Covington Car Accident Attorney
Feeling Overwhelmed Following Your Covington Car Accident? We Can Help.
When you are facing a long recovery time from a car accident that was caused by the negligence of another, it can be difficult to know the best thing to do for your future. You may have medical bills mounting in an alarming manner, and if you were unable to return to work due to your injuries, you might be unable to pay your normal, monthly expenses. It can be a frightening, stressful time. Having an experienced an car accident attorney by your side can make all the difference in the outcome of your car accident. At Adams Law, from our Covington office, we help those involved in car accidents in Northern Kentucky, Southern Ohio, and across the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
The good news for the state of Ohio is that according to reviews.com, the state does not fall within the ten most dangerous states to drive in. Unfortunately, Kentucky came in at the sixth most dangerous state to drive in. Ohio has 0.93 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles. 27.2 percent of all car accident fatalities related to speeding and 27.5 percent related to an impaired driver. Kentucky has 1.46 fatalities per 100 million miles. About 15.3 percent of those fatalities are related to speeding, and another 18.9 percent are related to impaired drivers. Kentucky is currently in the process of strengthening its DUI laws by implementing mandatory ignition interlock devices for everyone convicted of DUI.
What are the Most Common Causes of Car Accidents?
Unfortunately, auto accidents are not all that rare, with one auto accident occurring every 60 seconds across the globe. Each year in the United States, nearly 3 million people suffer minor to severe injuries from a car accident, with about 43,000 auto accident fatalities.
In fact, motor vehicle accidents are one of the world’s leading causes of death—a fact which has prompted auto manufacturers to continually make safety improvements to new vehicles. You may wonder what issues most often factor into auto accidents? In most cases, these factors are preventable, falling under the “human error” category, and include:
- Distracted driving
- Impaired driving
- Exceeding the speed limit
- Reckless driving
- Inclement weather
- Ignoring traffic signals
- Night driving/low visibility
- Teen drivers, and
- Tailgating
Distracted Driving
Drivers who attempt to multi-task while driving is an ever-increasing problem across the nation. We eat, fiddle with the radio or GPS, turn around to see what the children are doing in the back seat, talk on our cell phones, text, talk to adult passengers, or simply daydream when we should be paying attention to the road and the other drivers around us. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving may well be the number one cause of auto accidents, with 3,477 auto accident fatalities and 391,000 injuries from auto accidents attributed to distracted driving in 2015. It is important to recognize the many types of distracted driving and to put into practice tips to help you avoid distracted driving—including eating your meals and snacks before you get behind the wheel and placing your phone in a location that will prevent you from reaching it.
Cell Phone Use as a Factor in Distracted Driving
It is hard to imagine any driver who doesn’t understand just how dangerous cell phone use is when the driver’s attention should be fully on the road and other drivers. Despite knowing the dangers of cell phone use, it is believed that a significant amount of auto accidents involves the use of a cell phone, either as the primary or secondary cause. Perhaps most alarming, texting and driving is about six times more likely to result in an accident than driving while impaired.
Children in the Car—More Dangerous Than You Might Think!
Perhaps because it happens so gradually, most parents are unaware of the extent to which they are distracted from the task of driving when children are in the vehicle. In fact, driving with children is not just slightly more dangerous—you are a whopping 12 times more likely to drive in a dangerous manner (which could potentially result in a serious accident) when there are children in the vehicle. One study found that over the course of a 16-minute trip, parents who had children in the vehicle with them spent three minutes and 22 seconds with their eyes off the road. Parents frequently turned around to interact with their children, spent significant blocks of time watching the children in the rearview mirror, and reached back into the back seat to pick up a bottle or pacifier, or to give children food and drinks.
Impaired Driving
Impaired drivers are responsible for about 10,000 deaths each year in the U.S., with alcohol being a factor in about one out of every three motor vehicle accidents. Despite the greater number of educational programs, an increase in public awareness and harsher penalties for those convicted of DUI, far too many impaired or intoxicated drivers remain on the roadways. A driver with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.10 or higher is seven times more likely to be involved in a fatal motor vehicle crash than a driver who has consumed no alcohol.
Fatigue
Just as our nation has increased in accidents caused by distracted driving, car accidents caused by fatigue are also increasing. A recent study done by Virginia Tech Transportation found that a full 20 percent of all car accidents are the result of fatigue, with young drivers particularly vulnerable to driving while fatigued. Fatigue-related car accidents occur in the day as well as at night, and the final results of the study found that drivers are four times more likely to be involved in a car accident when they are driving while fatigued.
Other Factors Associated with Car Accidents
Aside from distracted driving and impaired driving, blatant disregard for traffic rules and traffic safety causes many auto accidents. We are a nation of tailgaters, speeders, and reckless drivers who ignore traffic signals and traffic rules. Teen drivers are also a factor in the number of auto accidents. A teen’s inexperience can lead to serious accidents–even though 94 percent of teens understand the potential consequences of texting and driving, more than a third admit they do it anyway.
As you can see, there are many causes of auto accidents. Once you are equipped with all the facts about auto accidents, you can take definitive steps to lessen your chances of being involved in an auto accident and to keep your family safe.
What are the Most Common Injuries Seen Following a Car Accident?
While many people consider whiplash a made-up injury used by many to get a quick insurance settlement, this is far from the truth. Whiplash injuries are very often a result of a car accident. Whiplash injuries are very real, very painful, and can last for months, years, or an entire lifetime.
A whiplash injury, as well as other types of neck and back injuries, can occur at speeds as low as 14 mph. Because a whiplash injury is a soft tissue injury, it can be more difficult for the injured person to “prove.” Further, a delay in the onset of pain and other symptoms is the norm rather than the exception in whiplash injuries, so while a person might think they are “okay” following a car accident, in fact, they could have a serious injury.
Other typical car accident injuries include broken bones, internal injuries, spinal cord injuries, and traumatic brain injuries. Other car accident injuries include burns, bruises and bumps, and facial disfiguration. Being injured in a car accident that was not your fault is a difficult situation. You may wonder whether you will ever return to your former self or be able to return to work. The car accident attorneys at Adams Law can help you get through the aftermath of a Kentucky or Ohio car accident.
What Should You Do Following a Car Accident and How Can Car Accident Attorneys Help?
First and foremost, always contact the police following a car accident, even for relatively minor accidents. Sometimes, if the person who hit you does not have car insurance, he or she may ask you to forego calling the police, telling you they will pay you for your damages. You might find out later the person has no insurance and has no way to pay your damages. Always contact the police. The police report can be a critical factor in proving you were not responsible for the accident and, by extension, that you should receive damages for your injuries from the negligent party.
After calling the police, make sure everyone who was injured in the crash receives medical attention. Quite often, the adrenaline rush you receive during an accident masks your injuries, causing you to believe you are fine. Hours or days later, you realize you are not at all fine. If you are not checked out by a doctor immediately following your car accident, it may be more difficult for you to secure damages.
If you are physically able following the accident, use your cell phone to take photographs of the accident scene. The damage to the cars, as well as the surrounding area, could all be useful for your car accident attorney when arguing your case. If there were witnesses to the car accident, jot down names and contact information if you are able. Again, this could be invaluable information for your car accident attorney later. After you have seen a doctor, once you are home, contact your insurance company and give them the basic facts of the accident. Keep a journal where you can note anything that relates to the accident. Even the smallest fact could turn out to be important.
Once you have taken care of all these tasks, it’s time to call an experienced car accident attorney. Having a knowledgeable car accident attorney by your side from start to finish can truly make a significant difference in the outcome of your accident. Your car accident attorney knows the law and knows the negotiating tactics to ensure you receive an equitable settlement.
What is the Claim Process Like Following a Car Accident?
Typically, the at-fault driver’s insurance will pay for the damages and injuries following a car accident; however, some states are a bit different. The state of Kentucky is a no-fault state, meaning each driver must file a claim with their own insurance company to receive compensation for medical expenses and other financial losses associated with the accident.
Kentucky residents must also carry personal injury protection coverage (PIP), which provides up to $10,000 per person for lost wages, medical expenses, and certain other costs associated with the accident. You can still file a claim against the negligent driver if your medical expenses exceed $1,000 or if the accident resulted in permanent disfigurement, broken bones, any type of permanent injury, or any permanent loss of a body function.
Ohio is not a no-fault state, meaning you can sue the negligent party’s insurance company for your damages. While you wait for the insurance companies to fully determine fault, if you have the right insurance coverage your insurance company may go ahead and pay to fix your vehicle. You may be required to get more than one estimate, or a claims adjuster may assess the damage and issue a check, allowing you to get your car fixed anywhere that the check will cover the damages.
It is always a good idea to get the claims process rolling as quickly as possible, even though the statutes of limitations may allow one year, two years, or possibly even more. The longer you put off filing a claim, the harder it may be to track down others involved in the accident, including witnesses. The right choice is to contact an experienced car accident attorney as quickly as possible. This allows you the time to heal from your injuries while your attorney handles all the legal aspects of a car accident claim.
How Can the Adams Law Car Accident Attorneys Help?
The car accident attorneys at Adams Law are extremely client-centered. Our goal is always to ensure our clients receive the representation they deserve, and we are here for you in your time of need. When you have our knowledgeable car accident attorneys on your side, you can put all your energy into getting better. We will take legal action on your behalf, working hard to secure the compensation you are entitled to receive. Do not wait! Contact Adams Law to learn more about our car accident services.