At Cross, Poole & Smith, we are experienced Alabama car accident attorneys, and we have the knowledge and resources to pursue every aspect of your car accident claim.

Car accidents are unfortunately common in America. With the high number of vehicles on the road today, auto accidents are the most common cause of accidental death and injury in the U.S. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, there were 10.2 million auto accidents in 2008, with 39,000 of those accidents resulting in death. In Alabama, there were 62 fatal accidents in 2008. While accident figures are not as high as they were 30 years ago, auto accidents remain an unfortunate fact of life.

Car accidents have a variety of causes, but are almost always caused due to the negligence or reckless conduct of the driver of one of the vehicles involved in the crash. Distracted driving – paying more attention to a cell phone, PDA, GPS system, and so on than to the road – is a leading cause of accidents today. Other common causes of accidents are speeding, drinking alcohol, tailgating, failing to obey traffic signals, and bad weather such as heavy rain. When you are injured in an auto accident because someone else has engaged in risky driving behavior, you are entitled to compensation for your injuries.

Not every accident results in death or severe injury. Many car accidents result in more minor injuries. Sometimes these are scrapes and bruises, but often these are soft tissue injuries to the neck and back that an observer cannot see. Whiplash and other spinal injuries are nonetheless very serious. To obtain full compensation for a whiplash-type injury, it is important to hire an attorney with knowledge of these types of cases.

Because auto accidents are so common, state governments across America, including Alabama, require that all drivers have auto insurance. This is good news for those injured in auto accidents, because it means that there is likely to be some form of compensation available for your injuries. Even where you are injured in a hit-and-run or where the other driver does not have insurance, you will likely have coverage through the uninsured motorist coverage of your own auto insurance policy.

You may believe that you do not need an attorney and can negotiate with the insurance company yourself. In the vast majority of cases, however, hiring an attorney can have a significant impact on how the insurance company handles your claim. An experienced attorney will research and present all forms of damage you suffered in the accident to the insurance company, and will work to have all questions regarding the cause and type of accident, the extent of the injuries suffered, and the full extent of the financial impact of the accident fully answered and explained to the insurance company. If, as is frequently the case, the insurance company does not realistically evaluate the claim, an attorney can file suit and pursue your case through trial, if necessary.

At Cross, Poole & Smith, our attorneys have handled hundreds of car accident cases and recovered millions of dollars for individuals injured in car accidents. We will aggressively investigate your case, including whether issues such as the design of the roadway or defects in a vehicle contributed to the accident. We will give your case individual attention and work to obtain the best possible result for you and your family. If you have been injured in a car accident, give us a call today for a free confidential consultation at (877) 791-0618.