Our injury lawyers have successfully handled thousands of claims arising from automobile accidents, including motorcycles and pickup trucks (see our Commercial Truck Accidents page for accidents involving commercial vehicles). We handle these claims on a daily basis. Contact us today for your free consultation and put our experience to work for you.
- Traffic Accident Statistics
- What To Do and Not Do After an Accident
- Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
- No Lawyer Fee Without Recovery For You
- Free Consultation
Click here for Resource Links - Traffic Accident Websites
TRAFFIC ACCIDENT STATISTICS
- More than 6,000,000 traffic accidents occur each year in the United States.
- Traffic accidents kill 40,000 people each year in the United States.
- A person dies every 12 minutes in the United States from a traffic accident.
- A person is injured every 14 seconds in the United States from a traffic accident.
- In 2007, 864 persons died in traffic accidents in Kentucky.
- In 2007, approximately one of every 5700 Kentucky residents died in traffic accidents.
- In 2007, 38,786 persons were injured in traffic accidents in Kentucky.
- In 2007, approximately one of every 121 Kentucky residents was injured in a traffic accident.
- In 2008, 1,191 persons died in traffic accidents in Ohio.
- In 2008, an average of three fatal traffic accidents occurred each day in Ohio.
- In 2008, a person was killed every 7.4 hours in a traffic accident in Ohio.
- In 2008, 112,404 persons were injured in traffic accidents in Ohio.
- In 2008, an average of 307 persons were injured each day in traffic accidents in Ohio.
- In 2008, a person was injured every 4.7 minutes in traffic accidents in Ohio.
WHAT TO DO AND NOT DO AFTER AN ACCIDENT
Do:
- Secure the accident scene and avoid a second accident from occurring.
- Call the police to have an official report of the accident. The information, including photographs gathered by the investigating officer may be critical to any claim you choose to pursue.
- Seek immediate medical attention if you believe you may have been injured.
- Comply with all medical advice given by your doctors.
- Notify your own insurance company of the accident.
- Cooperate with your own insurance company.
- Keep a diary of all important events such as conversations, meetings, medical visits, and time lost from work.
- Keep copies of all relevant documents.
- Take photos of relevant objects such as damaged vehicles, injuries, and casts/slings.
Don’t:
- Admit to fault for causing or contributing to the accident. In many accidents, a determination of fault is complex and cannot be accurately made without knowing all the relevant facts, many of which you will not know. While your initial belief may be that you are at fault for causing the accident, your belief may be wrong.
- Readily accept statements from insurance representatives, even those of your own insurance company, regarding your claim and its value. Insurance representatives, even when well-intentioned, are not always fully aware of all legal issues and may not be in a position to accurately explain your rights.
- Sign any document that you believe may act as a release or waiver of any part of your claim unless you are certain of its legal effect.
- Accept any check marked as “full and final payment” unless you are certain of its legal effect.
- Delay in contacting an experienced injury lawyer because you will have a limited period of time in which to pursue a claim, after which you may lose your right to pursue a claim.
ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do I need a lawyer?
You are entitled to assert a legal claim for damages arising from an automobile accident if you have been injured in the accident (or if your vehicle was damaged). Regardless of how simple or minor an accident appears, the handling of your legal claim can be complex and will likely involve complicated legal issues. Without the assistance of an experienced injury lawyer, you will be at a disadvantage when dealing with an insurance representative and will be jeopardizing the true full value of your claim. Because we offer free consultations, you have nothing to risk by discussing your claim with us to decide if you want us to help you.
How much will my claim be worth?
Every claim arising from an automobile accident, even those claims arising from the same accident, have different legal values. The variables that affect a claim’s value include the type of injuries sustained (including whether any injury is permanent), the amount of medical bills (past and future), the amount of wage loss (past and future), and pain and suffering (past and future). After these variables have been sufficiently explored, our injury lawyers will be able to provide an estimate of the range of value for your claim.
How long will it take to resolve my claim?
Our injury lawyers will prosecute your claim as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, some factors (such as the response times from insurance companies) are outside our control and, as a result, there is no way to accurately predict how long it will take to resolve any automobile accident claim. Some claims can be resolved in a relatively short time (weeks or months). Other claims take longer to resolve. Regardless of how long it takes to resolve your claim, our injury lawyers will represent you aggressively throughout the life of your claim.
Will a lawsuit have to be filed?
In many instances, our injury lawyers are able to resolve automobile accident claims without the need to file a lawsuit. In some instances (such as where the insurance company is not willing to voluntarily pay the full value of your claim), however, it may be necessary to file a lawsuit in order to pursue your full legal rights. Even if a lawsuit is filed, most claims are settled before a trial is necessary.
What will I have to do if I hire you to represent me?
One main advantage to hiring us is that we will handle all the paperwork and communication, taking that hassle away from you. While handling your claim, we will periodically need to speak with you to obtain information from you and to stay updated on your medical and work status. If a lawsuit is necessary, you may have to give a sworn statement (called a deposition). In that instance, we will meet with you in advance and prepare you for the statement. We will then attend the statement with you. If the case is not settled before trial, you will need to attend the trial and testify. Overall, we will keep your time involvement to a minimum.
NO LAWYER FEE WITHOUT RECOVERY FOR YOU
Our injury lawyers handle automobile accident claims on a contingency fee arrangement. This means that you do not pay us on an hourly basis but, instead, we get paid a percentage of the money that we recover for you. This fee payment to us is made at the end of the case. If we do not recover any money for you, we do not get paid a fee. Regardless of the outcome of the claim, you are obligated to reimburse us for any out-of-pocket expenses.
FREE CONSULTATION
Contact Sutton Rankin Law at 859-331-8883 for a free consultation regarding your automobile accident claim. We will be happy to discuss your claim with you free of charge.
