It’s an unfortunate fact that motor vehicle accidents occur every day. These events are obviously caused by a variety of factors, which includes drunk driving, distracted driving, and aggressive driving. A large percentage of the people involved in these accidents may become seriously injured or lose their lives.
Motorcyclists were involved in a number of accidents during 2013. Individuals riding motorcycles accounted for four percent of the total injuries that occurred and 14% of all the traffic fatalities. Between 2014 to 2015, however, the number of injuries sustained by motorcyclists did decline by 4.3%. In 2014, there were 92,000 motorcyclists injured, and in 2015, there were 88,000.
There was a significant number of motor vehicle accidents during 2015. Estimates indicated that 32,166 of these crashes were fatal. Both legal and illegal drugs played a role in vehicle crashes. Excluding alcohol, legal and illegal drugs were involved in roughly 16% of the crashes that occurred. Almost 1.1 million drivers were arrested that year for being under the influence of either alcohol or narcotics.
Pedestrian injuries and deaths were also significant in 2015. Adults over the age of 65 accounted for 13% of all the pedestrian injuries during that year. The adults within this age bracket also accounted for 19% of all pedestrian deaths.
Fortunately, some drivers are showing more restraint when it comes to using handheld cell phones or manipulating electronic devices while operating their vehicles. From 2015 to 2016, the percentage of drivers engaged in these behaviors decreased from 3.8% to 3.3%. While these distracted driving behaviors could be much further reduced, it points to a growing awareness of the dangers associated with using cell phones and manipulating devices while driving.
When you’re looking for a car accident attorney, a personal injury law firm will have someone on their staff that handles these and other types of cases. If you or someone you love has experienced a substantial injury, such as a brain or spinal cord injury, a car accident attorney will be able to provide you with legal advice and counsel.
A car accident attorney will also be able to provide you with legal help when someone has sustained an injury or died as a result of being hurt by a drunk driver. This also applies to being harmed by an individual that was driving while under the influence of other legal or illegal substances. Other types of cases that a personal injury law firm can handle include situations where pedestrians or bicycle riders have been struck by cars or other vehicles, such as trucks or motorcycles.
It’s important to note that most personal injury cases are settled out of court. Roughly 95% to 96% of these types of cases are settled during the pretrial phase. Since this can be a very challenging time, remember that your personal injury attorney will be there with you throughout the entire process. If your case does need to go to court, your attorney will be there to support you through this experience as well.
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