Dothan Automobile Accident Attorneys

Automobile accidents are so common that nearly everyone has either been involved in a crash themselves knows someone who has. Auto accidents are a leading cause of injury and death in the state of Alabama, with tens of thousands of crashes every year , resulting in the death of hundreds of Alabamians. Moreover, thousands of people each year are left with severe, and often catastrophic, injuries as a result of motor vehicle accidents.

While nothing can change the past and undo damage that may have occurred as a result of an automobile accident, the experienced team of Alabama personal injury lawyers at the law offices of M. Adam Jones & Associates believe that something can be done to improve your future. If you have been in a serious car accident, please call our law firm today for a free consultation about your legal options and information about recovering the settlement you need and deserve.

Types of Auto Accidents

Our automobile accident attorneys are equipped with the tools and legal experience needed to manage your car accident case, as we have handled a multitude of different types of accident cases. We have helped victims of rear-end crashes, head-on collisions, side-swipe accidents, T-bone crashes, rollover accidents, and single- and multi-vehicle crashes recover compensation. We have also experience in representing those involved in crashes involving only passenger cars, as well as those involved in other motor vehicle accident types, including commercial vehicles and large trucks. Drowsy driving accidents and distracted driving accidents too!

Each type of motor vehicle accident is different. You need an attorney on your side who has experience representing someone involved in an injury claim like yours.

Rear-End Collisions

There are numerous reasons rear-end wrecks occur, but here are some of the most common causes:

• Tailgating/Aggressive Driving: Tailgating and other forms of aggressive or reckless driving are among the leading causes of rear-end accidents. Motorists who drive too closely to the vehicle in front of them may not have adequate time stop when there is an adverse condition on the road, such as inclement weather or a sudden traffic slowdown.

• Distracted Driving: These days, more and more people are on their smartphones while driving. Texting and other smart phone activity is especially dangerous for motorists because it distracts them in three ways: manually, visually, and cognitively. When someone is looking down at their phone, it is very easy not to notice the car in front of them slowing down. This results in many unnecessary rear-end collisions.

• Faulty Brakes: Some rear-end wrecks happen because of worn or faulty brakes. When this is the reason, it is possible that one of the responsible parties could be the designer, manufacturer, supplier, or distributor of the faulty vehicle parts that contributed to the accident.

• Drunk Driving: Those who drive while impaired by alcohol or drugs have slower reaction times than other motorists on the road. This delayed reaction time is often the cause of a rear-end collision.

• Pulling Out in Front of a Driver: While a rear-end accident is often presumed to be the fault of the driver who struck the back end of the vehicle in front of them, this is not always true. For example, if someone pulls out in front of a rapidly moving vehicle without giving that vehicle enough time to slow down, the lead driver could be at fault for the accident.

• Failure to Yield: Rear end collisions can happen because of confusion at certain intersections and/or failure of one of the vehicles to yield to the other. This type of accident is particularly common at roundabouts.

• Stalled Vehicles: Vehicles that are stalled on the road are sometimes involved in rear-end wrecks. This could happen partially because the driver of the stalled vehicle did not put on their hazard lights. Another possible cause is distracted driving on the part of the motorist who collided into the stalled vehicle.

• Driver Fatigue: Drivers who are tired, fatigued, and drowsy are at higher risk of a rear-end collision. Drowsy driving is especially common among commercial truck drivers and others who drive vehicles for a living. Oftentimes, these drivers have to work long hours to meet unrealistic deadlines imposed by their employers.

Distracted Driving Accidents

Distracted driving is extremely dangerous, and it is quickly becoming one of the leading causes of car and truck accidents. Distractions have always been an issue for motorists, but the widespread use of smartphones in recent years has made the problem far worse. People seem to have difficulty staying off of their phones these days, even when they are driving, and this puts everyone on the road in greater danger.

For those who suffer severe injuries due to a distracted driving accident, whatever penalty the state imposes on the driver is of little consequence. For victims, this can be a life-changing event, often resulting in high medical bills, the inability to perform gainful activity, and untold amounts of physical and emotional suffering. Not to mention the toll this takes on families, especially when the primary breadwinner in the household is no longer able to provide.

Common Types of Distracted Driving

There are numerous distractions that motorists deal with. Some are external, but most are self-imposed. Some of the driver distractions that most frequently result in accidents include:

• Talking on a cell phone;
• Sending and receiving texts and other types of electronic messages on the phone;
• Looking at maps or GPS systems;
• Taking photos or videos;
• Watching videos;
• Tuning the car radio or another type of music device;
• Eating or drinking;
• Talking to and/or tangling with a passenger;
• Reaching for an object inside the vehicle;
• Getting fixated on a sign, billboard, or object outside the vehicle;
• Applying makeup/grooming.

Drowsy Driving Accident

These days, more and more motorists get behind the wheel while they are drowsy or fatigued. But unlike distracted driving or DUI, drowsy driving is not against the law in most states (including Alabama). Yet, drowsy or fatigued driving is implicated in more than 100,000 auto crashes each year. Those who choose to drive when they are too tired are negligent, and when their actions cause injury to others, they must be held fully accountable.

How Common is Drowsy Driving?

An alarming number of motorists drive vehicles while drowsy or fatigued. A National Sleep Foundation poll from several years ago found that more than 60% of adults have driven a vehicle while feeling drowsy during the past year. In addition, about one-third of adult drivers admit to having fallen asleep at the wheel at least once during the past year.

Clearly, falling asleep at the wheel can produce disastrous consequences. But even when drowsy drivers do not fall asleep, they can still pose a greater danger to those they share the roads with.  Tired and fatigued drivers have slower reaction times, and they tend to be far less attentive to important details that may be happening around them. This vastly increases the likelihood of making poor driving decisions.

It is difficult to pin down the exact number of accidents, injuries, and fatalities that are attributable to drowsy and fatigued driving each year. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) puts the official number of drowsy driving-related fatalities at around 800, but according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), these numbers are vastly underestimated, and the real number is most likely closer to 6,000.

Although all motorists are susceptible to drowsy driving, the CDC lists several groups wherein this type of behavior is more common:

• Drivers who do not get enough sleep (generally defined as at least six hours of sleep a night);
• Shift workers who put in long hours that go into the evenings and overnights;
• Individuals who take sleep inducing medications;
• Individuals who have untreated sleep disorders;
• Individuals who drive commercial vehicles for a living, including tow trucks, buses, and semi-trucks.

Commercial truck drivers are particularly susceptible to drowsy driving, because they often fall into several risk categories. Truckers put in long hours over-the-road, often by themselves and during evening and overnight hours when it is more difficult to stay awake.

Auto Accident Injuries & Damages

There is no doubt that auto accidents can be one of the most devastating types of accidents, often leading to serious injuries that forever change the course of a person’s life.

Car crashes are traumatic events, and they can affect the human body in ways that many people do not realize. Our bodies are not designed to withstand the force of a vehicle crash unscathed, which means that even in auto accidents that appear to be minor collisions, those involved could still end up with life-altering injuries.

In addition to physical injuries, also it is common for victims to incur psychological and economic injuries as well. Types of physical injuries that are common in car accident cases include:

• Traumatic brain injuries;
• Back and neck injuries;
• Soft tissue injuries;
• Spinal cord injuries;
• Injuries to extremities;
• Amputation/loss of limb injuries;
• Internal injuries; and
• Bone fracture injuries.

Not only are these injuries potentially disabling, they can also be physically and emotionally painful to live with as well. It is not uncommon for auto accident victims to report a diminished quality of life, as well as conditions such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Auto accident victims are frequently unable to work following a crash, resulting in lost wages and loss of earning capacity, which can have devastating financial and psychological effects. As medical bills mount, this can be a very stressful and unsettling reality for a victim and their family.

Liability for an Auto Accident

Determining liability for an automobile accident is critical, as Alabama law allows for a motor vehicle accident victim to file a claim against the responsible party’s insurance or file a lawsuit directly against the at-fault party.

Under Alabama law, fault and liability are based upon a driver’s negligence, which is the failure to act with a reasonable degree of care. Negligence typically results from the violation of a specific rule of the road such as failure to yield, failure to obey traffic signals, failure to keep a proper lookout, etc. An experienced automobile accident attorney will be well-versed in these rules of the road and will be able to confidently apply them to your case.

Our auto accident lawyers can help you in identifying the cause of your auto collision and can handle all aspects of the investigation process on your behalf in order to prove the fault of the driver responsible. You have the right under the law to hold a responsible driver liable for the full extent of damages you have suffered, including both economic and noneconomic losses.

In Alabama, if you contribute to your injuries in the slightest, even if you are only one percent to blame for your accident/injuries, you can be considered to be contributorily negligent and barred from recovery. Insurance companies frequently employ this tactic, denying otherwise valid claims based upon an allegation that the victim was at least partly at fault for the collision which occurred.

Our lawyers handle these types of situations frequently, and we understand the consequences of contributory negligence law and the effect it could have on your car accident claim. If you have not already hired a lawyer, it is important that you do so as soon as possible, especially if there are any allegations of blame placed on you.

Maximizing Your Auto Accident Settlement Amount

Maximizing an automobile accident settlement is a process that takes experience and attention to detail. At the law offices of M. Adam Jones & Associates, we do everything possible to ensure that our clients receive the maximum amount of compensation available to them after an auto accident, and we accomplish this by:

• Hiring experts to investigate claims and prove fault;
• Collecting and analyzing all evidence, including police reports, witness statements, and more;
• Ensuring that claims are filed within the statute of limitations;
• Working with medical experts who can offer proof of the extent of damages our clients have suffered;
• Aggressively negotiating with insurance adjusters in order to reach fair settlement; and
• Litigating cases in court if a settlement cannot be reached.

We have a history of success and a developed understanding of the laws in Alabama relevant to auto accident claims. We are passionate about representing injury victims and will always put your best interests first.

Contact Us Today

Automobile accident consultations with the personal injury attorneys at M. Adam Jones & Associates are offered free of charge, and we never ask for upfront or hourly fees. To learn more about how we can help you and your options after an accident, call us today at (334) 699-5599, or send us a message telling us about your case.

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