What type of benefits and damages may be available after a car accident? Have you suffered significant injuries in a car accident? Are you now dealing with debilitating injuries, excruciating pain, and financial burdens? You may be able to make a claim for benefits or seek damages to compensate you for the personal and financial costs you have incurred. The value of your claims will depend on the circumstances of your car accident, the injuries you have sustained, and the knowledge and skill of the attorney you hire to help you make these claims. Reach out to a Grand Rapids car accident lawyer.
Factors That Can Affect the Value of Your Motor Vehicle Accident Claim
Because each accident is unique, numerous factors can impact the value of your case, including:
The severity of your injuries and whether you suffered a permanent disability
The medical treatments you require now and in the future
The available insurance and policy limits
Whether the at-fault driver has assets that can be used to pay a judgment
The number of individuals involved in the motor vehicle collision
The extent of your pain and suffering
Your ability to take part in the activities you enjoyed before the accident
An attorney cannot promise you that you will receive a specific amount of money after the crash. You should not hire an attorney who makes any such guarantee. A knowledgeable car accident lawyer, however, can pursue the maximum compensation you deserve by examining these factors, figuring out which ones affect your case, and preparing a compelling legal case.
The Financial Damages You Can Pursue After a Car Crash
Depending on the circumstances of your car accident and the severity of your injuries, you may be able to pursue certain financial damages. These damages usually break down into the following categories:
Economic Damages
These damages refer to compensation for the financial losses that result from an accident, including:
Medical bills related to emergency services such as ambulance rides, hospital stays, doctor appointments, prescription medications, surgeries, in-home nursing care, prosthetics, and other medical treatments
Ongoing and future medical treatments
Lost wages
Personal property damages
Reduced earning capacity
Replacement domestic services, such as cleaning services or child care services
Rehabilitative therapy, such as physical and occupational therapy
Modifications to your house or car to accommodate a wheelchair or other mobility needs
Additional expenses resulting from the accident
Depending on the level of coverage available to you, many of these economic damages will be covered by your no-fault insurance carrier. You may be able to recover anything that is not covered by your no-fault carrier from the at-fault driver. However, a claim against the at-fault driver can only be pursued if you or your loved one suffered a serious impairment of a body function, permanent serious disfigurement, or death.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages refer to payment for the subjective, non-monetary losses that result from an accident, including:
Pain and suffering
Anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other mental health consequences of the crash or your injuries
Fright and shock
Physical disfigurement
Physical impairment
Loss of society and companionship, which is the impact of your injuries on your relationship with your loved ones
Loss of quality and enjoyment of life
The inconvenience of living with the injuries and their limitations
These damages can only be recovered from the at-fault driver, and only if the injured person sustained a serious impairment of a body function, permanent serious disfigurement, or death.
Your personal injury attorneys at Gruel Mills can determine which damages you may pursue and help you to get the best recovery from your no-fault insurer and/or the at-fault driver.
Life is busy, and it can be tempting to try to multitask while driving. However, most drivers vastly overestimate their ability to drive safely while doing other tasks, whether it is using a cell phone, putting on makeup, or eating dinner. Sending or reading a short text takes a driver’s attention away from the road for about 5 seconds; at 55 miles per hour, this is like driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed. It is thus no surprise that crashes often happen when a driver is texting or otherwise distracted.
If you have been injured because a distracted driver caused an accident, you have legal options to help you as you heal. An experienced car accident attorney can help you get the financial recovery you deserve.
Distracted Driving—The Figures You Need to Know
Distracted drivers took the lives of over 3,100 people in the United States in 2020 and caused injuries to 424,0000 others in crashes. This is more than 1,100 crashes per day in which it could be proven that the driver was distracted. Some other startling statistics include:
About one in five individuals killed in a crash involving a distracted driver was not in a motor vehicle; instead, they were riding a bike, walking, or outside the car.
Distracted driving is responsible for more than 58 percent of teen crashes.
Distracted driving occurs in more than 36 percent of all trips in the United States.
Texting on the phone can increase the risk of a crash or a near-crash by 23 times.
A study by AAA found that over 84% of drivers recognize the danger of using a cell phone while driving and find it “unacceptable” that drivers text or send an email while driving. However, 36% of those same drivers admit to having read or sent a text message or email while driving in the previous month.
What Is Distracted Driving?
Distracted driving is any activity that diverts the driver’s attention away from the act of driving. When driving a multi-ton vehicle, it only takes an instant of not paying adequate attention for the consequences to be disastrous.
Different Types of Distracted Driving
Any non-driving activity can become a potential distraction that increases the driver’s risk of crashing. However, distracted driving breaks down into four main types. Some distractions fall within more than one category.
Visual distractions include anything that causes the driver to look away from the road. Manual distractions cause a driver to remove their hands from the wheel. Auditory distractions result when a sound causes the driver’s attention to shift from the road. And cognitive distractions happen when a driver’s mind wanders away from the act of driving, such as when motorists are too tired to drive or preoccupied with thinking about things outside of driving.
Most Common Types of Distractions While Driving
There are many types of distractions that can increase the risk of motor vehicle accidents. Some of the most common types of distractions that are known for increasing the risk of a crash include the following:
1. Texting and Driving
Talking or texting on the phone is one of the most common types of distracted driving behaviors and is known to increase the likelihood of debilitating motor vehicle accidents.
According to a study conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI), texting on a cell phone increases the risk of an accident or a near-crash by 23 times. Another study showed that talking on the phone while driving causes impairment that is similar to driving intoxicated.
2. Getting Lost in Thought
Getting lost in one’s thoughts is one of the most significant causes of distracted driving collisions. When a motorist’s mind begins to wander while driving, they are often unable to react quickly enough to dangers on the road or other issues they should avoid.
This type of distracted driving often happens during a driver’s daily commute. When drivers travel the same route every day, they get comfortable and pay less attention, allowing their minds to drift off to other concerns. This also happens more frequently when driving long distances without a break and driving while experiencing fatigue or sleepiness.
Daydreaming while driving is often more dangerous than using a cellphone while driving. In fact, according to data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, the most significant cause of distracted driving was a motorist’s mind wandering long enough to result in a collision. This data indicated that drivers thinking about something other than driving caused over 61 percent of motor vehicle fatalities.
3. Outside Events
Rubbernecking is a term used to refer to a motorist turning their head while driving to look at a passing accident or roadside event. However, this behavior can result in tragic and life-changing crashes.
Moreover, motorists tend to drive close together as they slow down to observe an event or accident. As a result, when a driver turns their head and the motorist in front of them slows down or stops, the rubbernecking driver may not have enough time to prevent a collision.
4. Talking With Other Occupants
Motorists who interact with passengers, animals, or children while driving put themselves and others on the road at risk of a devastating accident, especially if they turn around to talk or take their hands off the wheel to deal with kids fighting in the back seat.
5. Trying to Reach Things in the Motor Vehicle
When distracted motorists reach for something in their bag or that fell on the floor, they can lose control of their vehicles. Research shows that a motorist is eight times more likely to be involved in a motor vehicle crash when reaching for an object while driving.
6. Doing Personal Grooming
While most drivers know they should not take part in personal grooming while operating their vehicle, it is not unusual to see motorists brushing their hair, applying makeup, or even changing their clothes while driving. However, these distractions can end up causing the motorist to lose control of their car and result in a massive wreck.
7. Eating and Drinking
According to an NHTSA study, motorists who eat and drive increase their odds of an accident by approximately 80 percent. Distracted drivers consuming food and drinks caused 65 percent of near-miss accidents.
The study even described some of the most dangerous foods and beverages drivers could have in the car while driving. This list includes coffee, hot soups, tacos, hamburgers, donuts, soft drinks, and chocolate.
8. Adjusting Controls
Adjusting the air conditioning, changing the radio station, and playing around with the GPS while operating a vehicle can take a motorist’s attention away from the road long enough to cause a debilitating motor vehicle accident.
Other Common Distractions
While the above list indicates the more common causes of distracted driving accidents, there are many other reasons a driver may be distracted and cause a devastating accident. If you suffered harm in a distracted driving accident due to the wrongful actions of another person or motorist, make sure you reach out to an experienced car accident attorney as soon as possible. These lawyers can determine whether you have a viable case and your legal options. They can also assist you as you go after maximum financial recovery.
Things You Can Do to Help Your Case Following a Distracted Driving Accident
Although taking action after a distracted driving accident may be the last thing on your mind, the things you do after a collision can protect your health, safety, and legal rights. If you are in a distracted driving collision, you should consider taking the following steps:
Reach out to Law Enforcement
Following a distracted driving crash, you should call 911 immediately. If you saw that the other driver was distracted before they hit you, tell the police when they arrive. They will conduct an investigation and document their findings in their police report. They may be able to obtain evidence such as phone records that prove the at-fault driver was distracted. If you decide to pursue legal action after this crash, the police report and any evidence they preserve can provide your attorney with valuable details that can help them prove what happened and who was at fault.
Gather Evidence From the Crash
If possible, gather as much evidence from the crash scene as you can.
Talk to Others at the Scene
If any witnesses saw the accident, talk to them and get their contact information. If you think the at-fault driver was distracted, ask the witnesses if they saw what the driver was doing just before the crash. These individuals may be able to provide your attorney with testimony that can help your lawyer prepare the strongest case on your behalf.
Talk to an Attorney as Soon as Possible
Evidence that a driver was texting or otherwise using their phone before a crash can be easily lost or deleted from the phone, and cell phone carriers do not keep this information for very long, if at all. Accordingly, it is important to contact an attorney as soon as possible after a crash if you think the at-fault driver was distracted by their cell phone when they caused the collision. An experienced attorney can take steps to preserve this evidence that will be critical to showing that the other driver was distracted and thus at fault.
Work With an Experienced Motor Vehicle Accident Lawyer and Fight for the Justice and Damages You Deserve
If you were injured in a distracted driving accident, your focus should be on your recovery, not on trying to prove your claim and secure the compensation you deserve. Thankfully, when you hire an experienced car accident attorney to take on your case, you will not have to worry about handling this complex legal ordeal alone.
Instead, when the legal team at Gruel Mills is on your side, they will:
Review the facts of your distracted driving collision, figure out if you can pursue legal action, and determine the legal options you have.
Ensure you get the legal support you need to get through this challenging time and offer you answers and clarification regarding your rights.
Analyze the accident and gather the evidence necessary to show what happened, who was at fault, and the extent of your injuries.
Determine which parties were responsible for the accident, and make sure to hold them all responsible for the harm and losses you suffered.
Prepare and file your legal motions and paperwork with the court before the statute of limitation (your deadline to commence an action) expires.
Handle all the settlement negotiations with the insurance company and fight for a just offer.
Head to trial to fight for maximum financial damages if the insurer will not negotiate fairly with you.
If distracted driving has upended your life or a loved one’s life, do not deal with this demanding situation on your own. Instead, contact the experienced car accident lawyers at Gruel Mills as soon as possible for your free case consultation and find out how an attorney can help you get your life back on track.
Over six billion text messages are sent every day in the United States. Unfortunately, many people think that they are able to use this popular form of communication while they are driving. Reach out to a Grand Rapids car accident lawyer.But sending or reading a short text takes about 5 seconds, and if you are driving 55 miles per hour, looking at your phone for 5 seconds is like driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed. It is thus no surprise that crashes often happen when a driver is texting.
If you have been injured in an accident because the other driver was texting, you have legal remedies available. An experienced motor vehicle attorney can help you pursue compensation if you are injured due to another person’s negligent choice to text and drive.
The Steps You Should Take Following a Motor Vehicle Accident With a Texting Driver
Although talking to witnesses or taking pictures of the crash scene is probably the last thing you want to worry about after a motor vehicle accident, they can keep you safe and safeguard your legal rights. For these reasons, following one of these accidents, you should consider doing the following:
Contact the Authorities Immediately After the Accident
After an accident with a driver who was texting, you should call 911 immediately. If you cannot do this yourself, have someone else call on your behalf. Reaching out to the authorities after the crash is the fastest way to alert the police and the medical personnel of the collision and your injuries and the quickest way to get your injuries on record.
After the police get to the crash scene, they will perform a preliminary investigation and write their findings in their police report. If you decide to pursue legal action after this crash, this report can provide your lawyer with valuable details that they can use to fight for your rights.
Try to Take Photographs of the Scene
If the area is safe and you do not require emergency medical treatment, take as many photographs of the crash scene, including photos of:
Visible injuries
The cars involved in the collision
The placement of these vehicles on the road
The damage to each of the cars
Skid marks on the street
Road defects
Traffic signals or signs near the collision site
The weather conditions
Other evidence that can help show what happened
Yet, do not panic if you cannot obtain all of these photos because of your injuries. Once you retain an experienced car accident attorney, these legal professionals can gather this evidence while you focus on getting better.
Get Driver Information
If the other driver is willing to talk to you, try to get their name, driver’s license number, make and model of their car, contact details, and insurance information. However, if they are giving you a hard time, prioritize your safety by waiting in the car for the police to arrive. These officers can obtain these details from the at-fault driver, and your lawyer can get them from the police report once it is prepared.
Check With Others From the Scene
If anyone saw the accident, get their names and phone numbers. These witnesses can substantiate your claim and provide your attorney with further details regarding what happened and who was at fault.
Be Careful What You Say
However, as you talk to these other individuals following the accident, you will want to make sure you watch what you say to them. This means avoiding comments like “I am sorry” or “It was my fault,” as the other side can use these statements to hurt your case.
In addition, try to stay off posting on social media accounts and online forums. Posting online can create a chain of evidence that the other side can use against you to decrease the compensation you can receive for your injuries.
Get Medical Treatment Right Away
Even if your injuries look minor, you should still get to a medical professional immediately after the accident. These doctors can not only get you the necessary medical treatment you need, but they can also check for serious, hidden injuries, such as brain trauma, that can take time to manifest.
In addition, these doctors can also provide you with a medical report that can be useful to your legal claim, especially since the insurance company will be looking for any reason to deny your case or reduce the compensation you receive. And by not getting prompt medical treatment, the insurance company will likely try to argue that your injuries are not that severe or a result of a subsequent event.
Fortunately, with this medical report, your attorney will have access to documentation explaining the extent of your injuries and evidence of a direct link between the harm you suffered and the motor vehicle accident.
Watch out for the Insurance Companies
Before you speak with the insurance company, you must realize that the insurer is not there to help you after a crash. They are a business, and like other businesses, they are there to make a profit, which means paying you less for your claims.
That is why these insurance adjusters will try to do anything they can to make this money, even offering you a meager settlement after your collision that will barely pay for any current costs, let alone future expenses. Worse yet, if you accept this amount, you cannot return to the insurance company down the road for more money.
In addition, these companies are known to get you on the phone shortly after your accident when you are most vulnerable in hopes that they catch you saying something that can hurt your claim. As a result, it is often in your best interest to talk to an experienced car accident attorney before you speak with these insurance companies or accept any offer from them.
With these lawyers on your side, you can rest easy knowing that you will not get taken advantage of by these insurance companies. These attorneys can even take over your conversations with the insurer, ensuring you do not make statements that can hurt your case.
File a Claim Before You Run out of Time
Although most car accident claims settle outside the courtroom, some may end up in front of a judge or a jury. However, before bringing this lawsuit, you need enough time to file your case.
According to the statute of limitations, which is a regulation that mandates the deadline people have to pursue a lawsuit after an accident or alleged offense, individuals involved in a texting and driving accident will only have a few years to pursue their suit.
This deadline typically depends on the state where the accident occurred, such as in Michigan, where the statute of limitations to pursue a personal injury claim is three years. If exceptions apply to this rule, this deadline can also change.
For these reasons, it is usually a good idea to reach out to an experienced car accident lawyer as soon as possible after a motor vehicle crash. These attorneys can help you verify not only the total amount of time you have to file your case, but they can also ensure that, if required, your motions and files are prepared and submitted to the appropriate court before time expires.
Go After the Financial Damages You Need
If you can pursue a lawsuit for a car accident due to distracted driving, you may recover financial compensation. This compensation usually breaks into two categories:
Economic Damages
These damages refer to payment for the verifiable losses resulting from the car crash.
They include losses related to:
Costs for medical treatment, such as surgeries, hospitalization, doctor visits, medications, emergency treatment, and other medical assistance
Lost wages and earning capacity
Future medical treatment, adaptive devices, and ongoing therapy
The help with costs of daily living (such as cleaning services, child care, and home aides)
Property loss (including the cost of motor vehicle repair or replacement)Other costs resulting from the accident
Non-Economic Damages
These damages refer to compensation for the hard-to-quantify losses that result from the accident, including losses due to:
Pain
Suffering
Anxiety
Inconvenience
Physical impairment
Physical disfigurement
Loss of society and companionship
Other emotional distress
However, to figure out which monetary damages may apply to your case, it may be best to reach out to an experienced car accident attorney as soon as possible. Your lawyer can review the extent of your losses, determine which of these damages may apply to your case, and prepare the most compelling legal claim on your behalf as they go after maximum compensation.
What Evidence Can Help Your Civil Case?
In general, when a party is charged criminally for a car accident, it means the state will prosecute them, and as a result, their punishments can include community service or jail time. However, a victim of this accident will not be involved in this case, outside of maybe acting as evidence of the wrongful party’s misconduct.
In comparison, victims must file a personal injury case separate from a criminal one to pursue compensation. If the victim is successful in their claim, they can obtain monetary damages for the injuries and losses they suffered from their accident.
However, criminal and civil cases are not always disconnected, primarily regarding the evidence involved, since evidence of the at-fault driver’s criminal actions could be used as evidence that the motorist acted recklessly or negligently in the civil case.
Consequently, if you want to know what evidence you can use in your personal injury case and whether the at-fault party’s criminal charges can help you secure compensation for the harm and losses you sustained, it may be a good idea to reach out to a knowledgeable car accident attorney as soon as possible and go over the facts of your accident.
Fight for the Justice and Damages You Deserve with an Experienced Motor Vehicle Accident Attorney
After a motor vehicle collision, you have enough on your plate. Do not worry about how to secure compensation to cover your injuries and bills on top of everything else. Thankfully, when you retain experienced legal counsel, you will not have to deal with this stress alone. Instead, these lawyers can take on this legal battle for you and help you go after the justice and financial damages you deserve.
Once hired, these lawyers can:
Review the facts of your motor vehicle accident, figure out if you have a viable legal case, and determine the legal remedies you can seek.
Investigate the collision and try to secure the evidence needed to show fault and damages.
Hire experts to validate your case, including financial specialists, accident specialists, engineers, and others.
Tackle the settlement negotiations with the insurer and the other side and go after the fair settlement offer you need.
Proceed to trial if the other side does not want to negotiate fairly and fight for the maximum recovery you deserve.
If a car collision harmed you or someone you love because another driver was texting and driving, now is the time to act. Reach out to an experienced Grand Rapids personal injury attorney today for your free case consultation and find out how a legal professional can help you.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), every year, over 3,100 individuals die and over 424,000 people sustain injuries in distracted driving accidents.
Certain distractions result in these crashes more frequently than others. In this blog, we will discuss the most common driving distractions. We will also explore how an experienced motor vehicle accident lawyer can help recover monetary damages following a distracted driving accident. Reach out to a Grand Rapids car accident lawyer.
What Is Distracted Driving?
Distracted driving usually refers to any activity that takes a driver’s attention away from driving, such as eating and drinking or texting on the phone while behind the wheel. However, when a driver’s attention diverts from driving, they risk causing catastrophic accidents, primarily since motorists cannot operate their cars safely unless the exercise of driving has their full attention.
The Different Categories of Distractions
While any non-driving distraction can increase the motorist’s risk of an accident, these distractions often fall into these categories:
A Manual Distraction
These distractions are often the result of a motorist removing their hands from the wheel because they are eating or using their phone.
A Visual Distraction
Visual distractions result when the motorist does not watch where they are going or the road because they are doing things such as turning around to talk to passengers in the back.
An Auditory Distraction
These distractions result from a sound that shifts the motorist’s attention from the road, such as passengers talking to the driver or music.
A Cognitive Distraction
Cognitive distractions generally occur when the motorist’s mind wanders away from driving, whether they are too exhausted or too preoccupied with thinking about things other than driving.
Most Common Types of Distractions While Driving
As you can see, many distractions can cause motorists to lose control of their cars or increase the risk of motor vehicle accidents. However, in general, the most common types of distractions that are known for causing devastating crashes include the following:
1. Texting and Driving
Talking or texting on the phone is one of the most common types of distracted driving behaviors and is known to increase the likelihood of debilitating motor vehicle accidents.
However, these issues do not end there. In addition:
When a motorist drives and talks on the phone, their impairment compares to someone driving intoxicated.
Motorists who use their cell phones while driving are 5.36 times more likely to get into an accident than undistracted motorists.
Reading a text or sending one will usually take a driver’s eyes off the road for approximately five seconds, which equals driving the entire length of a football field, with their eyes closed, at 55 miles per hour.
Even though over 84 percent of motorists understand that cell phone use while driving is hazardous and find it unacceptable, almost 36 percent of the same group admit that they have read or sent text messages or emails while driving in the past 30 days.
2. Lost in Thought
Getting lost in one’s thoughts is one of the most significant causes of distracted driving collisions. Why? Because when a motorist’s mind begins to wander while driving, it can result in horrifying crashes as these individuals are often unable to react quickly enough to dangers on the road or other issues they should avoid.
This type of distracted driving usually results during daily commutes because drivers tend to get too comfortable with their route and become unconcerned about the road or what they are doing behind the wheel. Consequently, their mind tends to drift off, which increases their risk of causing a deadly accident.
Daydreaming while driving is often more dangerous than using a cellphone while driving. In fact, according to data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, the most significant cause of distracted driving was a motorist’s mind wandering long enough to result in a collision. This data indicated that drivers thinking about something other than driving caused over 61 percent of motor vehicle fatalities.
In addition, while a driver can get lost in thought at any point in a drive, driving long distances without a break and driving fatigue are often the most common contributing factors to this type of distraction.
3. Outside Events
Rubbernecking is a term used to refer to a motorist turning their head while driving to look at a passing accident or roadside event. However, this behavior results in tragic and life-changing crashes.
Moreover, motorists tend to drive close together as they slow down to observe an event or accident. As a result, when a driver turns their head and the motorist in front of them slows down or stops, the rubbernecking driver may not have enough time to prevent a collision.
4. Talking With Other Occupants
Motorists who interact with passengers, animals, or children put themselves and others on the road at risk of a devastating accident, especially if they turn around to talk or take their hands off the wheel to deal with kids fighting in the back seat.
5. Trying to Reach Things in the Motor Vehicle
When distracted motorists reach for something in their bag or that fell on the floor, they can lose control of their vehicles. Research shows that a motorist is eight times more likely to be involved in a motor vehicle crash when reaching for an object while driving.
6. Doing Personal Grooming
While most drivers know they should not take part in personal grooming while operating their vehicle, it is not unusual to see motorists brushing their hair, applying makeup, or even changing their clothes while driving. However, these distractions can end up causing the motorist to lose control of their car and result in a massive wreck.
7. Eating and Drinking
According to an NHTSA study, motorists who eat and drive increase their odds of an accident by approximately 80 percent. Distracted drivers fussing with the food and drinks caused 65 percent of near-miss accidents.
The study even described some of the most dangerous foods and beverages drivers could have in the car while driving. This list includes coffee, hot soups, tacos, hamburgers, donuts, soft drinks, and chocolate.
8. Adjusting Controls
Adjusting the air conditioning, changing the radio station, and playing around with the GPS while operating a vehicle can take a motorist’s attention away from the road long enough to cause a debilitating motor vehicle accident.
Other Common Distractions
While the above list indicates the more common causes of distracted driving accidents, it does not include every reason behind these horrifying accidents. That is why if you suffered harm in a distracted driving accident due to the wrongful actions of another person or motorist, make sure you reach out to an experienced car accident attorney as soon as possible.
These lawyers can determine whether you have a viable case and your legal options. They can also assist you as you go after maximum financial recovery.
Typical Injuries in a Distracted Driving Accident
While distracted driving accidents can result in a variety of injuries, differing in severity and type, these accidents are typically known for causing the following types of injuries:
Traumatic brain injuries
Fractured bones
Soft tissue injuries
Paralysis
Internal trauma
Neck injuries
Back injuries
Facial injuries
Soft tissue injuries
Limb loss
Crushing injuries
Death
Many of these injuries can also result in extensive medical treatments, leading to astronomical medical bills that can forever impact the victim and their family financially.
Financial Damages You Can Pursue Following a Distracted Driving Accident
Depending on your distracted driving accident, you may recover monetary damages.
These damages usually break down into two categories: economic and non-economic, which include payment for:
Medical bills related to doctor visits, surgeries, prescription medications, ambulance services, emergency treatments, and other types of medical treatments
Future ongoing medical care
Lost wages
Reduced earning capacity
Replacement of domestic services, including things such as child care or cleaning services
At-home nursing care
Personal property damages
Pain and suffering
Inconvenience
Humiliation
Loss of quality and enjoyment of life
Loss of companionship
Loss of consortium
Physical disfigurement
Yet, to determine which of these damages may apply to your case, it may be best to reach out to a knowledgeable car accident attorney, mainly since these damages include both hard-to-prove and easily verifiable losses, which may make securing these damages a complicated undertaking.
Thankfully, when you work with a skilled lawyer, you do not have to stress about going after this compensation alone. Instead, a legal professional can determine the extent of your losses, determine what financial recovery you can pursue, and seek maximum compensation for you.
Fight for the Justice and Financial Damages You Deserve With an Experienced Car Accident Attorney
Although no amount of money will let you forget your distracted driving crash or the injuries and losses it caused you, just compensation can help you rebuild your life and offer you financial peace of mind.
You will not have to fight for this outcome with a skilled legal professional on your team.
Instead, when you hire an attorney, they can:
Look into the facts of your distracted driving accident, determine if you have a viable legal claim, and determine your legal options.
Make sure you receive the legal support and answers you require regarding the questions you have about your case and the legal proceedings involved.
Analyze the collision, investigate what happened, and secure the evidence to prove fault and damages.
Determine who was responsible for your accident and hold them answerable for the harm and losses you suffered.
Ensure your legal motions and documents are prepared and submitted to the court before time runs out.
Tackle the settlement negotiations and discussions with the insurer and go after a fair settlement offer.
Proceed to trial and fight for the recovery you deserve if the insurance company will not pay you an acceptable settlement.
If a distracted driving collision disrupts your life or the life of a loved one, do not delay getting the legal help you need. Instead, contact an experienced car accident attorney today for your free case consultation and learn how they can fight for your rights and go after the compensation you deserve. Reach out to a Grand Rapids personal injury lawyer.
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Review Your Case Directly With One of Our Experienced Attorneys.
Distracted driving is any activity that diverts the driver’s attention away from the act of driving. When driving a multi-ton vehicle, it only takes an instant of not paying adequate attention for the consequences to be disastrous.
After an accident with a driver who was texting, you should call 911 immediately. If you cannot do this yourself, have someone else call on your behalf. Reaching out to the authorities after the crash is the fastest way to alert the police and the medical personnel of the collision and your injuries and the quickest way to get your injuries on record.
Distracted driving