Prestonsburg Car Accident Lawyer
There’s nothing more frightening than to be driving with your family or friend on a Kentucky roadway and then, suddenly, you’re slammed into by another vehicle driven by a distracted or drunk driver. Shattered glass is flying everywhere, metal is crushed and twisted, and passengers are thrown across seats and into the dashboard. In many crashes, people are seriously injured or killed.
Injuries from car accidents can leave you laid up in a hospital bed for days or weeks, and crash victims often miss many days of work, which means less money coming in to pay bills. It’s like a perfect storm that can leave you discouraged and in pain. If you or a loved one has been injured in a vehicle crash, you may be entitled to financial compensation. This is especially true if the accident was caused by someone else’s negligence. A skilled and experienced Prestonsburg car accident lawyer can fight aggressively for your rights to get the justice you deserve. You don’t have to get stuck with expensive medical bills and lost wages. Call Billy Johnson Law Firm at 606-437-4488 to learn more about how we can help.
Causes of Car Accidents in Prestonsburg
A Prestonsburg car accident attorney explains why crashes can be deadly.
There are many things that can cause car accidents, including another driver’s recklessness, bad weather, debris in the road, or a combination of these. Some common causes of car accidents in Prestonsburg include:
- Speeding
- Disobeying rules of the road
- Distracted driving
- Driver is under the influence of drugs or is drunk driving
- Driver fatigue
- Snow, wind, rain, or ice on the roads
- Potholes or roadway debris
- Defective guardrails
- Reduced visibility
- Defective tires.
If you or a loved one is injured in a car accident, you may be entitled to financial damages. This is especially true if the accident was caused by someone else’s negligence.
Damages You May Be Entitled To
A skilled car accident attorney in Prestonsburg will fight aggressively for you.
There are a variety of damages you may be entitled to depending on the nature of the crash, the severity of your injuries, and who was at fault.
Economic Damages
- Medical expenses (current and future)
- Lost wages
- Diminished earning potential
- Property damages
- Funeral and burial expenses (wrongful death)
Non-Economic Damages
- Shock and mental anguish
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium (loss of companionship for your spouse)
- Emotional distress
- Scarring and disfigurement
Punitive Damages (does not always apply)
Punitive damages are in addition to economic and non-economic damages, and they are sometimes imposed by a judge who wants to punish a defendant for negligence that is especially egregious or for a previous record of safety violations. Punitive damages are meant to warn other potential offenders who might be tempted to do the same thing.
Common Injuries in Car Accidents
When you or a loved one is involved in a car or truck accident, you can be catapulted into the windshield, crushed by twisted metal, or cut by flying glass. Many severe injuries can result from a car accident in Prestonsburg. Some common injuries include:
- Concussion
- TBI and brain injury
- Broken bones
- Neck and spinal cord injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Cuts, abrasions, and puncture wounds
- Burns
- Organ damage
- Paralysis
- Wrongful death.
If you have sustained a serious injury in a car accident, follow these steps to ensure your protection and safety:
- Call 911 and ask for police to respond to the scene.
- Seek medical attention right away.
- Get the driver’s license and insurance information of the other driver.
- Get names and contact info of any bystanders or eyewitnesses.
- If you are able, take pictures with your phone of your injuries, damage to both vehicles, and the accident site itself.
- Answer police questions succinctly but do not elaborate or acknowledge fault.
- Hire a Prestonsburg car accident lawyer to represent you.
Deadliest Roadways in Kentucky
There were 156,758 vehicle collisions on Kentucky’s public roads in which 732 people were killed and 32,871 were injured, according to 2019 traffic collision facts from Kentucky State Police. One in 133 Kentucky residents were injured in traffic accidents. About 66% of crashes involved two or more moving vehicles and 16% were collisions with fixed objects. Roughly 3,069 were collisions with deer. About 35% of all collisions occurred on Kentucky’s “State Numbered” roads, and 49% of all fatalities occurred on these roads. About 22% of all collisions happened on city streets.
The 5 deadliest interstates in Kentucky are:
- I-64
- I-75
- I-65
- I-24
- I-265.
The deadliest parkways in Kentucky for traffic crashes are:
- Bluegrass Parkway
- Purchase Parkway
- Daniel Boone Parkway.
Different Types of Crashes
There are several different kinds of vehicle crashes you can be involved in. Some tend to be more deadly than others. Crash types include:
- Rear-end collision
- Side-impact collision
- Sideswipe collision
- Rollover
- Head-on collision
- Single-car accident
- Multiple-vehicle pile-up
- Pedestrian collision.
Statute of Limitations on Car Accident Claims in Prestonsburg
Every case has a statute of limitations and personal injury claims arising from car wrecks are no different. The Kentucky civil statutes of limitation are detailed in KRS Chapter 413: Limitation of Actions. These statutes tend to be strictly applied by the courts, and a few days can make all the difference in whether a claim is heard or dismissed. There are also a few limited exceptions to the statute of limitations. If you are uncertain whether you still have time to file a claim, talk to a Prestonsburg car accident lawyer for more information.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Prestonsburg Car Accident Lawyer?
Here’s the good news. A Prestonsburg car accident lawyer at Billy Johnson Law Firm works on contingency, which means that we don’t get paid until you get paid. Your legal fees are paid by the defendant as part of a settlement agreement or jury award. If for some reason your claim is not successful, then you owe us nothing. You don’t have to worry about up-front money to hire our attorney to represent you.
Choosing the Best Car Accident Lawyers in Prestonsburg, KY
Billy Johnson Law Firm stands head and shoulders above the rest.
The skilled attorneys at our law firm fight hard to get the justice our clients deserve. We are aggressive with opponents and compassionate toward our clients. We understand that you’ve been through a traumatic experience and your family may be scared and suffering. We’ve helped countless clients walk through the frightening experience of car crash injuries. We’ll stand beside you every step of the way. To learn more about our legal team, you can see our attorney bios here. You can read testimonials from our happy and satisfied clients. You can also review our successful verdicts and settlements.
Contact Billy Johnson Law Firm Today
If you’ve been injured in a crash, you don’t have to go it alone. Let a skilled and experienced Prestonsburg car accident lawyer fight for the compensation you deserve. At Billy Johnson Law Firm, we are committed to getting you justice! To find out about how we can help, call us at 606-437-4488.