Charlottesville Car Accident Attorney
Car accidents are very common in Charlottesville. We often see cars pulled over to the side of the road or stopped in the middle of a parking lot because two vehicles have collided. According to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, Charlottesville saw 611 car crashes in 2018, resulting in 368 injuries and two deaths.
After a car accident, injured motorists must hire the right legal help. Your choice of attorney can make the difference between receiving fair compensation or pennies on the dollar. With the right Charlottesville car accident lawyer, you can pay for your medical care and other bills by holding the at-fault driver legally accountable. Contact our law firm without delay.
- Amputations
- Burn Injury
- Concussions
- Distracted Driving Accident
- Drunk Driving Accident
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Tire Defect
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Truck Accident
- Wrongful Death
Common Types of Car Accidents
We see cars collide in a variety of places around town, including side streets, parking garages, parking lots, and large highways. Some of the more common accidents include:
- Rear-end collisions. One motorist is following another too closely and has insufficient time to stop, colliding with the driver’s back bumper.
- Side-impact collisions. Common at intersections, the front bumper of one vehicle slams into the side of another.
- Sideswipes. Two cars travelling parallel to each other can collide. Fault is often hard to determine with these types of wrecks.
- Head-on collisions. Two cars that collide head on can cause serious injuries, even death. Often, a drunk or fatigued driver drifts into oncoming traffic, leading to a crash.
- Rollovers. Cars can roll onto their sides or hoods for a variety of reasons. A driver might make a sudden overcorrection, which upsets the car’s balance, or the vehicle can trip on something.
Accidents often happen so fast that you might not know what happened. Let a Charlottesville car accident lawyer untangle the facts.
Car Accident Fault
The driver who is at fault for the wreck is responsible for paying compensation to all injured victims. In many cases, a negligent or reckless driver is to blame. For example, someone who is driving too fast for conditions or who passes illegally can easily crash into another vehicle or force them from the road.
Other accidents are caused by distracted, fatigued, or intoxicated drivers. These drivers are impaired and unable to drive with sufficient care. This makes them liable for a wreck.
In some accidents, something other than a driver is to blame. A road defect, for example, can cause a driver to lose control through no fault of their own. Common defects include potholes, uneven shoulders, or construction debris left in the road. Missing or obscured traffic signs can also contribute to a wreck.
Negotiating with an Insurer
Virginia requires that motorists either pay an uninsured motorist vehicle fee or carry liability coverage, which will step in and pay compensation when the driver is at fault for a collision. Negotiating with an insurer is difficult, however. Some insurers dispute fault and try to shift blame onto your shoulders.
No motorist should negotiate with an insurer on their own. Few know how much their injuries are worth or what landmines await.
Contact a Charlottesville Car Accident Lawyer Today
MichieHamlett is a leading car accident law firm that forcefully protects our clients’ rights. For a free consultation, please contact us today.
