You keep up the news as often as you can. You check your feed before work. You tune into your local radio. You do whatever you need to do in order to stay ahead of the game and be aware of any risks that meet you once you leave the safety of your home. Car crashes, unfortunately, can still strike no matter how careful you are. One of the biggest risks to your safety, these can arrive out of nowhere and leave you struggling financially, physically and emotionally. Personal injury attorneys are frequently tasked with the process of helping people out of these tough times. Should you find yourself on the wrong end of the road, knowing what a personal injury attorney can do for you can be a huge weight off your shoulders.
The State Of Driving In America
The United States is known for its winding interstate roads and huge cars. It’s also known for having some of the most prevalent incidents of drunk and distracted driving. The Association For Safe International Road Travel (shortened to ASIRT) has estimated over 37,000 Americans will die every year in road crashes. Another study saw over 32,000 fatal motor vehicle crashes occurring in 2015 alone. When it comes to global figures? It’s thought up to 50% of all road traffic deaths will occur among younger adults.
Distracted Driving
Personal injury attorneys have to be up-to-date on all the factors that go into a devastating crash. One of the most insidious is distracted driving, an incident defined by a driver having their attention compromised while behind the wheel. Engaging in ‘manual sub-tasks’, such as checking a cell phone or attempting to change the radio dial, can increase a driver’s chances of getting into an accident by three times or more. Awareness campaigns are regularly churned out to warn against the nature of distracted driving, though more can always be done. Should you suspect distracted driving the cause of your crash, a Portland personal injury attorney will be able to help.
Drunk Driving
A more well-known, but no less deadly, element of car crashes is drunk driving. The year 2015 saw over one million drivers arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, with the majority of states requiring a BAC (blood alcohol content) of 0.08% or more. This term, however, doesn’t only factor in alcohol as an inhibiting substance. Drugs other than alcohol (both legal and illegal) are involved in an estimated 15% of all motor vehicle accidents. Aside from trucks, motorcycles have some of the highest rates of death and severe injury of all vehicle types.
Motorcycle Risks
Motor vehicle accidents often have their own legal definition due to their increased risk of injury. Back in 2015 over 88,000 motorcyclists were injured, a 4% decrease from the year before and still a higher rate than single-passenger vehicles. Each state boasts its own unique traffic laws (and in some cases, drunk driving laws). Oregon, for example, states that a vehicle moving in traffic must have a turn signal used at least 100 feet before either a turn or lane change. When you find yourself injured after a crash and at a loss for what to do next, personal injury attorneys can steer you in the right direction again.
Personal Injury Attorneys
The first thing you need to do after a crash is reach out to your local law firm and ask about their car accident attorney rates. An attorney will represent your case, help you file the necessary paperwork and even help interrogate witnesses should you suspect drunk or distracted driving involved in the crash. For those worried about going to a courtroom, the vast majority of personal injury cases are settled pretrial. This is as many as 95% in a given year. Handling your car insurance and health insurance is already stressful enough. A personal injury lawyer will not just reduce your stress, but increase your chances of getting back on your feet in no time at all.