After sustaining serious injuries in a car crash in Mobile, victims can utilize their right to recovery and file a lawsuit against a negligent driver.
The majority of car accidents in Alabama occur in urban areas, such as Mobile. Common causes of car accidents include driving while distracted and driving under the influence. After a crash, victims should report their injuries to the police and medical professionals. When weighing the pros and cons of settling versus going to trial, victims should consider the increased likelihood of claiming greater damages by taking their case before a judge. Once you succeed in your claim, you will receive your damages through a lump sum or structured payment.
Call (844) 876-4357 to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation with the Mobile, AL car accident lawyers at Howe Law today.
Prevalence of Car Accidents in Mobile, AL
Largely because Mobile is an urban city, there are thousands of car accidents there each year. Causes vary from negligent drivers failing to yield to the right of way to drivers texting while driving.
Some car accidents, like rear-enders, are more common than others. Commonly referred to as fender-benders, these accidents typically occur when one driver follows another too closely. T-bone accidents, when a negligent driver strikes the side of a victim’s car at a perpendicular angle, are also common. Such collisions most often happen at intersections in Mobile. In 2020, there were 8,203 intersection-related crashes in Mobile, according to the Alabama Department of Transportation’s initiative Drive Safe Alabama.
Also according to Drive Safe Alabama, 75% of car accidents in 2020 happened in urban areas like Mobile. A substantial number of accidents are caused by distracted driving, which was reinforced by data that found that a driver who is texting is 23% more likely to be in an accident than a driver who is not texting.
The majority of car accidents throughout all of Alabama in 2020 were caused by a failure to yield to the right of way. In terms of traffic accident fatalities, there were 60 in Mobile in 2020, nine of which involved drivers who were under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time.
Reporting a Car Accident in Mobile, AL
Most car accidents require reporting in Mobile. Victims that do not report an incident might have trouble providing documentation of an accident and their immediate damages.
Any auto accident that results in death, injury, or upwards of $500 worth of property damage must be reported to the Mobile Police Department. Victims can call the local police immediately after an accident so that law enforcement officers can complete a crash report. Our car accident lawyers can present certain parts of police reports, such as the opinions and conclusions sections, as evidence in a car accident lawsuit. This reinforces the importance of calling the police and reporting an accident in Mobile.
In addition to reporting injuries to law enforcement, victims should also get medical attention. Though not mandated by law, seeing a doctor can allow you to better document your injuries and more easily connect your damages to a negligent driver’s actions. This is best done immediately after an accident. Victims can and should continue to seek medical care as they heal from their injuries in Mobile. Victims should request copies of police reports, medical records, and medical bills to strengthen their claim in Mobile.
Victims can report their emotional struggles to a therapist following a collision or confide in close friends and family about their mental difficulties.
Settling a Car Accident Lawsuit vs. Going to Trial in Mobile, AL
After filing a lawsuit against a negligent driver in Mobile, they might approach you with the intention of settling the case out of court. Victims need to understand what this might mean for their recovery.
Settling a case out of court is often preferable for negligent drivers faced with strong evidence against them. Settling might enable a defendant to negotiate a lesser sum, reducing the amount they have to pay to a victim. This might mean that a victim does not recover compensation for all economic damages related to their injuries. Settling might also take less time than going to trial in Mobile.
When victims take their case before a judge or jury, they have the opportunity to present their evidence and get justice. They might also be awarded greater damages, especially regarding recovery for pain and suffering compensation. If a negligent driver was intoxicated at the time of an accident or otherwise acted with gross negligence, going to trial might result in punitive damages being awarded to a victim in Mobile. Whether or not you take your claim to trial will depend on the facts of your case and your personal preference.
How Car Accident Victims in Mobile, AL Can Receive Compensation
After your lawsuit against an at-fault driver concludes in your favor, you will be awarded compensatory damages in Mobile. How you receive those damages might depend on a defendant’s ability.
Whether you settle out of court or win at trial, you will either receive your damages through one lump sum payment or structured payments. Typically, in lawsuits where defendants are without insurance, structured payments will be given to plaintiffs. This means that instead of receiving your entire settlement at one time, you will receive monthly payments from a defendant over the course of several months or years.
The alternative is a lump sum payment. While this option might be preferable to some victims, it is not always available. Regardless of the method through which you receive your compensation, you will ultimately recover the damages awarded to you if you are successful in your lawsuit in Mobile.
File Your Mobile, AL Car Accident Claim Today
Call Howe Law at (844) 876-4357 for a free case review from our car accident lawyers.
