Car Wreck Attorney in Louisville

One of the items on the agenda during a free case evaluation is to determine the cause of your auto crash. Once your car accident lawyer from Morgan and Morgan discovers the cause of the vehicle collision, the next step is to decide whether the other party committed one or more acts of negligence that caused your injuries.

Here are the three most common causes of car accidents in Louisville:

Reckless Driving

Reckless driving is an issue in Louisville, as well as throughout the United States. One common example of reckless driving is exceeding the speed limit. The faster a car travels, the stronger the impact made during an auto wreck. According to a study released in 2018 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), drivers that violate speed limit ordinances cause more than 25 percent of all auto crashes that result in at least one fatality. Running stop signs and red lights are another common type of reckless driving.

Distracted Driving

Kentucky law prohibits drivers from using an electronic communication device while operating a motor vehicle. Unfortunately, far too many motorists ignore the law when it comes to texting and driving. In 2017, more than 8,000 vehicle collisions resulted from cell phone use, whether a driver texted or talked on the phone while driving. Driving while talking on a cell phone decreases the amount of neural activity in the brain by nearly 40 percent. Distracted driving is more than using an electronic communication device. A driver also can become distracted by eating and adjusting the radio dial.

Driving Under the Influence

Like most states, Kentucky has established 0.08 as the maximum Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) level for motorists. Many drivers can reach the 0.08 percent BAC by consuming two alcoholic beverages in just 30 minutes. Driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol slows reaction times in the same way it does for drivers who text and drive. Slower reaction times are an especially dangerous issue for motorists navigating the busy roads and highways that run through Louisville. Drinking and drug use also impairs a driver’s judgment, which can lead to reckless driving maneuvers.

The decisions that you make after an auto collision go a long way in determining the strength of an insurance claim, as well as a civil lawsuit that seeks monetary damages.

Call 911

The only time when you do not have to call law enforcement after a vehicle collision is if the collision is nothing more than a fender bender. For a minor car accident like a fender bender, you exchange information with the other party and go on your way. However, most auto crashes require calling 911 to activate emergency medical and law enforcement personnel. Even if nobody sustained serious injuries, law enforcement officers secure the accident scene to prevent another car accident and preserve the evidence that accompanies the official police report.

Receive Medical Care

For a serious injury, a trip to the nearest emergency room gets you the medical attention that you deserve. If you sustained less serious injuries that allow you to remain at the scene of the accident, you still should seek medical care after talking with a law enforcement officer and obtaining contact and insurance information from the other party involved in the collision. You cannot expect to receive compensation for medical expenses if you do not undergo diagnostic tests, as well as complete treatment programs and possibly physical therapy sessions.

Gather Evidence

The official police report provides your Louisville wreck lawyer with plenty of information concerning what transpired before, during, and after the crash. You can do your part by gathering and organizing evidence from the accident scene. Taking photos of your damaged vehicle allows a professional assessor to calculate a fair value for restoring your case or replacing it because it is beyond repair. Using a Smartphone to capture images of tire tracks and road conditions helps your Louisville wreck lawyer as well.

Obtain the Names and Contact Information of  Witnesses

Witnesses are not considered evidence, but instead, they provide legal support to the physical evidence collected by you and the law enforcement personnel that responded to the auto crash. You do not interview witnesses after a car accident. Your role involves obtaining the names and contact information of every witness, which your attorney refers to when the time comes to schedule interviews with each witness. Witnesses also can help you build a strong case by providing depositions that are used if you file a civil lawsuit that seeks monetary damages.

Contact a Morgan and Morgan Car Accident Lawyer

Before you contact your insurance company to inform an adjuster about the vehicle collision, you should first get in touch with a Louisville wreck lawyer from Morgan and Morgan. If you do not have legal representation when you contact an insurance company, the insurer might try to take advantage of you by offering compensation that is valued well below what you deserve. Hiring a personal injury attorney who specializes in handling car accident cases lets your insurance company know that you are serious about getting just compensation that covers the costs of medical bills, repairing property damage, and making up for lost wages.

Every state has set a deadline for filing a personal lawsuit, with most states establishing a statute of limitations between two and four years. A few states impose a deadline for filing a personal injury lawsuit as long as six years and as short as one year. Kentucky represents one of the few states that has set a deadline for filing a personal injury lawsuit at one year. The clock starts ticking on the statute of limitations for filing a personal injury lawsuit on the date of the car accident. Nonetheless, you might receive an extension if you sustained an injury that developed delayed symptoms.

Although one year is the shortest statute of limitations established by each state, it is still more than enough time to file a civil lawsuit that presents compelling physical evidence, as well as convincing witness statements. You should act with a sense of urgency by filing your civil lawsuit as quickly as possible after a vehicle collision. Because you must pay out-of-pocket for medical bills and the repairs done to personal property, filing a civil lawsuit shortly after an auto crash helps you recover financial losses sooner. Your car accident lawyer from Morgan and Morgan wants to interview witnesses as close to the date of the vehicle collision as possible. Witness accounts typically are much more accurate the closer they are given to the date of an auto crash.

The most important role of your Louisville wreck lawyer is to get you the compensation that you deserve. If your case goes through the litigation process, you might secure three types of monetary damages.

Economic Damages

Economic damages represent the tangible costs associated with your case. Diagnostic tests, treatment programs, and physical therapy sessions can run into thousands of dollars. You also have the right to request compensation for other medical expenses such as prescription medications and the use of an assistive device. Repairs to personal property and lost wages also fall under the category of economic damages.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages do not come with a price tag. Instead, they represent damages that include emotional distress issues. Getting involved in a car accident can trigger powerful negative emotions such as fear, anxiety, and even depression. Your Louisville wreck lawyer calculates the value of non-economic damages by using a formula that includes the value of economic damages.

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages do not help you recover financial losses. The judge hearing your case awards punitive damages to punish the defendant for committing one or more acts of negligence. Awarding punitive damages deter the defendant from committing similar negligent acts in the future. For an especially egregious act of negligence, the value awarded for punitive damages can exceed the combined value of economic and non-economic damages.

We recommend reading the positive reviews left by our clients on sites such as Yelp and Google. You should see a pattern of praise that includes references to the integrity of our car accident lawyers, as well as how we operate with an unsurpassed level of transparency.

Schedule a free case evaluation today with a Morgan and Morgan car accident lawyer to determine how to proceed with your case.