Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys Talk about Drunk Driving Accidents

It is time for summer fun, and while for many people that includes the occasional night out, barbecue, or party, it unfortunately sometimes includes drinking and driving. Drivers who consume alcohol before or during their drive pose a threat to the safety of themselves, and everyone else that is on the road. When an accident occurs and the driver is found to have been under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash, it is likely that criminal charges will be filed against them. However, criminal charges are just one way in which intoxicated drivers can be held responsible for their actions. As with any automobile accident, the accident victims and/or their families, if there were fatalities, can pursue claims for damages against the driver who caused the accident.

Losing a loved one or being severely injured by a drunk driver can be incredibly painful, and recovering physically and emotionally can take a long time. You are likely to be dealing with the physical pain associated with your injuries, the emotional pain associated with losing someone you love, the stress of paying for medical bills and replacing or fixing damaged vehicles, and more. As you embark on the journey of recovering from your injuries or loss, you may also begin to wonder how you will pay for medical bills and lost wages. You can pursue a claim for damages to recover the costs of your medical bills, lost wages, and other damages, in addition to the pain and suffering that you are experiencing as the result of your injuries or loss.

Each accident that is caused by a drunk driver involves negligence.  A Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorney understands the rules regarding negligence, and the rules regarding evidence. This means that attorneys know exactly which information to gather from police reports, witnesses, experts, and others to present a very convincing case on your behalf. Your attorney can also help you understand the value of your case, so that you do not settle for less than you deserve. If the insurance company refuses to cooperate and acknowledge your loss or damages by proposing an acceptable settlement offer, a Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorney knows how to bring your drunk driving accident case to court and fight for your right to be justly compensated.

Barrett Law PLLC:  Superior Legal Representation for Victims of Mississippi Drunk Driving Accidents

Accidents involving drivers who are intoxicated often result in serious injury or death. If you have been injured, or if you have lost a loved one in a Mississippi automobile accident that was caused by a drunk driver, the Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC want to help you get through this difficult time in your life. You have endured great harm because of another person’s poor choice, and you deserve to have only the best in legal representation. Our team of experienced attorneys is dedicated to tirelessly pursuing the results that our clients deserve. Call Barrett Law PLLC today, at 1 (601) 790-1505 to schedule a free consultation.

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Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys Explain Settlement Offers

If you were injured in a Mississippi automobile accident, you may have received a settlement offer from the insurance company very soon after your accident. While it may seem like a good thing to see a settlement offer so soon after your car accident, it is important that you carefully assess any settlement offer before accepting it to ensure that it will, in fact, adequately compensate you for your injuries and damages.

Accepting a settlement offer soon after an accident puts you at risk for accepting a settlement that is not adequate for two reasons. First of all, if you were injured, you may not yet know the full extent of your injuries, what medical care you will need in the future, or how fully you will recover from your injuries. All of those things affect the value of your claim, so it is important to wait until you have a more comprehensive picture of your injuries and the anticipated recovery process before accepting a settlement offer.  The second reason for not immediately accepting a settlement offer is that even if you know everything you need to know about your injuries, you may not have had time to evaluate the total financial impact of the accident on your life. Things like lost wages and damage to your vehicle factor into an award of damages alongside the expected costs of recovering from your injuries. Hence, it is a good idea to consult with an automobile accident attorney to determine the value of your claim.

It is also important that accident victims remember the following when they read any settlement offer – the settlement offer that you are reading was written by someone who works for the insurance company and not for you. In other words, the offer has been calculated to bring the greatest possible benefit to the insurance company by getting you to settle your claim quickly, and for the lowest possible amount. As an accident victim, you deserve to be fully compensated for the all of damages that you sustained in the accident. You are also free to accept or reject any settlement offer that is extended to you.  An automobile accident attorney can help you to understand what your case is worth, and they can also pursue a better offer on your behalf, if you choose to decline the offer that you have received. If the insurance company does not extend an appropriate settlement offer, your attorney can file a lawsuit against the insurance company and represent you at trial, if need be.

Barrett Law PLLC:  Serving the Victims of Mississippi Automobile Accidents  

If you have been injured in a car accident, it is important that you speak with a Mississippi automobile accident attorney right away. Your attorney can help you to pursue the financial recovery that you deserve, even if that means going to trial. The experienced 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 Pedestrian Accidents

Now that warmer weather is here to stay, everyone is eager to get outside. Many people enjoy going out for a walk, whether it is for exercise, recreation, or as a method of transportation. Unfortunately, as pedestrian traffic increases, the risk for automobile-pedestrian collisions also increases. The number of motor vehicle accidents involving pedestrians has been increasing for a few years now, and distracted driving appears to be a major reason for the increase.

When a motor vehicle strikes a pedestrian, the driver of the vehicle is likely to be found to have been at fault for the accident. There are a few ways in which pedestrian accidents often happen. Sometimes, a driver makes a turn as a pedestrian is crossing the street in a crosswalk. At other times, a driver who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol may collide with a pedestrian who they do not see because of their condition. Drivers who run red lights or stop signs also run the risk of striking a pedestrian who is crossing the road at the intersection. Vehicles entering the roadway from driveways sometimes do not notice pedestrians who are approaching, and pedestrian accidents happen this way, as well.

When an automobile strikes a pedestrian, it is highly likely that death or serious injury will occur. When a person has been seriously injured or killed in a pedestrian accident, there are a few types of legal actions which may be filed against the driver by various parties. For example, the State can file criminal charges against the driver if he or she was violating any laws at the time of the accident.

Another type of action that may be filed against the driver of an automobile who has struck a pedestrian is a claim for injuries and damages. These claims are the type of claims that are normally filed by the victims of automobile accidents against the driver’s insurance company (for the purpose of obtaining financial recovery for the injuries and damages they have sustained).

If a person dies in a pedestrian accident, there are two types of actions which may be pursued by the family of the deceased against the driver. A survival action is designed to allow the family of the deceased to recover the damages that the deceased could have recovered, had they survived the accident. A wrongful death action is designed to provide the deceased’s family with compensation for their loss when that loss was caused by someone else’s negligence. In automobile-pedestrian collisions, the negligent party is usually the driver of the vehicle. The family of the deceased can recover several types of damages through a wrongful death action, including lost wages, unpaid medical bills, funeral expenses, loss of companionship, and loss of support.

Barrett Law PLLC: Helping Pedestrian Victims of Mississippi Automobile Accidents

When an automobile strikes a pedestrian, serious injury or death are the most likely outcomes. If you are a pedestrian who has been injured in an automobile accident, or if you have lost a loved one in a motor vehicle-pedestrian accident, the Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC can help you. We will work hard to obtain the results that you and your family need. Call the Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC today at 1 (601) 790-1505 to schedule your free, initial consultation.

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Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys Discuss the Dangers of Driver Fatigue

Feeling tired has become so commonplace that many of us don’t fully know or appreciate the full extent of it, at times.  To add to our lack of awareness of how tired we are, many of us drink coffee, tea, and energy drinks throughout the day in order to feel more alert. People are busier and more overextended than ever before, and they are sleeping fewer hours than their bodies require on a regular basis. Chronic sleep deprivation has become such a problem for so many people that we sometimes hear news stories about how sleeping too little can harm our health. As terrible as the health effects of not getting enough rest can be, it is important that people understand that there are additional dangers associated with being sleep-deprived.

Lack of sleep, even in situations where it is not chronic, increases the risk of automobile accidents. The number of accidents caused by drowsy drivers has been steadily increasing, as the amount of rest that people are getting has decreased over time. In the United States, approximately forty thousand people are injured and over fifteen hundred are killed each year in accidents caused by overtired drivers.

One sobering fact about driving while you are tired is that doing so can be just as dangerous as drinking and driving. Lack of sleep impairs judgment, slows reaction time, and decreases awareness, all of which can cause drivers to get into accidents. Some drivers stay awake by drinking coffee or energy drinks, chewing gum, or turning on the air conditioner, but these strategies only work for a little while, especially for drivers who are suffering from extreme levels of fatigue. Even worse, drivers who do these things often feel as though they are more alert than they actually are, so they may still be tired enough to cause an accident.

Single-vehicle accidents where the driver is not intoxicated are often found to have been caused by drowsiness, especially in case where there are fatalities or serious injuries. When the drivers of commercial vehicles hit the road with too little sleep, the stakes are even higher (remember hearing about the Tracy Morgan accident?). Trucking accidents can cause serious injuries and fatalities, just like other types of motor vehicle accidents, as well as massive amounts of property damage.

Barrett Law PLLC:  Top Quality Legal Representation for the Victims of Mississippi Car Accidents    

Tired drivers endanger their own lives as well as the lives of others when they get behind the wheel. If you were hurt in an accident that was caused by a drowsy driver, or if you have lost someone you love in a drowsy driving accident, contact a Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorney right away. The Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC will work hard to help you obtain the financial recovery that you deserve. Call the compassionate and dedicated automobile accident attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC today, at 1 (601) 790-1505, to schedule your free consultation.

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Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorney Discusses Steps to Avoid an Accident

Whenever you get in your car and drive anywhere, you share the road with other drivers. Sometimes, you may not even notice the other vehicles on the road because there are so few of them. If you are driving in traffic, though, you are sure to see vehicles all around you. This can feel uncomfortable because there is not much room for vehicles to maneuver. It is not surprising that vehicles traveling in heavy traffic occasionally collide with each other. Sometimes, one or more additional vehicles will hit the vehicles that were involved in the original collision. When this happens, it is called a chain reaction accident or a pile-up accident.

Traffic is not the only thing that can cause a chain reaction accident. They can also happen in bad weather, when road conditions are slippery and visibility is poor. Pile-up accidents caused by distracted driving can even happen on sunny, dry days on roads with few cars.

One important step you can take to avoid becoming caught up in an already-existing accident is to maintain an awareness of your surroundings and move over whenever you see a vehicle stopped in the road or on the shoulder. Also, always adjust your driving to the weather and the road conditions. Rain, fog, snow, and sleet affect both traction and visibility. Failing to adjust your speed and driving style under those conditions not only increases your risk of having an accident, it increases the risk that you will not see a disabled vehicle or accident that is is already in the roadway and that you will collide with it. Adjusting your driving gives you a better chance of avoiding a pile-up crash because you have more time to respond to things like accidents, animals, or traffic that has slowed down or stopped.

Following at a safe distance is another way to reduce the risk that you will get caught up in a pile-up accident. A gap of one car length for every ten miles per hour of your travel speed can enable you to see what is going on in front of your vehicle in enough time to respond to it and avoid a collision.

Barrett Law PLLC:  Serving the Victims of Mississippi Car Accidents and Their Families  

Sometimes, even drivers who follow all of the safe driving tips listed above have accidents, including chain reaction accidents. If you have been injured or someone that you love has been killed in a pile-up accident, it is important that you speak with a knowledgeable and compassionate automobile accident attorney as soon as you can. Your automobile accident attorney can accurately calculate the amount of damages that you have suffered as a result of the accident, and they can help you to pursue the financial recovery that you deserve. The experienced and dedicated Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorney 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 Whistleblower Attorney Says Government May Have Been Defrauded After Katrina

State Farm has been ordered to pay legal fees and damages of three million dollars to two whistleblowers who called attention to the insurer’s fraudulent actions after Hurricane Katrina. The two whistleblowers, who are sisters, worked for a company that was hired as an independent contractor for State Farm. As part of their work, they visited homes to prepare damage assessments.

The sisters alleged that State Farm committed fraud against the National Flood Insurance Program by blaming damage to homes on the storm surge, which is covered by the National Flood Insurance Program, instead of on wind, which would be covered by the insurance policies that they had issued. The sisters’ case was limited to one property that they had worked on and therefore had acquired personal knowledge of. In that case, the National Flood Insurance Program paid the homeowners two hundred and fifty thousand dollars that was categorized by State Farm as flood damage. State Farm also paid the homeowners a much lower amount, saying that their payment was for the portion of the damages caused by wind. After the fraud was exposed, the insurance giant was ordered to repay the government for the two hundred and fifty thousand dollars that the NFIP had paid to the homeowners, in addition to the damages and attorneys’ fees due the whistleblowers.

It is important to note that the sisters claim that the case which they were directly involved in was not an isolated incident, and that State Farm had a widespread practice of doing the same thing for other claims on properties along the Mississippi Coast after hurricane Katrina. State Farm has filed a counterclaim against the whistleblowers, alleging that they violated the law by taking company files, and that counterclaim is pending.

Barrett Law PLLC:  Protecting the Rights of Mississippi Whistleblowers

Insurance fraud can cost homeowners money, in the form of higher premiums for everyone. When the government is defrauded, public funds are used to pay for damages that should have been paid for by a private company. The whistleblowers who exposed State Farm’s fraudulent handling of one hurricane damage claim have opened the door to investigation into whether other claims were handled properly. Hurricane Katrina cost the government a lot of money, and it is important that funds are repaid if it is determined that private insurers did not bear their fair share of the burden. It is important that people who have information about other situations in which similar instances of insurance fraud may have occurred bring that information to the attention of those who can investigate the situation further.

If you have already become a whistleblower, you may be the target of retaliatory action. The Mississippi Whistleblower Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC are here to help you.  Our attorneys have experience with navigating the complexities of whistleblower lawsuits. They can help you pursue recovery for the losses that you have experienced as a result of your lawful actions.  Call the compassionate and dedicated whistleblower attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC today at 1 (601) 790-1505 to schedule your free, initial consultation.

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Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys Explain Why You Need an Automobile Accident Attorney

After you have been involved in a Mississippi automobile accident, you have a couple of options. You could pursue a claim for damages through your insurance company. You could also contact a Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorney and let them pursue a claim for damages on your behalf. It is possible that you could successfully pursue a claim for damages and obtain compensation for the injuries and damage that you have sustained on your own. Unfortunately, many people who start out pursuing automobile accident claims on their own are not able to obtain the results that they deserve. Whether you have just had an accident and you are wondering what to do or you are working on pursuing a claim for damages and wondering whether things might go more smoothly if you were to retain an attorney, this article is for you. It is always a good idea to enlist the aid of a Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorney in pursuing a claim for damages after an automobile accident for a number of reasons.

One reason why it is important to contact an attorney right away is that people who are represented by attorneys in automobile accident cases often obtain more favorable recoveries than those who resolve their claims on their own, even after accounting for attorneys’ fees. Your attorney can prevent you from accepting a settlement offer that is too low by helping you to understand what your claim is truly worth. Many accident victims accept settlement offers that are inadequate because they do not know that they are free to reject them if they believe that they are too low to compensate them for the full extent of their damages. Your attorney has handled many automobile accident cases, so they understand how to calculate damages accurately. When you know what your case is worth, you have a point of reference from which to judge the adequacy of any settlement offers that are extended to you.

Obtaining a successful resolution of an automobile accident claim may require quite a bit of time and effort. Between negotiating with the insurance company about the amount of damages to communicating with the insurance company and evaluating proposed settlement offers, the time required can really add up. Your life is probably already very busy, and you probably do not have time to wait on hold to speak to someone from the insurance company or to write a follow up letter or email after your first one went unanswered for weeks. If an attorney is making calls and writing letters on your behalf, the insurance company is likely to respond faster because they know that you are poised to litigate your claim if need be.

Barrett Law PLLC:  Incredibly Effective Legal Representation for Mississippi Car Accident Victims  

If you have been injured, or if you have lost a loved one in a Mississippi automobile accident, the Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC want to help you. We will work hard to get you the recovery that you deserve, as you focus your energy on healing from your injuries or helping your family as they mourn their loss. Call the experienced automobile accident attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC today at 1 (601) 790-1505 to schedule your free consultation.

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Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys Talk About Car Crash Injuries

Automobile accident victims experience many different types of injuries. Some types of injuries are even known as being associated with car accidents, because car accident victims are so frequently affected by them. Unfortunately, not all of these injuries are easy to recognize. For this reason, all automobile accident victims should get examined by a doctor as soon as possible after the crash, even if they do not feel hurt.

Neck injuries are a noticeable and ubiquitous car accident injury. Neck injuries are often caused by car accidents because the force of their vehicle colliding with another vehicle or an object stops the vehicles suddenly, causing the heads of people inside the vehicle to violently snap forwards and then back. That type of movement causes whiplash or neck strain, and people who are injured in this manner can experience long recovery times and long-lasting pain.

Automobile accident victims frequently experience back injuries. Back injuries can range from minor injuries with a short recovery time, to severe injuries that require surgery and can affect a victim’s mobility and quality of life for a very long time.

Concussions are another common automobile accident injury, and they can be hard to spot. Open head wounds or skull fractures are both noticeable and painful. However, people who have concussions and may not notice any signs or symptoms of their injuries until a week or more after an accident. Concussions are serious injuries, and the longer they are left untreated, the more damage they are likely to cause.

Facial injuries happen often in car accidents. During a crash, an accident victim’s face may come into contact with the dashboard, the window, the steering wheel, or any number of other hard or sharp objects. When this happens, victims may experience facial bruises, fractures, and cuts which can be minor, moderate, or severe.

The emotional distress that many accident victims experience is also an injury, albeit one that some accident victims find it difficult to discuss with their doctors. Accidents can force people to make sudden changes to their daily lives, and these sudden changes can be difficult to deal with. From learning to live with a debilitating injury to being suddenly unemployed and facing a lengthy recovery before you can return to work, it is not surprising that accident victims suffer emotionally. Emotional injuries like anxiety and depression can cause a great deal of suffering, and they can last for quite some time. Victims who are involved in accidents where they survived and other people died are the most likely to suffer severe emotional damage, but any anyone who has been in an accident is at risk.

Barrett Law PLLC: Dedicated to the Needs of Mississippi Car Accident Victims  

Automobile accidents can cause many different kinds of injuries, and even death. If you have been injured, or if you have lost a loved one in an accident, the Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC are here to help you. We will aggressively pursue financial recovery that meets your needs, so that you can focus on the important work of healing from your injuries. Call the experienced automobile accident attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC today at 1 (601) 790-1505 to schedule your free, initial consultation.

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Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys Talk about Accidents Involving Animals

When a car, truck, or SUV hits an animal, the results can be devastating and deadly. Approximately one and a half million motor vehicle accidents involving animals happen on American roads each year. Many of these accidents happen after dark, when it is harder for drivers to see animals. Some animals are more active at night, which also increases the risk of accidents. Dusk and dawn are other peak times for vehicle-animal collisions because of the activity patterns of other animals. There are also seasonal variations in the number of animal accidents due to migration, hunting seasons, mating, and other events which affect the movements of animals throughout their habitats. The weight and size of some animals can cause an enormous impact when they collide with a vehicle. During a collision, if the animal is tossed through the air, it can crash through the windshield or even flatten the roof of the car. When this happens, serious injuries and fatalities are likely to result.

Animals can be present anywhere along the road. Deer are commonly seen where there are open fields. In areas where there are trees or other tall plants along the road, animals can be hard to see until they are actually in the road. Also, some animals, like deer, are often found in groups. If you are driving and you see a deer, carefully scan the area for others that may be nearby.

If you cannot avoid hitting an animal that is in the road, do your best to hit it from an angle. This increases the chance that it will be deflected away from your car instead of into the air. If you hit an animal with your car, there is likely to be extensive damage to your car. Depending upon the terms of your car insurance policy, some or all of the damage and injuries which were caused by the animal-related accident may be covered by insurance. Sometimes, claims for damages in accidents that were caused by animals will not be paid by insurers unless there is a police report available. It is a good idea to call the police after an accident involving an animal anyways, because the animal must be removed from the roadway. Do not try to move dead or injured animals out of the road yourself, as it is very dangerous to do so.

Barrett Law PLLC:  Top Quality Legal Representation for the Victims of Mississippi Car Accidents    

Car accidents involving animals often result in both the driver and any passengers being severely injured or killed.  If you have been injured, or if you have lost a loved one in an accident involving a wild or domestic animal, the Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC want to help you. We will work hard to obtain recovery that meets your needs, while you focus on the important work of healing from your injuries or helping your family as they mourn their loss. Call the experienced automobile accident attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC today at 1 (601) 790-1505 to schedule your free consultation.

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Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys Report: Four Teens Die in Fatal Jones County Accident

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A tragic accident occurred recently in Jones County, Mississippi, claiming the lives of four teenagers.  The single vehicle accident happened on Friday, February 6.  The Jones County Sheriff reported that three teens, ages 13, 14 and 16 were killed when the Nissan Altima they were riding in struck a tree.  The car was traveling at a high rate of speed and the driver lost control of the vehicle, sending it careening into a tree.  All four of the occupants were ejected from the vehicle.  None of them were wearing safety belts.  Three of the teens, including two sisters, were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, while the fourth fought for her life for some time at a local hospital before eventually succumbing to her injuries.  An accident reconstructionist is working to reconstruct the accident, but has reported that speed was certainly a factor in the crash.

Sadly, the death of these four young people was likely preventable.  Had the teens been wearing their seatbelts, as required under Mississippi law, they may have survived the accident.  In the state of Mississippi, all drivers and front seat passengers must wear a seatbelt.  Exceptions include those drivers or passengers with disabilities or medical conditions that make seatbelt use impossible, on duty U.S. Postal Service vehicles, and vehicles intended for farm use.

It is an undeniable fact that seatbelts save lives.  Approximately 64 percent of drivers between the ages of 13 and 15 and 21 to 34 were not wearing seatbelts in 2008.  These age groups have the highest percentage out of all age groups.  Research shows that safety belts reduce the risk of fatal injury to front seat car occupants by 45 percent and the risk of severe injury by 50 percent.

Ejection from the vehicles, as occurred in this Jones County crash, is the most common event that can happen to a person not wearing a seatbelt in the event of an accident.  Over 77 percent of all vehicle occupants who are ejected from the vehicle die as a result.  It is estimated that seatbelts save the lives of over 13,000 automobile drivers and passengers each year.

Of all the teens that die in automobile crashes, about 55 percent were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash.  Teens are most likely to not wear a seatbelt, and men are 10 percent less likely than women to wear their safety belt.  Those that live in rural areas have lower rates of seatbelt use, and seatbelt use is lower in states with no seatbelt laws or secondary enforcement laws.

The message to be gleaned from these statistics and this fatal crash is simple:  wear your seatbelt each and every time you get into a motor vehicle, whether you are a driver or a passenger, as this simple act can save your life.

Barrett Law PLLC:  Aggressive Representation for Automobile Accident Victims Across the State

This recent tragic accident illustrates the importance of wearing seatbelts and controlling your speed while driving.  Sadly, these four teens are just a few of thousands who will be killed in automobile accidents this year alone.  If you or a loved one is involved in an automobile accident in the state of Mississippi, the Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC can help.  We assist accident victims in obtaining full compensation for their injuries associated with the crash, including medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and much more.  Call the skilled, experienced, and dedicated automobile accident attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC today at 1 (601) 790-1505 to schedule your free consultation.

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