On the busy roads of North Little Rock, traffic accidents are bound to occur and you may need a North Little Rock car accident lawyer.
Usually, in the best-case scenario, only the cars involved in the crash get damaged. Sad to say, in many incidents, the people involved are hurt.
Injuries resulting from a car accident are not to be underestimated – they can be serious and even fatal. Besides, the effects are devastating on families, work, and personal lives.
If you’ve been affected by a car accident in North Little Rock, Arkansas – either as a passenger or a driver – you’re entitled to compensation in three (3) ways:
By filling a claim with your insurance company
By filing a third-party claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance provider
By filing a personal injury suit in civil court against the at-fault party
The number of deaths resulting from crashes on Arkansas roads is surprising because overall traffic on roads throughout the country plunged because of the coronavirus outbreak.
According to data compiled by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2018, when compared with other states, Arkansas ranked sixth after Mississippi, which ranked first, followed by Alabama, South Carolina, New Mexico, and West Virginia in regard to deaths per capita related to motor vehicle crashes.
Most Dangerous Arkansas Roads
Highway 12 in Northwest Arkansas, which stretches from Oklahoma to Highway 13, running through North Little Rock and Hobbs State Park, can be considered the most dangerous road in Arkansas.
Surprisingly, only one fatal accident occurred on this road in 2018 – the most recent year for which statistics are available.
Do you need additional information regarding car accident statistics in North Little Rock and Arkansas?
Keith Law has compiled information for car crashes, including access to traffic accident reports.
What Steps Should I Take After An Auto Accident In North Little Rock, Arkansas?
In the event of a car accident in North Little Rock, try and stay calm and make an attempt to keep off the road.
We understand this is easier said than done – considering the shock that kicks in immediately after an accident.
Here are the eight (8) steps to follow after a car crash:
1. Check On Other Parties Involved
The immediate priorities following a car accident are to check your injuries and whether other parties involved have been injured or killed.
2. Contact The Police
If it’s a fender bender, you don’t need to contact the police.
However, if someone was injured or killed, or there’s extensive damage to property, call the police.
3. Do Not Leave
Make sure you remain at the scene of the accident.
You don’t want to be mistaken for a hit-and-run driver.
4. Exchange Info
Collect the name, phone number, address, registration number, and insurance info from the other parties. Also, get witness contact information if possible.
If the other driver is not the owner of the vehicle, make sure to collect the owner’s name and address.
You should provide the other driver and the police with the same information.
5. Record The Scene
Depending on the severity of your injuries, and if you have the presence of mind, take out your phone and take pictures of the accident scene.
Ensure you capture any pertinent facts such as the weather conditions, the state of the road, the vehicles’ position, the volume of traffic, etc.
6. Never Admit Fault
You should never admit any liability for the accident or blame yourself for what happened.
7. Seek Medical Attention
Even if you have the presence of mind, and your injuries don’t appear to be severe, you must seek emergency medical treatment.
Delays could jeopardize not only your health but also your claim.
When you visit a doctor, tell them about all injuries to ensure no detail is left out when you pursue compensation.
8. Call A Car Accident Lawyer!
The other crucial step after an accident is to call a skilled auto accident attorney.
You will face many challenges when you file a claim with the insurance carrier.
The process will get even more difficult if you’re filing a lawsuit in civil court.
An experienced North Little Rock car accident lawyer can guide you through the complicated steps involved in making a claim after a car accident.
Why Do I Need A North Little Rock Car Accident Lawyer?
Claiming car accident compensation from insurance companies or filing a lawsuit against the at-fault party can be confusing, overwhelming, and nerve-wracking at a time when you’re most vulnerable.
Our car accident attorneys bring years of experience and a proven track record to the table.
There are many ways that our team of lawyers can strengthen your car accident claim and increase your chances of recovering maximum compensation.
We can help you with:
Investigating The Accident
When you begin working with our lawyers, they will start by examining the facts surrounding the crash.
They may send expert investigators to the scene, recreate the crash, take photos of injuries and property damage from the accident, gather witness statements, go through police reports, and anything else that may be useful in strengthening your case.
Case Preparation/ Filing A Lawsuit
If you’re going to be filing a suit against the at-fault driver, our lawyers will prepare for the case, file the lawsuit on time, and work towards a successful claim for your car accident lawsuit.
Calculating Damages
Even when the other driver was at-fault, in Arkansas, you must prove that the other driver was not only negligent, but you also suffered measurable damages as a result of the accident.
Our lawyer will focus on all damages so that you recover everything you need to get your life back on track.
Filing An Auto Insurance Claim
After investigating the crash, determining fault, and all possible damages, our highly-skilled car accident attorneys will file a car insurance claim on your behalf.
We can help with filing an insurance claim with your insurance carrier and against the at-fault driver’s car insurance.
Settlement Negotiations
Insurance carriers aren’t just going to accept your claim and give you the compensation you need and deserve.
They will play tricks, offer you a low-ball offer, or use delay tactics in the hopes that they get rid of you as fast as possible.
Our lawyers have dealt with insurance companies many times in the past and will use that experience to maximize your car insurance settlement.
Trial Preparation & Representation
Our attorneys will ensure that they have sufficient and accurate information to win the case if it goes to trial.
Ultimately, our North Little Rock car accident lawyers will work on behalf of your interest to ensure that you receive the legal support you need to recover maximum compensation.
Speak With An Experienced North Little Rock Car Accident Lawyer
If you suffered any injuries in a car accident in North Little Rock, Arkansas, you need car accident attorneys with the experience to help you obtain fair compensation.
Choosing a knowledgeable, understanding, and dedicated law firm for legal advice and representation in one of the best ways to ensure you recover damages to the full extent allowed under Arkansas state laws and receive a fair settlement from your insurance carrier.
Call us at (479) 326-7734 for a free, no-risk initial consultation.
After a car accident, the investigating officer who arrives at the scene will create a police report.
The report contains a summary of details about the crash. It will also include the officer’s professional opinion regarding how the accident occurred.
Police reports are crucial in helping attorneys determine fault.
There are two (2) ways to get a police report:
1. Request A Copy From The Police Officer
You can request a copy of the report from the police officer at the scene of the accident.
They will often give you a “crash receipt” with a unique identification number for the report.
You then need to contact the traffic division or Records unit, which handles the maintenance, storage, and release of accident reports and criminal reports generated within the North Little Rock City Police Department.
If for some reason you don’t get the report at the scene of the crash, you can still call or visit North Little Rock Police Department and provide them with your name and the date, time, and location of the accident.
This will help them find the police report.
Expect to pay a small administration fee before they send you a copy of the accident report.
2. Ask Your Insurance Provider For A Copy
The second way is to ask your insurance provider to send you a copy of the accident report.
If you want to obtain an accident report or have trouble getting one, or maybe you want to fill one of your own, a car accident lawyer can help.
Auto accident attorneys have experience in handling accident reports and can help you navigate this process.
Statistics show that more people choose to drive with bare minimum auto insurance coverage; more than 16% of Arkansans are not insured.
Now more than ever, you must include uninsured and underinsured coverage (UM/UIM) on your policy to protect yourself.
In Arkansas, there’s a statute that mandates that insurance providers offer you uninsured motorist coverage, which can provide coverage for uninsured motorist bodily injury (UMBI) and uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD).
If the at-fault driver is not insured or is underinsured, the UM/UIM coverage can be a lifesaver.
Should your property be damaged or in case you sustain injuries in a car accident, your carrier will pay some of the expenses.
However, note that this is an opt-out system. Therefore, while it will be provided to you by your insurance carrier, you can always opt-out.
Sadly, even underinsured/uninsured coverage doesn’t provide peace of mind because of bad faith insurance practices.
Your insurance company might try to wiggle its way out of its obligations. Sometimes, they might present policyholders with low-ball offers.
If you were involved in an auto accident in North Little Rock with an uninsured or underinsured driver, contact a reputable car accident lawyer.
They can protect your rights when filing your insurance claim and make sure your claim is foolproof to get the full settlement for your claim.
Many people forget that insurance companies are for-profit businesses and will go to great lengths to find loopholes in your contract or manipulate the facts of your claim to avoid payment.
If your claim was denied, or you were offered an unreasonable settlement, don’t fret.
Our North Little Rock car accident attorneys have helped many policyholders successfully claim compensation and can do the same for you.
We have witnessed insurance carriers incorrectly assign fault to policyholders to increase premiums and avoid payment.
The legal experts at Keith Law can review your policy, lodge a dispute claim, and help ensure you get the full amount for your claim.
If you have been injured in a car accident, as a pedestrian, passenger, or driver, you may wonder how much the case is worth.
Considering that every case is different, it is impossible to say that there is such a thing as an “average settlement.”
To determine a fair settlement for your car accident case, the parties and their lawyers will likely consider auto insurance coverage, medical bills, car repairs, medical bills, and lost wages.
If you need to get a better picture of how much the average settlement for a car accident is, consult a reputable car accident lawyer.
Recovering maximum compensation for all damages in your car accident case is essential.
Especially if you sustained severe injuries, you might be facing financial difficulties in your life.
Plus, you could be forced to live with a disability. Simply put, your life might never be the same again after a car accident.
North Little Rock car accident attorneys understand you want numbers.
You want to know what you can expect to receive for damages recovered in your car accident claim.
Unfortunately, there’s no way to tell the exact amount you can receive.
However, there’s no limit to the amount you can receive for damages recovered.
According to Arkansas Code § 16-55-208(b)(1)- (2):
Punitive damages are capped at $250,000 or three times the amount of economic/compensatory damages (whichever is greater) and must not exceed $1 million.
Ultimately, knowing how much you can receive for recovered damages comes down to how your attorney can prove your case and how willing the jury is with awarding damages.
To understand how much your case is worth, contact our law offices.
Arkansas is a tort or fault state, which means that you must prove the other party’s negligence or fault to recover damages.
Proving fault can be challenging on your own. It often involves going through police reports, witness statements, reviewing city and state traffic laws, understanding “no-doubt” liability to persuade the insurance company, and court if you file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver.
The accident was my fault – can I claim compensation?
Yes, you can still pursue compensation in North Little Rock, Arkansas, even if you were partly at fault in causing property damage or your injuries.
Arkansas operates under “modified comparative” law.
Under this law, the damages you recover will depend on your degree of fault.
If you were 20% responsible, and the jury awards $300,000, your compensation is reduced to $240,000.
Yes, there are strict time limits set by Arkansas state laws.
For this reason, it’s crucial you speak with a North Little Rock car accident lawyer as soon as possible.
Generally, according to Arkansas’s statute of limitations for injury to person or personal property, you have three (3) years from the date of the crash to file the suit.
However, several factors can affect this time limit.
So please speak to our lawyers immediately if you’re injured on the roads.
This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy and clarity by the team of writers and attorneys at Keith Law Group and is as accurate as possible. This content should not be taken as legal advice from an attorney. If you would like to learn more about our owner and experienced injury lawyer, Sean T. Keith, you can do so here.
Fact-Checked
Keith Law Group does everything possible to make sure the information in this article is up to date and accurate. If you need specific legal advice about your case, contact us. This article should not be taken as advice from an attorney.
Sean Keith's Accollades & Practice Areas He Specializes In
Over $20 Million recovered in Medical Device Injury Lawsuits.
Over $13 Million recovered in Car Accident Lawsuits and other Motor Vehicle Accident Lawsuits.
Over $100 Million recovered in total on behalf of clients.
With an exclusive concentration on injury cases, Keith Law Group is committed to helping individuals obtain the best possible resolution for their injury case.
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