If you have been injured in a car accident in Idaho, then you know how devastating the results can be. After an accident, it is important to understand your rights and responsibilities in order to pursue compensation for your pain, injuries, and losses.
Injuries incurred from a car accident can be debilitating, and the pain can last weeks, months, or even a lifetime. Luckily, you don’t have to fight this battle alone. The personal injury attorneys at Litster Frost are here to help you get the compensation you deserve.
Money can’t heal your injuries, but financial compensation can help with mounting medical bills repairs or replacement of your vehicle, and lost wages from time when you are too injured to work.
Your rights as a motorist:
- You have the right to full compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, other costs, and any long-term disabilities.
- You have the right to have the insurance company honor their policy and pay covered claims.
- You have the right to refuse to accept any settlement offer by the insurance company unless you are fully satisfied with it.
- You have the right to pursue legal action to recover any damages not covered by insurance.
COMMON TYPES OF CAR ACCIDENTS IN IDAHO FALLS
Residents of Idaho Falls are no strangers to car accidents–in fact, automobile accident fatalities in Idaho are more than double the national average. While there are many different types of car accidents, some scenarios occur more than others, and often produce similar injuries.
Distracted Driving
It isn’t difficult to spot a distracted driver on Idaho Falls’ roads. A woman who left a few minutes late for work might be applying makeup on her morning commute, or a young driver might be focused on his radio, hoping to hear his new favorite song on a different radio station. A driver in the lane next to you might be sending a quick text to her husband, letting him know that she is on her way home, or a mother may be more focused on calming her small children than she is focused on the road ahead of her. Regardless of the source, distracted driving is ever present in Idaho Falls, with the Idaho Transportation Department reporting that twenty-three percent of accidents in Idaho occur due to distracted driving. Moreover, Idaho police estimate that distracted driving is the culprit of one in three traffic fatalities.
Drunk Driving
Drunk drivers present some of the most dangerous hazards on Idaho’s roads. Drunk driving-related accidents are much more deadly in Idaho than in surrounding states–in fact, Idaho has recently earned the ranking of the third most dangerous state in the country for DUI-related accidents. Reduced driving ability and impaired cognition makes drunk drivers particularly dangerous to share the roads with, and can lead to serious injuries in a collision.
Multi-vehicle
Multi-vehicle accidents, which frequently occur on highways, can be extremely dangerous. As more and more cars crush between each other, multiple areas of vehicles are impacted, often leading to difficulty in extracting an injured person from the vehicle. Multi-vehicle accidents can also be an insurance nightmare, as there is often a question of which vehicle or vehicles were at fault in the accident. In scenarios where there are two or more vehicles at fault, insurance companies often try to shirk off blame onto a different driver to avoid having to pay for the remaining drivers’ injuries. Insurance litigation can be a long, challenging battle, but is not one that a victim of a multi-vehicle crash has to fight alone.
High-Speed
Multi-vehicle accidents, which frequently occur on highways, can be extremely dangerous. As more and more cars crush between each other, multiple areas of vehicles are impacted, often leading to difficulty in extracting an injured person from the vehicle. Multi-vehicle accidents can also be an insurance nightmare, as there is often a question of which vehicle or vehicles were at fault in the accident. In scenarios where there are two or more vehicles at fault, insurance companies often try to shirk off blame onto a different driver to avoid having to pay for the remaining drivers’ injuries. Insurance litigation can be a long, challenging battle, but is not one that a victim of a multi-vehicle crash has to fight alone.
Uninsured Motorist
Accidents caused by uninsured motorists or hit-and-run drivers present unique issues, as insurance treats these accidents differently than the usual car wreck. While an at-fault driver’s insurance company generally pays for a victim’s injuries, an individual cannot rely on the insurance of an uninsured motorist or a hit-and-run driver, and instead has to look to his or her own insurance company to cover costs related to accident-related injuries. If you have been hurt by an uninsured or hit-and-run driver, trying to get your own insurance company to pay for the damages can be a huge hassle. An experienced personal injury attorney can help negotiate with the the insurance company on your behalf and help you recover the compensation that you deserve.
Distracted Driving
Drunk Driving
Multi-vehicle
High-Speed
Uninsured Motorist
* While these are not the only types of accidents that a driver can face on the road, they are very common and often result in serious injury.
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COMMON INJURIES FROM CAR ACCIDENTS
There are different ways that a person can be injured in a vehicle accident. Here are some of the most common types of injuries we see in Idaho Falls.
Broken Bones
Broken bones are a common type of injury that can occur when you have been injured in a car accident. Collarbones and ribs are frequently snapped by airbags being deployed during a crash, and extremities may be injured by colliding with parts of a vehicle. Broken bones can take months to heal, and may require extensive physical therapy to be able to heal completely. Even after a broken bone heals, you may experience recurring pain from the injury.
Head and Brain Injuries
Among the most serious type of injury that can result from a car accident are head and brain injuries. When an individual in a vehicle suddenly stops from a collision, his or her head can collide with the vehicle’s steering wheel, window, dashboard, or other stationary object. Head injuries can vary drastically in severity, with some injuries being as simple as a small cut or mild concussion and others as serious as brain bleeding or a skull fracture.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Soft tissue injuries are a common result of car accidents. Tendons, ligaments, and muscles often become torn or sprained in car accidents due to the extreme force of suddenly stopping in a moving vehicle, and often take weeks or even months to heal. Oftentimes, these injuries are not readily apparent right after an accident; it can sometimes take days for the pain of these injuries to present itself.
Internal Injuries
Internal injuries can be extremely dangerous after a car accident, and are one of many reasons to immediately go to a hospital after any accident. Your body acts as a protective barrier to cushion and protect organs, but major organs are sometimes damaged in collisions, as fractured ribs and other broken bones can move from their normal location and lacerate internal organs like your lungs, stomach, or spleen.
Spinal Injuries
Spinal injuries resulting from a car accident can be particularly traumatizing. While any type of spinal injury–such as a broken vertebra, herniated disc, or whiplash–can be painful and debilitating, damage to an individual’s spinal cord can lead to an inability to move his or her arms or legs. This paralysis may be temporary and heal with therapy, or may be permanent.
Broken Bones
Head and Brain Injuries
Soft Tissue Injuries
Internal Injuries
Spinal Injuries
* While these are not the only types of accidents that a driver can face on the road, they are very common and often result in serious injury.
WHAT IS
Comparative Negligence Rule
COMPARATIVE NEGLIGENCE RULE
Idaho follows the comparative negligence rule, which means that a court will look at both parties’ actions and level of fault in the case of a motorcycle accident.
Even if you were both driving irresponsibly, if the other driver was driving more carelessly, then you may still have a case. It’s important to recognize, however, that any fault on your part will limit the amount of damages which you can receive.
SEE IF YOU HAVE A CASE IMMEDIATELY:
To schedule a consultation about your accident, call our office at (208) 333-3333 or fill out your case evaluation form now.