Injuries And Damages In Auto Accident Cases

A Tuscaloosa Auto Accident Attorney Dedicated to Your Case

An important part of the preparation of an auto accident case is to determine the mechanism of injury or death resulting from the collision. At Cross & Smith, our auto accident attorneys have represented hundreds of individuals in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and surrounding areas who have been involved in auto accidents and we have the skill and experience to handle your auto accident case. The attorney handling the case must ascertain the movement of the vehicle during the collision, the movements of the driver and passengers during the crash events and how the injuries were caused by these movements.

A skilled Tuscaloosa auto accident attorney can tell you that several factors affect the extent and severity of injuries to drivers and passengers involved in auto accidents. The age, weight, height, shape and any preexisting conditions or prior injuries affect the condition of the human body when subjected to the forces of a collision. Restraint system use or non-use and the deployment of air bags are also factors in how the forces impact the human body during a collision. In addition to seat position, voluntary or involuntary movements on the part of occupants immediately before or during a collision are factors as well. There is a direct correlation between physical injuries and impact location on the body, impact area and direction of impact force, whether internal or external.

Impact force often results in bone fractures, soft-tissue injuries or internal organ injuries. The severity of soft tissue injuries depend on the severity of the force of impact received during the collision events. Bruises and contusions are typically the result of low impact by a blunt object. More forceful impacts often result in internal soft tissue injury causing torn or damaged muscles, tendons or nerves. Severe impacts can cause internal organ damage by contusions, lacerations or ruptures. Worse still, internal injuries are made even more dangerous because there may not be any external evidence of internal injuries resulting in a lack of timely medical attention and treatment.

Common serious injuries caused by auto accidents involve the head and spinal cord. Head injuries involve scalp damage, skull fractures, cerebral bleeding or hematoma, and brain damage. The impact of the head and whether fracture or brain damage occurs is dependent upon the magnitude and time of force, and the shape and deformation characteristics of the objects hit during the collision. The entire spinal column is vulnerable to severe injury when subjected to the forces and impacts delivered in an auto collision. Spinal cord injury constitutes a large percentage of the most serious injuries caused by auto collisions. The neurologic, vascular and respiratory structures and the vertebrae and spinal cord make up the spinal column. Traumatic injury to any of the areas along the spinal column can result in permanent and debilitating injuries and damages. Seat belt use does not protect the cervical spine from the risk of major injury.

Monetary damages are available as recovery for injuries or death resulting from an auto accident. In cases involving physical injuries, Alabama law permits the recovery of medical expenses, loss of earnings, impairment in the ability to earn income, past and future physical pain and suffering, past and future mental anguish, permanent injuries and disabilities and disfigurement. In the event of death resulting from an auto accident, Alabama law permits the recovery of punitive damages that are imposed for the preservation of human life and as a deterrent to others to prevent similar wrongs.

Our job as your attorneys is to ensure that we determine the full nature and extent of your injuries and seek the maximum recovery allowed in damages by Alabama law on your behalf. If you, or someone close to you, have been involved in an auto accident, we encourage you to contact our law firm to speak with a professional Tuscaloosa auto accident attorney. At Cross & Smith, we have handled hundreds of auto accident cases in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and surrounding areas. If you would like to consult with us, please contact us online or call our office at (877) 791-0618 for a free confidential consultation.