Injured by a Negligent Driver: Do I Really Need a Personal Injury Lawyer

Many people that are injured by the careless or inattentive conduct of others in motorcycle accidents, car accidents, trucking accidents or pedestrian accidents presume that they can handle an insurance claim against the other driver on their own.  It is extremely risky to attempt to handle one’s own accident claim.  While it might seem like this is a way to save attorney fees, the risk of making a critical error when dealing with insurance companies and navigating legal procedures can be far more costly.

When you retain an experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyer, you will achieve a number of benefits that increase the likelihood of successfully maximizing your financial recovery.  We have provided an overview of some of the benefits of a Mississippi personal injury attorney when pursuing an insurance injury claim:

Leveling the Playing Field: Insurance carriers have a stable of lawyers, experts and financial resources devoted to denying or minimizing your claim.  When dealing with this enormous arsenal of litigation resources, an experienced Mississippi personal injury attorney can level the playing field.  Our Mississippi personal injury law firm has our own experts, state of the art litigation tools and the financial resources to take on large corporations and their insurance companies.

Avoiding Insurance Adjuster Traps: Insurance companies handle thousand upon thousands of claims annually.  There are many tactics they employ to trick those without legal representation into compromising their personal injury claims.  The insurance company adjuster may ask you to provide a written statement or sign a release of information.  Injury victims are not required to comply with either request and should not do so.  The insurance company is searching for information that can be used to decline to pay your claim or reduce the amount of your compensation.

Compliance with Timing Requirements: There are critical timing requirements that apply to personal injury cases.  The statute of limitations is extremely important because failure to comply with this timing deadline will result in a permanent ban of your claim regardless of the merits.  If a public entity is a defendant in your personal injury claim, you generally will also have to comply with time limits for filing a claim against the public entity before pursuing a personal injury claim.  An experienced Mississippi personal injury attorney will be familiar with these deadlines and will work diligently to make sure all such timing requirements are met.

Knowledge of Complex Legal Requirements and Procedure: The standards for liability, procedural requirements and rules of evidence are complicated and extremely difficult for someone to successfully navigate without an experienced Mississippi personal injury attorney.  Personal injury attorneys understand these complexities and can successfully navigate the potential landmine of litigation mistakes.

These are some of the ways that an experienced Mississippi personal injury attorney can help you maximize the value of your personal injury claim.  The reality is that it is virtually impossible for a non-attorney to successfully litigate a personal injury claim.  While it is possible for someone who is not represented by an attorney to settle their personal injury claim with the insurance company, an insurance company will not offer the true value of a claim unless they fear the prospect of trial.  When a law firm with a proven track record of trial verdicts is on the your side, the insurance company has an incentive to offer a more substantial settlement to avoid trial.  At Barrett Law, our experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyers represent injury victims throughout Mississippi.  Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.

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Can Technology Eliminate Mississippi Car Accidents?

Technology is a mixed blessing when it comes to motor vehicle safety.  Certain technological advances cause more accidents by increasing driving distractions, such as mobile phones, dashboard mounted DVD players, iPads and other types of electronic gadgets.  Other types of technological innovations often make drivers safer, including new airbags, crash avoidance systems and other safety innovations.

An interesting issue is posed by an article in the USA Today this week offering insight from vehicle designers on what cars will look like in 2030.  Those interviewed discussed vehicles already in production and designs that will be available by 2030.  These innovations included self-driving vehicles that allows you a passenger to text or talk on the phone as the vehicle navigates the streets of Mississippi.  The notion that a car can safely drive without the input or attention of a driver seems a little disconcerting and unrealistic.

While this may sound like science fiction, vehicle designers and manufactures insist this is what the not too distant future holds.  Details about driving in the future include not only vehicles that operate themselves but also vehicles that “talk” to each other and communicate with the roadway.  This vision presumes that auto collisions will become almost non-existent because vehicles communicating with each other and computers at intersections and other strategic locations will use GPS tracking and crash avoidance technology so that stop signs and traffic lights are unnecessary.  Human error by drivers will be eliminated as a cause of car accidents.

Although this is a very appealing idea, it is hard to imagine that Mississippi car accidents will disappear.  However, this technology would likely remove negligent drivers as a cause of Mississippi car accidents in most cases.  Presumably, these complex systems may have defects or malfunctions that would shift liability to those who manufacture and maintain the vehicles and communication technology, as well as public entities that employ the technology for use in intersections and other areas of the roadway.  Product liability law would likely become relevant in a far higher number of car accident claims than it is currently.  Vehicle owner liability also might be based on failure to get properly service and repair one’s vehicle instead of negligent driving.

It is doubtful that even the most advanced vehicle and roadway technology can eliminate car accidents because human error will always be involved in causing collisions though the types of human error may change.  However, the concept of getting drunk, drugged, inattentive, reckless and speeding drivers out from behind the wheel is a prospect worth embracing.  At Barrett Law, our experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyers represent injury victims throughout Mississippi.  Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.

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New Strategies to Prevent Distracted Driving Accidents Involving Drivers Engaged in Text Messaging

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Despite the fact that 35 states have passed laws prohibiting text messaging while driving, many drivers continue to engage in this extremely risky behavior.  A study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed that sixty (60) percent of drivers admit to texting while driving.  The majority of those that indicated they engaged in such activity indicated that they did so even though they recognized the danger of such activity.  This blog has previously discussed how laws prohibiting texting while driving may be ineffective because of rather mild penalties and serious enforcement issues that are caused by the inability of police officers to determine how a mobile phone is being used.

However, there are a growing number of suggestions as to how to keep people from engaging in text messaging while driving from a variety of sources.  These suggestions include a recommendation last year by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) prohibiting the use of all electronic devices while driving.  While this proposed ban goes further than current laws in the states that ban texting while driving by prohibiting ALL use of ALL electronic devices, it may still have limited effectiveness unless the penalties that accompany violations are substantial.  A universal ban on the use of all electronic devices would certainly make enforcement easier for police officer.  This would remove the difficulty of having to determine if a driver is using their cell phone for hands free talking, GPS navigation, text messaging or any other function.

While the NTSB proposal would make enforcement of cell phone texting violations more effective, it still might not deter this dangerous activity.  Most state cell phone bans impose minimal consequences for violations so the deterrent impact of the laws is limited.  There is evidence that incarceration, substantial fines or driver’s license suspensions combined with a comprehensive ban on all use of electronic devices might be an effective way of preventing distracted driving accidents caused by texting drivers.  A survey conducted by the Ad Council found that 96 percent of those asked indicated that the imposition of jail time, significant fines, increased insurance rates and other financial and legal consequences would discourage them from texting and driving.  An example of such an approach exists with commercial drivers who must pay a fine of $2,700 if they violate a ban on text messaging while operating a tractor-trailer (trucking companies must pay an $11,000 fine for violations by its truck drivers).

Another strategy to prevent driving while text messaging is to impose civil liability not only on the driver but anyone that knowingly engages in a conversation with a driver by sending text messages to a person operating a motor vehicle.  There are many occasions when someone carrying on a text messaging conversation with a driver knows that the recipient of the text messages is operating a motor vehicle.  A pending lawsuit in New Jersey that has named the person who was texting with a driver before the driver caused a serious accident resulting in catastrophic injuries to a married couple riding a motorcycle may provide insight into whether courts are willing to take this step.

While states have imposed strict enforcement methods and tough penalties on drunk drivers, the laws prohibiting text messaging while driving are extremely lax.  Further, enforcement problems will remain an issue as long as drivers are permitted to use cell phones for other purposes.  At Barrett Law, our experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyers represent injury victims throughout Mississippi.  Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.

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Passengers Can Recover Against a Driver for Mississippi Single Vehicle Road Departure Accidents

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A tragic single vehicle crash that resulted in the death of two passengers in George County provides an example of how accidents involving single vehicle road departure collisions can create a claim against the driver by passengers of a motor vehicle.  Media reports indicate that the vehicle ran off the road and rolled over several times.  Two passengers in the vehicle died at the scene of the accident while two more were injured.  While the cause of the single car accident was unclear the families of the two passengers that died may have a claim for wrongful death against the driver.  The passengers that were injured may also have a personal injury claim against the driver.

When passengers in a vehicle are injured by the negligence of the driver of the vehicle in which they are traveling, the driver may be liable if the vehicle left the roadway because of negligent driving.  While roadway departure accidents are commonly caused by driver negligence, defective tires and poorly designed roadways can also contribute to Mississippi road departure accidents.  Forms of driver negligence that may cause dangerous road departure collisions include:

  • Driver inattention which results in the vehicle drifting out of the roadway
  • Tired drivers that fall asleep at the wheel
  • Alcohol or drug impaired drivers that lack the coordination or perception to keep the vehicle on the roadway
  • Driving too fast to negotiate turns or curves
  • Failing to adjust ones driving to wet or icy roadways

Road departure accidents are among the most deadly types of crashes.  As in the George County collision, vehicles that leave the roadway and end up on uneven terrain frequently rollover.  Once a vehicle rolls over, the risk of catastrophic injury and wrongful death is extremely high because vehicle occupants are often ejected from the vehicle or crushed when the roof of the vehicle collapses.  Road departure accidents also are extremely dangerous because they may result in the vehicle falling off of the side of elevations.

Many Mississippi drivers do not realize that roadway departure accidents are extremely common.  These fatal forms of vehicle collisions account for over half all motor vehicle accidents.  In a recent year, roadway departure accidents accounted for more than 16,000 collisions and in excess of 18,000 car accident fatalities.  Despite this high number of road departure fatalities, there are counter-measures that public entities can install to reduce the risk of such collisions, including but not limited to the following:

  • Concrete barriers and guardrails
  • Road surfaces with a high degree of road friction
  • Rumble strips to warn drivers that they are at risk of departing the roadway
  • Safety edges on the roadway that mitigate steep drop-offs

If you or a close family member is injured of a loved one dies in a single vehicle road departure accident in Mississippi, our compassionate and dedicated team of attorneys at Barrett Law may be able to assist you in obtaining financial compensation.  At Barrett Law, our experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyers represent injury victims throughout Mississippi.  Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.

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AAA Study Reveals that Teen Passengers Substantially Increase the Risk of Teen Car Accidents

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We have previously addressed the value of graduated licensing programs that grant driving privileges in stages to new teenage drivers.  There has been widespread speculation that such programs reduce the risk of accidents caused by teen drivers and prevent many potential car accident victims from suffering catastrophic injuries or fatalities.  While graduated driver’s license programs have been successful in reducing teen accident rates and the volume of teen accident fatalities, fatal auto accidents remain the leading cause of death for teenagers between the ages of 13 and 19.  However, a new study suggests that programs that gradually implement driving privileges to inexperienced teenage drivers do prevent car accidents.  The study conducted by the American Automobile Association (AAA) reveals that prohibiting new teenage drivers from carrying teenage passengers substantially reduces teen fatality rates associated with car accidents.

The AAA study revealed that teenage drivers are more likely to die in a car accident when operating a motor vehicle with other teenagers in the car.  Moreover, the data also indicated that the probability that a teenage driver will be involved in a fatal accident increases as the number of teenage passengers in the vehicle increases.  The specific finding of the AAA study were as follows:

  • One teen passenger increased the risk of the driver dying in a fatal accident by 44%.
  • If a teen driver has two teenage passengers, the driver fatality rate jumps to 66%.
  • When a teen driver transports three teenage passengers, the driver fatality rate triples.

There are presumably several reasons for this significant increase in car accident fatalities for teen drivers.  The most likely factor is that passengers in the vehicle increase the distractions to a teen driver.  The driver may be carrying on conversations with multiple vehicle occupants so that the driver’s concentration is diverted from driving.  It is also likely that there may be other types of distractions present because other teens may attempt to show the driver text messages on their cell phones.  The final factor that may be relevant in explaining the fatality rate is the increased probability that the car will end up with a pack of intoxicated teenagers, including the driver.

Unfortunately, Mississippi’s graduated driver’s license program does not restrict the ability of new teen drivers to have teenage passengers.  Given the enormous danger of having multiple teenagers in the car, parents should consider prohibiting their kids from transporting teenage passengers.  It also may be advisable to refuse to allow your teenagers to ride as a passenger when their peers are driving.  At Barrett Law, our experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyers represent injury victims throughout Mississippi.  Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.

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NHTSA Reports Car Accident Fatalities Hit Record Low Level

New data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicates that the motor vehicle fatality rate fell 1.7 percent in 2011.  It appears that the fatality rate for accidents involving cars, trucks, SUVs and other vehicles is the lowest it has been since the NHTSA was created in 1949.  This positive news is part of a 5-year trend from 2006-2011 during which motor vehicle fatality rates dropped by more than 25 percent.  Despite this positive news, car accidents on U.S. roadways are estimated to have claimed the lives of over 32,000 people during 2011.

Although the NHTSA data is encouraging in terms of improved highway safety, the data may be somewhat misleading.  The reduction in car accident fatality rates occurred during a year where drivers are traveling less because of high gas prices and tough economic times.  The NHTSA report indicates that the number of miles traveled in the U.S. fell by 35.7 billion during 2011.  This decline from the miles traveled in 2010 represents a 1.2 percent decline in miles traveled by drivers nationally.

While much of the decrease during 2011 may be dismissed as the product of drivers avoiding the roads because of financial woes, the five-year trend clearly reflects a substantial decline in motor vehicle accident fatalities.  There are a number of factors that the NHTSA indicate may contribute to this downward trend:

Increased Seat Belt Use: Many states are have implemented mandatory seat belt laws that have clearly proven effective in actually changing behavior.  These laws also are being more strictly enforced particularly in states wear seat belt violations are a primary violation.  A primary violation is one for which a law enforcement officer may actually pull a driver over.  Studies in several states have found that seat belt use increases significantly with implementation and enforcement of mandatory seat belt laws.  There are many occasions where seat belts are the reason that vehicle occupants suffer only minor injury.  A seat belt can keep drivers from being ejected from the vehicle, which is a leading cause of traffic related fatalities.  When vehicle occupants buckle up, they may also reduce the risk of fatal head injuries caused by being thrown against hard surfaces like windshields and dashboards inside vehicles.

More Effective DUI Laws and Enforcement: Alcohol impaired drivers continue to account for a third of all car accident related fatalities.  However, significant progress has been made reducing the rate of drunk driving through enforcement programs, such as sobriety checkpoints and the use of ignition interlock programs as well as harsher penalties for DUI offenses.  Zero tolerance laws designed to prevent teen drivers from operating motor vehicles with any measurable amount of alcohol in their blood also have helped prevent fatal DUI accidents.

Improved Vehicle Safety: Cars, trucks and SUVs have also become safer through use of more airbags, anti-lock brakes, collision avoidance systems and other safety features.  An example of a class of vehicles that have become safer is SUVs.  Electronic stability control systems (ESC) that apply the brakes individually to individual wheels when a driver over-compensates with a hard steering maneuver are now an effective counter-measure to rollover accidents.  Safety standards for the roof strength of SUVs have also improved which has helped reduce the risk of roof crush injuries in SUV rollovers.

While traffic related fatalities are down, there are still many people that lose their lives in avoidable Mississippi car accidents each year.  At Barrett Law, our experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyers represent injury victims throughout Mississippi.  Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.

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Dangerous Mississippi Underrun Trucking Accidents Can Cause Catastrophic Injury

While the enormous mass of a commercial truck makes any collision involving a big-rig potentially fatal, underrun trucking accidents (also called “underride accidents”) are particularly dangerous.  The reason these collision are so dangerous is because they generally result in severe intrusion into the passenger compartment of the car either literally tearing the roof off the vehicle or crushing the roof.  Many do not realize that these accidents occur fairly frequently with thousands of fatalities from rear underrun trucking collisions occurring annually and another five hundred fatalities each year caused by side underrun trucking accidents.  At Barrett Law, we understand the enormous risk of catastrophic injuries and wrongful death in trucking underrun crashes.

In a Mississippi underrun trucking accident, a passenger car is unable to stop and proceeds to drive beneath the undercarriage of the commercial truck.  The reason these accidents occur is because of the difference in height between the undercarriage area of a passenger car and a commercial truck.  The undercarriage area of a commercial truck is 45 inches while it is only 30 inches for a typical passenger vehicle.  The gap formed by the difference in the relative height of the undercarriage of each vehicle creates a space where a passenger vehicle can travel under a tractor-trailer.  This typically results in the roof of the passenger car being torn off the vehicle or being crushed into the passenger compartment.  Either way, these trucking accidents generally result in horrific injuries, including decapitation, brain injuries, damaged spinal cords and far too frequently fatalities.  Roof crush injuries are common in this type of collision.

While there have been steps take to reduce the risk of undercarriage accidents, they continue to claim thousands of lives each year.  Although all commercial trucks are required to have yellow reflective tape on the back of the trailer, sometimes this tape is not present or the vehicle is so dirty and grimy that the tape cannot be easily seen.  Similarly, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) made installation of underrun guards on commercial trucks mandatory in 1996.  However, the requirement applies only to new commercial trucks, and many commercial carriers have not bothered to retrofit trucks that were not equipped with the guards.  A recent study of the underrun guards also revealed that many are not built strong enough to offer effective protection in an underrun trucking accident.  Additionally, side underguards are not required by federal regulations, and commercial carriers generally have not taken the initiative to install them absent a federal mandate.

Mississippi commercial underrun trucking accidents often result in permanent debilitating injuries or the loss of a loved one.  If you suffer injury or lose someone you love in a Mississippi commercial trucking accident, our experienced Mississippi trucking accident attorneys carefully investigate our clients trucking accidents cases and fight aggressively to seek the best possible outcome for our clients.  At Barrett Law, our experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyers represent injury victims throughout Mississippi.  Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.

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Mississippi Construction Zones Filled with Car Accident Hazards

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While drivers can typically tell that they are entering a construction zone by the orange warning signs and heavy equipment, most people presume that the slower speed limits, higher fines and warning signs are primarily designed to protect those performing work at Mississippi construction sites.  Although preventing injury or wrongful death to those performing road work in construction zones is one function of such safety measures, these safeguards are also designed to prevent motor vehicle collisions and pedestrian accidents.  Because of the many types of risks present in construction zones and the high number of distractions, these hazard filled areas account for almost 1,000 fatalities and 40,000 injuries each year.  At the Mississippi law firm of Barrett Law, we understand the unique hazards posed by unsafe drivers as well as poorly designed detours and diligently advocate for construction zone accident victims.

Because there is so much going on in construction zones, including driver detours, the presence of heavy machinery, workers in the roadway, barriers or other items obstructing traffic and more, construction zones can be extremely distracting.  The constant activity and enormous number of distractions can easily confuse a driver.  Oddly, there are no national safety standards that govern work zones, and state regulations and laws vary dramatically between states.  This lack of uniformity between states means that many times best practices are not implemented.

Since there are many parties who may exercise a lack of care causing a construction zone accident, there are many parties that may be a viable defendant depending on your Mississippi construction zone accident case.  Some parties that may share liability in a Mississippi construction zone crash may include general contractors, sub-contractors, architects, other motorists, public entities, and sign companies.  Our Mississippi construction zone accident attorneys at Barrett Law have the expertise to carefully investigate construction accidents on Mississippi streets and highways to identify all potentially viable defendants.

Based on the specific type of construction zone, there may be a variety of hazards that contribute to collisions, including the following:

  • Debris or refuse in the roadway
  • Heavy machinery obstructing traffic
  • Signs that are not updated
  • Signage that is confusing, poorly placed or missing entirely
  • Drivers that are distracted or confused
  • Poorly marked or designed detours

If you are involved in a car accident in a Mississippi construction zone, it is important to seek immediate legal advice because construction sites can change quickly and critical evidence can disappear.  Many times the negligence of public entities will contribute to a construction zone accident.  There are special procedures and timing requirements that apply in such cases so time is of the essence in seeking legal advice.  At Barrett Law, our experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyers represent injury victims throughout Mississippi.  Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.

 

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New Scientific Study Reveals Tasers May Cause Cardiac Arrest

While the growing use of Tasers by law enforcement and private security companies is designed to reduce the number of deaths from shootings, there is a new scientific study that suggests that Tasers may be prone to cause cardiac arrest (i.e. heart attack) and fatalities.  The safety of Tasers is an important issue because they are currently used by 16,000 agencies worldwide, and there have been three million uses of Tasers according to a spokesman for the manufacturer of the device, Taser International Inc., which is based in Scottsdale, Arizona.

A Taser device functions by administering a 50,000 volt shock that is transferred via wires connected to a barb that is shot and penetrates a suspect’s skin.  The electrical current prevents the suspect from using his or her muscles so that police can subdue the suspect.  The device can be fired at a suspect from a distance of 35 feet which some law enforcement agencies contend keeps the officers safe and involves a less lethal form of force to subdue a suspect.

However, there are a growing number of lawsuits being filed against the manufacturer of Tasers amid allegations the devises are more dangerous than they were portrayed to be when first marketed.  Amnesty International reports that there have been 500 fatalities involving Tasers since 2001.  It must be noted that in some of these cases other factors were also found to have contributed to the fatality, including drug use or pre-existing medical issues.

While the manufacturer of Tasers has argued that the number of fatalities associated with Tasers is overstated and that the benefits in lives saved outweighs any potential danger, a new medical report published in the American Heart Association’s leading journal, Circulation, concludes that Tasers can cause cardiac electric capture and trigger heart attacks.  The study focused on eight separate incidents involving the Taser X26 ECD with seven of those cases resulting in death.  The report indicated that the risk of heart attack from a Taser results from uncontrolled fluttering contractions and an excessively high heart rate.

While initial lawsuits against the manufacturer of Tasers were unsuccessful, there have since been substantial verdicts against the company.  For example, a North Carolina jury returned a $10 million dollar judgment against the company in a wrongful death lawsuit last year.  The judgment was later reduced to $4.4 million.  There appears to be evidence that Taser devices were not adequately tested which may create a basis for product liability lawsuits.

If you or someone close to you has suffered serious injury or wrongful death caused by a Taser, our experienced Mississippi personal injury attorneys at Barrett Law may be able to help you seek compensation for your injuries or loss of a loved one.  At Barrett Law, our experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyers represent injury victims throughout Mississippi.  Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.

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Mississippi Side Impact Collisions Pose Special Hazards to Children

Side impact collisions can be extremely dangerous particularly for vehicle occupants on the side of the vehicle that absorbs the impact from the front end of the other car.  Dangerous side impact collisions (also called “T-Bone accidents”) are common in intersections when drivers disregard traffic signals, stop signs or right of way rules.  When a car runs a red light or stop sign or violates right of way rules by turning in front of a vehicle that is proceeding straight, the result can be catastrophic injury.  Another common location for side impact crashes is around driveways and parking lots.  When vehicles back out of the driveway or a parking space, the front end of one vehicle may slam into the side of another.

Side impact collisions are especially dangerous because the area around the doors of a vehicle typically lack the structural integrity to absorb the same degree of force as the front end or rear of a vehicle.  This can cause the side of the vehicle to essentially collapse in on a vehicle occupant resulting in permanent devastating injuries.  Because of the severe nature of the injuries that are common in side impact collisions, it is important to summon law enforcement personal to an accident scene so that critical evidence can be preserved.

While enormous strides have been made in motor vehicle safety, the task of reducing side impact collisions injuries has been less successful.  While there has been a substantial reduction in fatal front impact fatalities during the last two decades, the number of fatal side impact crashes has continued to rise.  This period has seen a twenty percent increase in side impact fatalities.  One of the reasons has been an increase in the popularity of SUVs and larger vehicles that cause more carnage when they collide with the doors of another vehicle.  Although side window airbags and other supplementary air bags can reduce these risks, many vehicle manufacturers have been slow to make such air bags standard equipment.

Side impact collisions present an especially high risk of severe injury to children.  There is typically only about eight inches of steel protecting a child in the backseat during a side impact collision.  T-Bone crashes account for almost a third of all motor vehicle accident related fatalities involving children.  The importance of side window air bags is reflected in the fact that the lion-share of these fatal injuries to children are caused by trauma to the head.  Side airbags that protect the head, chest and abdomen lower the risk of fatalities in side impact collisions by approximately 37 percent based on data provided by the the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

At Barrett Law, our experienced Mississippi side impact accident attorneys represent injury victims throughout Mississippi.  If you or your child is injured in a T-Bone collision, our experienced Mississippi side impact injury attorneys may be able to help you obtain compensation for injuries or wrongful death suffered in a T-bone collision.   Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.

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