Mississippi Car Accident Attorneys Discuss Work Zone Safety

The summer is a prime time for travel, but it is also a popular time for road construction.  With this in mind, if you are headed out on the highways, you are likely to encounter work zones. As inconvenient as the traffic, reduced speed, and detours may be, the presence of highway work zones carries with it the promise of smoother travels once the work is complete. Unfortunately, the men and women who work on our roads put their lives on the line every time they enter a work zone. Tragically, each year, accidents in work zones claim the lives of numerous road construction workers.  As such, it is important that drivers educate themselves about work zone safety and do their part to keep highway construction workers safe.

One of the most important things that drivers can do is to remain alert and aware of their surroundings. Work zones are clearly delineated, and all of the information that drivers need in order to get through them safely is usually right there on the road. Speed limit signs instruct drivers as to how fast they can go within a work zone.  Cones, barrels, flashing lights, and barriers provide physical cues for drivers so that they can know where to drive in order to navigate through the work zone. In some work zones, the road is only able to accommodate one lane of traffic at a time. In these situations, flaggers control the flow of traffic so that everyone is given a turn to pass through the area. Unfortunately, when drivers are fatigued or distracted, they are likely to miss some of this important information. When drivers see signs too late or miss them entirely, they may drive right into a work zone, killing or injuring workers.

Drivers and their passengers can also be hurt or killed in work zone accidents. They can be injured in the same types of crashes that can hurt and kill highway workers, or they can be involved in accidents with vehicles that are entering or leaving the work zones if they do not see them in time to respond to their presence in the roadway. The best ways for drivers to keep themselves, their passengers, and highway construction workers safe is to avoid driving when they are tired or fatigued and to avoid cell phones and other distractions while driving.

Barrett Law PLLC: Legal Assistance for Mississippi Car Accident Victims

If you were hurt or if someone you love was killed in a work zone accident, the Mississippi Car Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC are here to help you during this difficult time. Work zone accident victims may face lengthy recovery times and long absences from work, and families who have lost loved ones may experience difficulties in trying to put the pieces of their lives back together following a devastating loss. To learn more about how we can help you, please call our office today at 1 (601) 790-1505 to schedule a free consultation.

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Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys Share Tips for Sharing the Road with Tractor Trailers

Summer is a popular time for road trips. Road trips can be a lot of fun, as long as you get to where you are going safely and without incident. With this in mind, now is a good time for drivers to remind themselves of things that they can do to ensure that their road trips are safe and successful.

As you are driving along the road, you are likely to encounter plenty of vehicles that are not cars. For example, tractors trailers are a common sight on roadways throughout America. The drivers who operate those enormous trucks receive specialized training so that they can drive them safely.  In reality, though, truck drivers count on other drivers to drive responsibly just like the rest of us do. Whenever there is an accident involving a tractor trailer, it is possible that the truck driver is at fault. It is also possible that the driver of another vehicle caused the accident.  Because of this, it makes sense to say that the drivers of passenger vehicles can make the roads safer for everyone by knowing how to drive safely when they are near tractor trailers.

Part of knowing how to avoid accidents with tractor trailers is being aware of the situations that create an increased risk.  For example, there is an increased risk of an accident whenever a passenger vehicle passes a truck. Of course, there are many situations in which drivers want or need to pass trucks, so instead of trying to avoid passing, it is best to learn how to pass safely. First, keep in mind that it takes some time to pass a truck because they are extremely large. It is okay to take your time when passing, because it is better to pass at an even speed rather than at a rapid acceleration. You should always pass on the left, in a designated passing zone, and be sure that you are far enough in front of it before you move back over. If a truck is trying to get around you, you can make that pass safer by slowing down a little so that they can complete their pass sooner.

Passing situations are not the only time that accidents can happen. If the driver of a passenger vehicle is tired or distracted, they may get too close to a truck and collide with it. When the driver of a passenger vehicle fails to yield to an oncoming truck, the truck driver may not be able to avoid a collision. Drivers who do not realize that trucks have blind spots also increase the risk of an accident. A truck’s blind spots are directly behind it, next to its left rear quarter, and next to its right front quarter. If a passenger vehicle is in blind spot, the truck driver cannot see it, which increases the risk of a crash.

Barrett Law PLLC: Caring and Compassionate Representation for Mississippi Accident Victims  

The Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC may be able to help you if you have been injured in a Mississippi automobile accident. To learn more, please call us today at 1 (601) 790-1505 to schedule an initial consultation.

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Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys Explain Rollover Crashes

Did you know that rollover crashes have a higher fatality rate than other types of vehicle wrecks? While only a little over two percent of all passenger vehicle crashes are rollovers, rollover wrecks cause over thirty percent of all passenger vehicle fatalities. Because rollover crashes are so deadly, it is important that all drivers understand what they are so that they can take steps to avoid them.

There are two ways that rollover accidents generally happen. In the first type of rollover crash scenario, the “tripped rollover,” the vehicle goes off of the road surface and slides sideways.  As the vehicle slides, its tires dig into the soft dirt at the side of the road or hit a curb, guardrail, rock, or other object, essentially “tripping” the vehicle and causing it to roll over. It is easy to envision tripped rollovers, if you think about it. If you can imagine the driver of an SUV or pickup truck driving at highway speed and accidentally moving too far to the right, causing one or two of the vehicle’s tires to go off of the roadway and into the dirt, you can easily imagine that the driver’s response will probably be to jerk the wheel hard to the left to avoid veering off the road. If the driver’s quick and sharp response leads to overcorrection, the tires will continue to dig further into the soft dirt, and the vehicle will roll over. Likewise, if one side of a vehicle rolls up onto an object like a curb or a guardrail at a high rate of speed, the vehicle’s movement can generate enough force to roll it over. Steep slopes off of the side of the road can also cause tripped rollovers, because a vehicle only has to leave the road surface slightly to begin rolling down the slope, even if it was traveling at a fairly low speed to begin with.

While tripped rollover crashes account for ninety five percent of all rollover wrecks, there is another way that rollover accidents can happen. These “other” rollover crashes are called “un-tripped” rollovers. Un-tripped rollovers are most likely to happen when the drivers of top-heavy vehicles encounter high-speed collision-avoidance situations like animals running into the road or large items in the roadway.

Barrett Law PLLC:  Serving the Victims of Mississippi Rollover Accidents

Rollover crashes are dangerous and they are often deadly. If you have suffered an injury or you have lost someone you love because of a rollover wreck, the Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC are here to assist you. You are likely to have a lot of questions during this challenging and often confusing time in your life. Our compassionate and dedicated team of attorneys is ready to assist you and your family as you work to overcome the challenges that you are facing due to the rollover accident. Please call our office today at 1 (601) 790-1505 to schedule an initial consultation.

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Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys Report: Self-Driving Cars are Vulnerable to Collisions

By now, many people are aware that Google has developed a self-driving car. What people may not yet realize is that self-driving cars have been involved in collisions. The list of crashes involving self-driving cars recently expanded to include a crash that involved some degree of bodily injury. Upon hearing this, people’s initial reactions might be to think that self-driving cars are not safe, or that a driver would have been able to avoid an accident more readily than a self-driven vehicle.  Fortunately, neither of these things are true. The self-driving cars that are being tested are proving to be quite safe, and information about collisions involving the cars indicates that they have not caused the accidents in which they were involved.

Interestingly enough, the noteworthy “first bodily injury in a self-driving car” collision in California was not actually caused by anything related to the self-driving car.  Specifically, it was caused by another driver, who rear-ended the Google car, which was stopped in traffic at a green light because it could not clear the intersection due to traffic on the other side of the intersection. According to Google, there have been other accidents involving self-driving cars, including several rear-end collisions. In all of these accidents, human error was the underlying cause of the crash.

The collisions involving self-driving cars call attention to the problem of inattention, or human error. The cars do have drivers, because the laws do not permit driverless vehicles on roadways. For the most part, the cars do, in fact, drive themselves, and the driver sits in the driver’s seat, ready to intervene if necessary.

There are not many self-driving cars on the road right now, and those that are are the ones that are being tested by Google employees. As testing continues, the self-driving car program is likely to provide plenty of interesting and useful information about cars, drivers, and all of the things that happen on the road. Google’s self-driving cars are now driving about 10,000 miles a month, which approximates the amount of driving that a typical American driver drives in a year. In total, the self-driving cars have driven over a million miles in self-driving mode. They have also logged another eight hundred thousand miles with a driver in control. The cars use computers, cameras, and other sophisticated technologies to maneuver themselves on all kinds of roadways.

Barrett Law PLLC:  Caring and Compassionate Legal Representation for Mississippi Accident Victims

While it is unlikely that you will be involved in an accident with a self-driving car, there are plenty of other vehicles on the road that could be involved in a collision with the vehicle that you are driving. If you were involved in a car crash and you are hurt, the Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC want to help you. Our team of experienced attorneys is dedicated to helping you, so please call Barrett Law PLLC today at 1 (601) 790-1505 to schedule a free consultation with us.

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Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys Share Tips for Sharing the Road with Motorcycles

Many motorcycle riders are enthusiastic about almost everything about riding motorcycles. However, there is one thing that even the most enthusiastic riders are likely to agree can ruin a good ride, if not end it entirely. That one thing is when the drivers of other vehicles fail to yield. When motorists do not yield to motorcycle riders, it is not just upsetting. The failure to yield can be dangerous, and even deadly.

Motorcycle riders are responsible for doing what they can in order to make themselves more visible. Things like using headlights all of the time and wearing highly visible clothing make motorcycle riders easier to see. However, simply seeing motorcycle riders on the road is not enough. Motorists who share the road with motorcycles must always be aware of their surroundings, and they must yield to oncoming motorcycles just as they would yield to other oncoming vehicles.

In addition to yielding to oncoming motorcycles, there are a few other things that motorists can do to improve their awareness of motorcycles on the road. For example, looking twice in each direction before entering an intersection is a good way to make sure that you don’t miss an approaching motorcycle, or any other vehicle, for that matter. Also, checking your mirrors when changing lanes and when using on ramps and off ramps can help you avoid entering the path of a motorcycle. Using turn signals lets other drivers, including motorcycle riders, know where you are going so that they can anticipate and react to your movements.

Another important thing that you can do to share the road more safely with motorcycles is to leave plenty of room between your vehicle and any motorcycles that you see. Many motorcycles are designed in such a way that the driver can slow down by downshifting through the gears, applying the brakes only when it is almost time to stop. For this reason, motorcycles may appear to stop suddenly or slow down rapidly. The minimum safe distance between your car and a motorcycle is twice the distance that you would leave between your vehicle and any other vehicle. When you are stopped in traffic or sitting at a traffic light, it is also important to leave additional space between your vehicle and any motorcycles that are in front of you. Motorcycle riders sometimes need extra space and time to navigate intersections, especially if the pavement is uneven or wet.

Barrett Law PLLC: Top Quality Representation for Mississippi Accident Victims  

Motorists and motorcyclists can share the road safely, if they work together to follow the rules of the road and pay close attention to what they, and others around them, are doing. The Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC are here to help people who have been injured and families who have lost loved ones in Mississippi automobile accidents. To learn more about who we are and what we do, please call our office today at 1 (601) 790-1505 to schedule your free consultation.

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Mississippi Car Accident Attorneys Explore the Connection between Accidents and Insurance Rates

Did you know that your car insurance premium does not automatically increase every single time that you have an accident? Somewhere along the way, many of us have adopted the notion that any car accident, no matter how minor, will cause our insurance rates to go up. This is simply not true, and while some accidents do cause rate increases, others have no effect on rates whatsoever. It is important that drivers understand this, because some accidents go unreported as a result of this faulty assumption.

Every insurer that offers coverage for automobiles calculates its rates in a slightly different way. When you make a claim, your insurer will consider a few relevant factors in addition to the circumstances surrounding the current accident, in deciding whether to raise your insurance rate. These factors include whether the accident was your fault, the number of claims that you have made in the past, your driving record, and the payout amounts of previous claims that you have filed.

To add to the confusion, some insurers offer “accident forgiveness,” which can reduce the likelihood of an accident affecting your insurance rates. While the exact definition of accident forgiveness varies from insurer to insurer, the general concept is that if the laws of your state permit and you meet certain other criteria, your first at-fault accident will not affect your insurance rates. Of course, as you might imagine, restrictions and exclusions do apply, so be sure that you read and understand your policy.

One major factor that will weigh heavily on whether or not an accident will affect your insurance premium is if you were violating the law at the time of the accident. Speeding, failing to obey red lights and stop signs, and driving under the influence of alcohol are common traffic violations that can lead to car accidents, but they are not the only ones. The accidents that are caused by drivers violating these and other traffic laws often cause large amounts of damage and injury. A driver who is at fault in an accident that occurred while they were violating one or more traffic laws can expect a large increase in their insurance rate if their insurer does not drop them altogether.

Barrett Law PLLC: Superior Representation for Mississippi Car Accident Victims

Drivers need to know that filing an insurance claim after a car accident will not automatically increase their insurance premiums. Please do not let a concern over car insurance rates prevent you from obtaining compensation for the injuries and damages that you have suffered as a result of a car accident. Also, be sure to get checked out by a doctor as soon as you can, so that you can get the care that you need and create a record of your injuries. If you were hurt in a Mississippi accident, the Mississippi Car Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC can help you. Call our office today, at 1 (601) 790-1505, to schedule a free consultation.

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Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys Talk about Child Safety Seats

Some Automobile accidents are the leading cause of death for children between the ages of one and nineteen, according to Safe Kids Worldwide, a global organization which is dedicated to preventing injuries to children. Sometimes, the problem is that the child was not buckled into a child safety seat while they were riding in the vehicle. In cases where the child was riding in a child safety seat, the injury or death was often caused by misuse of the child safety seat that the child was buckled into at the time of the accident.

It is estimated that in the United States, child safety seats are used incorrectly over seventy percent of the time. This includes failing to use restraints for child passengers, as riding without a restraint greatly increases the risk of automobile accident injuries and death for children. Even when parents do use safety seats and seat belts, there is plenty of room for error. From children being placed in the wrong type of restraint for their size and age, to incorrectly securing the restraint in the vehicle or the child in the restraint, there are, unfortunately, many ways to incorrectly use restraints and safety seats for children. Notwithstanding, if parents and caregivers educate themselves about how to properly choose and use child safety seats, they can make riding in the car a lot safer for the little ones in their lives.

Each state has its own laws regarding child safety seats. Mississippi has a primary booster seat law. The law requires all children under the age of seven to ride in a child restraint that is designed to hold children of their age and size. State laws like the one in Mississippi provide a good basic framework for keeping children safe in the car. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is a great resource for parents and caregivers who want to learn more about choosing and using child safety seats. Some of the recommendations that are made by the AAP go above and beyond what most state laws require, such as suggesting that all children under two years of age ride in a rear facing car seat. The AAP website also offers answers to common questions about installing car seats, and tips for using them properly.

Barrett Law PLLC:  Representing Those Who Have Been Injured In Mississippi Automobile Accidents  

Child safety seats and booster seats can save lives, when they are used correctly. Parents can increase the chance that they and their children will arrive at their destination safely buckling themselves and their children into the appropriate restraints for every car trip. Unfortunately, even if they are using the correct child safety seat or booster seat, children can still get badly injured or even killed in an automobile accident. If your child was hurt or killed in a Mississippi car crash, the experienced and dedicated Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC are here to help you. Please call us today, at 1 (601) 790-1505 to schedule your free, initial consultation.

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Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys Discuss Wrongful Death Actions

If someone in your family died in a car accident that was caused by the negligent actions of another person, you may be experiencing many feelings right now. For example, sadness is a natural reaction to the loss of a close friend or family member. Anger is also a common feeling that many people experience when someone that they love dies, especially when their death is sudden and unanticipated. Confusion is another common feeling for people who are experiencing a loss. Altogether, mixed emotions are normal during the grieving process, and it can be some time before those who have suffered a loss are able to work through their feelings surrounding the loss and take any actions that they are able to take to move forward in their own lives.

If you have experienced a loss because of the negligence of someone else, you may be able to file a wrongful death action against the party whose negligence caused your loved one to die. A wrongful death action can serve the dual purpose of holding a negligent person responsible for the devastation that they have caused and providing compensation to the family of the deceased. In Mississippi, the persons who can file a wrongful death claim on the behalf of someone who has died include their full-blooded and half-blooded family members, and their statutory beneficiaries.

When a family member or group of family members brings a wrongful death action, their claim can address a few different types of damages. For example, funeral expenses and any expenses associated with the decedent’s medical care are often sought in wrongful death cases, as are damages related to the pain and suffering that the decedent experienced. A wrongful death action can also ask for an award of the money that the deceased would likely have gone on to earn had he or she had the chance to fulfill an average life expectancy.  Damages for the loss of companionship of the deceased may also be pursued as part of a wrongful death lawsuit in Mississippi. There is even the possibility of an award of punitive damages, if it can be proven that the defendant was grossly negligence or engaged in willful misconduct.

Barrett Law PLLC:  Superior Legal Representation for Families of Mississippi Accident Victims

When an automobile accident that is caused by negligence results in the death of one or more people, the family of the deceased may be able to bring a wrongful death action on their behalf. If a negligent driver has caused a loss in your family, the Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC want to help you get through this difficult time in your life. You are experiencing a tragic loss because of another person’s actions, and you deserve to have only the best in legal representation. Our team of experienced attorneys is dedicated to helping you. Call Barrett Law PLLC today, at 1 (601) 790-1505, to schedule a free consultation.

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Mississippi Car Accident Attorneys Explain Why You Need an Attorney for Your Car Accident Case

When a car crash occurs, the first thing that usually happens is that anyone who was injured is treated for their injuries or examined to ensure that they were not injured. Once injuries have been addressed and those who were hurt are beginning to work towards recovering from their injuries, other questions arise, such as filing a claim for damages so that medical bills can get paid and the vehicle can be repaired or replaced.

If you were involved in an accident and you are planning to pursue a claim for damages, you may wonder whether you can do so on your own, or whether you need an attorney to help you. There are a few reasons why it makes good sense to forego attempting to resolve your claim on your own and proceed directly to finding a Mississippi Car Accident Attorney who will help you.

One reason why it is a good idea to enlist the aid of an attorney in pursuing a claim for damages after an automobile accident is that all insurance claims, including those that appear to be simple and straightforward matters, have the potential to become difficult to resolve. This is, unfortunately, the nature of working with an insurance company, because they want to pay as little money as they can on as few claims as possible. When you work with a Mississippi Car Accident Attorney, your attorney is the one who will take care of all of the phone calls, emails, negotiations, and other tasks that must be done in order to get your claim through the claims process to a resolution that works for you.

If money is tight, hiring an attorney to deal with your automobile accident claim may seem like something that is financially out of reach. It is true that hiring an attorney costs money. Drivers who are represented by attorneys usually obtain much better settlements much faster than drivers who pursue their own claims. Therefore, the money that you spend on an attorney can be thought of as an investment in obtaining a better result in a shorter time than you could on your own, without having to make all of those phone calls, emails, and other communications with the insurance company.

A Mississippi Car Accident Attorney can also help you avoid selling yourself short. They know how to evaluate cases like yours, and they can give you an accurate assessment of the value of your case, so that you do not accept a settlement offer that is inadequate. What’s more, your attorney will work with the insurance company to secure a settlement offer that will compensate you adequately, and they can take that pursuit of a proper settlement into the courtroom, if necessary.

Barrett Law PLLC: Excellent Representation for Those Who Have Been Injured in Mississippi Car Accidents 

Dealing with an accident claim can be tedious, frustrating, and time-consuming. If you were hurt in an accident, you may prefer to focus your time and energy on recovering from your injuries, getting back to work, and getting your life back on track instead of spending hours on the phone arguing with an insurance company. The Mississippi Car Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC can help you obtain the compensation that you deserve. Call our office today, at 1 (601) 790-1505, to schedule a free consultation.

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Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys Share Accident Avoidance Tips

Approximately sixty five percent of fatal automobile accidents involve just one vehicle. This makes single-vehicle crashes even more deadly than accidents where multiple vehicles are involved. Unfortunately, single-vehicle crashes are also the most difficult accidents for accident investigators to resolve. The reason for this is simple – if the crash was fatal, the driver, who was the person who would have had the most information about what happened before and during the crash, cannot relay that information to anyone after they are deceased.  However, while the cause of any given single-vehicle accident can be very difficult to pinpoint, there is a good amount of knowledge available regarding how drivers can prevent single vehicle crashes.

One major cause of single vehicle accidents is drunk driving. Many single-vehicle accidents happen when a vehicle leaves the roadway and either flips over down an embankment or collides with an object like a tree. When a driver has consumed alcohol, their reaction time is slower and their judgment is poor. Under those circumstances, it is easy to misjudge a curve in the road or fail to make a necessary course correction in time to avoid an accident. Avoiding alcohol use prior to and during driving can reduce your risk of being in a single-vehicle accident.

Since tired drivers respond in much the same way as those who are under the influence of alcohol, it is not surprising that tired drivers are another leading cause of single-vehicle accidents. Getting adequate rest is therefore another way that drivers can decrease the risk that they will be involved in a single vehicle accident. Also, if you are driving and you notice that you are tired, find a place to rest a bit before continuing on your way. Taking a rest break could make the difference between arriving at your destination safely and being injured or killed in a single-vehicle accident.

Speeding and distracted driving are other leading causes of single-vehicle accidents. There is a common characteristic of the top causes of single-vehicle accidents, including driving under the influence of alcohol, driver fatigue, speeding, and distracted driving. That common denominator is driver choice. Each of those things is something that results from a driver’s voluntary choices about what they do both before and during their drive. This is encouraging news for drivers, because it means that they have the power to make choices that will greatly reduce the likelihood that they will be involved in a single-vehicle accident.

Barrett Law PLLC:  Serving Mississippi Car Accident Victims and Their Families  

If you have lost a loved one in a single-vehicle accident, or if you were injured in a one-car crash, you may be able to recover for the loss or damages that you have experienced. The compassionate and experienced Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC help accident victims and their families recover the compensation that they deserve. Please call our office today, at 1 (601) 790-1505 to schedule your free, initial consultation.

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