Car Accidents Basic Moments
Car accidents are common occurrences in our modern life. They bring financial loss, injury, and suffering. All this needs to be compensated somehow. To do this, you must go through the procedure for settling a car accident case, which can be too complicated for many. But you can always call the Milwaukee car accident lawyers for help. They are well-versed in such cases and will be able to defend your interests as effectively as possible.
Car Accident Statistics
According to information from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) for 2022, there were 128,830 accidents in the state in which Milwaukee is located:
- Fatal – 547
- Serious injuries – 2,740
- Injury – 25,071
- Property Damage Only – 103,212
Victims:
- Killed – 595
- Serious Injuries – 3,213
- Injured – 33,813
Factors of Car Accidents and Emergency Locations
WisDOT’s 2022 report also reveals the main factors in crashes occurring across the state:
Crashes | Fatalities | Injuries | Serious injuries | |
Alcohol-Related | 6,230 | 155 | 3,008 | 661 |
Drug-Related | 1,821 | 64 | 1,144 | 269 |
Impaired Driving Related | 7048 | 184 | 3556 | 787 |
Speed-Related | 17895 | 162 | 6536 | 918 |
Hit & Run Related | 20303 | 35 | 2504 | 207 |
Motorcycle | 1921 | 80 | 1606 | 602 |
Pedestrian | 1324 | 72 | 1195 | 257 |
Bicycle | 668 | 14 | 593 | 71 |
Train | 44 | 2 | 11 | 3 |
Deer | 16278 | 5 | 537 | 69 |
Large Truck | 6785 | 73 | 1846 | 229 |
According to the Milwaukee Police Department, the most dangerous Milwaukee locations for 2022 were:
- W Capitol dr – Highway 190
- W Fond Du Lac av – Highway 145
- On Highway 175 at Highway 175
- On Highway 190 at Highway 190
- On Highway 181 at Highway 181
- N 76th st – Highway 181
- S 27th st – Highway 241
- On Highway 57 at Highway 057
- N 27th st & W Fond Du Lac av
- W Center st & W Fond Du Lac av
Car Accidents Most Often Cause These Types of Injuries
Car accidents cause a very wide variety of injuries. It all depends on various factors of the accident, such as the type of collision, speed, whether the seat belt was fastened or not, and many others. The most common injuries typical of road accidents can be identified:
- spinal injuries: displacement or fractures of vertebral discs, pinched nerves;
- whiplash: the most common soft tissue injury of the neck;
- limb injuries: bone fractures, joint dislocations, tendon ruptures, and amputations of arms and legs;
- traumatic brain injuries: they are among the most dangerous and can lead to disability and death;
- thoracic injuries: rib fractures, bruises and ruptures of internal organs;
- lacerations: from ordinary cuts to deep wounds affecting blood vessels;
- burns: from superficial with a small area to deep and extensive.
Car Accident Laws
Milwaukee is located in Wisconsin and is subject to all laws of that state. It, like most states, is based on the principle of fault. This means that the guilty party is obliged to compensate for damage resulting from the accident.
For the possibility of compensation for damage, the law establishes minimum amounts of car insurance:
- $10,000 for property damage
- $25,000 for injury or death of one person
- $50,000 for the entire incident.
A modified comparative negligence system is used to determine whether a compensation claim can be made. The percentage of fault of each party is determined and, if the fault is less than 51%, the party has the opportunity to file a compensation claim.
The law requires contacting the police if the accident results in the following consequences:
- any injury, regardless of severity or death
- caused damage to government property totaling $200 or more
- vehicle evacuation required
- caused damage to private property totaling $1,000 or more
- any animal was injured or died.
How Can Milwaukee Car Accident Lawyers Help Me?
After a car accident, you do not have to contact a lawyer. The consequences may not be significant and the case will be resolved quickly. However, if the financial damage is significant or injuries are sustained, the best option is to seek help from Milwaukee car accident lawyers.
They have the experience and resources to effectively handle a car accident case. They thoroughly investigate the causes of the accident, involving, if necessary, specialists in accident reconstruction. The degree of guilt of each party is determined. They work to collect evidence, studying the police report, witness statements, and video surveillance footage. The case materials are added by reports from medical specialists.
Communicate with insurance adjusters on your behalf. In many cases, the result of such negotiations is the successful settlement of the case and the payment of decent compensation.
In some cases, when the case goes to trial, convincing the jury of your right to fair compensation.
Therefore, at any stage of your case and on any legal issues, the assistance of car accident lawyers in Milwaukee can be very useful.
Best Car Accident Lawyers in Milwaukee
In most specialized legal directories you can see such an indicator as a rating. It will reflect the comprehensive assessment assigned to the lawyer based on certain criteria. The higher the rating, the better the lawyer.
If you visit various legal forums or groups on social networks, or the websites of local law firms, you will most likely see another option for evaluating lawyers – reputation. It is earned by Milwaukee car accident lawyers through years of hard work, constant improvement of their professional skills, dozens or hundreds of cases won, and reviews from satisfied clients.
You can also evaluate car accident lawyers in Milwaukee yourself using the following basic criteria:
- experience in handling traffic accident cases
- specialization in personal injury law
- having a team or collaborating with the best specialists in related fields
- number of cases won and amounts of compensation received for clients
- respect among colleagues
- positive customer reviews.
How to Find Milwaukee Car Accident Lawyers
Look for information in specialized directories such as Martindale-Hubbell or FindLaw. Use convenient search filters and you identify a list of car accident lawyers in your area.
Use information from social networks. In legal groups and forums, many topics are discussed and recommendations are shared. Take the opportunity to ask questions and ask for recommendations.
Check the websites of local law firms. Evaluate the achievements of their lawyers, and read client reviews. This information may be useful when choosing a lawyer.
Make inquiries to the Milwaukee Bar Association or Wisconsin State Bar. They will probably be able to provide you with lists of qualified car accident lawyers in Milwaukee upon your request.
Ask your relatives, colleagues, and friends to see if anyone has had a positive experience with hiring Milwaukee car accident lawyers. You can trust this person’s recommendations.
Be sure to attend initial consultations. Many lawyers provide them for free. This is a good way to find out the prospects of your case and take a closer look at the qualities of Milwaukee car accident lawyers in personal communication.
Steps to Take After a Car Accident
The simplest and most effective way is to follow this action plan:
- check for injuries to all participants in the accident
- anyone with injuries should seek medical attention
- move to a safe place
- call the police to the scene
- notify your insurance company about the accident
- take a photo of the accident scene, and damaged vehicles, and write down the details of the participants in the accident
- contacts of accident witnesses
- consult a car accident lawyer for advice.
Actions That Can Weaken Your Position After a Car Accident
Guilty plea
If, when testifying to the police, communicating with the insurance company or other participants in the accident, you admit guilt in any form, this will negatively affect the prospects of receiving sufficient compensation. Everything said can be used against you in the future.
Discussion of a case about an accident on social networks
Avoid discussing your case on social networks. The investigation of the accident and determination of those responsible should be carried out by professionals. The other side will certainly use any incorrect statements, assessments, or assumptions to its advantage.
Late seeking of medical help
If you have the slightest suspicion of injury or deterioration in health after an accident, you should immediately seek medical help. If you do not follow this advice and put off going to the doctor until later, you may be left with the consequences of the injury alone without receiving compensation for rehabilitation. After a long time, it will be difficult to establish a connection between the injury and the accident.
Understanding Compensation in Car Accident Cases
In Milwaukee, compensation can be obtained for economic and non-economic damages:
- repair or replacement of damaged property
- medical expenses
- lost wages
- rehabilitation costs
- pain and suffering
- scars and injuries
- loss of consortium.
In rare cases, punitive damages are used to punish the culprit. This is to prevent this from happening in the future. Punitive damages apply if the culprit acted with extreme negligence.
Do This to Avoid a Car Accident
Follow traffic rules.
Practice responsible driving.
Avoid driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Consider weather conditions when driving.
Avoid aggressive driving style.
Keep your car in good condition.
Plan your route carefully before traveling.
FAQs
Most car accident lawyers in Milwaukee work on a contingency fee basis. They only get paid if you win your case.
Not necessarily. Many car accident cases are settled after negotiations with the insurance company, but some cases may go to trial.
In Milwaukee, the statute of limitations for car accident claims is three years from the date of the accident.