Dash cams have become a popular option for many motorists. Along with traffic surveillance, dash cams can prove to be a very important piece of evidence in a car accident claim. Those videos clearly demonstrate that it only takes a fraction of a second for a driving miscalculation to lead to a devastating collision. If you’ve had the misfortune of becoming involved in one of these auto collisions, our legal team at Pittman, Roberts & Welsh, PLLC wants to speak with you to help you understand your rights.
One call to our offices will put you in touch with a Jackson car accident lawyer who will advise you of your rights under Mississippi state law. Initial consultations with our injury lawyers are always free. That means there is no risk or obligation. It also means you get your important questions answered for the best way to move forward with your complaint.
Mississippi Auto Collision Statistics
Car crashes happen here in our capital city and elsewhere in our state far too often. Data compiled by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) shows that there were 703 traffic fatalities in Mississippi in 2022. This equates to a 23.9 per 100,000 resident death rate, which is the highest rate among all 50 states.
A deeper dive into the statistics from the Jackson Metropolitan Planning Organization Safety Analysis 2017-2021 Report and the Central Mississippi Planning and Development District (CMPDD) Metropolitan Planning Organization reveals the following alarming facts. In 2021, there were:
- 3,562 serious accident injuries in Mississippi
- 772 accident fatalities in Mississippi
- 696 serious accident injuries in Jackson
- 77 accident fatalities in Jackson
The Top Causes of Car Wrecks in Jackson, MS
When you retain the services of an experienced Jackson car accident attorney, they will present the facts of your case to an insurance company. That begins with establishing the cause of the collision. Some of the most common contributing factors in Jackson car crashes include:
- Drugged or drunk driving
- Poor vehicle maintenance
- Drowsy driving
- Poor road conditions or design
- Driver inexperience
- Adverse road conditions
- Drag racing or road rage
- Distracted driving
- A defective auto part
Other types of reckless driving behaviors, such as improper turning, speeding, following too closely, and failing to yield to the right of way of other motorists, are also routinely to blame for auto accidents in Mississippi.
Most Common Types of Car Accidents in Hinds County
Part of the support that the team at Pittman, Roberts & Welsh, PLLC can provide with your car accident claim is a collision reconstruction. In our county, there are some collisions that seem to happen more often than others, with the following wreck types topping the list:
- Sideswipe accidents
- Front-end crashes and head-on collisions
- Intersection wrecks or T-bone accidents
- Rear-end crashes
Whether you see your crash type listed here or not, be sure to reach out for a free, no-obligation case review with us as soon as possible. Mississippi law affords you rights, but there is a time limit to take action.
Injuries That Result From Motor Vehicle Collisions
The injuries caused in a car accident might not always be immediately apparent. You could experience a delayed reaction, with symptoms of the accident showing up hours and maybe days after the collision. Some of the most common types that our clients suffer in their crashes include:
- Soft tissue injuries like whiplash
- Burns resulting in disfigurement or scarring
- Broken bones (bone fractures)
- Loss of limb injuries (amputations)
- Internal organ damage (i.e., a severed spleen)
- Traumatic brain injuries, which include concussions
- Spinal cord injuries, sometimes causing permanent paralysis
In addition to the range of physical injuries listed above, some of our clients are also left with lingering mental health impacts from their accidents, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Also, as you’re well aware from reviewing the Mississippi car crash statistics we shared above, not everyone is fortunate enough to survive their wreck.
Proving Liability for Your Accident
When it comes to civil matters like these, it’s your responsibility to prove someone else’s negligent actions are responsible for you suffering harm and associated financial costs. Proving your case is necessary to secure compensation for your accident-related losses described above. To prove liability, your Jackson car accident lawyer must be able to show that the at-fault party:
- Had a duty of care
- Breached their duty of care
- Caused you to suffer injuries
- Left you with documentable losses
We encourage you to reach out to our law firm to schedule a free consultation to verify that you indeed have a viable case.
Damages You Can Recover in Your Mississippi Car Accident Case
Whether you’ve been hurt in a car crash in Jackson, MS or your loved one suffered a wrongful death in a wreck, you or your family members have likely suffered significant financial losses that you’re eager to recover compensation for. Here in Mississippi, you may be entitled to reimbursement for the following losses by filing a personal injury claim or lawsuit:
- Economic damages: Included in this category are medical expenses, lost wages, transportation costs, body shop costs for property damage repairs, and any number of other items you can show receipts for.
- Noneconomic damages: Any non-tangible items that don’t have a documentable cost may comprise this category, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of companionship, and disfigurement.
In instances where a car crash caused a fatality, it may also be possible to recover compensation for funeral and burial expenses.
In rare cases, punitive damages may be awarded if a case proceeds to trial and the circumstances surrounding the crash were particularly grossly negligent. For instance, punitive damages are often part of a personal injury lawsuit that involved a drunk driver.
You can expect the Jackson car accident attorney that you work with to not only aid you in pinpointing your current crash-related expenses but also any future ones you may incur. At Pittman, Roberts & Welsh, PLLC, we don’t let anything hold us back from pursuing maximum compensation on behalf of our clients. If you’re looking for an attorney who will fight for you, you’ve found your match. Contact our firm to schedule a free consultation now.
Why Do You Need a Jackson Car Accident Lawyer?
Taking on an insurance company can be extremely intimidating. They will always seek ways to deny a claim or settle for a lower amount than what you are due. When you retain the services of a skilled car accident lawyer in Jackson, MS, they will take over all the communications with the insurance company on your behalf. Here is what else your attorney can help with:
- Serving as a reliable source of information about Mississippi law and Hinds County court rules and procedures.
- Aiding you in collecting evidence that helps you build a strong car wreck claim.
- Analyzing compiled evidence and conducting further investigations (if necessary) to determine causation and liability for your crash.
- Preparing a demand letter and compiling supporting materials once you’ve reached maximum medical improvement (MMI).
- Negotiating an out-of-court settlement in your case.
- Preparing your case for and presenting it at trial (if necessary).
How Soon After My Car Crash Happens Should I Get in Touch With an Attorney?
The process of filing a claim and seeking a fair settlement can take several weeks if not months. You don’t have to wait until you recover from your injuries to get the process started. In fact, the clock starts ticking on the day of the accident. Should you contact an attorney right away? You should. It’s because acting fast in car accident cases can make a big difference for the following reasons:
- It ensures you know how to act in the aftermath of your crash, including getting medical attention right away, knowing filing deadlines (which are generally three years in our state per Code Ann. § 15-1-49), etc.
- It gives you and your lawyer ample opportunity to secure any potential evidence that could be deleted (i.e., surveillance footage), overwritten (i.e., event data recorder), or destroyed or replaced (i.e., car parts) if not preserved quickly.
- It ensures the statute of limitations doesn’t run out before you file a lawsuit.
- It gives your attorney more time to thoroughly investigate your crash and to bring in any necessary experts to conduct a reconstruction or give their professional opinions about causation.
The above are just a few of many different reasons you will want to get in touch with a Jackson car accident lawyer right away, especially if you’ve suffered serious injuries or a loved one has suffered a wrongful death in an auto collision. Remember that initial consultations with our legal team at Pittman, Roberts & Welsh, PLLC are always free. So, don’t hesitate. Reach out to us right away.
