Tupelo Rush Hour Accidents

In Lee County, you may see motorists aggressively driving, speeding, experiencing road rage, and much more in rush hour traffic. All of these negligent actions can result in a catastrophic car crash that can not only hold up traffic, but also leave victims with significant injuries. You could be on Interstate 22 during morning rush hour and get rear-ended by an aggressive driver who was tailgating you in hopes of making you go faster or change lanes. In this example, the other driver would likely be held liable for the collision, but it is recommended that you hire a car accident lawyer in the Tupelo area because you never know what the defense might do.

It is not uncommon for a defendant to suggest comparative fault if a plaintiff’s injuries are visibly bad following an accident or if the defendant thinks that he or she may be deemed at fault. Going off of the previous example, the defendant could accuse you of having had broken tail lights before the collision or erratically weaving in and out of traffic and into their lane – both possible accusations showing that you caused him or her to rear-end you. If a jury agrees that you are at fault, your recovery could be diminished based on the percentage of blame attributed to you due to the State of Mississippi operating under the doctrine of pure comparative negligence. Legal representation can defend you against such allegations of comparative fault and work towards maximizing your recovery.

Under Mississippi law, the burden of proof is placed on you, the plaintiff, so in order to recover damages from the other driver and prevent your recovery from being reduced, you must establish the other driver’s negligence by showing that he or she owed you a duty of reasonable care, breached that duty, and caused you to suffer injuries. Once liability has been established, you can focus more on the damages aspect of your case, which may entail economic damages and non-economic damages to compensate you for losses stemming for the collision, which may include lost wages, loss of consortium, pain and suffering, medical bills, and loss of enjoyment of life.