A collision can occur at any time, in any place and on any day, and when it does, confusion on how to handle the situation may set in quickly. That's why it's important to find a skilled and experienced car accident lawyer in Madison (after being treated for any injuries, of course) to make sure you and your family recover financially, should the need arise.
Below, our Madison car accident lawyer at Hupy and Abraham put together this article to bring awareness to the top causes of auto accidents to, perhaps, help you avoid them. Often, the investigation will begin with determining what kind of accident occurred, because the way in which vehicles collide can often provide a lot of information about why an accident occurred and, thus, who was at fault for causing the accident and the resulting injuries.
From common types of accidents and injuries to how to find the best slip and fall lawyer in Madison, WI, check out our comprehensive crash guide now.
The Most Common Types of Car Accidents
- Read-End Collisions. Rear-end accidents rank among as one of the most common types of automobile accidents reported in Madison. Based on a study by the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), it is estimated that approximately 30 percent of all crashes are caused by rear-end accidents. This is commonly a result of aggressive driving, speeding, bad weather crashes or distracted driving mistakes. Common injuries include whiplash, broken bones, and contusions.
- Head-on collisions. When the front of one car collides with the front of another car, the risk of injury is significant. Neck injuries, head injuries, and death can occur from these types of accidents. Often, a head-on collision occurs because a drunk driver, a tired driver, or an otherwise negligent driver is in the wrong lane and collides with an oncoming car.
- Pedestrian accidents. Thousands of these accidents occur annually in Madison, often resulting in major injuries or death, for pedestrians. Survivors of these car accidents are typically left with broken bones, head injuries, or other serious injuries. Common causes of pedestrian accidents are from distracted driving, intoxicated drivers, drowsy drivers, and sometimes poor road design.
- Wrong Way Accidents. Unfortunately, drivers mistakenly drive on the wrong side of the roads or misuse the right way on one-way roads, leading to dangerous and often catastrophic head-on collision accident injuries. Drivers often fail to stay on their sides of the road which results in major injuries. Examples leading to these car accidents are driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, poor judgment when passing another vehicle, cell phone distractions, or roads not being marked well.
- Intersection Collisions. Intersection car crashes typically occur when one car fails to stop at a red light, or a stop sign and the front of one car collides with the side of another car. Serious injuries can result in such as neck, back or head injuries, and sometimes result in death. Often, drivers become preoccupied by running yellow lights or rolling through stop signs to improve their commute time. The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDT) states approximately 21 percent of fatalities and 50 percent of serious injuries occur within intersections.
Injuries That Can Occur in a Madison Car Accident
Your specific injuries will depend on numerous factors including, but not limited to: the weight of the car that hit you, the speed of the car that hit you, the angle of the collision, and your overall health. According to our Madison car accident lawyer, some of the most common injuries that can result from a truck crash include:
- Brain injuries. A traumatic brain injury can occur if your head hits part of the car or if an object penetrates the skull and punctures the brain. A traumatic brain injury can result in lasting changes for you, depending on the part of the brain that was hurt.
- Spinal cord injuries. A complete spinal cord injury can leave you paralyzed below the point of injury and the damage may be irreversible. The costs of a spinal cord injury can be staggering, since your medical needs and living expenses may be high and you may be unable to work due to your injury.
- Broken bones. Any bone can break in a crash. Your recovery depends both on the bone that broke and the complexity of the break.
- Amputations. You may lose an arm, hand, finger, leg, foot, or toe at the scene of the accident or afterward due to significant nerve damage or a severe infection..
- Death. Many of the injuries described above and others can result in death. Unfortunately, among all the different types of crashes you can get in while driving a car, collisions with trucks result in the most fatalities.
What You Should Do After an Auto Accident in Madison
How to Find the Best Car Accident Lawyer in Madison
Finding the best car accident lawyer in Madison can be tough, as not all attorneys are created equal. However, there are a few steps you can take to ensure you find the right lawyer for your case, including:
- Experience with car accidents: You wouldn't hire a plumber to fix your landscaping, just like you wouldn't hire a family attorney with experience in divorce to take on your car accident case. Make sure you ask potential auto accident attorneys about their experience, specifically with car accidents. Some personal injury lawyers specialize in dog bites but have little experience with car wrecks. At Hupy and Abraham, our car accident lawyers have been helping accident victims in Madison and throughout the state of Wisconsin since 1969 and have over 170 years of combined experience.
- Client reviews and testimonials: There really is no better way to understand how a Madison car crash attorney works with people just like you other than reading reviews from past clients. If a law firm has great reviews (and lots of them), then they likely work well with their clients. If they don't, it may be a red flag to stay away.
- Awards and accolades: If an attorney or law firm has been given awards by local companies, magazines or review sites, that's generally a pretty good sign that they are well established in your area and do a good job protecting their clients.
- Ask a lot of questions: When looking for the best car accident lawyer in Madison, it's important to go into your initial consultation with lots of questions. If you come away satisfied with all their answers, it can go a long way towards making your decision.
- Word of mouth: An oldie but a goodie, tried and true. Ask around. Ask your family and friends that you trust whether or not they have any recommendations. And while recommendations are great, make sure you do all the other things listed above to make sure they're the right car accident lawyer for you.
These aren't all the ways to find the best Madison car accident lawyer, but they are certainly a good starting point to begin your search.
How Much Does a Car Accident Attorney Cost?
Financial worries should not stop you from contacting a car accident lawyer. The legal team at Hupy and Abraham believes that everyone deserves to be represented by an experienced car accident lawyer regardless of his or her ability to pay a lawyer. You did not cause the accident that hurt you or that killed your loved one, and you should have every opportunity to make a full and fair legal recovery. Accordingly, our law firm:
- Provides free consultations. Your first meeting with us is always absolutely free and you have no obligation to hire us.
- Represents clients on a contingency fee basis. This means that there are no hourly fees. Instead, we are paid a percentage of the settlement or court verdict that you receive. We are not paid until your case is completed, and if there is no recovery then there are no legal fees.
But Are There Other Costs When Hiring a Car Accident Lawyer?
Yes, there are costs involved in handling your car accident case. These out-of-pocket expenses include filing fees, copies, transcripts, fees for medical records and bills, and other costs. Hupy and Abraham will advance costs on your behalf, but you are then obligated to reimburse costs when your case is completed.
It is very important to understand what fees and costs are involved in handling your case and when you are obligated to reimburse your car wreck attorney at the time of recovery. We will review all of this with you before you decide to have us represent you. We will answer all of your questions about how much it will cost you to hire us and about the benefits that we can provide to you.
Why You Should Hire Our Auto Injury Attorney Following Your Accident
Contact our Madison Car Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation Today!
Your time to file a car accident case is limited. Accordingly, we invite you to contact us online at any time for more information or call us directly at 1.800.800.5678 to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation with our Madison car accident lawyer.