Car Accident Lawyers in Daphne, AL
When you’re involved in a car crash, you may be surprised at the multitude of ways your life is affected. You may be hit thousands of dollars in medical debt, be forced to take weeks or months off of work, and experience significant mental trauma. It may feel even worse when you know someone else is to blame for your injuries—how can one person’s carelessness cause so much devastation?
The good news is that if someone else is responsible for your Daphne car accident, you do not have to just deal with the financial losses they’ve caused you. With a personal injury claim, you can demand fair and full compensation. We’re here to guide you through the process. Call the Bay Minette office of Turner, Onderdonk, Kimbrough & Howell at 251-336-3697 to set up a consultation now.
Car Accidents in Alabama
The latest data on Alabama car accidents is sobering. Despite significant efforts to make Alabama roads safer, accident numbers continue to be far higher than they should be. On average, drivers have a 40% chance of being involved in an injury-causing or fatal crash at some point in their lifetimes. There were 134,000 crashes in Alabama in 2020, causing nearly 38,000 injuries and 932 fatalities. Although overall accident numbers were down, fatalities increased slightly. In 2016, the fatality rate in Alabama was significantly higher than the national average—in recent years, that gap has started to close.
Although accidents are reported at all times of day, they peak between 3:00 and 5:00 P.M. Fatality rates are also highest at this time, but they remain high throughout the night. In general, Fridays have the highest number of accidents. Fatalities are most likely to occur on Saturday. Younger drivers are far more likely to be responsible for accidents in Alabama, and male drivers consistently cause more collisions than female drivers.
What Causes Car Crashes in Daphne?
A wide range of factors contribute to car accidents in Alabama. Unfortunately, alcohol causes a significant number of collisions throughout the state. Drivers aged 25 to 29 are most likely to cause a DUI crash, and male drivers have higher DUI rates than female drivers. The data also tracks other common causes of accidents, including:
- Failing to yield the right of way
- Tailgating
- Misjudging your stopping distance
- Failing to heed sign or signal
- Aggressive driving
- Speeding
- Swerving to avoid an obstacle
- Unsafe lane use
- Driving while fatigued
Some accidents are out of the control of either driver. This includes crashes caused by faulty equipment or vehicle components and collisions caused by unclear or obscured road signs. However, as a general rule, human error is the most common root cause of accidents. Almost every accident could be prevented if drivers were more careful behind the wheel.
Potential Damages and Compensation
In most accidents, one driver or the other is liable. If the other driver is to blame for your collision, you may be able to recover compensation for your financial and non-financial losses. A lot depends on how strong your case is, how severe your injuries are, and the other driver’s insurance coverage.
While you may still be able to get a judgment against an uninsured driver, actually collecting on that judgment is an entirely different challenge. If you are able to prove your claim, you may receive compensation for:
- Medical expenses and bills
- Lost wages
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of quality of life
- Other accident-related expenses
Being able to prove your losses is important, so start gathering evidence as soon as possible. You may want to take photos at the scene of the crash, including photos of both license plates and any identifying landmarks. You should also keep copies of any accident-related documentation you receive, such as police reports, medical bills, documentation of lost work hours, and repair estimates.
Working with a lawyer makes this step much easier. Your attorney will be able to determine if you have a valid claim, how much compensation your claim is worth, and how much you may actually be able to recover from the at-fault party.
What if you and the other driver are both partially to blame? This complicates matters—Alabama is one of just a few states with a contributory negligence law. In contributory negligence states, an accident victim found to be even 1% to blame for the accident in which they were injured cannot recover any compensation in court. This is incredibly risky for victims since it means that their chances of success change dramatically if they cannot negotiate a settlement.
In most states, a driver with some share of liability can still receive compensation; this is a legal standard known as “comparative negligence.” Under comparative negligence, the plaintiff’s compensation is simply decreased proportionately to their share of liability. This standard is much more favorable for injury claimants.
Why You Should Choose Turner, Onderdonk, Kimbrough & Howell
When you choose Turner, Onderdonk, Kimbrough & Howell for your car accident claim, you can rest easy knowing that you have a team of skilled and aggressive attorneys fighting for you. We’ve handled a wide range of personal injury claims over the years and recovered substantial compensation for our clients, including $11 million for an industrial accident, $4 million in a tractor-trailer accident claim, and $600,000 in a car accident case—and that’s just a few.
We know how hard insurance companies work to deny accident victims fair compensation, and we know how to successfully overcome their common tactics. Thanks to our extensive experience, we know what it takes to prove our case and compel the insurance company to take your injuries seriously. We’ll push for a full and fair settlement, but if they refuse to negotiate fairly, we are more than ready to fight for you in court.
Contact Us Today to Start Your Claim
You do not have to go through this alone. Let our team of experienced Daphne car accident lawyers advocate for you while you focus on your recovery. Set up your free consultation with Turner, Onderdonk, Kimbrough & Howell now by calling our Bay Minette office at 251-336-3697 or sending us a message online.
