Rear-End Collision Lawyer in Montgomery, AL

Each year, there are approximately 2,500,000 rear-end wrecks in the United States.  These account for roughly one-third of all motor vehicle accidents and make them, by far, the most common type of wreck. Rear-end collisions can happen anywhere and anytime and for many different reasons. They occur when the front-end of one vehicle collides into the back-end of the vehicle in front of them. Most of the time, these wrecks involve just two vehicles.  Sometimes, though, the initial collision can set off a chain reaction and result in a multi-vehicle crash.

What Causes Rear-End Collisions?

There are a number of reasons rear-end accidents occur, some of the most common include:

• Aggressive Driving: Aggressive driving like excessive speeding, weaving in and out of lanes, making fast and sharp turns, pulling out in front of another driver without adequate space, and failure to yield the right of way are among the leading causes of rear-end wrecks.
• Tailgating: When someone is traveling too close to the vehicle in front of them, they may not be able to react in time to avoid a collision if they encounter adverse conditions, such as inclement weather, bumpy roads, and/or sudden traffic slowdowns.
• Drowsy/Fatigued Driving: Motorists who are tired or fatigued are at greater risk of a rear-end accident because of slower reaction times, inattentiveness to a vehicle in front of them, and the possibility of falling asleep behind the wheel. Commercial truck drivers and others who drive for a living and put in long hours are among the groups most susceptible to drowsy driving.
• Driving while Intoxicated: Driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a bad and, often fatal, decision that puts motorists in an altered chemical state. This can sometimes make them drowsy and unable to react in time to avoid a collision, or it can have the opposite affect and cause the motorist to drive recklessly.
• Distracted Driving: In today’s electronic age, a growing number of motorists have a hard time staying off of their cell phones while they are behind the wheel. Texting while driving and similar activities are especially dangerous because they distract drivers in three ways – visually, manually, and cognitively. When your focus is completely away from the road, it makes it much more likely that you will not notice events that can lead to aa wreck.
• Faulty Brakes: Rear-end wrecks can sometimes happen because of vehicle part defect, such as a faulty brake line, fails. When this occurs, the vehicle or vehicle part designer, manufacturer, supplier, or distributor may be responsible.

What Kind of Injuries Are Most Common In a Rear-End Collision?

Rear-end accidents do not usually result in fatalities, but the injuries can be moderate to severe. One of the most common injuries caused by these types of collisions is whiplash. Whiplash is a soft-tissue injury that occurs when the head and body are thrown sharply back and forth in a motion that resembles a horse whip, causing damage to the muscles and ligaments in the affected areas. The lead driver (the one who is collided into) is usually the one who ends up with whiplash, because the jolt is sudden and unexpected, and they don’t have time to brace for it.

In some cases, the vehicle that initiates the collision is traveling at a high speed upon impact and causes significant property damage and serious injuries to vehicle occupants. More often though, rear-end collisions happen at lower speeds and cause only minor vehicle damage. These are commonly referred to as “fender-benders”.

Even when a rear-end wreck results in minimal property damage to your vehicle, the injuries they cause can still be significant. This is why you should always seek medical attention immediately after being involved in a rear-end collision . . . even if you do not feel hurt right then. Once you see a doctor and take care of your health, you should see an experienced car wreck lawyer and take care of your future.  They can assess your case, explain your rights, and explore your options.

Who is Responsible for a Rear-End Collision?

The driver of the trailing vehicle is often presumed to be at-fault in a rear-end collision, because they are in the best position to see what is going on and avoid the wreck. This is not necessarily the case, however. There are some instances in which the lead driver is the one at-fault, such as when they make a sudden and unwarranted stop because they are too busy looking at their phone and not watching the road.

Like with other car wreck injury cases, determining fault after a rear-end wreck can be challenging, and a thorough investigation will be necessary to determine the facts and preserve key pieces of evidence. That means the sooner that someone begins gathering that evidence the better your chances of being treated fairly.  Most people do not know it but Alabama is a “contributory negligence” state.  That means that, if you are found to have “contributed” in any way to the underlying accident (even 1%), you will be treated like you are 100% to blame and may be barred from recovering any compensation. You can be sure that the insurance company will try to use this defendant-friendly legal standard against you by trying to pin at least some of the blame on you, and this is why it is absolutely essential to get an experienced attorney involved as soon as possible, and before you give a statement to the insurance company so your legal right to compensation can be preserved.

Contact Our Skilled Montgomery Car Accident Attorneys

At the Law Offices of Troy King, we represent clients who have been injured in rear-end collisions and all other types of motor vehicle accidents in Alabama, and we have a proven track record going up against insurance companies and other large corporations.  We are committed to providing strong, personalized legal representation, no matter how large or small your case may be. Our lawyers have extensive experience in personal injury law and we have a successful track record with even the most complex cases. We understand that injuries from a rear-end wreck can be serious and even catastrophic.  The bottom line is simple:  if you are involved in a wreck and if the collision was somebody else’s fault, you have a right to be compensated.

Unfortunately, insurance companies will not make it easy for you to obtain the full and fair compensation you need and deserve. They will often try to downplay the severity of your injuries, unfairly rule that your injuries were pre-existing before the wreck, blame you for the accident, or all three. We know the common tactics insurance companies use to avoid paying out damages after an auto accident though.  More importantly, we also know what it takes to overcome these tactics and recover fairly for your injuries. We urge you to get in touch with their office today for a free, no obligation case assessment.

Our initial consultations are always free. And we take all our personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, so you never have to pay upfront attorney fees to receive the skilled and personalized representation you need and deserve.

To schedule your free consultation, call our office today at (334) 215-4440! You may also message us through our web contact form or stop by our Montgomery office in person at your convenience.