Auto accidents can cause serious, even catastrophic injuries. The auto accident lawyers at Link & Smith, P.C. have represented people injured in car wrecks since 1991.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration there are approximately 43,000 people killed in car accidents each year in the United States. Roughly 40 percent of the fatal crashes are alcohol-related. In addition to fatal accidents, about 2.9 million people injured each year. In 2005 there were almost 6,420,000 auto accidents in the United States. The financial cost of these crashes is more than 230 Billion dollars. About 115 people die every day in vehicle crashes in the United States.
It is generally agreed that the six most common causes of car accidents are 1) distracted drivers, 2) driver fatigue, 3) drunk driving, 4) speeding, 5) aggressive driving and 6) weather. One increasingly serious cause of driver distraction is cell phone use, as more than 85 percent of the estimated 100 million cell-phone users regularly talk on their phone while driving, according to a Prevention magazine survey. In 2004, an estimated 16,654 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes, according to NHTSA. Drunk drivers were responsible for 30 percent of all fatal crashes during the week in 2003, and note that this percentage rose significantly over the weekends to 53 percent of fatal crashes which were alcohol-related. Texting while driving is considered as dangerous, or more dangerous than drunk driving.
Many people do not understand that the insurance adjuster’s first loyalty is to the insurance company. Simply put, the job of the insurance adjuster is to pay as little as possible to settle any car accident claim. Our lawyers understand the claims process, and understanding they learned by working for insurance companies for nearly a decade. Our lawyers would like to put this knowledge to work for your benefit.
In any car wreck there are several types of insurance that may apply to pay for property damage, medical bills, lost wages and the change in lifestyle often caused by a wreck. Automobile liability coverage, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, resident relative liability coverage and umbrella coverage are all possible sources of recovery. In some cases the employer of the person who caused the wreck will also contribute to a settlement.
We understand that the injuries and damages resulting from car accidents can include soft tissue injuries, broken bones, traumatic brain injury, wrongful death, pain and suffering, medical bills, and lost wages. Spouses of those injured in car wrecks also have a claim for damages called loss of consortium.
The attorneys at Link & Smith, P.C. have the experience and knowledge you need. We take care of the complicated legal issues and negotiate through the insurance company minefields. We protect our clients and advocate for them with the ultimate goal of providing superior service and counsel.
