Shelbyville Car Accident Lawyer

A dedicated attorney can help determine fault, obtain your medical records and bills, gather any necessary evidence to prove your case, and provide advice on your options throughout the process. Recovering from your injuries, both physically and mentally, will be exhausting for any one person. That is why you need the best representation when working your way through the complicated process of establishing fault, negotiating with insurance companies, and navigating the legal system.

It is not the time to make mistakes with deadlines, negotiations, and other steps involved in the claims process. Consider hiring a car crash lawyer who can professionally manage this process and help secure the maximum amount of compensation you deserve. They can help you make life better again.

Rear-end automobile accidents are, unfortunately, frequent occurrences in Shelbyville, and elsewhere in Kentucky. Most of the time, you will not be found liable if your automobile was struck in the rear by another vehicle following behind you. State laws require all drivers to maintain a safe distance, and this is especially true when a vehicle in front is coming to a stop. Thus, the driver following behind a vehicle has a duty to maintain enough distance from the front car to prevent a rear-end crash from occurring.

Additionally, if your automobile is struck in the rear and you are able to prove that this collision forced your vehicle into the rear of another vehicle, you may not be held liable for that subsequent collision. Instead, the fault for that subsequent collision would also be with the driver who collided into the rear of your automobile and caused you to rear-end the vehicle in front of you.

These rules apply to a rear-end vehicle collision, regardless of whether the accident happens on a residential road, at an intersection with traffic lights or stop signs, when merging into traffic on another roadway, or on a state or federal highway. If another driver struck the back of your car, reach out to a Shelbyville rear-end car accident lawyer today. Our skilled auto wreck attorneys could assist you throughout your case.

While the above summarizes the general rule on who is liable in a rear-end car accident in Shelbyville, it is worth noting that occasionally a person can be found partially or entirely liable in a collision where their vehicle is struck in the rear. In the following situations, the driver of the front car in a rear-end crash may share fault or be completely at fault for the car accident:

• Swerving or Abrupt Lane Changes: If you swerve your automobile violently or abruptly change lanes in front of another car for no reason.
• Reversing: If you reverse and back your vehicle into the front of another automobile.
• Abrupt Stops: If you abruptly stop for no reason on a highway.
• Faulty Brake Lights: If you knowingly or negligently fail to maintain your brake lights and drive without them functioning.
• Impaired Driving or Illegal Behavior: If you are operating a vehicle while impaired or intoxicated, or are engaged in other illegal behavior, such as “road rage” or racing, and this contributed to causing the crash.

Speak with a knowledgeable attorney about who may be responsible for your rear-end collision.

Pursuant to statutory law, Kentucky is what is known as a pure comparative fault state. Thus, any defendant in a lawsuit is only liable for their portion of fault. Even if your negligent actions contributed to the rear-end accident which caused your injury, you are still entitled to recovering damages from any negligent tortfeasor that is determined to be at least partially liable for the accident.

For instance, if you are determined (by a judge or jury) to be 20% responsible for the incident which caused your injuries because the accident happened at night and you knowingly did not get new brake lights even though you knew your brake lights were out, and the defendant is determined to be the remaining 80% at fault for the accident, you are still entitled to recover 80% of your damages from the defendant. If you have any questions about how pure comparative negligence may impact your tailgating accident case, consult a lawyer from our firm.