Automobile Accidents
Over 30,000 Auto Accidents Each Year in the U.S.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the number of automobile accidents that occurred in the U.S. in 2012 alone topped over 30,000 and resulted in over 33,000 fatalities. There are many factors that attribute to causing a major auto accident these range from road and weather conditions to distracted, aggressive, and negligent driving as well as driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.
Surprisingly, these statistics are some of the lowest on record since data began being collected by the U.S. Department of Transportation in the mid-1970s; a decrease likely due to better standard safety features in vehicles as well as increased awareness surrounding impaired driving. However, even when there are no fatalities, there are injuries. In fact, over 2.3 million people - both occupants and non-occupants of vehicles - were injured as a result of traffic accidents in 2012 according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The Personal Impact of Auto Accidents
Auto accidents have physical, emotional, and financial ramifications. There are the families who grieve the lives of loved ones lost to auto accidents. And for those who have been personally impacted by an auto accident, there is the toll taken both physically and emotionally through the healing process and beyond. Then there is the financial side of auto accidents. Within the last year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released a study in which they reported that the economic ramifications of auto accidents equate to almost $900.00 per person in the U.S. each year.
Combine rising healthcare costs, increased automobile insurance rates as the result of accidents, wages lost from work as auto accident victims recuperate, and the potential for incurred costs as the result of long term medical care for life changing injuries sustained in an accident, and you are looking at a significant financial burden for all involved.
When Auto Accidents are the Result of Someone Else’s Negligence
Auto accidents are typically not blameless whether it is the carelessness of the victim himself, the result of the other driver’s negligence, road conditions that are the result of poor maintenance, or the poor design or manufacturing of the automobile itself. There are a variety of reasons why auto accidents occur and when there is injury or death that results from those accidents, it becomes crucial to determine where the responsibility for such an event rests.
With regard to driver behavior, some of the top causes of auto accidents include distracted driving (driving while talking on the phone, texting, eating, etc.), speeding, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and driving recklessly.
When it can be shown that an accident - and resulting injuries - are the result of someone else’s negligence, then that person may be held legally responsible.
Litigation for Auto Accidents Can Provide Compensation for Personal Injury and Damage to Property
Seeking compensation for injuries sustained in an auto accident is considered civil lawsuits and must be handled by attorneys who are well versed in the law pertaining to the state in which the accident occurred. Negligence on the part of the driver must be established for there to be a case. This negligence may include recklessness on the driver’s part including participating in behavior that knowingly puts others at risk on the road.
In the case where road conditions are considered to be the cause of an accident, it must be established that there was negligence in terms of maintenance of that roadway - not repairing potholes and other defects in the road, inefficient or nonexistent snow removal, and more.
In the case where the vehicle itself may be the cause of an accident because of design flaws, recall failure, improper maintenance, etc., then it is incumbent upon the plaintiff’s attorneys to establish negligence on the part of the vehicle and/or component part manufacturer, or those charged with providing maintenance.
Providing Financial Relief for Those Who Have Sustained Injuries
Auto accidents can have a crippling effect on a victim’s life and the lives of their loved ones and may include physical injury, hospitalization, short term and long term disability, and the financial ramifications of lost wages, damage to property, and what can be significant medical bills.
At Nationwide Litigation Funding, our role is to step in and provide the financial support that is so crucial for plaintiffs recovering from their injuries while their case goes through the legal process. We provide non-recourse funding that allows plaintiffs to cover their medical and living expenses until they receive compensation when their case is won or settled. These funds are also extended to attorneys and law firms, providing them with the resources they need to commit to the case at hand.
Nationwide Litigation Funding is able to provide financial resources at our discretion without the hoop jumping required for traditional loans. And, also different from traditional loans, our funding is not required to be repaid if the outcome of the case is not in the client’s favor.