Car Accident Lawyer in Montgomery, AL

Be sure to follow these steps to protect your rights after a collision:

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  Make sure everyone is okay. If there are injuries, call an ambulance.
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  Call the police and make an official police report.
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  Exchange information with other drivers. Get their insurance and contact information.
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  Get contact information from witnesses, if possible.
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  Take photos of the damage to all vehicles, as well as the scene of the collision.
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  Contact a lawyer as soon as possible.

What Compensation Is Available After Getting Injured in a Car Crash in Alabama?

When people think of car accident injuries and compensation, the first things that come to mind are often the medical expenses related to their injuries and the cost of repairing or replacing their vehicle. However, while these are two essential components of car accident compensation, they’re not the only ones.

In Alabama, compensation for car accidents seeks to account for not only the immediate costs related to the collision but also the money you’ve lost due to time out of work or diminished earning capacity, as well as the physical pain, mental anguish, and emotional distress you’ve endured.

How Are Injury Settlements Calculated?

Car accident injury compensation is typically categorized into two types of damages: economic and non-economic. Economic damages include the money the accident and injuries cost you, and non-economic damages consist of the pain, psychological damage, and diminished quality of life the accident caused.

Economic compensation can cover:

• Medical bills
• Medication costs
• Lost wages
• Property damage

Non-economic compensation can address:

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of enjoyment of life

Calculating car accident injury compensation is relatively straightforward for the economic factors, provided you keep careful records of all the costs related to the accident. Your lawyer can help you gather these documents and determine accurate compensation.

Calculating non-economic factors is more subjective and complicated. Your attorney will consider factors like the severity and duration of your injuries, the impact on your daily life, your ability to earn a living, emotional distress like anxiety and PTSD symptoms, and long-term consequences, and then use a formula to calculate compensation.

What Are the Most Common Car Accident Injuries?

Collision forces generate various types of trauma, ranging from minor discomfort to life-altering disabilities requiring extensive medical intervention. Common car accident injuries include the following:

• Whiplash and soft tissue injuries
• Broken bones
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Knee and joint damage
• Internal organ damage
• Lacerations and scarring
• Burn injuries
• Psychological trauma
• Herniated discs and back injuries

What Is a Typical Amount of Pain and Suffering?

Pain and suffering often accounts for the most significant percentage of car accident compensation, but the exact amount of compensation involved can vary widely. Every car accident case is unique, and the specifics of yours will determine the value of your pain and suffering compensation.

For example, car accident victims with a minor injury that heals quickly would receive less compensation for pain and suffering compared to a more severe injury that requires a prolonged and painful recovery.

What Is the Average Settlement for a Car Accident in Alabama?

Since the relationship between car accident injuries and compensation is not an exact science, it’s difficult to pin down an average car accident settlement.

Even if you know the extent and severity of your injuries and how much the accident has cost you, the amount of car accident injury compensation you recover still depends on the evidence you provide to prove your claim. That’s why working with an experienced car accident attorney who can calculate and advocate aggressively for maximum compensation is crucial.

It’s also important to note that Alabama follows a contributory negligence system for car accident claims. This means that if you’re found to be even 1 percent at fault for the accident, your personal injury claim will be denied. This is another reason why it’s so crucial to work with an Alabama car accident lawyer who can gather the evidence you need to establish liability and recover compensation.

Why Fault in Multi-Car Crashes Is Difficult to Prove

Determining who caused a multi-car accident is rarely straightforward. Multiple drivers may have made errors, and insurance companies for each
party may try to shift blame onto other drivers – including you. Untangling what happened will require considerable evidence, which may then need to be interpreted by professional crash reconstructionists.

Alabama’s contributory negligence rule may also apply. If an insurer can argue that you were even slightly at fault, it could try to bar you from recovering any compensation at all. A skilled multi-car accident attorney will gather evidence to build a clear picture of what happened and protect your claim.

Compensation Available After a Multi-Car Accident

Multi-car accident compensation may cover a wide range of losses, including:

• Medical bills and future treatment costs
• Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress and diminished quality of life
• Vehicle repair or replacement costs

When multiple at-fault drivers are involved, your Montgomery car accident lawyer can pursue claims against more than one insurance policy, which may increase the total recovery available to you.

Multi-vehicle accidents create complicated legal situations that insurance companies will use to their advantage. As such, it is crucial to enlist the help of an experienced legal professional with a thorough understanding of how they can use the law to protect your rights and your future. At Stokes Stemle, we are here to hold the other parties accountable and fight for the compensation you need and deserve.

How Multi-Car Accidents Happen

Multi-car accidents are among the most dangerous collisions on Alabama roads. When three or more vehicles are involved in a crash, the results can be even more devastating than in a crash involving two vehicles. If you were hurt in a wreck involving multiple vehicles, a Montgomery multi-car accident lawyer at Stokes Stemle, LLC will fight to hold every responsible party accountable and pursue the full compensation you deserve.

Multi-car pileups often begin with a single act of negligence that sets off a chain reaction. A distracted driver may rear-end a vehicle at a stoplight, pushing it into the car ahead. Someone speeding on the interstate might suddenly lose control, which can lead to multiple collisions. Other common causes include:

• Following too closely (tailgating)
• Making sudden lane changes without checking blind spots
• Running red lights or stop signs
• Failing to adjust to poor visibility from fog, heavy rain, or smoke
• Mechanical failures that make braking difficult or impossible

These situations can unfold in seconds, giving other drivers little or no time to react.

Common Injuries in Multi-Vehicle Collisions

Because multi-car accidents involve force from multiple directions, the injuries tend to be more severe than those in a two-vehicle crash. Victims may suffer from serious injuries such as:

• Whiplash
• Broken bones
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord damage
• Serious soft tissue tears

In many cases, victims are struck more than once as additional vehicles join the pileup, which can make injuries far worse. Prompt medical treatment is essential, both for your health and for documenting injuries that will support your multi-car accident claims.