Car Accident Lawyer

5-Star Advocacy & Strategic Representation to Help Victims Get Compensation & Justice

Life may never be the same after a car wreck. When you or someone you love is the victim of an auto crash, pursuing a legal claim can offer hope and a path to justice and recovery.

At Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers, we are dedicated to providing crash victims exceptional advocacy in all types of car accident cases.

With 20 years of experience and a winning record, our car accident attorneys know how to stand up to the toughest opponents, and we are proud to offer the counsel and advocacy we would expect if we were in your shoes. That’s why we work relentlessly for the best possible resolutions and the maximum possible compensation, no matter how complex or challenging a case may be.

Whether you need answers about a potential claim or it’s time to take the next steps, we are here for you, ready to help 24/7.

Call 888-492-5532 or Email Us for a Free, Confidential Consultation 24/7.

Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers has recovered millions for survivors and families in various types of car accident claims, including those involving catastrophic injury and death. Your claim and recovery could be our next victory.

Click on a link below to jump directly to that section and learn more about car accident causes, cases, lawyers, and compensation.

• How Do Most Car Accidents Happen?
• Car Accident Statistics & Facts
• Do I Need a Car Accident Lawyer?
• What Happens When I File a Car Accident Claim?
• How Long Do Car Accident Cases Take?
• How Much Is My Car Accident Case Worth?
• How Much Does a Car Accident Lawyer Cost?

How Do Most Car Accidents Happen?

Avoidable oversights and preventable negligence are the underlying causes of most car crashes, as the table below shows (source: NHTSA).

The following takes a closer look at each cause and how negligence may be involved.

Motorist Negligence & Auto Accidents

Drivers are not always as careful, alert, sober, or responsible as they should be. In fact, driver negligence is the leading cause of car crashes in Louisiana, Texas, and across the U.S. (source: NHTSA).

Whether that negligence comes from commercial drivers or passenger vehicle motorists, the results can be serious and deadly car crashes. Here’s a closer look at the different forms of driver errors that commonly cause auto wrecks, along with some examples of each (source: NHTSA).

Keep in mind that:

• Multiple driver errors can be involved in one auto crash, and more than one driver may be to blame for the errors that cause a wreck.
• The motorists who make these errors and cause wrecks are usually liable for them.

Vehicle Component Failures & Auto Wrecks

Auto parts, equipment, and systems do not always perform flawlessly. In fact, like drivers, vehicle components can fail to perform as expected or necessary to prevent wrecks.

When vehicle problems contribute to traffic collisions:

• Issues with the tires and brakes are most often to blame: More than 1 in 3 auto accidents involving vehicle problems are caused by tire failures. More than 1 in 5 are caused by brake problems (source: NHTSA). Beyond tires and brakes, problems with vehicles’ steering, suspension, transmission, and engine systems are also common issues that cause wrecks, playing a role in about 3% of equipment-related car crashes.
• Negligence is commonly involved: Vehicle equipment failures can occur when components have inherent design flaws or they are poorly made. While designers, manufacturers, or suppliers could be liable for those issues, failures to maintain equipment may also result in component malfunctions and crashes. If that happens, the vehicle owner or others could be liable for the resulting wreck.

More Causes of Car Accidents

Weather and road factors can also contribute to car crashes, injuries, and death. For example, liability can arise for auto crashes caused by weather and/or road conditions when those accidents result from. Learn more about the common causes of car accidents:

• Failures to maintain the roads
• Inherently dangerous roads (unsafe road design)
• Failures to properly set up road work zones or detours
• Failures to adjust speeds or other maneuvers in adverse weather (No one’s liable for the weather, but motorists and others may be liable for how and when they choose to drive in poor weather conditions.)

Any number of parties could be liable when these or other forms of negligence contribute to car accidents. Often, liability for a car crash won’t be clear without further investigations and additional evidence. This is where a car accident lawyer can play a pivotal role, taking charge to identify every liable party, so victims can make them pay for the harm caused by their negligence.

Car Accident Statistics & Facts

To get a better idea of the prevalence and impacts of auto crashes in the U.S., here’s a look at the latest statistics from federal authorities (sources: NHTSA and IIHS):

• Each year in the U.S., there are an average of 6,654,000 auto crashes. That works out to more than 18,230 car accidents every day.
• Car crashes have been on the rise in the U.S., increasing by close to 5% since 2017.
• Every year since 2017, there have been at least 33,900 fatal auto crashes in the U.S.
• While 1 in 3 auto wrecks results in injury or death, more than 70% cause property damage only.
• Although vehicle miles traveled have dropped since 2020, deadly auto wrecks have spiked by at least 7%. Many experts point to driver errors as the likely cause of this spike in traffic deaths.
• In terms of deadly driver errors, speeding is the top cause of fatal car wrecks caused by motorist negligence.
• While drunk driving has been on the decline in recent years, it’s still a leading cause of auto crashes, contributing to about 1 in 3 deadly car accidents.
• Last year, about 4,795,000 people were injured in auto crashes. That’s more than 20,500 car accident injuries every day.
• Seatbelts save lives, cutting the risk of fatal injuries by up to 45% (in cars) and up to 60% (in light pickup trucks).

As shocking as these car accident statistics may be, it only takes one auto crash to cause life-shattering injuries and lasting harm. When that happens, you can turn to Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers for advice, advocacy, and guidance in the pursuit of justice.

Do I Need a Car Accident Lawyer?

You need a car accident attorney whenever:

• You or someone you love has been hurt in an auto accident caused by someone else.
• A loved one has died from car accident injuries.
• You need answers about your rights and advice about how to pursue a claim.
• You have been contacted by insurance companies and/or others involved in a crash.
• You have been wrongly blamed for causing an auto accident.

A lawyer can advise and guide you while representing you going forward. That can provide integral help when it’s time for:

• Liability determinations and filing claim(s)
• Investigations to strengthen your car accident claim
• The administrative work to start a case and keep it moving forward
• Insurance company interactions and negotiations
• Damage calculations and settlement talks
• Court hearings and/or trial, whenever necessary

At Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers, we have the experience, knowledge, skills, and resources to put even the toughest car accident cases on track for success.

What Happens When I File a Car Accident Claim?

After you file a claim, what happens next will depend on who you are suing, whether liability is clear, and other factors. That’s because:

• There can be different paths to resolve claims, depending on who is at fault for a car crash.
• You could have more than one claim to pursue after a wreck, and those claims could each involve distinct deadlines and proceedings.

With that noted, it’s also crucial to understand that most car accident claims will involve:

• Fault determinations and investigations
• Discovery and dealings with insurance companies
• Medical records and damage calculations
• Out-of-court negotiations

To get insights about your potential claim — and to receive case-specific answers about what to expect going forward — simply contact a car accident lawyer at Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers. We can share key information with you and answer all of your claim-related questions during a free, confidential consultation.

How Long Do Car Accident Cases Take?

The nature and complexity of your car crash claim can impact how long it takes to resolve it.

So can your legal representation. In fact, when it comes to the process and how long it takes to resolve car accident cases, it’s essential to understand that:

• Even simple cases can take weeks to months.
• The more complicated liability or damages are, the longer a case can take.
• While most car accident cases settle out of court, those that do need to be litigated before a jury can take longer. These tend to be the cases in which parties disagree about fault, the injuries, or compensation.

A car accident attorney from Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers can explain more about your potential claim after hearing more about your crash.

How Much Is My Car Accident Case Worth?

The value of an auto crash claim is dictated by the harm, losses, injuries, and suffering caused by a given car wreck. For victims and their claims, that means that:

• They may be entitled to economic and non-economic damages: In addition to losses like medical bills and lost wages, compensation can include damages for mental anguish, psychological trauma, and permanent impacts to relationships.
• Past and future losses are also considered in car accident compensation: Projecting future losses can be more challenging than adding up past losses, especially when cases involve catastrophic injuries.
• Determining the value of a case isn’t like looking at a price tag: Instead, it often takes some complex calculations to determine car accident compensation.

For these and other reasons, it’s usually in victims’ best interests to figure out compensation with the help of an attorney. A lawyer can help determine whether a given claim is eligible for financial recoveries for damages like (but not limited to):

• Medical bills
• Lost wages, benefits, and bonuses
• Lost earning capacity
• Property damage
• Pain and suffering
• Funeral expenses (after fatal car accidents)
• Loss of consortium