Types & Causes of Car Accidents

Car accidents frequently occur throughout Rhode Island, ranging from minor fender-benders to catastrophic collisions. Although there are seemingly countless causes of car accidents, some types of car accidents are more common than others. Regardless of how a car accident occurs, anyone who causes an accident should be held liable for any damages sustained in the accident. If you were injured in a car accident, you should consult an attorney to discuss what you must prove to recover damages. Rhode Island car accident lawyer David Tapalian is skilled at helping people harmed in car accidents pursue compensation from the party responsible for the accident, and he will work tenaciously to help you seek your desired outcome.

Generally, car accidents are caused, at least in part, by negligence. In other words, most car accidents arise out of a breach of a duty owed by the defendant. For example, some accidents are caused by unsafe roads or vehicles. Thus, the duty breached is the duty to design or maintain a safe roadway, or the duty to design or manufacture a safe vehicle. In most cases, however, the duty breached is the duty imposed on all motorists to drive a car in a safe and reasonable manner. For example, many accidents are caused by speeding, failing to obey traffic devices, distracted driving, driving while intoxicated, or following too closely behind a vehicle. Accidents may also be caused by inexperienced or elderly drivers. If an injured person can establish that the defendant breached a duty owed and that the breach caused the car accident, which caused the injured person to incur actual damages, he or she should be owed compensation.

Any difficulty that an injured person will face in proving liability or damages following a car accident will vary depending on the type of accident. After some types of car accidents, liability is arguably clear. For example, if a driver is intoxicated, fails to obey a traffic device, rear-ends another driver, or hits another driver and then leaves the scene of the accident, the injured person has strong evidence that the driver is solely responsible for the accident. In such cases, however, the driver may deny that the injured person sustained any damages in the accident. As a result, the injured person’s attorney may need to retain a medical expert to offer testimony regarding the nature and extent of the injuries caused by the accident.

In other instances, liability will be disputed. For example, when an accident is caused by speeding, distracted driving, or road rage, the evidence regarding how the accident occurred is usually circumstantial, and the driver may argue that it is insufficient to prove liability. Thus, it is imperative for the injured person to obtain any witness statements, surveillance footage, police reports, and photographs that indicate how the accident occurred. Additionally, in some cases, the driver not only will dispute that he or she is liable but also will argue that the injured person caused the accident. In Rhode Island, however, an injured person who is partially at fault for an accident still can recover some compensation.

If the victim successfully proves liability, he or she may be awarded damages. Compensation often includes the cost of any medical treatment, including treatment that may be needed in the future, and out-of-pocket expenses. It also includes damages for lost wages and for the pain and suffering caused by the accident. If the injured person was married at the time of the accident, his or her spouse may be able to recover compensation as well.

Anyone injured in a car accident has the right to pursue damages from the person or entity responsible for the accident, regardless of how the accident occurred. If you sustained harm in a car accident, you should meet with an attorney. David Tapalian is a proficient car accident lawyer with the skills and experience needed to help victims seek favorable outcomes following all types of car accidents. Attorney Tapalian’s main office is in Providence, and he has additional offices in Warwick RI and in Seekonk, Massachusetts. Mr. Tapalian represents injured people in lawsuits in Providence and all over Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Contact Tapalian Law via the form online or at 401-552-5000 to schedule a free and confidential meeting.