Posts made in August, 2017

Car Accidents: Who’s Responsible and What Should I Do?

Posted by on Aug 14, 2017 in Car Accidents | 0 comments

With constant construction, aggressive drivers and countless distractions, today’s roads can be very dangerous. You do your best but, unfortunately, you can still be involved in an accident. When it happens, you might be overwhelmed by the rising costs and frustrations associated with medical expenses, car repairs, and insurance. Fortunately, you may not be completely responsible for the accident and, if so, you might be entitled to reparations from one or more of the other parties involved. In this article, we will explore some of the things that might have caused the accident for which you should not be held liable. Finally, we will discuss some of your options if you decide to pursue legal action against one of the other parties.

A Milwaukee car accident attorney can represent automobile vehicle accident victims in instances concerning driver error, reckless driving, speeding, drunk driving, mechanical defects/malfunctions, and highway defects. Let’s explore some of these in depth:

  • Driver error is wide-ranging and can include behaviors like failing to use turn signals, being distracted by the radio, merging lanes without checking first, or driving up a one-way street.
  • Reckless driving, although similar, includes more specific behaviors like aggressive or careless driving, swerving, or any other behavior that unnecessarily endangers other drivers.
  • Mechanical defects and malfunctions do sometimes cause car accidents. If a driver reasonably fulfills all of her maintenance expectations and/or the accident is caused by an engineering/design/manufacturing problem over which the driver had no control, the liability of the wreck might fall on another party, such as the car manufacturer.

If you believe your accident was caused by a mechanical malfunction, you should contact a lawyer to see if you qualify for representation and potential compensation for your damages. Just like car companies, governments too can be held responsible for car accidents. Some car accidents are caused by potholes, unreasonably narrow roads, lack of signage, poor road construction or other highway defects. If any of these cases are in any way related to your car accident, you should consider contacting a lawyer to determine if you have any legal recourse for your damages.

What should you do following the accident?

Immediately following an accident, even if you don’t plan to sue, you should gather as much information as possible by taking pictures and getting witnesses. There will typically be an investigator on the scene to determine the cause of the wreck if no one takes responsibility. However, it is still important that you gather your own information so that it could be used in your case. Furthermore, before accepting any insurance settlement from the other parties’ insurance provider, you should seek legal counsel to make sure you are fairly compensated and won’t sacrifice any of your rights to sue for more reparations. Costs associated with car accidents come in the form of physical injury, medical bills, higher insurance premiums, car repairs, loss of time and sometimes, loss of life. If you have been involved in an automobile accident and want help with these costs, contact an attorney.

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