Jonesboro Hit and Run Accidents
Arkansas law requires drivers to stop if they are involved in an auto accident. Unfortunately, due to fear of potential criminal charges or being financially obligated to pay for any damages, many at-fault drivers flee the scene of the wreck. In a hit-and-run accident, it may be difficult or impossible to prove how the accident happened or that another vehicle was even involved.
An experienced Jonesboro car accident attorney will be able to help you conduct a thorough investigation and identify evidence to help you prove that another car was involved and that you should not be held legally or financially responsible for a crash that was not your fault. If you have been injured in a hit and run accident in Arkansas or a neighboring state, Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz may be able to help you recover for your losses.
Hit and Run Accidents in Arkansas
After a hit and run accident, it is important to identify as many details about the fleeing vehicle and its driver as possible under the circumstances. You should note the license plate number and be able to provide a physical description of the other vehicle, as well as its damages. Describing the other driver will be helpful too. Sometimes, intoxicated drivers will leave the scene because they do not want to be charged with drunk driving. This information will assist the responding police officer with locating the other vehicle and identifying the defendant driver.
Of course, remembering such information may not be possible, especially if the impact was severe enough to cause you to be incapacitated or lose consciousness. If so, there may be other ways to gather information. For instance, the responding police officer may be able to interview eyewitnesses who can provide helpful details about the other vehicle and its driver. If the crash occurred near a place of business, surveillance footage may be available. However, this information can disappear over time, meaning it is critical to consult with a car wreck lawyer in the Jonesboro area as soon as possible.
If the police are able to locate the at-fault party and he has liability insurance coverage, then you may be able to file a claim with the liability carrier seeking compensation for the damages you sustained in the accident. If the police are unable to locate the defendant, then you may be able to file an uninsured motorist claim with your own insurance company if you carry that coverage on your policy. In either case, an experienced attorney will be able to help you assert a convincing claim for damages based on the evidence available.
To succeed in either a liability or uninsured motorist claim, you will need to prove that the defendant’s negligence caused the accident and your injuries. If you are able to prove the other driver’s liability, then you can recover compensation for your economic and non-economic damages caused by the defendant’s negligence. Economic damages normally include medical bills, lost wages, and other out of pocket expenses, like prescriptions. Non-economic damages can include pain and suffering, loss of consortium, and loss of enjoyment of life.
If you have been injured in a Jonesboro auto accident, including a hit and run accident, you must either settle your bodily injury claim or file a lawsuit within three years of the date of the crash. Otherwise, your claim is time barred and your right to sue for your injuries can be lost forever. This statute of limitation is a strict deadline, even if it takes months or longer to locate the defendant.
Discuss Your Hit and Run Case with a Jonesboro Lawyer
We represent Jonesboro accident victims who need a car accident attorney or guidance in cases arising from truck accidents, medical malpractice, defective products, inadequate security, dog bites, or nursing home neglect, among other situations. You can contact us 24/7, and we are available to meet with you anywhere that you choose.
Most car accidents are preventable and occur as a result of errors by one or more drivers. To prove liability, you will need to establish by a preponderance of the evidence that the driver owed you a duty of care, which was breached, and that your injuries resulted from the driver’s carelessness. Damages that may be available in these cases often include medical expenses, lost income, mental anguish, loss of consortium, and pain and suffering.
Truck drivers are required to follow numerous detailed regulations, including rules related to hours of service, keeping a logbook, and maintenance procedures. Many of these regulations are intended to protect other people on the road from harm. In some states, if a driver violated a law that was enacted to protect the public, the violation can create a rebuttable presumption of negligence. Trucking companies are also required to follow a number of regulations, including rules related to background checks of drivers and proper supervision. They often may be held directly or indirectly liable for a truck accident.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) evaluates applications for disability benefits. Although many people pay into this system throughout their lives, many legitimate claims are initially denied, and this process may be less straightforward than claimants expect. The SSA uses a five-step sequential evaluation to determine whether to grant benefits to an applicant. Each step is considered in a set order. We can present your case in a persuasive manner and help you appeal a denial of a meritorious claim if needed. This could include representing you in a hearing before an administrative law judge.
Workers’ compensation functions slightly differently in each state. In Tennessee, for example, businesses that employ five or more employees must carry workers’ compensation insurance. If you are injured on the job, you may recover benefits, such as medical costs and disability. Neither your employer’s nor your own culpability for your injuries will prevent you from collecting these benefits. However, it may still be a struggle to obtain benefits from your employer’s insurer. We can help you navigate this challenging process.
If you were harmed by a health care professional’s failure to use the appropriate level of care in providing treatment to you, you may be able to recover compensation. Most medical malpractice lawsuits require retaining an expert to determine the accepted standard of care and explain what the defendant did that fell short of this standard, as well as how the inappropriate conduct caused the patient’s injuries.
When you buy a toy, car, medication, or other product, you do not expect to be hurt. If you are injured, you may have grounds to file a product liability lawsuit. There are three types of defects that may be actionable: manufacturing, design, and marketing (also known as failure to warn). Manufacturers may be held accountable under multiple different theories, including strict liability, negligence, breach of warranty, and concealment. For example, if you take a drug that causes you to develop cancer, but you were not told that a potential side effect of the drug was developing cancer, you may have grounds to hold the manufacturer strictly liable for its failure to warn you of the risk.
Nursing home residents are often elderly or disabled, and thus they are especially vulnerable to neglect, physical abuse, and exploitation by staff members. Unfortunately, many nursing homes are understaffed or employ staff members who are inadequately trained to deal with potentially frustrating situations. Nursing homes are required to protect their residents from physical, mental, and emotional harm by providing a safe environment, as well as adequately training and supervising staff. A failure to do so may be grounds for a nursing home negligence lawsuit for damages.
Property owners have a duty to keep their property reasonably safe. In most situations, this includes an obligation to inspect the property for dangerous conditions and fix them or provide warnings about them so that visitors are not harmed. One type of dangerous condition, which may present a particular problem in apartment complexes or shopping centers, consists of inadequate security measures such as broken locks, poor lighting, or a lack of security guards. A failure to take security measures when appropriate may allow third-party criminals to assault, rob, rape, or otherwise harm visitors and tenants. You may be able to recover damages if you can prove that the defendant knew or should have known about a history of attacks similar to yours and taken appropriate security measures to reduce the risk of further incidents.
317 Southwest Drive Suite B
Jonesboro, AR 72401
Phone: 870-931-0500
Fax: 870-972-8852
