Fort Smith Car Accident Attorneys – Common Causes of Car Accidents
Being in a car accident in Fort Smith is guaranteed to cause those involved anxiety, worry, vehicle damage, and injuries, either serious or catastrophic ones, such as death.
You have hundreds of questions running through your head about how you’re going to work when you can return to work, whether or not you will need surgery, how long your recovery is going to be, how you are going to pay your bills and what is going to happen in the long run. At the Fort Smith Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield, we hear these questions a lot, and we have the answers.
We also know that many people who have been in Fort Smith car crashes are not aware they can claim compensation for their injuries and vehicle damage. They are not aware that, depending on the nature of their injuries, their compensation may help pay for medical bills, regular bills, and other living essentials.
In Arkansas, the cited population in 2023 is estimated to be 3.057 million. In 2021, the population was 3,028,122 million. In 2021 there were 631 collisions in Arkansas and 693 fatalities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) nationwide there are over 2 million crashes every year. Approximately 42,915 people died in 2021 in a fatal car crash in the US. Speeding is cited as the reason for more than 30 accidents a day.
At the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield, P.A., our Fort Smith car accident lawyers dedicate themselves to assisting car accident survivors make sense of the legal issues involved to prove negligence caused the crash, and through the recovery process. If you sustained serious injuries we make sure you understand what you need to do to seek compensation and move on with your life as you recover.
Causes of Fort Smith, Arkansas Car Accidents
It’s been said that an accident is not truly an accident and that each crash does have a reason for happening. In most cases, accidents happen as a result of driver inattention, and failure to obey the rules of the road.
The most common causes of Fort Smith car accidents include:
- Distracted driving – roughly 3,000 Americans perish in car accidents caused by distracted driving every year. This represents between 8 percent and 9 percent of all deadly crashes nationwide, including in Arkansas.
- Using a cellphone while behind the wheel, including talking and/or texting.
- Reading while driving.
- Dealing with children, animals, or passengers in the back seat.
- Drinking or eating while driving.
- Talking to passengers distracts the driver.
- DWI/DUI – in Fort Smith and throughout the State, drivers are prohibited from driving with a blood-alcohol content (BAC) of over .08, or with an illegal drug in their system.
- In 2022 259,25 drivers in Arkansas out of 100,000 were cited as DUI, and 26 percent of Arkansas traffic deaths were caused by drunk driving.
- Drivers are also banned from driving under the influence of a prescription drug that impairs their ability to drive safely.
- Each day, approximately 37 Americans die in drunk-driving crashes representing one death every 39 minutes.
- 13,384 people died in DWI/DUI traffic incidents representing a 14 percent jump from 2020. All deaths were preventable. If you have been injured by a distracted driver, you may file a Fort Smith car accident lawsuit.
- Aggressive driving is one of the leading causes of Fort Smith car accidents, representing over 20 percent of all crash injuries and deaths.
- Speeding is a form of aggressive driving, but other forms of aggressive driving can include sudden braking, cutting drivers off, driving erratically, lane weaving, not using signals, not yielding the right of way, tailgating, and executing frequent lane changes.
- Drivers not following the rules of the road is another reason for frequent Fort Smith car accidents. All drivers have a legal duty to take care of driving and watch out for others. Many drivers do not always follow the rules of the road and accidents happen.
- The most common reasons for car accidents are traffic rules that are broken, including, ignoring or running traffic signals and signs, backing-up crashes due to driver inattention, executing a turn improperly, and driving too fast for road and weather conditions.
Were you seriously injured in a Fort Smith car crash? Call the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield today. Our dedicated personal injury lawyers can help. We have significant, hands-on experience and have a track record for successfully recovering fair compensation for clients injured in a Fort Smith car accident.
Types of Fort Smith Car Accidents
When you’re looking for the best Fort Smith car accident attorney, find out what types of accident cases they have handled. Some crashes happen because a driver did not pay attention to sharing the road with others while driving.
Some accidents may be the result of:
- DWI by a drug or alcohol
- Not shoulder checking
- Running a stop sign
- Running a red traffic light
- The driver was eating
- The driver was grooming
- Failing to signal a turn
- Turning left in front of a biker
- The driver was texting while driving
- The driver was adjusting an e-device in their vehicle
- The driver was tending to animals or children in the backseat
- Tailgating
- Lane splitting
An experienced Fort Smith car accident attorney does not ask for funds upfront. They work on a contingency fee basis. You pay what is owed as a percentage of your jury award or settlement. If the attorney does not win your case, your legal representation is free.
How to Choose the Best Fort Smith Car Accident Lawyer
Before hiring a Fort Smith car accident lawyer you would want to look for their track record and ratings. This helps you assess if the lawyer would be right for you. Interview an attorney before hiring to see if you feel confident with your choice. If you do not feel you are a good match, keep looking.
When searching for a top-notch Fort Smith car accident lawyer, find out their settlement and/or trial awards are for resolving car accident claims. Note the value of the settlement or award, including “other” damages that may have been recovered.
Hiring a skilled Fort Smith car accident attorney is a smart move, particularly if you are struggling with medical expenses and other costs related to your accident. The highly trained Fort Smith car accident lawyers at the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield know the value of your claim by assessing your injuries and applying them throughout the legal process of seeking compensation for your injuries.
Hiring a personal injury attorney with extensive experience handling Fort Smith car accident claims, means you get the compensation needed to deal with medical bills and other expenses. It also means you do not have to deal with rapacious insurance companies who attempt to pay far less than a claim may be worth, or try to reduce the payout.
Claims for car accident injuries may include:
- Neurological damage
- Paralysis
- Torn muscles
- Crush injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
- Broken and/or fractured bones
- Post-concussion syndrome
- Burns
- Road rash
- Spinal cord injuries
- Death
- Amputations
- Disc herniations
To find the best Fort Smith car accident attorney, you can try the following suggestions, such as:
- Interview each car accident attorney you are considering.
- Ask questions about your case.
- Check the attorney’s website for biographical information, wins, experience, and cases.
- Call the State Bar Association to see if your choice has faced any sanctions.
- Ask others you know who have been in accidents.
Contact the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield
If you or someone you love suffered serious injuries in a Fort Smith car accident, reach out to the Fort Smith personal injury lawyers at the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield, P.A., to schedule a free consultation.
Our lawyers have decades of experience fighting on behalf of injured motorists to ensure they recover the compensation they need and deserve. While we recognize that nothing can take away the pain and emotional stress caused by an accident, with our help, you can pursue meaningful compensation to enable you to move on with your life in the wake of the crash.
To learn more and schedule a free consultation, give the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield, P.A. a call at (479) 361-3575. You can also reach us through our online contact form.