If you?ve been injured in a car accident, you might be wondering if you should contact an injury attorney. Do the facts of the case merit a personal injury attorney? Is it even worth it to contact one? Here?s three times you definitely should:
If Distracted Driving Was At Play
Every daylight moment in the United States, and estimated 660,000 people are driving and using their cell phones at the same time. In 2015, 3,477 people died in a distracted driving incident. Distracted driving is one of the three most common causes of car accidents in the United States, and is a national menace. If you’ve been injured by a distracted driver, the accident was not a true accident. The driver was being negligent, and a personal injury attorney can help you not only get compensation for your losses, medical bills, and other expenses, but also send a strong message to the community.
If Drunk Driving Took Place
Distracted driving is one of the three most common causes of car accidents: another is drunk driving. Every day in America, 28 people die in crashes because the driver was impaired by alcohol. Just as with distracted driving, drunk driving is a plague on our society. The drunk driver needs to face up to what he or she has done, and a personal injury lawsuit or wrongful death case could be the best way to make them do that. Again, forcing drivers who engage in these types of behaviors to pay for their negligence and foolishness sends a message that our communities will not tolerate this kind of behavior.
If It Was a Big Rig Collision
Thousands of people die every year in the United States in a tractor trailer accident. Because these trucks are so large?80,000 pounds compared to only 5,000 pounds for the average car?when they turn over they cause an incredible amount of damage. A semi truck in an accident is almost certainly going to kill someone: 98% of accidents involving these trucks do. A personal injury attorney can help you deal with not only the truck driver, but the trucking company and their insurance company as well.
The very nature of trucking means that these trucks are frequently being driven by drivers who are far too tired. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration estimates that fatigue is a factor in 13% of big rig collisions. Other times, these accidents happen because the trucking company has been negligent in servicing and maintaining their fleet properly. In both these cases, the trucking company is at fault and needs to be called to account before someone else gets killed.
In all these cases, a personal injury attorney can help you understand what your rights are, understand what’s at stake both for you and for society, and help you navigate the legal issues. A personal injury attorney there to help you to protect you. If you’ve been injured by someone else’s negligence, don’t hesitate to get the advice and help of a professional.