Car Accident Compensation in Burlington, VT: How Much Can I Recover?

Although Burlington is the most populous city in the state of Vermont, the population consists of a modest 42,000 residents. Still, car accidents happen everywhere. 

When you have been involved in a traffic accident in Burlington, you may be owed significant financial compensation. Perhaps you were involved in a crash on your way to Church Street Marketplace. Or maybe another vehicle collided with you near Willard Street Inn. 

Regardless of the circumstances of your motor vehicle accident, you should speak with an attorney about recovering car accident compensation in Burlington. A skilled tort attorney can help you secure maximum repayment in your case. 

Even if you know that you have a valid tort claim, you may not know whether you are owed car accident compensation in Burlington. If your Burlington car accident resulted from another person’s negligence, it is important to hold them accountable. 

To speak with a trusted car accident attorney, reach out to the firm of Morgan & Morgan. Our skilled lawyers will help you recover car accident compensation in Burlington.  

You should not have to handle the financial and personal losses from your collision alone. Reach out to the firm of Morgan & Morgan by filling out the contact form to arrange a legal consultation at no cost to you.

Common Causes of Car Accidents in Vermont and Nationwide

In 2021, there were more than 70 fatal car accidents in the state of Vermont. Even more collisions resulted in injuries to passengers and drivers. 

So if you have been involved in a collision in Burlington, you are not alone. While each accident involves distinct circumstances, some types of accidents are more common than others. 

Some crashes are unavoidable. However, others result from someone’s lack of care or reckless driving. In these latter cases, the victim can pursue car accident compensation in Burlington. 

Some of the most common causes of domestic motor vehicle crashes include:

Driving Under the Influence

Recent research suggests that any amount of alcohol in the bloodstream can affect someone’s ability to drive safely. When motorists choose to get behind the wheel after drinking, they put others in danger.  

Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is a criminal offense. But victims can also pursue a civil lawsuit to recover car accident compensation in Burlington.

Driving While Distracted

Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of collisions. Distracted motorists have slower response times because their attention is not fully on the road.  

Some of the most typical examples include drivers who are distracted by: 

• Cell phones or other electronic devices
• Passengers or conversations
• Music or the vehicle’s stereo
• Eating or drinking
• And more 

When you are behind the wheel, your only priority should be operating your vehicle safely. Motorists who have been driving for a long period of time are more susceptible to distractions. 

For instance, long-haul truck drivers often become distracted after operating their vehicles for many hours. If you have been injured in a collision involving a commercial truck, you may be owed significant car accident compensation in Burlington.

Speeding

Everyone has had the experience of another motorist speeding past them on the highway. Driving at unreasonably high speeds is one of the leading causes of accidents. 

Many drivers routinely travel at 15 or 20 miles over the legal speed limit. This drastically increases the likelihood of collisions.  

Driving too fast makes it impossible for motorists to react to the environmental factors on the roadway. If a speeding motorist has injured you, it is critical to hold them accountable. 

The team at Morgan & Morgan has handled plenty of car accident cases involving speeding motorists. Speeding is a negligent and dangerous driving decision.

Reckless Driving

Even if a driver is maintaining a legal speed, they can still engage in dangerous maneuvers. Weaving through traffic, tailgating, and sudden lane changes are all examples of reckless driving.  

If you notice a reckless driver, it is vital to stay far away from them on the road. When someone’s reckless driving has resulted in physical harm or property damage, the victim has the legal right to pursue car accident compensation in Burlington.

Inclement Weather

Weather conditions are an important factor in any car accident case. The cold and snowy winters in Burlington drastically increase the chances of collisions. 

It is critical to drive carefully and take proper precautions during the winter months. When a motorist does not show adequate caution during inclement weather, they may cause a traffic accident. 

Driving at Night

Most people are not aware that driving after dark increases the risk of collisions. This is because visibility is lower after the sun goes down.  

It can be difficult to see other vehicles or obstacles on the roadway. When it is raining or snowing, visibility is even worse after dark. Night driving is one of the common factors that contribute to traffic accidents.  

These are only a few of the most common causes of collisions in the state of Vermont. Regardless of the circumstances that led to your accident, you may be owed financial recovery from the at-fault party.

Common Types of Car Accident Compensation in Burlington Cases

Victims are often unsure about the various types of compensation that they can seek through a traffic collision claim. In part, the kinds of financial recovery you can pursue will depend on the nature of your accident. 

For instance, suppose that you were injured in a car accident. In this case, you can pursue additional payments for costs related to the physical, financial, and emotional harm you suffered as a result.  

Like most tort claims, car accident cases involving injuries usually entitle victims to two types of recovery. The legal term for payments to injury and accident victims is “damages.”  

The two categories in most injury cases are known as “special” and “general” damages, respectively.

Understanding “Special” Damages

Special damages are also known as “economic” damages. These payments cover the direct monetary expenses and losses that victims experience.

Most injured people underestimate the amount of financial damage resulting from a car accident. For this reason, it is crucial to let a seasoned legal expert review the facts of your case. This will ensure that you do not accept an insufficient settlement in your claim. 

The most typical examples of special damages in Burlington collision cases are: 

• Current and past medical bills
• Expected future medical care costs
• Long-term or in-home care
• Travel related to medical treatment — such as ambulance rides
• Vehicular repair or replacement
• Other associated property damage
• Lost wages from missing work due to injury
• Decreased ability to earn income long-term
• And more 

An experienced traffic accident attorney in Burlington will review the receipts, invoices, and bills related to your collision. They will accurately calculate the number of special damages that the at-fault party owes you. 

Understanding “General” Damages

This type of legal payment is also referred to as “non-economic” damages. While injury victims usually experience mounting financial costs, some of the most devastating aspects of being injured are not financial. 

For instance, victims are often unable to engage in activities they used to enjoy. Following a car accident injury, you may not be able to walk or sit comfortably. You may face a long and difficult recovery period. 

Even though this type of loss is intangible, victims deserve compensation. General damages are intended to compensate for these damaging outcomes. 

Common examples of general damages in motor vehicle accident cases include: 

• Physical pain and suffering
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Emotional damage and distress
• Anxiety and depression
• Partial or total disability
• Disfigurement
• Embarrassment
• Loss of consortium or relationship—in wrongful death claims

Most people underestimate or completely forget to consider their non-economic damages when pursuing a claim. The accomplished attorneys at Morgan & Morgan have plenty of experience calculating the value of these damages in car accident cases. 

Tightfisted insurance providers will often downplay, devalue, or dismiss victims’ general damages. Do not let a greedy adjuster prevent you from recovering the money you need to move forward. 

Our Vermont tort attorneys will diligently pursue maximum compensation in your case. Do not accept less than the amount that is rightfully yours.  

Because every accident case is unique, there is no standard amount of compensation in collision claims. The amount that you can recover will depend on the specific circumstances of your crash. That is why it is crucial to contact the legal experts at Morgan & Morgan today.