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Automobile Accidents
Automobile accidents are decided by law. A person who negligently operates a vehicle may be required to pay any damages caused by their negligence, either to person or property. Generally, people who operate automobiles must exercise "reasonable care under the circumstances." Failure to do so results in liability.
About every 10 seconds someone in the United States is in a car crash. In 2013, there were over 6 million police-reported traffic crashes, in which over 40,000 people were killed and almost 3 million people were injured. Other startling facts are as follows:
- Motor vehicle crashes kill over two thousand children (ages 1 to 15) and 6,964 teenagers (ages 16 to 20) annually. Older adults (over 65) are a high-risk age group for vehicle deaths.
- About 5,000 pedestrians died from traffic-related injuries and another 60,000 pedestrians sustained non-fatal injuries annually .
- Almost one third of traffic fatalities are alcohol related; either the driver or an affected person (e.g., a pedestrian or a bicyclist) were legally drunk, with a blood alcohol count over .08
- Vehicle crashes continue to be the leading cause of injury death in the United States for people ages 3 to 33.
At Wiederlaw, our huge experience allows us to excel in handling accident cases investigating every possible contributing cause of an accident so that you will receive full compensation for your injuries. Evaluating all the facts involved in the cause of a motor vehicle accident requires skill and experience. Our office will take over the investigation of your case so that you can concentrate on recovering from your injuries. We can help in finding the right doctor to treat you, and try to arrange with your doctors to wait for payment until your case is resolved through settlement or trial.
Courts look to a number of factors in determining whether a driver was negligent. Some are because of speeding, some are DUI, some people do not signal, or drive too fast for the weather conditions. Some people are texting or talking on the phone. Anyone with common sense knows that this is the reason for a negligence case against them.
A driver may also be liable for an accident caused intentionally or recklessly. A driver who is reckless is one who drives unsafely, with disregard for the probability that the driving may cause an accident. In certain cases, accidents are caused by factors unrelated to the conduct of any particular driver. For example, under the law of product liability, an automobile manufacturer or supplier may be responsible for injuries caused by a defect in the automobile, or a component of the automobile, such as a defective tire. A products liability suit is a lawsuit brought against the seller of a product for selling a defective product that caused physical injury to a consumer or user. If a manufacturer of a product creates a defective product - either in developing, designing or labeling the product - the manufacturer is liable for any injures the product causes, regardless of whether or not the manufacturer was negligent.
There are other causes you should look out for as well, including an improperly repaired car, poorly maintained roads or streets, bad design, construction, poorly placed signage, other highway defects, etc. Let us know about it and we will run with the ball. To protect your rights, accidents must be investigated promptly, and the evidence preserved. And most importantly you should seek proper medical attention for your injuries; we are not doctors. So see the doctor first if you are hurt. Call now (305) 371-7111!