a victim. No one should have to live through the difficult consequences of surviving a highway car accident or having to say goodbye to a loved one who was killed in a preventable highway crash, but unfortunately, this is the reality for many people across the country. Their only opportunity post-accident is to turn to an experienced highway car accident lawyer to pursue compensation and to close this difficult chapter of their lives.

For anyone who was hurt in a highway car accident because someone else wasn't paying attention, was driving under the influence, or was otherwise reckless, you have rights under your state personal injury law. 

To learn more, reach out to Morgan & Morgan for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.

What Are The Causes of Highway Car Accidents?

With so many vehicles on the road with varying levels of safety possibilities for defective car parts inside those vehicles and people of varying levels of focus and experience behind the wheel, the potential for highway car accidents is extremely high. Some highways across the United States allow for speeds of between 70 and 80 miles per hour. These highways can be relatively safe when all drivers are focused on the road ahead of them, are driving properly maintained vehicles, and are adhering to all vehicle laws and rules. However, many different circumstances can change the scope of safety on a highway, leading to someone being seriously injured and hiring an experienced highway car accident lawyer to pursue compensation. Some of the common examples of causes behind highway car accidents include:

• Distracted drivers.
• Drowsy drivers.
• Inexperienced or dangerous truck drivers.
• Poor weather conditions.
• Poor road conditions, such as major potholes, weaknesses in the road or improperly maintained guardrails.
• Driving under the influence of alcohol.
• Driving while under the influence of drugs.

These are just a few examples of factors that can contribute to a highway car crash. For a victim, their life can be turned upside down in just a matter of seconds and they may struggle to be able to put their life back together or figure out how to move forward. Too many highway car accident victims have devastating injuries that come with substantial costs, both in terms of physical pain, mental frustration, emotional challenges, and financial difficulties. This is why personal injury laws enable those victims who have been harmed by someone else's negligent behavior to pursue compensation with the help of an experienced highway car accident lawyer.

What to Do Immediately After a Highway Car Accident?

It is often the case that someone seriously injured in an accident may not be able to remember the moments just prior to the accident. This could be due to shock, experiencing problems, such as unconsciousness during the accident, or simply not having an awareness of when or how they were hit. This can become problematic for the victim when they need to file a personal injury lawsuit.

Hiring a highway car accident lawyer will become important down the road for this victim to be able to reconstruct the scene of the accident and to learn more about the causes of the crash. Hiring the right highway car accident lawyer can make that victim much more likely to recover full and fair compensation to be able to move forward with their life. Immediately after an accident, a victim should always take the same steps. These include:

• Contacting the police to ensure they arrive at the scene to take a police report.
• Moving vehicles out of the roadway wherever possible.
• Getting medical treatment even if symptoms of serious medical conditions are not immediately noticeable.
• Contacting a car insurance company to inform them about the accident.
• Speaking with a highway car accident lawyer about the crash.

Can I File a Lawsuit if the Accident Was Not My Fault?

Regardless of whether or not you live in a fault or no-fault state, you may be able to contact a highway car accident lawyer to help you file a lawsuit to recover compensation. The specifics of your ability to recover damage compensation will depend on whether or not you live in a fault or no-fault state, the extent of your injuries and property damage, and other rules specific to your insurance. It can be a very complex process to walk through, and it is often overwhelming for victims who find it difficult just to go about their daily life because of the pain they suffer.

Many different legal questions must be answered by a victim as well, leading many to retain an experienced highway car accident lawyer meant to handle these details so that the victim can focus the majority of their attention on medical treatments and recovery. If you have substantial damages and expenses after an accident, you may need to turn to a personal injury lawsuit to recover this compensation and to help get your life back on track. Know that you are not alone if you find yourself in this circumstance. The right highway car accident lawyer can help you move forward and get the legal compensation you need.

Why Do I Need a Personal Injury Lawyer?

You might assume that it is simple enough to notify your car insurance company after an accident has happened and to wait for the car insurance company to review your medical bills and property damage bills to pay out your claim. However, there are many extenuating circumstances associated with insurance carriers and it does not always work in the consumer's favor to get the compensation they need. This adds additional frustration to an experience in which a victim is already struggling to move forward with their life.

Know that you are not alone if you find yourself in this situation and that you may need to hold the insurance company accountable by hiring a highway car accident lawyer. Hiring a highway car accident lawyer gives you the chance to not worry about the legal or insurance components of your claim. You can instead direct your attention towards rest and recovery. Your lawyer will handle all communication and insurance-related aspects of your claim, reducing your stress and making it easier for you to adapt to your new daily life.

Personal injury lawyers, such as a highway car accident lawyer who has extensive experience in the area of personal injury law and are fully committed to ensuring that victims' rights are represented. Furthermore, it can show the insurance company and other parties involved in a lawsuit that you are taking your case seriously and will do everything possible to protect your legal rights to recover compensation. Given the high stakes involved in your opportunity for recovery, it is imperative to find a dedicated lawyer who will help you figure out the best way to move forward.

When Should I File?

Your first step in a highway car accident case is to get medical attention for your injuries, and you might easily find that there are many different details to attend to in the days and weeks following your accident. That being said, it is extremely important to verify that you will be able to meet with a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Even if it takes a couple of weeks or months after you have been hurt, you need to take action quickly. This is because of state-specific rules known as the “statute of limitations.” Each state has individual timelines regarding the type of lawsuit and the time in which you must file a claim. If you have a relatively strong case, but you failed to file it within the statute of limitations, your case will be dismissed. 

Even if you are not yet sure whether you intend to proceed with a personal injury lawsuit, talking things over with a lawyer will give you a better perspective on what is involved in that process and what might be at stake. You may also begin to realize the value of doing so after you have received a diagnosis from your doctor and a treatment plan about how this condition will affect you for years to come. 

Once you better understand how your injuries will affect your life, you may be able to put together a demand letter with the help of your personal injury attorney. This will also help you better understand the settlement offer presented by the other side so that you can decide whether or not this fully and fairly compensates you for the injuries you have sustained.

These matters can be complex, and you don’t have to try your case alone. Contact Morgan & Morgan for a free, no-obligation case evaluation to learn more about your options. We’re here to help you move forward from this unfortunate event.