A report released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has found that more people died in U.S. highway accidents in 2012 than in 2011. The NHTSA also found fatal alcohol-related accidents increased five percent, with most involving drivers with blood-alcohol content levels more than twice the legal limit. Additionally, the study found motorcyclist and semi-truck driver deaths also increased. While many of these numbers have risen since 2011, the data shows accident deaths are still the lowest they have been since 1950. Also, the study found New Jersey had the largest decline in alcohol-related fatal accidents.
Though accident fatalities may be at 50 year lows, the fact remains that many New Jersey residents are injured and killed every year in car accidents. A careless driver can, in a matter of moments, drift into oncoming traffic, run a red light, or swerve into another motorist’s lane. Safe drivers cannot prevent these incidents from occurring, and we should not lose focus on their accident after it has occurred.
The reasoning is simple. A car accident victim cannot forget about the accident, as it may leave her with life-long pain, medical debt, and unable to work. Families of those who die in car accidents, too, face emotional and financial turmoil. These victims may feel as if they will never be able to get ahead again, and may become overwhelmed with the pain and stress of the situation.
This is where an auto accident attorney can help. A competent attorney can help an injured motorist, or her surviving family, file a lawsuit against a reckless driver. Once evidence has been gathered and witnesses have been interviewed, the attorney may try to negotiate a settlement or take the case to court. By fighting to prove a driver’s negligence caused the victim’s injuries or death, an attorney can give the victim and her family a chance to obtain the compensation they deserve.
In addition to attempting to prove negligence and causation, a New Jersey attorney will also try to show the extent of the victim’s economic and noneconomic injuries in an attempt to maximize compensation. If awards are obtained, then the victim may be able to pay off medical expenses, funeral costs (if necessary), and compensate for lost wages and pain and suffering. Perhaps then the victim and her family can move past the crash and focus on the life ahead of them while knowing the individual who caused them pain was held accountable.
Source: International Business Times, “US Traffic Fatalities Up Slightly In 2012 As Alcohol-Related Mayhem Rises 5 Percent, According To The Latest Data,” Angelo Young, Nov. 14, 2013