Highway accidents happen across the United States every day, ranging from minor fender benders to serious accidents with injuries and fatalities. According to a preliminary report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an estimated 36,120 people died in car accidents in 2019.
Traffic accidents can have lifelong consequences for those who suffered extensive injuries or lost a loved one due to a reckless or careless driver. If this happened to you, you can speak to a highway accident lawyer to determine whether you could hold the at-fault driver to account for your financial losses and suffering.
Call Ben Crump Law, PLLC today at (844) 730-0233 for a free case review with a team member regarding your highway accident claim.
Highway Accident Injuries
Highway accidents can be catastrophic, especially when they occur at high speed. Victims can suffer from extensive and disabling injuries such as those in the following list that could potentially have a negative effect on their entire lives.
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
The Mayo Clinic explains how trauma to the brain can happen in any car accident that jolts the head back and forth, or where the head strikes an object such as the windshield. Any brain injury is potentially serious, yet it may not become apparent at the time of the accident. Getting medical help immediately after an accident can help to discover and treat any brain injuries.
Spinal Cord and Back Injuries
The impact of a highway crash can cause severe spinal cord and back injuries. If the spinal cord suffers extensive damage, an accident victim may become paralyzed for life. Back injuries, like TBIs, may not manifest themselves immediately after an accident. Symptoms could show up several days or weeks after the crash.
Broken Bones
Fractures, especially of the legs and arms, can happen in serious highway accidents. Broken bones, depending on the severity and any complications, might require extensive medical treatment and surgeries, as well as rehabilitative physical therapy.
Facial Disfigurement and Scars
If the windshield breaks during impact or other flying debris strike an accident victim in the face, facial disfigurement or scars can result. These types of injuries might require costly plastic surgery. As well as causing physical pain, visible disfigurement can also cause significant emotional distress to an accident victim.
Loss of Limb
Sometimes, a catastrophic injury suffered in a high-speed highway accident can result in the amputation of a limb. Losing a limb can disable an accident victim for the rest of their life and prevent them from returning to their career or pursuing their hobbies. It can also cause great emotional anguish.
This list is not exhaustive of all motor vehicle accident injuries, and a victim can suffer internal bleeding, lacerations, and other damage. Injuries in high-speed car crashes can be excruciating, and treating your injuries can rack up extensive medical bills.
If you suffered devastating and permanent injuries in a highway accident that was another driver’s fault, you should not have to pay for ongoing medical costs. You could hold them responsible for your damages, including lost income, while recuperating from your injuries. You can contact the team at Ben Crump Law, PLLC, to evaluate the facts of your case and help you with your claim.
Highway Accident Negligence
Proving negligence in highway accidents can become challenging. You may have to prove that the defendant broke the law by disregarding traffic signs or signals, speeding, or driving distractedly. In any personal injury case, you will need to prove with conclusive evidence that:
- The other driver owed a legal duty of care to you.
- They breached the duty of care.
- The breach caused your accident and your damages.
- You have evidence of damages such as medical or repair bills.
Typically, a defendant will try to challenge your claim by arguing that they did not breach their duty of care, or that the breach did not cause your accident and injuries. A highway accident lawyer can help you prove negligence by investigating the crash and collecting evidence that bolsters your claim for fair compensation.
Compensation You Could Receive
If you can prove fault and negligence, you could recover various types of compensation, such as:
- Medical expenses
- Hospitalization costs
- Physical therapy costs
- Transportation costs
- Cost for hiring a caregiver or home aide
- Repair or replacement of damaged property
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of limb
- Loss of life quality
You could also recover other compensation, depending on the circumstances of your accident and the seriousness of your injuries. If a loved one died in the highway accident, you could recover compensation in a wrongful death claim for any benefits and financial contribution you received from the decedent, funeral expenses, and loss of companionship, among others. You can consult with a highway accident lawyer for more information on compensation in accident claims.
Your Highway Accident Lawyer Can Work For You
If you have suffered from debilitating or permanent injuries in a highway accident, a lawsuit might be the furthest thing on your mind now. Your health is the most important consideration, and the team at Ben Crump Law, PLLC, understands that healing physically and emotionally is your priority for now.
However, if someone else’s careless or reckless driving caused your suffering, you could have legal recourse and recover compensation that can help with the healing process and pay for your recovery. You do not have to struggle with pursuing a claim by yourself; we are here to help you with every aspect of an insurance claim or personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit.
We can help you gather relevant evidence and witness statements, negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf, and argue your case if it goes to court. While it is tempting to wait until you have healed fully from your injuries before pursuing compensation, consider that most states have a time limit on personal injury cases. If you miss the filing deadline, you might not be able to recover any compensation.
Contact Ben Crump Law, PLLC, today at (844) 730-0233 and let one of our team members help you with your accident claim. We work on contingency, meaning you have no upfront costs and pay no attorney’s fees unless you receive a settlement or win a judgment.
