Martinson & Beason, P.C.
Have you been seriously injured in a Memphis, Tennessee car accident that was caused by the negligence of another? If so, it is important that the person who caused the accident take responsibility and pay for the damages to your vehicle and for your injury expenses as well. Sometimes it can be difficult to obtain compensation from the other person’s insurance company without a Memphis personal injury attorney by your side who will fight for your rights after your car accident, therefore it can be important to contact an attorney following your accident.
In 2014, there were 89 fatalities as a result of auto accidents in the Memphis area, with seven of those involving an impaired driver. Shelby Drive, Walnut Grove Road and I-240 seemed to have more than their fair share of auto accidents in the same year, which is not surprising as they are all extremely busy areas. Shelby County, as a whole, ranked second in the state for the overall number of crashes between 2012 and 2016, but for the number of fatalities resulting from auto crashes, Shelby County ranked 72nd in the state. Shelby County ranked 2nd for the number of auto crashes among the age group from 15-24, and 4th for seniors, over the age of 65.
As the city which is home to Elvis Presley’s Graceland, Memphis receives more than 600,000 visitors annually, which likely contributes to the number of annual auto accidents in the city. Memphis lies on the Mississippi River, and, aside from Elvis Presley, is famous for the blues, soul and rock ‘n’ roll music which originated there. If you have had a car accident in Memphis, don’t face the consequences of that accident on your own. Speak to a knowledgeable personal injury attorney, and click here to read our comprehensive Car Accident Guide.
How Many Auto Accidents Will You Have During Your Lifetime?
According to insurance industry studies, it is estimated you will file a claim for a car accident about once every 17.9 years, if you are an “average” driver. This means if you got your driver’s license at age 16, you will have between three and four auto accidents over the course of your lifetime. This doesn’t necessarily mean any of these accidents will result in serious injuries or a fatality—a large percentage of auto accidents cause only damage to the vehicles, with no physical injury involved. In fact, of the 10 million or so auto accidents which occur across the United States each year, only about three of every 1,000 of those will involve a fatality.
Proving Negligence in Your Memphis Car Accident
If you are the victim of another person’s negligence, it is important that you be able to show that person is responsible for your auto accident. While it may be obvious to you and to anyone who saw the accident, unfortunately, that, in itself, may not be sufficient for the insurance companies. If you can support your side of the story with solid evidence, your argument becomes that much stronger. It is important that you have a police report to turn in to the insurance companies, as this report will be the official report of what took place, and may possibly even attribute fault to one driver if fault is obvious.
Be sure and ask the police officer when and where you can obtain a copy of the report. Some insurance companies will send out their own investigator to pick up a copy of the police report, then conduct an independent inquiry. If you find a mistake in the police report, it is possible, in some cases, to have the report amended, although that is much more likely if there is a factual error (an incorrect vehicle) than if you want to amend a disputed fact, like who is at fault.
Rear-End Auto Accidents
As drivers attempt to multi-task, and become more and more distracted behind the wheel, rear-end auto accidents are more common. As a general rule, if you are hit from behind, it will almost never be your fault, since one of the basic rules of driving is that drivers need to leave plenty of room between them and the car in front of them in case of a sudden stop. Therefore, if the rear of your car is damaged, and the front end of the other driver’s car is damaged, there may be little argument about who was at fault.
It is possible, though, that the driver who hit you could potentially have a claim against a third driver who either caused you to stop suddenly or pushed the driver into you from behind. About the only time you—as the driver of the car in front—might be liable in a rear-end auto accident, would be if you suddenly reversed direction, if your brake lights were not working, or if you stopped suddenly to make a turn, but failed to execute the turn. In these three cases you might be liable for the rear-end accident.
If you have damage to your vehicle and injuries to yourself because of another’s negligence, seeking knowledgeable legal assistance can make a huge difference in the final outcome of your auto accident. The personal injury attorneys at Martinson & Beason, P.C. want to allow you the time to heal while we take care of the details of your accident. Since 1937 our firm has been helping people just like you. Call us today for a free consultation to find out the many ways we can make your auto accident easier to deal with.
