Car Accidents are the Last Thing Anyone Needs Right Now
Weary Virginians are expected to hit the highways in record numbers this summer as COVID numbers decrease and the number of vaccinated people increase. That’s great news for almost everyone. Struggling hotels and restaurants will be bustling again, tourist attractions and amusement parks will hopefully return to their pre-pandemic numbers and we the people, might feel “normal” again. But crowded highways lend themselves to car accidents caused by driver error, mechanical issues, unsecured objects or luggage, distracted driving, DUI, and sleepiness. And a car accident can happen to anyone.
Let’s Start with a Story About a Car Accident
It’s the night before the big vacation. Everyone is buzzing around the house grabbing last minute items to put in the car top carrier before Dad hoists it onto the roof of the car. It’s getting late, but in order to take off “bright and early” the car must be packed and ready to go. So the suitcases get packed, the beach chairs go in along with big pool towels for everyone. The smell of sunscreen is almost intoxicating. The whole family is brimming with excitement at the mere thought of having sand between their toes. The car is finally loaded by midnight and Dad sets the alarm for 5 AM.
The alarm sounds and Dad feels as though he had just drifted off to sleep. He grabs a cup of coffee and a quick shower to stave off the sleepiness and prepare for the long interstate drive ahead. “I’ll be fine”, he tells himself as he yawns a few more times. After all, he has a schedule to keep.
Car Accidents Caused by Driver Fatigue
Everyone settles into the car and chats about all the activities they’re planning to do. The family is happy and thrilled to be setting off on their adventure together. It’s been a long time since things felt this way. After a few hours on the road and quick stop for breakfast biscuits, one by one each child drifts off to sleep. Eventually, Mom, who is sitting in the front passenger seat, sleeps as well. Dad pats her on the knee and she barely awakens. After the stresses of online schooling and juggling the responsibilities of her career, she’s had a tough year, too. Dad thinks, “She needs a little shut-eye and I’ll be fine while she sleeps.”
The car is quiet. No fussy children in the back, no arguing teenagers, no video game noises… just slow, soft breathing. After a year of being quarantined together in a house, Dad can’t remember what this thing called “quiet” is! He decides its time to start up his latest Audible book and let the miles go by.
Everything is going well, the hero of the story, Jack Ryan, is saving the world once again, the kids are still asleep and Dad can’t believe his luck because he hasn’t encountered any traffic backups. It is actually relaxing….
Enter the Sandman and Dad’s eyelids begin to close. At first, the car starts to drift and runs across a rumble strip on the highway. Dad feels the vibration and awakens with a jolt. Whew! Thank goodness for the rumble strip! The rumble strip wakes up Mom, too, and she decides to convince Dad it’s her turn to drive so that they won’t be in a car accident caused by driver fatigue.
Car Accidents Caused by Unsecured Cargo
So, at the next exit, the family stops for a restroom break and a driver change. Everyone buckles their seatbelts. Mom, gets settled behind the wheel, kids are awake in the back and Dad sits in the passenger seat. The family is headed south once again. Eventually, the two adults start talking about their jobs, their children’s college prospects, and what their own retirement might be like. There’s laughter about what everyone will look like when they are old.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a recliner suddenly materializes in the middle of the highway. It is literally careening toward their SUV at a high rate of speed, Mom swerves, feels the loaded SUV rock onto two wheels, but fortunately gravity pulls it back down onto all 4 tires. She comes to a full stop in the median and checks to see if everyone is okay. No one can believe they just missed being in a serious car accident caused by an unsecured object.
Car Accidents Caused by Distracted Driving
A good Samaritan who has witnessed the entire ordeal, slows his vehicle, grabs his phone and dials 911. He’s still looking back at the startled family when he rear-ends a stopped car in front of him. Sadly, he has now caused a distracted driving car accident.
First responders arrive on the scene, and check everyone out. The driver of the vehicle that was rear-ended might be suffering from whiplash and is taken by ambulance to the nearest hospital. Everyone else is okay and the police reassure everyone involved and remind them it could’ve been much worse.
Car Accidents Caused by Excessive Speed
Feeling that luck is on their side, our family continues on their journey. Traffic is getting a bit heavier now and the family decides to stop for a lunch break. The spinning recliner and the long lunch stop weren’t on Dad’s schedule. Frustrated and knowing that the family won’t make the 4pm check-in time, he decides its time for him to drive.
Behind the wheel once again, Dad can feel the tension building in the car. The teenagers are getting impatient, the younger kids have already started asking, “Are we there, yet?” Unfortunately, their beach resort is still two hours away if they don’t encounter any traffic backups caused by car accidents or vehicular mechanical failure.
So, Dad begins to speed. Just about 5 miles over the limit at first. Its no big deal. Even a bored cop won’t pull me over for that, he thinks. He sets the cruise, rides the left lane, and passes cars on the right. About an hour later, he notices that traffic seems to be going a little faster, so he increases his speed as well. No problem, he’s still only about 15mph over the speed limit and he hasn’t seen a single police officer. But the presence of police officers isn’t the only reason people shouldn’t speed….
Car accidents caused by excessive speeding are responsible for one-third of all vehicle collisions. In 2018, 26% percent of all traffic fatalities were associated with an accident caused by someone driving over the posted speed limit.
An angel on Dad’s shoulder reminds him that everything and everyone that really matters is in his car right now so Dad slows the vehicle to a safe speed. Being in a car accident caused by excessive speed is not the way he wants to start his vacation.
Car Accidents Caused by Drunk Drivers
Finally, the GPS starts to alert him of his upcoming exit. The family is just minutes away from smelling the salt air. Bubbling with excitement, Dad waits for a green light, begins his left turn through an intersection. Tragically, a driver who is under the influence of alcohol, T-bones them. The force is so great that the car top carrier opens and the towels and beach chairs are thrown all of the intersection. Dad is unconscious, but alive. One of the teenagers is screaming in pain from a broken collar bone and a dislocated shoulder, the youngest, still fastened in a 5-point harness car safety seat is unharmed but frightened. First responders arrive, the rescue personnel start putting people in ambulances and the police start investigating the cause of the accident.
The investigation reveals that the at-fault driver never hit the brakes and ran a red light. She also had a blood alcohol level over the state’s legal limit. So, in this car accident caused by DUI, liability is clear and the defendant’s insurance company should make a fair settlement offer, but will they?
Will the Insurance Company Make a Fair Offer for my Car Accident Claim?
Car accidents can happen to anyone at anytime. These accidents can range from a frustrating event to causing life-altering injuries. Medical costs can reach the hundreds of thousands and future medical care may cost millions if you are involved in a serious car accident. This is the very reason why we buy auto insurance and why many states require drivers to have coverage. The insurance companies are there to protect us from absolute financial ruin if we are involved in a car accident. Sometimes, though, insurance companies don’t hold up their end of the bargain because they want to pay out the least amount of money possible whenever a claim for injuries sustained in a car accident is made. That is when it is time to call a Roanoke Car Accident Lawyer.
You May Need a Lawyer for Your Car Accident Claim
If you’ve been involved in a serious car accident and you or a member of your family is still recovering from your injuries, the last thing you will want to do is deal with an insurance company. Don’t stay up night after night wondering if the offer the insurance company is making is fair. If you or a member of your family has been injured due to the negligence of someone else, you are entitled to full and fair compensation for your:
- pain and suffering
- lost wages
- future medical costs
- future lost wages
- punitive damages when applicable by law
- all medical costs associated with injuries from the car accident
If this applies to you, I encourage you to gather your medical bills, your wage statements, your copy of the car accident report and call a Roanoke car accident lawyer near you.
What Can a Roanoke Car Accident Lawyer Do for You?
A Roanoke car accident lawyer, also known as a personal injury lawyer, will be able to provide an answer to the urgent questions you have. Car accident lawyers will negotiate a fair settlement on your behalf and get you the money you need to pay your medical expenses, to pay bills that you can’t pay because you’re unable to work, and money that you deserve for your pain and suffering.
Find a Car Accident Lawyer in Roanoke
If you have suffered a serious injury or lost a family member to wrongful death, call The Thomson Law Firm today. Paul Thomson, a Roanoke car accident lawyer, offers free consultations to victims of personal injury. During that consultation, you will be able to ask a Roanoke injury lawyer with 26 years of experience questions about your case. Again, the consultation is free and there is no obligation. All you have to do is call 1-540-777-4900.
