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$14 Million Dram Shop Liability
Our team obtained a $14 million dram shop verdict on behalf of a client who was injured due to negligence.
What Causes Car Accidents?
The majority of car accidents are caused by human error. There may be other factors involved (such as weather or road conditions), but extensive research has determined that most crashes result from motorist negligence or willful dangerous behavior.
Anyone operating a vehicle has a duty to act in such a way that they do not put the lives of others in danger. Too many people forget this fact when they start up their car and put it in drive.
The following negligent behaviors are responsible for a majority of car accidents across the country:
- Speeding
- Impaired driving (under the influence of drugs or alcohol)
- Distracted driving (often involving texting and driving or other cell phone use)
- Reckless driving
- Aggressive driving
- Tailgating
- Disregarding traffic rules and signs
- General inattentiveness
- Miscalculating distance between vehicles
- Failing to look before merging or turns
- Making illegal maneuvers
- Not taking weather, road, or traffic conditions into consideration
Common Car Crash Injuries
There are several factors that influence the severity of a car crash injury. The most important factors include:
- How fast the vehicles were traveling at the time of the collision
- The angle of impact
- Whether drivers and passengers were wearing seatbelts
- The size of the vehicles involved (and the difference in size between the vehicles)
- The number of vehicles involved
- The involvement of alcohol
A mild fender bender may result in minor injuries, but the consequences of a high-speed car accident are much more serious. Alcohol involvement almost always increases the severity of a collision, and when drivers or passengers are unrestrained (not wearing a seatbelt), the outcome is often fatal.
The U.S. Department of Transportation reported that 38,824 people were killed in motor vehicle accidents in 2020—the highest number of deaths since 2007. Thousands more survive crashes but face a future changed drastically by a severe injury. The term “catastrophic injury” describes an injury that significantly affects a person’s ability to live the life they led prior to the accident.
Car accident injuries can take many forms. Some of the most common serious injuries sustained in motor vehicle crashes include:
