Speak to an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer After a Centerton Crash Injury
Centerton is one of Benton County’s fastest-growing communities. The population grew from just 491 residents in 1990 to over 16,000 by 2020, according to the U.S. Census.
Centerton’s convenient location west of Bentonville on Highway 102, along with its reputation for safety and community, makes it a popular place to live and work. Many Centerton residents and visitors rely on their vehicles to get around. Increasing population numbers, however, also mean increased traffic – and a higher risk of roadway accidents.
If you’ve been injured in a Centerton car accident, don’t wait. Talk to an experienced car accident lawyer in Centerton today. The team at the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield, P.A. is here to help you protect your legal rights and get the compensation you need.
Car Accident Statistics in Centerton and Benton County
Car accidents are common nationwide. In 2023, nearly 41,000 people died in car accidents throughout the United States. These deaths included 596 fatalities in Arkansas.
With a death rate of 19.4 deaths per 100,000 people, Arkansas has one of the highest traffic crash fatality rates in the US, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. In 2022, Arkansas ranked fourth in the US for roadway deaths.
Benton County continues to record lower traffic death rates than the statewide average. In 2022, Benton County’s road death rate was 8.91 deaths per 100,000 people – less than half of the statewide rate. This rate represents 27 car accident deaths in Benton County.
Common Car Accident Injury Causes in Arkansas
A car crash can cause many types of serious injury. Crashes occur in many ways, any of which can inflict serious damage.
In 2023, just under half (47 percent) of all Arkansas vehicle crashes involved multiple vehicles. Many collisions labeled “single-vehicle” crashes caused serious injury to others, including pedestrians and bicyclists.
Common causes of car accidents and injuries in Arkansas include driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, distracted driving, speeding, and failure to follow road rules, such as traveling in the correct traffic lane.
Drunk and Drugged Driving
In 2023, approximately 85 people died in a crash while driving under the influence of alcohol. Many others lost their lives in these crashes as well. In 2022, about one in four (24 percent) of all Arkansas roadway deaths resulted from drunk driving. A total of 153 people lost their lives in drinking- or drug-related Arkansas crashes in 2022.
Alcohol and drug-related car crashes remain a significant problem in Arkansas and throughout the United States. Every U.S. state currently prohibits drivers from driving if their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is 0.08 percent or higher. Some drivers can have difficulty driving safely even with a lower BAC, however, making drunk and drugged driving a significant risk for everyone on the road.
Distracted Driving
Eight percent of all motor vehicle crash deaths nationwide resulted from distracted driving, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Younger drivers, who are more likely to use a cell phone while driving, are at the highest risk of causing a crash that injures the driver or another person.
Distracted drivers often follow a double standard. In one study, 96 percent of drivers said that using a cell phone behind the wheel was dangerous – yet 25 percent admitted to having done so within the past week.
Cell phones are a common source of driver distraction, but they aren’t the only source. Eating, listening to music, talking to passengers, or looking at things other than the road can all distract a driver long enough to cause a serious injury.
Speeding
Speeding accounted for 22 percent of all traffic deaths in Arkansas in 2022. That year, speed-related crashes claimed 143 lives – nearly as many as drinking and drug use.
ACHI lists speeding as a “risky behavior” that contributes to roadway fatalities. Speeding can take several forms. Traveling faster than the posted speed limit is a common form of speeding. Yet drivers can still speed while staying below the speed limit if they are driving too fast to control their vehicle in the current roadway conditions. Bad weather, work zones, traffic congestion, and other factors require drivers to slow down for safer navigation.
Failing to Follow Road Rules
Traffic rules, signs, and signals exist to help vehicles navigate roadways without colliding with one another or with bicyclists, pedestrians, and other road users. When drivers fail to follow the rules of the road, serious injuries can result.
Wrong-way driving is a common form of failure to follow road rules in Arkansas. When a driver travels against the flow of traffic in a lane, the driver significantly increases the risk of a head-on or other vehicle collision. Alcohol impairment contributes to wrong-way collisions, as does driving without a passenger who can help identify the correct lane of travel.
Other common causes of death due to failure to follow road rules include drivers drifting across lane lines, drivers turning left into the flow of traffic, and improper passing.
Arkansas Car Accident Injury Lawsuit Basics
A car accident lawsuit is a type of personal injury claim. These lawsuits seek damages for the losses an injured person suffers due to a collision. If the injuries claim a life, surviving family members may seek compensation through a wrongful death claim.
All car accident cases follow certain rules and procedures set by Arkansas law and the state’s courts. Since every case involves unique facts, no two cases have identical outcomes. Speak to a knowledgeable Centerton car accident attorney to better understand how Arkansas rules and procedures affect your case.
How Long Do I Have to File My Car Accident Lawsuit?
In Arkansas, you have three years to file a lawsuit for personal injuries. This rule includes personal injuries that result from a car accident.
The law that sets this deadline is called the “statute of limitations.” It limits the time available to file a claim after an injury occurs. The law’s goal is to encourage people to file their claims while evidence is still available, allowing the parties to deal with the matter – and get any needed compensation – quickly.
In most car crash claims, the three years begin to run on the date of the crash. Some exceptions change how the deadline is calculated, but only in certain cases. Talk to an attorney to understand how the deadline applies in your case.
What Compensation Can I Get in a Car Accident Case?
In a personal injury case, an injured person seeks to demonstrate that another party’s actions caused harm, and therefore, the other party owes compensation to the injured person. Compensation seeks to restore the injured person to a position similar to the one they occupied before the crash.
Some results of a car accident are permanent. A court cannot order someone to make your injuries vanish, erase your memory of the event, or restore a lost loved one to life. However, a court can order a negligent party to pay damages for several types of financial and personal loss.
Common types of compensation in Arkansas car accident claims include:
- Medical bills: Both bills for care you already received and bills for care you’ll need in the future can be included in your claim.
- Lost wages: If you had to take time off work, accept part-time work, or take an easier job for less pay, you can seek compensation for your lost wages. You can also seek compensation for future lost wages, if your injuries prevent you from ever returning to your previous job.
- Property damage: The costs to fix or replace damaged property, like a totaled vehicle, can be included in your claim.
- Conscious pain and suffering: The physical pain and suffering you’ve endured for your injuries can be compensated in a personal injury case.
- Loss of enjoyment of life: An injured person can seek compensation if their injuries prevent them from engaging in hobbies, caring for children, volunteering, or similar enjoyable life activities.
- Mental and emotional distress: Severe scarring or disfigurement (like the loss of a limb) can result in mental and emotional distress, which can be compensated.
In a wrongful death case, compensation can also include funeral and burial costs, as well as compensation for the family’s loss of their loved one.
Every car crash is unique, and so are your losses. Talk to an experienced lawyer to learn more about your compensation options after a Centerton collision.
Speak to an Experienced Centerton Car Accident Lawyer Today
A car crash turns an ordinary day into the start of a major life disruption. Injuries, car repairs, and other bills and expenses pile up. Family members worry about their injured loved one; their injured loved one worries about whether and how they will recover.
Don’t face these challenges alone. Talk to an experienced Centerton car accident lawyer today. The team at the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield, P.A. can help. Contact us today to schedule a free, confidential case evaluation.