Arkansas Car Accident Lawyers
Arkansas law gives you specific rights after a crash, but those rights only protect you if you understand them and act on time. We provide free consultations to everyone, allowing you to get answers to your questions from a lawyer who has seen it all. When the unthinkable happens, call the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield, P.A. at (479) 888-5098 for experienced legal assistance with your car accident claim.
Get Results
A car accident changes your day in seconds. One minute you are driving to work or picking up your kids, and the next you are dealing with injuries, damaged property, and insurance adjusters who do not have your best interest in mind.
The shock of a crash makes it hard to think clearly, and that is exactly when insurance companies start building their case against you. They call quickly, ask questions that sound routine, and use your own words to limit what they eventually pay.
At the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield, P.A., we help injured drivers across Arkansas hold negligent parties accountable and recover the compensation they deserve. We handle the insurance company so you can focus on healing. Let an Arkansas personal injury lawyer handle the rigorous process of filing a claim so that you can focus on recovering physically.
Do I have to pay out of pocket if I hire an Arkansas car accident lawyer?
You should never have to pay out of pocket to hire a lawyer for your car accident claim. You are entitled to a free consultation session with one of our professional car accident attorneys. During your meeting, we will evaluate your case and determine its potential value. Your attorney will seek to find out more about your case by asking you questions and checking the information you have.
When you hire one of our lawyers, our fees are assigned on a contingency basis. This means that if we don’t secure any compensation for you, you don't pay anything.
Arkansas roads present specific hazards for drivers
Rural highways make up a large share of Arkansas roads, and they carry real dangers. Narrow lanes, sharp curves, and limited lighting increase crash risk, especially at night.
Interstate 40, Interstate 30, and Highway 71 see heavy truck traffic moving through Northwest Arkansas and beyond. Truck accidents often cause more severe injuries because of the size and weight difference between commercial trucks and passenger vehicles.
Weather adds another layer of risk. Sudden fog, heavy rain, and occasional ice create hazardous driving conditions that catch drivers off guard. Arkansas does not see snow as often as northern states, so drivers here have less practice handling icy roads when winter storms hit.
Distracted driving remains one of the leading causes of crashes statewide. Arkansas law bans handheld cell phone use in school and highway work zones, and texting while driving is illegal for all drivers under Arkansas Code Annotated Section 27-51-1902.
Understanding these local risk factors helps explain why certain crashes happen and who bears responsibility. A trucking company that pushes drivers past legal hours of service limits, for example, may share liability for a fatigue-related crash.
What should I do after an Arkansas car accident?
Your actions in the minutes and days after a crash directly affect your ability to recover compensation later. Call 911 first. Arkansas law requires drivers to report accidents involving injury, death, or significant property damage.
Seek medical attention even if you feel fine. Adrenaline masks pain, and some injuries do not show symptoms right away. A documented medical visit also creates a paper trail linking your injuries to the crash.
Take photos of the vehicles and any visible injuries. Get contact information from witnesses. Do not sign anything from an insurance adjuster or give a recorded statement before speaking with an attorney. Insurance companies move fast so you act before you understand the full extent of your injuries or your legal rights.
Call the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield, P.A. before you talk to the insurance company. We handle communication with adjusters, gather evidence while it is fresh, and work to get you fair compensation for your injuries, medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Your consultation is free, and you pay nothing unless we win your case.
Arkansas follows a modified comparative fault rule. What doest that mean?
Arkansas uses a modified comparative fault system to decide how much money an injured person can recover. This rule is found in Arkansas Code Annotated Section 16-64-122. Under this law, you can still recover damages even if you were partly at fault for the crash.
Percentage of Fault
The catch is that your fault percentage cannot reach 50 percent. If you are found 50 percent or more responsible for the accident, you recover nothing. If you are found to be less than 50 percent at fault, your compensation gets reduced by your percentage of blame for the accident.
Say you suffered $100,000 in damages, but a jury finds you were 20 percent at fault. You would still recover $80,000. This is why insurance companies fight so hard to pin fault on you. Shifting even a small percentage of blame onto you saves them real money.
Proving Fault
Because fault determinations affect your entire recovery, how you handle the accident scene and your statements to insurers matter a great deal. Avoid admitting fault at the scene, even casually. Let the evidence speak for itself, and let an attorney help present it correctly.
We build cases that put fault where it belongs, on the other driver. Our firm gathers police reports, witness statements, traffic camera footage, and accident reconstruction evidence to protect your recovery from unfair fault allocation.
How long do I have to file a car accident claim?
Arkansas Code Annotated Section 16-56-105 sets a three-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims arising from car accidents. This means you generally have three years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit in court. Miss this deadline, and you likely lose your right to sue forever, no matter how strong your case is. Courts rarely make exceptions.
Three years might sound like plenty of time, but building a strong case takes work. Medical treatment needs to run its course so your attorney can accurately value your claim. Evidence needs to be collected before it disappears. Witnesses move away or forget details.
There are exceptions that can shorten or extend this window. Claims against government entities, for example, involve much shorter notice requirements. If a city vehicle or state employee caused your crash, different rules apply and you may need to act within months, not years.
Do not wait to talk to a lawyer just because you think you have time. The earlier we get involved, the more evidence we can preserve and the stronger your case becomes.
What car insurance coverage does Arkansas require?
Every driver in Arkansas must carry liability insurance under Arkansas Code Annotated Section 27-22-104. The minimum coverage required is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $25,000 for property damage. These numbers sound reasonable until you see a hospital bill. A single emergency room visit after a serious crash can blow past $25,000 before you even start physical therapy.
Arkansas requires minimum 25/50/25 coverage
$25,000 per person for bodily injury
$50,000 per accident for bodily injury
Underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage is optional
UIM coverage is opt-out by default, not opt-in
UM/UIM insurance protects you from gaps in coverage
Why does uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage matter?
Under Arkansas Code Annotated Sections 23-89-403 and 23-89-209, UM/UIM coverage is included in your policy by default unless you reject it in writing. Many drivers assume they don't have it, when in fact they never signed anything rejecting it.
Uninsured motorist coverage steps in when the at-fault driver has no insurance at all. Underinsured motorist coverage fills the gap when the at-fault driver has insurance, but not enough to cover what you actually lost. If the at-fault driver only carries minimum limits and your injuries cost more, their policy will not cover the difference unless you have this protection on your own policy.
Unfortunately, not every driver on Arkansas roads carries insurance, despite the legal requirement. When an uninsured driver hits you, your own uninsured motorist coverage often becomes your primary source of recovery. We review every insurance policy involved in your crash, yours and the other driver's, to find every available source of compensation. Insurance companies do not volunteer information about additional coverage. We dig for it.
Car Accident Fact Sheet
Our law firm handles all types of auto accident cases including those that involve, professional drivers, truck drivers, uninsured or under-insured motorists, individuals engaging in illegal driving activities, and wrongful death. Learn more about Arkansas car accidents with our fact sheet graphic:
Frequently Asked Questions
Experience. Dedication. Compassion.
30 years of legal experience helping personal injury victims
We understand the struggles you can face as you recover from a car accident. Let an Arkansas car accident lawyer handle the details of your claim so you can spend your energy on healing, not fighting with insurance companies.
Call us at (479) 888-5098 to schedule your free consultation. If you are unable to come to our office due to your injuries, we will come to you. Contact us today to get the best Springdale car accident lawyer fighting for you.