Can You Sue For Negligence In A Car Accident?

One of life’s tragic incidents is a car accident. They can cause injuries, car repairs, and a lot of worry. However, when someone else’s irresponsibility causes the accident, it raises other concerns.

You’re left wondering whether or not you can take legal action against the person responsible for your predicament.

Is It Possible To File a Lawsuit for Negligence After a Car Accident?

A negligence lawsuit can be filed against someone who was in any way responsible for the accident, damages, and injuries. 

Understanding negligence is crucial if you’re thinking about pursuing legal action. Suppose another driver caused your accident due to their failure to exercise reasonable care, for instance. In that case, they were texting while driving or drunk behind the wheel. That’s negligence. You could sue them for any injury or damage resulting from their reckless behavior.

However, it’s essential to know that the law requires proof that the other party acted negligently and that it directly led to your injury or damages. So, before filing a lawsuit, ensure you have strong evidence supporting your claim, like police reports, witness statements, and medical documents detailing your injuries. 

Elements of Negligence

When navigating through a negligence claim, it’s crucial to understand the duty of care, breach of duty, causation, and damages.

Duty of Care: Establishing the Legal Obligation

In a bustling world full of distractions, it’s your responsibility as a driver to maintain a certain standard of care on the roadways. This means you’re expected to be vigilant and obey traffic laws while driving. This isn’t just courteous driving; it’s an obligation recognized by law. 

Understanding how this legal obligation applies can take time and effort. For instance, while it may seem evident that drivers should not speed or run red lights, there are also less clear-cut instances where duty of care comes into play.

Suppose another driver didn’t properly maintain their vehicle, causing brake failure and an accident. Here, too, they’ve failed in their duty of care. Establishing negligence in your car accident case starts with demonstrating how this crucial element was disregarded by the other party involved in the mishap.

The victims have the legal right to sue the at-fault party for negligence. The lawsuit will seek compensation for their injuries and other damages related to the incident.

Breach of Duty: Failing to Exercise Duty of Care

Breach of duty is not just about reckless driving or speeding; even simple actions like not using your signal when changing lanes or failing to keep a reasonable distance from other vehicles can be considered breaches.

This may also refer to how any average, prudent person would behave under similar circumstances. It’s what society reasonably expects from its drivers:

• Paying attention to the road.
• Obeying traffic laws.
• Anticipating potential hazards.
• Doing everything possible to avoid accidents.

Negligence is more than just making a big mistake while driving; it’s also about failing to make small efforts to contribute to road safety.

Causation: Linking the Negligent Act to the Accident

Proving causation is another critical element when it’s time to hold someone accountable for their reckless behavior on the road. You need to prove that their careless or reckless driving was directly responsible for your injuries and damages. 

Here are four key steps to establish causation:

1. Identify the negligent act: This could be anything from speeding, texting while driving, not paying attention to traffic signals or drunk driving.
2. Link the negligent act to the accident: You need to provide evidence that shows without this negligence, the car accident wouldn’t have happened.
3. Show your injuries caused by the accident: Medical records and expert testimony will help here.
4. Demonstrate these injuries have led to specific damages: Medical expenses, loss of income, emotional distress, and mental suffering.

Proving causation can be more complex in a vehicle-related lawsuit. However, with solid evidence and an experienced personal injury lawyer on your side, it’s possible to build a strong case of negligence against the other party involved in your car accident.

Damages: Assessing the Losses and Injuries

You’ve proven the other driver’s reckless behavior caused your misfortune, but what about the aftermath? It’s time to turn your attention to damages, one of the critical elements in any negligence case.

This isn’t just about visible damage to your vehicle from the car accident. It also encompasses physical injuries you’ve suffered, emotional distress, and even lost wages due to being unable to work. It’s all about assessing the losses and damages you’ve sustained due to someone else’s negligence.

The process of quantifying these damages can be complex. You’ll need medical reports to confirm your injury, repair bills for your damaged vehicle, and possibly even testimony from mental health professionals if you claim psychological stress.

You must keep track of every expense related to the car accident, including hospital bills and prescription costs for vehicle repairs or replacements. The more evidence you have supporting each claim, the stronger your case will be when demanding compensation for these damages caused by another party’s negligence.

Tips for Suing Someone for Negligence in a Car Accident

Make sure to get medical attention, gather evidence, and secure the services of a lawyer.

Get Medical Attention Immediately After the Car Collision

Even if you think you’re fine or your injuries are minor, getting medical attention immediately after the accident is critical. 

In many cases, symptoms of specific injuries may not appear until hours or even days following the incident. Your adrenaline might mask the pain, making you believe you’re not seriously hurt when you are.

Plus, having a medical professional evaluate your condition provides documented evidence of your injuries from the car accident. By seeking immediate medical treatment, doctors can correlate your injuries directly with the incident, strengthening your case. Without this proof, it may be challenging to connect your injuries to the accident later on. It could weaken any claims of negligence against another party.

Always prioritize getting checked out as quickly as possible – doing so protects your physical well-being and potential legal interests.

Collect Evidence

This could involve taking photos of the accident scene from different angles capturing the weather conditions and road signs. Also, ensure you get pictures of any damages to both vehicles involved. 

Capturing the scene as it unfolds can be a nerve-racking but essential step in protecting your rights and interests. In a motor vehicle accident, you might be shaken up or even injured, but if you can, start by collecting evidence immediately. This visual evidence is invaluable when establishing negligence in a personal injury claim.

Next, ensure you gather information from all parties involved, including witnesses. Collect names, addresses, contact details, and insurance information from everyone at the scene. Suppose eyewitnesses saw what happened during the accident. In that case, their testimonies may help strengthen your issue if you sue for negligence.

Everything counts when building your case; pay attention to everything that may seem insignificant at first glance. The more comprehensive your evidence collection is, the better you’ll be able to prove negligence in court should you decide to pursue legal action.

Hire an Attorney 

An experienced legal representative ensures your case is handled appropriately and efficiently.

Navigating the complex legal process can be tricky, but hiring a seasoned attorney well-versed in personal injury claims can make all the difference. They’ll guide you through the convoluted maze of laws surrounding negligence and assist you in pursuing your legal right to sue following a car accident. 

Why Hire a Lawyer After a Vehicular Accident?

Hiring a lawyer after a car accident is essential because they’re adept at navigating the intricate legal landscape, ensuring proper representation, and safeguarding your rights.

When you’re involved in a car accident and decide to sue for negligence, having an experienced lawyer can make all the difference. They understand how to handle insurance claims, negotiate with insurance companies, and build strong cases so you receive the compensation you deserve.

Furthermore, hiring a lawyer means you’ll have someone who knows exactly what needs to be done and when it should happen. From collecting evidence at the scene of the car accident to filing court documents correctly and timely – these tasks are second nature to them.

It reduces your worry about missing necessary steps or deadlines that could jeopardize your case. So, don’t underestimate the value of professional guidance. It could mean winning your negligence claim or going home empty-handed.

Pursuing Legal Action for a Car Accident Resulting From Negligence

You can sue someone for negligence in a car accident; however, it’s not always straightforward.

Negligence is often hard to prove and requires substantial evidence. 

In the end, remember that having a seasoned legal professional by your side can drastically alter the outcome of your case, ensuring you’re not left in the lurch. An attorney will know how to navigate these challenges and help you secure fair compensation.

A car accident can be a traumatic experience, and dealing with negligence claims can add to this stress. To help you out, here are some of the things you need to keep in mind:

1. Always consult an attorney if you believe negligence was involved in your car accident.
2. Remember that proving negligence requires clear evidence, such as police reports, witness statements, or video footage.
3. Understand that suing for negligence after a car accident could lead to lengthy court proceedings.
4. Be prepared for possible counterclaims or defenses from the other party involved in the incident.

Don’t take chances when it comes to something as critical as this. Legal matters related to car accidents should be handled by professionals who specialize in them; it’s simply too risky otherwise.

Call Kerner Law Group, P.C.

After being involved in a car accident, you may have sustained physical and emotional injuries. At Kerner Law Group, P.C., we can help you get the compensation you deserve.

We understand how stressful and overwhelming it can be in the aftermath of a car accident, especially when negligence is involved. That’s why we work tirelessly to ensure that victims receive the justice they deserve.

When you call Kerner Law Group, P.C., rest assured that we’ll take care of everything from sorting through evidence to proving negligence in court. We aim not only to get you compensated but also to make this process as smooth as possible.

With our extensive experience handling such cases, we know exactly what steps need to be taken if you decide to sue after a car accident due to negligence.

For more information, call (718) 796-7900  today.