Harris, AR Car Accident Lawyer
If you were involved in a car accident, your mind may first go to your vehicle damage and how to get repairs covered. If you faced physical injuries during the crash, these should be your first concern, not your car. Your injuries may result in expensive medical bills, lost wages, and serious pain and suffering. Talk to a lawyer to discuss your injuries and the potential damages you may be entitled to claim from the at-fault driver to cover your needs.
Harris, AR car accident lawyer Ken Kieklak may be able to take your case and fight to get you the damages you deserve. Our lawyers can investigate your car accident case whether the injuries are minor or severe, and we can work to file a legal claim to seek justice for you and your family. For a free legal consultation on your case, call our law offices today at (479) 316-0438.
Damages for Car Accident Injury Cases
Many people are familiar with auto insurance and think that this is the primary way to get your damages paid for after a car crash. In cases with property damage only, the payments made through a car insurance claim may be enough to cover the damages. However, if your crash caused you physical injuries and required medical care, you may need to file your case in court to seek damages. When you do, you may open options for higher payments as well as additional areas of compensation you will not be able to claim in a car accident lawsuit.
The first and most important area of damages is medical expenses. The at-fault driver can be ordered to pay you back for any medical bills that resulted from the car accident injuries. This can include the cost of emergency treatment at the ER or trauma center as well as later doctor’s visits, physical therapy, and rehabilitation. While your health insurance might cover some of these damages, any expenses you face could be covered in full through a lawsuit. The other driver’s auto insurance policy or your own policy might cover only a portion of these damages, so talk to a lawyer before accepting any insurance payouts.
Second, if your injury kept you from going to work, you may be entitled to damages for lost wages. These damages can be vital to helping continue to support you and your family. Especially if your injury was severe enough that you needed to take extended time off of work, take a lower-paying position, or retire altogether, your lost wages could be substantial.
Damages for pain and suffering are usually not available in an insurance claim, and you may need to file a lawsuit to open the chance to claim these damages. Damages for pain and suffering are paid to account for the physical pain and discomfort, the emotional distress, and the mental anguish of an accident. These elements cannot be proven with financial records, but you can testify to how the injury affected you to help prove these damages. Your attorney can help you evaluate the cost of these damages and help you understand how much your case could be worth.
Common Types of Car Accidents in Arkansas
Car crashes can occur in thousands of variations and combinations of vehicles. Accidents could also include two or more cars, trucks, SUVs, or other vehicles like bikes and scooters. Car accidents could even involve pedestrians. While each case is unique and requires separate deliberation to understand what the claim is worth and who is at-fault, accidents are often caused in a few common ways:
Drowsy Driving Cases
If a driver is too tired to drive safely, they should not get behind the wheel. Drivers in this state are as dangerous as or more dangerous than drunk drivers, and they can often be held accountable for hitting another driver, biker, or pedestrian while driving drowsy.
Drunk Driving Cases
Similarly, drunk drivers have a reduced reaction speed, lessened ability to recognize and appreciate dangers, reduced judgment, and other physical and mental impediments that make them more dangerous behind the wheel. Drunk driving is illegal in Arkansas, and in most accident cases involving a drunk driver, the crash will be considered the drunk driver’s fault.
Distracted Driving Cases
Many accidents are caused by a driver’s inattention or reduced attention. Drivers who are distracted by mental, visual, and physical distractions can put others at risk. The most obvious example of distracted driving is cell phone use or texting while driving, but other distractions can also cause a crash.
Failure to Yield Cases
Many accidents are caused by a driver’s failure to yield when the law requires them to. This can involve accidents from running a red light or stop sign, accidents while merging or changing lanes, accidents in parking lots, and other crashes at intersections. Specific traffic laws often govern how these drivers should act, and these laws can help you prove fault.
Other Traffic Accidents
Other traffic violations can lead to accidents when a driver fails to follow the duties required of them. Drivers are required to use the proper care and skill that a reasonable driver would, and they are required to follow all traffic laws and posted signs. Any failure to do so can put others at risk and help convince a jury that that driver was at fault for the crash.
Call Our Harris Car Accident Attorneys for a Free Legal Consultation
If you or a loved one was injured in a car crash in Harris or the surrounding areas, call Ken Kieklak, Attorney at Law, today. Our Harris, Arkansas car accident lawyer may be able to take your case and fight to get you the compensation you and your family need to support yourselves and pay for the financial harms of the accident. For your free legal consultation, contact our car accident injury attorney today at (479) 316-0438.