Auto Accidents - Car Accident Lawyers

 

 

 

Auto accident lawyers help victims who have suffered personal injury due to a car accident. Auto accidents are likely to occur every five seconds in the United States. Over-the-course of the last five years, more than 26% of Americans have been involved in an auto accident of some kind. According to studies conducted by the US Department of Transportation, most auto accidents involve young/inexperienced or elderly drivers and are caused by irresponsible driving behaviors.

The number one cause of death for people aged one to 37 is auto accident related. Irresponsible driving behaviors include (but are not limited to) driving under the influence (DUI), speeding and reckless driving.

Auto Accidents - Personal Injury

There are approximately six and a half million auto accidents each year in the United States. Of these six and a half million, approximately three million result in injuries, two million of which are permanent injuries. There are nearly 40,000 deaths each year resulting from auto accidents; that's one death every 13 minutes.

Types of auto accident injuries that are typically thought to be serious personal injuries include brain injuries, burn injuries, spinal cord injuries and paralysis.

A brain injury can either be closed or penetrating. Closed brain injuries are the result of blunt head trauma, like when a passenger's head hits the dashboard or steering column during an auto accident. Penetrating brain injuries occur when an object passes through the skull, piercing the brain.

A burn injury can be caused by heat, electricity, chemicals or radiation. Critical burn injuries require immediate attention so as to prevent victims' death. In the case of auto accidents, burn injuries are often caused by fuel fed fires. Often resulting from faulty fuel system designs, fuel fed fire burn injuries are responsible for more than 1,000 deaths each year in the United States.

A spinal cord injury can either be complete or incomplete. Complete spinal cord injuries reflect a victim's inability to move the body areas that are below the point-of-injury (paralysis). Incomplete spinal cord injuries reflect a victim's ability to maintain some degree of physical control for those body areas below the point-of-injury. Spinal cord injuries incurred during auto accidents are typically the result of excessive spinal pressure (compression), spinal bruising (contusion), or spinal lacerations.

Paralysis, defined as the loss of control of a muscle or muscle group, is the most serious type of spinal cord injury. Studies have estimated that as many as 55% of all cases of paralysis result from auto accidents; typically the result of vehicle rollovers and roof crush. Dependent on the severity and location of the spinal cord injury, paralysis can either be temporary or permanent.

Automotive Product Liability

Although irresponsible driving habits are the leading cause of auto accidents, defective automotive products or designs have also caused their fair share of accidents. Automobile manufacturers have a responsibility to put their products through an exhaustive testing process during which any widespread defects can be discovered and dealt with. Auto accidents that are caused as a result of automobile product defects result in manufacturer liability.

There are a variety of common automobile product defects that have been known to cause auto accidents, some of which include:

• Defective air bags
• Rollovers
• Electronic stability control
• Roof crush
• Defective seat belts
• Defective child restraints and car seats

People injured as a result of auto accidents are often entitled to compensation, especially if the accident was caused by a defective automobile product. Negligent automobile manufacturers must be held accountable for negligence in the design and manufacturing process that result in serious injuries and/or death. Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis & Overholtz boast some of the most experienced personal injury lawyers Pensacola, Florida has to offer. People injured as a result of an auto accident should contact the law offices of Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis & Overholtz to learn more about serious personal injury victims' rights to compensation.