Making a Difference.

What if I have been in a car accident?
Car accidents and other types of motor vehicle accidents often occur due to carelessness or negligence by one of the drivers involved. As a result, victims of car accidents, as well as their families, often hire a car accident lawyer to seek compensation for medical expenses as well as for pain and suffering.

Civil suits involving motor vehicle accidents are considered part of accident and injury law, also known as personal injury law. Hit and run, drunk driving and other crimes associated with vehicle accidents are addressed separately, in a criminal court.

The most common type of personal injury claim, car accident claims are often predicated on the theory of negligence. To prove that the defendant's negligent actions were the cause of an auto accident, the plaintiff in the case must show that the defendant failed to exercise "reasonable care" to prevent it. Traffic laws, witnesses, police reports and other tools are often used to prove who was at fault. Those found guilty of negligent action in a motor vehicle accident may be liable for damages.