Driving a motor vehicle is accompanied by risks no matter where you are, but especially more so when cruising at high speeds down a highway. Bringing a vehicle to a stop is more difficult, time and space for moving around are limited, road rage is rampant, traffic can be congested, and road construction all make driving on a highway dangerous. Most car crashes are caused by a driver’s negligence. As a result, highway car accidents can be catastrophic.
If you or a loved one have suffered a result of as a car accident while on the highway, you can pursue legal remedies. You need a team of informative attorneys to help you figure out your options. If you have been hurt, we are here for you. Our attorneys take a direct approach to our cases and will be by your side from start to finish. After a highway car accident in Inverness, you should immediately consult with a dedicated and experienced attorney about how to move forward.
Common Highway Accident Injuries
Due to the rapid speeds on highways, wounds sustained in car accidents can vary from minor to severe. That can include superficial scrapes and bruises to traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord damage. Some common injuries to watch out for are:
- Concussions
- Broken bones
- Internal bleeding
- Paralysis
- Long-lasting nerve pain
- Broken ribs
- Collapsed lungs
- Soft tissue damage
The first thing you should do is seek medical attention after being in a collision on the highway. It is good to take extra precautions and get checked out by a medical professional, even if you believe you have minor injuries. Sometimes injuries take time to become visible. Further, all your medical records and bills may be essential for a later claim. Hiring an experienced Inverness lawyer will ensure all your injuries are accounted for when filing your highway car crash claim.
Frequent Causes of Highway Crashes
Anything can happen on the highway in Inverness, but certain contributing factors in accidents appear more often than others. Some examples are:
Speeding and Aggressive Driving
Speed limits exist to keep everyone safe. When someone chooses to drive many miles over the limit, dangerously weaves between cars, or intimidate slow drivers, they put everyone at risk of danger.
Distracted Driving
People often associate this category with only cell phones, but distractions come up in many forms. It is distracted driving when a motorist is focusing on anything but the road: eating food, looking at other things happening, or talking to passengers are distractions.
Drunk Driving
The dangers of drunk driving are well known, but many motorists choose to do it anyway.
Following too Closely
This often results in rear-end accidents.
Falling Asleep at the Wheel
A sleepy driver’s reaction times slow dramatically so they cannot hit their brakes quickly enough to avoid a crash or take other evasive action to avoid accidents.
Vehicle or Part Defects
Sometimes, no other car is involved in an accident. Rather, a defect with the car or a key part causes the accident. Problems with suspension, steering, braking, tires, and other major systems can cause a driver to lose control and cause a collision.
Many vehicle accidents regularly result in serious injury because they often include speeding, direct impacts, and violations of the law. A skilled lawyer will make sure these facts are well represented before a judge and jury or when communicating with insurance companies on your behalf.
Proving Negligence in a Highway Crash Case
To win an injury case, a person must successfully prove the other party is responsible for their losses. In a highway car collision case, demonstrating that can be difficult. To prove liability, a person must prove:
- The defendant had a duty of care to the plaintiff
- The defendant violated that duty of care
- The plaintiff acquired injuries
- The plaintiff’s injuries resulted directly from the defendant’s misconduct
As an example, a person could argue the other party had a duty to drive safely on the highway, but the other party breached that by driving drunk and colliding with the plaintiff’s vehicle, causing harm to their spinal cord. An attorney who is well-acquainted with highway accident cases in Inverness will know how to meet the necessary burden of proof.
Contact Our Firm for Help After a Highway Accident in Inverness
People often wonder if they really need a lawyer after experiencing a highway car accident in Inverness. It can be overwhelming to conduct your own legal case while recovering. Our attorneys can protect you from insurance companies that will try to convince you to take a lower settlement than you deserve. We could walk you through the claim process and collect useful evidence on your behalf. Call our team of attorneys as soon as possible for an evaluation of your case.