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Fargo Rear-End Car Accident Lawyers
Rear-end car accidents can result in painful and even life-threatening injuries. Serious injuries often entail much more than simply seeking treatment. Injured Fargo drivers also often face staggering medical bills and lost wages, leading to financial instability and stress. If your Fargo auto accident was caused by a negligent driver, you may be considering pursuing a rear-end auto accident claim in order to recover the value of these losses.
Unfortunately, insurance companies will often try to undermine your personal injury claim by downplaying your injuries, suggesting specific treatments are unnecessary, or suggesting that you are partially responsible for your car accident. There’s no need to confront a powerful insurance company on your own and risk diminishing the value of your settlement. Instead, contact the trusted rear-end car accident attorneys of Sand Law to represent you in a Fargo auto accident lawsuit. You can call us at 701-609-1510 or contact us online.
Rear-End Car Accident Statistics
Based on the most recent data collected by the National Safety Council, rear-end car accidents are the most common type of auto accident in the U.S., representing over 40% of all car accidents involving a collision between two or more motor vehicles. The NSC reports about 3,410,000 rear-end auto accidents occurred in 2020 alone.
In order to establish a strategy to reduce the rate of rear-end car accidents, the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration conducted an in-depth analysis of rear-end car crashes in an experiment. The experiment shed light on the role of distraction in rear-end car crashes. Based on their observations and data, the NHTSA asserted that visual attention alone is often insufficient to avoid rear-end auto accidents.
They found that “Approximately 40 percent of [rear-end] crash-involved drivers had their gaze directed out the front windshield at the time of lead-vehicle braking onset.” This indicates that other types of distraction, particularly cognitive distraction, play a significant role in the likelihood of a rear-end car accident occurring.
Where Do Rear-End Auto Accidents Occur?
It’s no surprise that rear-end accidents most commonly occur at intersections or areas with a high traffic volume. Rear-end auto accidents typically transpire as vehicles are slowing down to make turns, stop for a red light or stop sign, avoid a road hazard, or allow a pedestrian to cross the street.
The NHTSA study mentioned earlier in this article also noted that rear-end car accidents tend to occur on clear weather days during the daytime, and on flat, straight roads. This provides further indication that distracted driving is a considerable contributing cause of rear-end car accidents.
Fargo drivers should still be cautious at nighttime and when there is a snow forecast or rain expected, as these conditions can decrease driver visibility and control. Cars and trucks may hydroplane or drivers may be unable to accurately judge stopping distance due to reduced visibility, resulting in serious rear-end auto accidents.
Causes of Rear-End Car Accidents in Fargo, North Dakota
When a rear-end car accident is attributed to driver error, it often involves a distracted or impaired driver. Although other circumstances can be a factor, such as adverse weather and poorly maintained roads, rear-end car accidents are most often caused by negligent drivers. A Fargo car accident lawyer will be able to review the available evidence, speak to witnesses, and request an accident scene reconstruction if necessary to determine the cause of the rear-end car accident.
Distracted Driving is the Biggest Contributing Factor in Rear-End Car Accidents
Distracted driving can take many forms, but generally speaking, this refers to behavior that takes a driver’s attention away from the road. These are known as visual, manual, and cognitive distractions. Some of the most common distracted driving behaviors include:
- Speeding
- Daydreaming
- Eating
- Grooming
- Texting while driving
Drowsy Driving Can Lead to Fargo Rear-End Auto Accidents
Driving while operating on inadequate sleep can be just as dangerous as driving under the influence. Fatigued drivers put other road users at risk with their delayed reaction times, compromised judgment, and potentially erratic maneuvering. If a driver is struggling to stay awake behind the wheel, they may not recognize important signals. For example, drowsy drivers may miss the car in front of them coming to a stop, or follow too closely to safely avoid a rear-end collision.
Drunk Driving Increases the Risk of a Rear-End Car Crash
Not only is drunk driving illegal, but it also endangers the lives and property of other road users. A driver under the influence is not at their best. As we have seen, even drivers who are looking at the traffic ahead of them are susceptible to being involved in rear-end car accidents. A drunk driver will likely have impaired vision and judgment skills, both of which are critical to anticipating the flow of traffic ahead. Additionally, drunk drivers may even be unable to physically maneuver their hands and feet in order to safely avoid a collision.
Injuries Commonly Associated With Fargo Car Crashes
The force of impact in a rear-end car accident can cause extensive injuries. Fargo drivers and their passengers can sustain injuries that require months of physical therapy, surgery, and other expensive and painful treatments. This is because the car occupants are typically jerked back and forth, as the initial impact of the other vehicle causes them to lurch forward, and then backward as the car comes to a stop.
For example, coup-contrecoup brain injuries are frequently associated with rear-end car accidents, as the brain bounces off both the front and back of the skull, damaging both sides of the brain in the process. Many victims of rear-end auto accidents also sustain injuries after hitting their head or face on the dashboard, steering wheel, or other hard surfaces in the vehicle.
Examples of Common Rear-End Car Accident Injuries:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Whiplash
- Spinal cord injuries
- Lacerations and contusions
- Facial and dental injuries
- Organ damage
- Soft tissue injuries
- Neck and back injuries
Seek Medical Help Immediately Following a Fargo Car Accident
After a rear-end car accident in Fargo, the first thing you should do is get checked out by a medical provider. Even if you believe that your injuries are minor, leave that judgment to the professionals. In addition to preserving your health, seeking prompt medical treatment can help protect your future personal injury claim.
If you have medical records showing that you sought prompt treatment, it is more difficult for the negligent driver’s insurance carrier to attempt to diminish or deny your claim. You don’t want to give them the opportunity to say that your injuries aren’t as serious as you claim because you delayed treatment or there isn’t a professional medical evaluation to reference. An experienced auto accident lawyer can help you get your medical records in order and handle any necessary communication with the insurance company.
How to Determine Fault in a Rear-End Accident
Determining liability in a Fargo rear-end auto accident is best left to a personal injury attorney who is familiar with the evidentiary standards and legal requirements of establishing fault. Fault is established by proving the chain of causation. First, a personal injury lawyer must show that the injured party they represent was owed a duty of care by the other driver. Then they must offer enough evidence to show that the driver breached their duty of care, which directly caused the rear-end car accident. The injuries named in the Faro car accident lawsuit must also be directly connected to the accident, and any damages claimed must result from those injuries.
Can the Following Driver be At Fault?
In most cases, the driver behind the car that has been rear-ended is considered to be at fault. However, there are certain circumstances under which the driver of the car in front may be considered partially or fully liable. For example, if they were brake checking or had their car in reverse gear, the driver in front could potentially forfeit their right to recover damages as a result of North Dakota’s modified comparative fault statute.
Under North Dakota law, personal injury claims operate under modified comparative fault. That means when an injured party goes to seek damages from the driver who rear-ended them, they can only recover damages if they contributed significantly less than 50% of the fault. If they were partially responsible for the rear-end accident, the value of their settlement will be reduced by the percentage they contributed. In most rear-end car accident lawsuits, this isn’t an issue, as the driver of the following car is clearly responsible for the auto accident.
Receiving the Compensation You Deserve in an Auto Accident Lawsuit
After a rear-end car accident, you may be able to recover the value of your losses provided that the driver who hit you is determined to be liable for compensatory damages. Compensatory damages are a way to get you back to where you were before the auto accident occurred in terms of finances. The idea is that you should not have to suffer the financial fallout due to someone else’s negligence.
Injured Fargo Drivers Can Seek Compensation for Multiple Types of Damages
Compensatory damages can be economic or non-economic in nature. Economic damages usually come with a prescribed dollar value, such as a missed paycheck, the cost of transportation used to reach therapy appointments, or the cost of installing a wheelchair ramp in front of your home.
Non-economic damages typically lack a straightforward monetary value but are nevertheless recognized in a personal injury claim. Typical non-economic damages in a Fargo rear-end auto accident lawsuit might include pain and suffering, emotional distress, or loss of consortium. If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a Fargo rear-end car accident, a skilled personal injury attorney can provide valuable legal insight and strategic advice when it comes to negotiating a settlement with the insurance company. Sand Law is here to help.
Contact the Rear-End Car Accident Lawyers of Sand Law Today
Unfortunately, seeking treatment for your injuries is often just the beginning of a long road to recovery after a Fargo car accident. The rear-end car accident attorneys of Sand Law can be your greatest asset during this time. You have the right to seek damages when a negligent driver’s actions result in you being harmed physically, emotionally, or financially.
Sand Law has earned a reputation for success based on our ability to recover maximum compensation for our injured clients. We will negotiate for a fair settlement that covers your medical bills, lost wages, emotional distress, and other expenses incurred as a result of another driver’s negligence. If we can’t come to a fair compromise with the insurance company in negotiations, our team of seasoned trial attorneys will not hesitate to take your auto accident claim to court.
The auto accident attorneys of Sand Law will be by your side through every step of the personal injury claims process, from the free initial consultation to the day you receive your settlement. You can reach us by phone at 701-609-1510 or online. We will work tirelessly to provide high-quality legal service that exceeds your expectations for your Fargo rear-end car accident lawsuit.