Despite advances in car safety technology and ad campaigns urging drivers to be more careful, car accidents are still a major issue for Kentucky motorists. In fact, a 2019 report from the Kentucky State Police says that there were almost 160,000 traffic collisions in 2018. The traffic accidents caused the deaths of 730 people and left another 34,774 injured.
A car accident can leave victims with permanent injuries, massive medical debts, a totaled car, and other major losses. To make matters worse, you may need to miss an extended period of work as you undergo medical treatment and rehabilitation, making it even harder to afford the medical bills.
One way you can help yourself after a car accident is to speak with a Somerset car accident lawyer. The skilled car accident attorneys at Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer have won more than $300 million for our clients. Every case stands on its own facts. But we apply all of our experience and resources to seek the full compensation available. We want to help you get your life back on track after your accident.
For more information, call (877) 809-5352 or visit our contact page to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation.
Common Injuries Resulting from Somerset Car Accidents
As experienced car accident attorneys, we recommend seeing a doctor as soon as possible after an accident. Even seemingly minor crashes can lead to serious injuries. Sometimes these injuries may not show up for a few days or weeks after a crash. Early treatment is the best way to make sure you get the medical care you need. Seeing a doctor soon after an accident will provide documentation of your injuries related to the accident if you need to file a claim against the other driver.
Some of the most common car accident injuries include:
- Lacerations and bruises – Broken glass, loose items in the cabin, and other debris can all go flying upon impact in an accident, leading to severe cuts for victims. Serious lacerations can be fatal if a major artery or vein is severed. Victims can also sustain severe bruises as their bodies collide with the vehicle, other passengers or objects upon impact.
- Broken bones – The impact of a car collision may be forceful enough to break bones. Broken legs and arms are especially common in car crashes. Drivers can break their arms or wrists on the steering wheel or steering column, and they can break their legs if they’re struck from the side, where there’s minimal protection.
- Whiplash – Whiplash is a type of soft-tissue injury that’s common in rear-end accidents. The term comes from the motion a whip makes when it’s used. Being suddenly thrown forward and slammed back into place puts intense strain on a driver’s neck, back, and shoulders. Whiplash injuries can be extremely painful and last for months, causing pain in the neck and upper back, numbness in the arms, and other ailments.
- Burns – A car accident may lead to one or more of the vehicles involved catching fire, which can cause anyone near the car to suffer burn injuries. Burns can leave lifelong, disfiguring scars. They may require expensive treatment for years after the injury.
- Neck, back, and spinal cord injuries – Neck, back, and spinal cord injuries from car accidents are particularly devastating because they can permanently impact your mobility and ability to enjoy your favorite activities. In some cases, they can lead to partial or full paralysis. People who sustain these kinds of injuries in car accidents often require extensive care for years afterward.
- Traumatic brain injuries – Concussions, closed head injuries, and injuries in which a foreign object penetrates the skull can all occur in a car accident. These injuries are very serious, as they can fundamentally alter the way you move, think, and behave. Traumatic brain injuries can cause irreversible damage, leaving victims requiring lifelong care after an accident.
How Is Fault Determined in a Car Accident in Somerset?
Kentucky operates under a no-fault system for basic injuries after an accident. Every Kentucky motorist is required to carry a certain amount of Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage as part of their car insurance package. Your insurer will pay for your injuries up to the policy limits of your insurance policy.
However, PIP coverage does not always cover the full amount of losses that an accident victim has in a car accident. If your medical bills and related expenses exceed the limits of your PIP coverage and another driver caused the accident, you may have the option of filing a claim against the other driver’s auto liability insurance.
To prove a claim, you must provide evidence that:
- The other driver owed you a duty of care to drive safely.
- The other driver failed to fulfill that duty and that led to the accident.
- You suffered measurable damages.
A car accident lawyer can help you gather the evidence to prove your claim. Some of the evidence that is typically used in car accident cases includes police reports, medical records, photos or video from the accident scene, witness statements, testimony from expert witnesses, and forensic evidence from accident reconstruction teams.
What Compensation Can Be Recovered in a Somerset Car Crash Claim?
Kentucky law allows car accident victims to pursue multiple kinds of compensation after a crash. This compensation, also referred to as “damages,” aims to help victims make up for the different kinds of losses they suffered in the accident. Broadly speaking, compensation for a car accident can be broken down into economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are any losses you sustained that you can put a definitive dollar amount on. This includes things like your medical bills, lost wages, the cost of remodeling your house after an accident if you need to make your home wheelchair accessible and the value of any property damaged in the accident. You should have medical bills and other records to document these losses and expenses.
Non-economic damages are your injuries and losses that cannot be so easily quantified. This includes things like the physical pain you experience after an accident, the mental anguish that you have as a result from a crash, and any economic losses due to your reduced ability to earn a living in the future. These losses may be harder to quantify, but that doesn’t make them any less real to accident victims. A skilled Somerset car accident lawyer can help you seek compensation for all of your accident-related costs and losses.
How Long After a Car Accident Can You File an Injury Claim?
The Kentucky statute of limitations on car accidents says that you have one year from the date of an accident to pursue a claim for any personal injuries and two years to file a claim for property damage. If you do not file a claim by those deadlines, you will lose your chance to recover any compensation.
Benefits of Hiring a Lawyer for Your Accident Claim in Somerset
Enlisting the help of a knowledgeable lawyer after a car accident will make the process much simpler and easier for you. A car accident attorney will know what types of evidence are required to build a case and where to get it, and handle the communications with the other driver’s insurance company. An attorney will help make sure you don’t say anything to the insurance adjuster that could undermine your claim.
It takes time and energy to gather the evidence and file the paperwork in a car accident claim. If you have suffered serious injuries, then you have enough on your plate after an accident. You should be focusing on your health and getting well. Let one of our attorneys provide the Kentucky Courage to seek justice on your behalf and do the work necessary to establish your claim and pursue a settlement.
Talk to a Somerset Car Accident Lawyer
The attorneys at Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer want to help if you have been injured by the carelessness or negligence of another driver in Somerset. Accidents can happen at any time, which is why we offer 24/7 support for our clients. We also want to help you get the maximum amount of compensation. We can help you pursue claims for compensation against multiple responsible parties at once, if your case qualifies.
We understand how injury claims can be very confusing to people. That’s why you will speak to a lawyer early in the process if you hire our firm, not just an assistant or paralegal. We value our clients, and we take a personal approach to every claim. We work on a contingency-fee-basis for personal injury claims, which means you don’t owe us any fees unless we collect compensation on your behalf.
Ready to talk to a Kentucky Courage lawyer about your car accident? Call (877) 809-5352 today to schedule your free consultation, or stop by our contact page.
