Attorneys Representing Car Accident Victims in Conway
The number of fatal car crashes in Arkansas follows the national trend of increasing dramatically, even when drivers were not out on the road as much during the pandemic. Between 2019 and 2020, the amount of car accident fatalities in the state increased by nearly 25%. Even if the number of crashes has not spiked dramatically, the severity of them has.
There are a number of reasons why serious car crashes are increasing, both in Arkansas and across the country. These days, motorists are paying far less attention to motor vehicle safety and are disregarding the laws more often. Things like distracted and reckless driving have become an epidemic on Arkansas roads.
Some claim that the increase in fatalities is just because the state is using a new reporting system. However, this would be at odds with a clear national trend. Many Arkansas auto fatalities result from speeding or drunk driving, but those are not the causes of every accident. In some cases, plain carelessness is the reason for a serious crash.
If you have been injured in a car accident, we can help. First, you need to reach out to us to discuss your case.
Types of Car Accidents Where We Help Clients
Here are some types of Conway car accident cases that we handle for clients:
- Rear-end accidents
- Sideswipes
- T-bone crashes
- Head-on accidents
- Multi-car crashes
- Rollover accidents
- Blindspot accidents
Car accident cases are like every other type of personal injury action. In order to be in a position to receive financial compensation, you must show that the other driver was negligent. If you have the proof that demonstrates this fact, you could then proceed to discuss the actual amount of compensation.
Negligence in a Car Accident
Here are some examples of things that may be considered negligence in a car accident:
- Making an illegal turn
- Speeding
- Taking eyes off the road to use a cell phone
- Failure to yield the right of way when required to by law
- Running a red light
- Not slowing down for a turn
- Fatigued driving
- Not slowing down enough during adverse weather conditions
- Following too closely behind another vehicle
While these are examples of car accident negligence, you first need to assemble the proof that shows what happened in the accident. When motorists tell the other driver’s insurance company what happened, the first thing that they will ask for is the proof.
If you do not have the evidence, they will not hesitate to deny your claim, and then you may have trouble convincing a jury of the other driver’s legal responsibility for the crash.
How an Attorney Can Help You Prove Your Case
You may be limited in what you can do at the scene of the accident. The chances are that you are not reading this at the car accident scene anyway, and you are wondering what you can do now to strengthen your potential car accident claim.
There is one concrete piece of advice that we can give you right now; call an experienced car accident attorney. Your lawyer will know exactly what to do and how you can prove negligence in a car accident claim.
Your attorney may do the following in your case:
- Interview witnesses who saw the crash
- Review the police report about the accident
- Review pictures from the scene of the accident
- Work with an accident reconstruction expert to piece together what happened in the accident
Your Legal Options After a Car Accident
Once your attorney has assembled the evidence and is able to conclude that someone else was to blame for the accident, you are in a position to seek financial compensation. You have two options for getting car accident compensation:
- Filing a claim with the responsible driver’s insurance company
- Filing a lawsuit against the driver in court
Regardless of the option that you choose, you will embark on a legal process. We call it a process because nothing happens overnight. If you choose to deal with the insurance company, they will not make you a competitive settlement offer at first. They may make you a very low offer that is partly a placeholder and partly a test of what you may be willing to accept. The company only makes you a better offer over a period of time, after you have rejected one or more offers that fall way short of the mark. As a claimant, you are not beholden to the insurance company, and you have every ability to negotiate with them. It is what they expect.
If you choose to go to court, the process will similarly take time. First, your attorney would have to gather evidence and draft the complaint that begins the lawsuit. It takes time for the court to hear your case. In the meantime, you are continuing to develop your case through the discovery process. Before your case goes to a trial, you may have settlement negotiations with the defendant’s insurance company. Most cases will settle before they go to trial.
How Our Lawyers Help Your Case
There are many reasons why you need an experienced attorney in a car accident case:
- Insurance companies like to push around claimants that are representing themselves.
- The insurance company may try to pressure or trick you into giving a statement that harms your claim.
- You may not know the value of your case when you file a claim, and an attorney will tell you how much your case is worth.
- Your attorney knows how to gather the evidence that you need for your case.
- A lawyer can protect your legal rights when the insurance company tries to compromise them.
Many people hesitate to hire a car accident lawyer when they need to because they are worried about the cost. We can put that fear to rest by telling you that you do not need to pay us anything upfront. Nothing comes out of your pocket. You only pay us if you win your case. Then, we are paid out of the proceeds of your settlement or jury award. If you do not have an attorney, there is a higher chance that there may be no settlement because you would not be able to prove your case.
Call a Conway Car Accident Lawyer
The attorneys at Denton & Zachary should be one of your very early calls after your car accident. There are many details that you would be dealing with after the accident, and we would handle those that relate to the legal process.
Call us today at 501-273-1695 or message us online to schedule your free initial consultation. Your legal rights are at stake, so you must act urgently with all resources available to you.
Car Accident Case FAQs
What if the car insurance company denies my claim?
They do not get the last word. You can take your case to court and let the jury decide it.
How is my car accident compensation determined?
Your own personal injuries and damages would dictate what you deserve in a settlement.
How long do I have to file a car accident lawsuit in Arkansas?
The statute of limitations for an Arkansas personal injury case is three years from the date of your injury.