Car Accident Attorney in Birmingham

Being involved in a car accident in the Birmingham, Michigan area may result in physical injury and emotional trauma. You are also dealing with police reports, medical professionals, and insurance companies after an accident which can cause additional stress, especially if you face a life-altering injury and extensive medical bills.

The auto accident lawyers at Cochran, Kroll & Associates, P.C. can examine your case’s circumstances. As you focus on your recovery, we’re building your case, helping ensure you receive the financial compensation you deserve.

How Can a Car Accident Attorney Can Help Your Case

To prove your insurance claim, a car accident lawyer needs to review evidence, such as photos and videos of the accident, witness statements, and the police report. They also need to investigate how the crash occurred and who is at fault. The type of car accident, its cause, and the resulting injuries are essential in determining your compensation.

Common Types of Car Accidents

The car accident you experience results in injuries that differ in severity and type. This impacts the medical treatments you need and the damages you receive.

• Rear-end collisions: When a rear vehicle follows too closely and fails to notice the car ahead has come to an abrupt halt, causing the rear vehicle to collide with it. Around 29% of automobile accidents resulting in severe injuries are rear-end accidents.
• Head-on collisions: When two motor vehicles traveling in opposite directions collide on their front ends, this results in a head-on accident. These accidents resulted in 57% of car passengers dying in 2019. A head-on collision is more likely in rural areas, with head-on accidents accounting for 13% of all fatal accidents.
• Hit-and-run accident: These accidents include vehicles hitting another car, an object, or a pedestrian. The hit-and-run driver leaves the accident scene without helping injured parties.

Michigan’s no-fault insurance provides compensation to the injured person. Our experienced auto accident attorneys can work with you to investigate your case and help identify the hit-and-run driver.

• Side impact accident: A side impact accident can happen when one vehicle hits another car on the side. These accidents account for most intersection accidents or when the driver fails to yield the right-of-way. Since there is no barrier protecting passengers in the car from the impact, they frequently experience serious injuries and deaths. Side impact accidents represented 23% of all fatal crashes in 2019.
• Roll-over accident: When a car or truck flips onto its side, lands on its roof, or tumbles many times, the occupants may be ejected from their seats. The accident injury rate was twice as high for multiple vehicles compared to single vehicle crashes.

What Causes Car Accidents?

To hold another driver accountable for your injuries, your car crash lawyer must show the accident was caused by careless or reckless behavior. This is a critical step when building your case.

Driving under the influence

A lack of motor coordination and judgment can occur when driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, resulting in catastrophic accidents. In Michigan, drug-related and drunk driving crashes resulted in 74,963 injuries and 985 fatalities in 2019.

Distracted driving

Some examples of distracted driving include eating or drinking, changing the radio, or talking to other passengers. Thinking about work and personal issues can also count as a distraction.

Speeding

Driving over the speed limit increases the likelihood of drivers losing control of their cars and getting into high-speed accidents. This type of driving is a common issue, with two-thirds of all vehicles on highways, rural roads, and city roads going over the speed limit every day.

Reckless driving

Aggressive driving includes running past traffic signals, changing lanes frequently, and tailgating other cars. One in four drivers admitted to these driving behaviors, including driving into an intersection when the traffic signal turned red within the week.

Driver fatigue

A driver traveling at 55 miles per hour can end up 100 yards down the road while sleeping. This is enough distance to cause a serious accident. Even drivers who do not fall asleep at the wheel experience reduced reaction times and muddled decision-making.

Common Types of Injuries from Car Accidents

Depending on the intensity of the collision, you have suffered a variety of injuries. The following are a few common injuries resulting from a car accident:

Neck injuries

Neck injuries may manifest as whiplash, soft tissue damage, and brain injuries. They may also cause nerve damage caused by a slipped disc pushing against the nerve root, resulting in paresthesia. A person with this injury may feel tingling and prickling sensations in their hands, legs, or feet.

Traumatic brain injuries

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) happens as the force of an accident causes the brain to smash against the interior hard bone of the skull. TBIs range in intensity from mild to severe. Severe TBIs can cause complete neurological and cognitive impairment.

Blunt chest trauma

Chest injuries occur when drivers and front-seat passengers are injured from the steering wheel or airbags. They can suffer from internal injuries such as internal organ damage like ruptured diaphragms. Elderly people who suffer rib fractures from blunt trauma are at greater risk of dying.

Eileen Kroll Can Help You With Your Case

Our senior partner and nurse attorney, Eileen Kroll, has combined experience in the medical and legal fields. She can examine your medical records, test results, and final diagnosis to prove that the car accident caused your injuries.

Medical expert witnesses can also testify to the extent of your injuries from the car accident.

Eileen can discuss how the accident impacted your quality of life and seek compensation for all the damages you endured from the insurance companies.

Seeking Compensation in Car Accident Cases

Medical bills can pile up, and lost wages may lead to financial difficulties for you and your family. Working with insurance adjusters can also be challenging for filing insurance claims and getting appropriate compensation.

The negligent driver’s insurance company may offer you an initial settlement with a release form, relinquishing your right to pursue future claims. However, you may find the settlement offer may be insufficient to cover all the compensation for your injuries.

Your car accident lawyer can file a wrongful death claim if someone has died because of the accident. If your loved one died in an accident, you can pursue a wrongful death claim for loss of consortium, pain and suffering, and financial damages.

If negligence is involved, you need legal advice on your options for seeking fair compensation. You can seek financial compensation for injuries, your medical bills, pain and suffering, property damage, and lost wages with the help of your car accident attorney.

Why Work with Experienced Car Accident Attorneys in Birmingham

The lawyers at Cochran, Kroll, and Associates, P.C., have the experience to build a solid case to help you win fair compensation and protect your rights during the claims process. Here are some of the important reasons you can rely on our knowledge and experience.

Help you file a third-party claim

Your auto insurance compensates you for your injuries and property damage even when it’s not your fault. If your injuries leave you with serious or permanent impairment, or if the driver is from out-of-state, you can file a third-party claim. Our lawyers can assess your case and evaluate the damages you need.

Negotiations with the insurance companies

Our attorneys understand Michigan’s no-fault insurance laws and how they may apply to your accident claim. They analyze the insurance policy’s terms pertaining to coverage, exclusions, and limits. When your injuries exceed the insurance policy’s coverage, your auto accident lawyer can negotiate with the insurance company to help you obtain full compensation.

Get you the compensation you deserve

Your vehicle accident lawyer can help you understand the consequences of accepting the initial offer from the insurance company since if you accept it, you cannot sue them again. Your lawyer also advises you on whether to negotiate for a better settlement.

They can also take the insurance company to court if they refuse to settle. They present all evidence available in court. Your lawyer can discuss the cause and type of the accident and their impact on your life to increase your chances of maximum compensation.

We have helped car accident victims just like you win compensation. Here is a sampling of our verdicts and settlements:

• $1.4 million to a Livonia pedestrian hit by a commercial truck and suffered a traumatic brain injury.
• $80,000 for a woman with a broken leg in Bay City after a car accident.
• $600,000 to a Swartz Creek man with bilateral wrist fractures after a Ford hi-lo hit him.

Reach Out to an Experienced Personal Injury Law Firm for Your Car Accident Case

If you have been injured in a car accident, work with Cochran, Kroll, & Associates, P.C. We have a track record of successfully winning maximum compensation for our clients.

Our contingency fee basis means we only get paid if we win your case, so there is no financial risk to you to get started. Call our law firm today at 1-866-MICH-LAW and schedule your no-obligation, free case evaluation.