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Under Mississippi law, if you are injured in an accident caused by someone else, you are entitled to just compensation for all accident-related losses. This includes medical bills, lost wages, and non-financial losses such as emotional trauma, pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life.
While some crashes are more serious than others, all accident victims should take appropriate steps to protect their legal rights. In many cases, losses are far greater than they initially appear, and taking legal action is the only way to ensure a fair recovery.
At Smith & Holder, PLLC, our Gulfport car accident attorneys help victims and families recover the compensation they deserve. We take a thorough, creative, and detail-oriented approach to every case. Whether you are pursuing compensation for injuries or seeking justice after the loss of a loved one, we are here to help.
Contact us today to learn more.
After a crash, you’re dealing with more than vehicle damage—you’re facing pain, confusion, and financial pressure. You don’t have to handle it alone.
We are a country of people constantly on the road. Nearly 90% of Americans get behind the wheel at least occasionally, putting about 276 million vehicles on the road. These vehicles make around 186 billion driving trips, spend 70 billion hours driving, and travel about 2.62 trillion miles per year. So do more vehicles on the roads also mean more accidents?
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) keeps track of not just crashes, but who is in them and how much damage they cause. Thanks to technological improvements and a greater emphasis on safety, the number of fatal crashes per capita is much lower than people think. Although our population has grown steadily since 1975, the rate of crash deaths per 100,000 population is about half of what it was forty years ago.
However, there are still 6 million crashes in total every year. The resulting property damage and medical treatments for those involved cost Americans over $230 billion per year. And many of these victims will need the assistance of a personal injury legal team to help them recover.
With offices in Gulfport, we represent clients in auto accident cases throughout the Gulfport area. From Interstates 10 and 110 to Routes 49 and 90, we handle cases involving all major highway accidents as well as collisions on local urban, suburban, and rural roads. Regardless of what happened, you owe it to yourself to find out if you have a claim for compensation. Our Gulfport auto accident attorney is happy to help you understand your rights in a free and confidential consultation.
Distracted drivers cause hundreds of thousands of accidents every year. From texting and talking on the phone to communicating with backseat passengers, all types of distractions have the potential to lead to dangerous collisions. It only takes a momentary lapse in concentration to cause a devastating collision, and we routinely hear from people who have been seriously injured due to other drivers’ careless mistakes.
Drunk driving is a serious issue in the greater Gulfport area. Drunk driving is extremely dangerous. Yet, far too many people continue to make the incredibly poor decision to drink and drive. There are several telltale signs of a drunk driving accident. And if an inebriated driver is to blame for your injuries or your loved one’s death, our proven Gulfport car accident lawyer can help you collect just compensation.
Driver fatigue is another all-too-common factor in serious auto wrecks. Fatigue can cause impairments similar to alcohol intoxication, and the obvious dangers of falling asleep behind the wheel should be enough to keep drowsy drivers off of the road. Unfortunately, they aren’t, and many people suffer tragic losses in accidents caused by drowsy driving.
Insurance companies move fast to protect their bottom line. You deserve someone working just as hard to protect you.
Head-on collisions can result from a variety of factors ranging from distracted driving to an approaching vehicle swerving in an attempt to avoid another accident. These are among the most dangerous types of auto vehicle accidents, and victims of head-on collisions will often face exorbitant medical bills, significant limitations, and a lifetime of pain and suffering. Contact our highly skilled Gulfport auto vehicle accident lawyers to discuss your case.
Accidents at intersections can result from a variety of factors as well, and they can also be extremely dangerous. Along with head-on collisions, other common intersection accidents include side-impact (or “T-bone”) and rear-end collisions.
In a multi-vehicle collision, sorting out liability presents additional challenges. Who triggered the accident? Were multiple drivers to blame? If so, who is responsible for your accident-related losses? With our extensive experience in auto accident settlements and litigation, our highly skilled Gulfport auto accident attorneys can swiftly navigate these difficult questions and help you secure a maximum financial recovery.
In the vast majority of rear-end collisions, the driver who does the rear-ending is at fault. We can work with accident re-constructionists and forensic experts to establish liability for your injuries, and we can work with trusted medical professionals to calculate all of your current and future losses.
Side-impact accidents often involve violent collisions, with drivers and passengers routinely suffering severe traumatic injuries. If you suffered broken bones, head trauma, spinal cord injury, or any other serious injury in a T-bone accident, it will be critical for you to seek full compensation for your financial and non-financial harm.
Sideswipe and merging accidents are typically the results of driver negligence. In many cases, one driver simply fails to look before changing lanes or merging. In others, the at-fault driver may attempt to look but neglect to check his or her blind spots. Or a driving distraction or other impairment may prevent the driver from noticing an approaching vehicle.
From speeding to following too closely, all forms of aggressive and reckless driving will potentially support claims for financial compensation. If you were injured or a loved one was killed in any type of accident involving any form of driver negligence, we encourage you to contact our dedicated Gulfport auto accident attorneys promptly for a free, no-obligation consultation.
DUI accident claims are different from most car accident claims because the defendant driver is typically more culpable than most drivers who cause accidents. This results in two possible legal consequences:
Punitive damages are awarded, if at all, in addition to ordinary damages. They are most likely to be available when the defendant caused the accident in a manner that is particularly morally culpable. Although the vast majority of cases do not result in an award of punitive damages, DUI accidents are particularly likely to justify such an award. A court must consider many factors before deciding to award punitive damages.
Of course, it is always possible that the defendant was driving without insurance and that the damages he caused far exceed the amount of your uninsured motorist coverage. Even if he was driving with insurance, your damages could be far greater than policy limits. In this case, you might be able to sue a bar that sold him alcohol prior to the accident (if he was visibly intoxicated when he was served) or a social host who served him (if he was under 21 years old).
We’ve recovered millions for auto accident victims—and we’re ready to help you pursue what you’re owed.
Determining fault after a car accident is not always straightforward. Establishing negligence requires a detailed investigation and a thorough understanding of Mississippi traffic and personal injury laws.
An experienced Gulfport auto accident attorney can review the facts of your case, analyze evidence, and determine whether the other driver’s actions entitle you to financial compensation.
To learn more about your rights in a car accident or other accident and find out if you are entitled to financial compensation for your accident-related losses, please contact our established and winning Gulfport car accident attorneys to schedule your free initial consultation. You can reach us by phone or email and we will be in touch as soon as possible. Our experienced legal team is also ready to help clients with other types of injury cases such as semi-truck accidents and product defects liability. Our injury law firm is conveniently located in Gulfport, Mississippi, and proudly serves all of Jackson and Harrison Counties.
