If you or a loved one should ever be unfortunate enough to experience an auto accident the physical, emotional, and financial repercussions can be extensive. The journey through the aftermath of a car accident—grappling with insurance companies, recovery from injuries—can feel overwhelmingly daunting. This is where the importance of a trusted, experienced car accident attorney in Jackson becomes important.
At Monge & Associates, our dedicated team of Jackson car accident attorneys are ready to offer you skilled representation and informed guidance. With a deep understanding of Mississippi’s car accident laws, we’re committed to tirelessly defending your rights and seeking the compensation you deserve. Contact Monge & Associates today for a complimentary consultation, allowing us to help you navigate the intricacies of your car accident claim and letting you concentrate on your recovery.
Jackson Car Accident Resources
To immediately access the resources at any point on this page, click the corresponding links below.
Common Types of Car Accidents
Leading Causes of Car Accidents
Mississippi’s Seat Belt Laws
Does Jackson Use a Fault-Based System?
Call a Lawyer Today
What Are the Most Commonly Encountered Types of Car Accidents?
Car accidents can occur in various ways and result in different types of collisions. Below are common types that we see at Monge & Associates:
- Rear-End Collisions: These occur when one vehicle hits the rear of the vehicle in front of it. Rear-end collisions can happen due to tailgating, distracted driving, sudden stops, or failure to maintain a safe distance.
- T-Bone Accidents: Also known as side-impact collisions, T-bone accidents happen when the front of one vehicle crashes into the side of another, typically at intersections. These accidents can result in severe injuries, especially if the side of the vehicle lacks proper protection.
- Intersection Accidents: Accidents at intersections often involve vehicles colliding while making turns or running red lights. Failure to yield the right of way, distracted driving, or reckless behavior can contribute to these types of accidents.
- Single-Vehicle Accidents: These accidents involve only one vehicle and can include scenarios such as hitting a stationary object, veering off the road, or rolling over. Factors contributing to single-vehicle accidents may include speeding, drunk driving, or adverse weather conditions.
- Head-On Collisions: Head-on collisions occur when two vehicles collide front to front. These accidents are often the most severe and can happen due to wrong-way driving, distracted driving, or attempting to pass on narrow roads.
- Sideswipe Accidents: Sideswipe accidents involve the sides of two vehicles colliding. This can occur when vehicles change lanes without proper signaling, misjudge distances, or fail to check blind spots.
- Multi-Vehicle Pileups: Multi-vehicle accidents involve three or more vehicles and often occur on highways or in congested traffic. These accidents can have complex causes, including chain reactions resulting from one initial collision.
A car and truck accident attorney in Jackson can determine the cause of the collision, bring in expert witnesses, and fight to secure the compensation you deserve for your injuries.
What Are the Leading Causes of Car Accidents in Jackson?
To win your case, your Jackson personal injury lawyer must show that the other party was acting negligently in a way that caused the accident to happen. Some common causes we see include:
- Speeding: Driving at excessive speeds reduces the driver’s ability to react to unexpected situations and increases the severity of accidents. Speeding is a significant contributing factor to many car accidents in Jackson.
- Distracted Driving: One of the leading causes of car accidents is distracted driving. This includes activities such as texting, talking on the phone, eating, or engaging with in-car technologies while driving. Taking attention away from the road can lead to serious accidents.
- Fatigue: Driving while fatigued or drowsy can impair a driver’s focus and reaction time, leading to a higher risk of accidents. Fatigue is often a factor in accidents involving commercial truck drivers or individuals driving long distances.
- Drunk Driving: Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs impairs judgment, reaction time, and coordination, making it dangerous for both the impaired driver and others on the road. Drunk driving accidents can cause devastating injuries and fatalities.
- Reckless Driving: Reckless driving behaviors, such as aggressive tailgating, frequent lane changes, running red lights, or disregarding traffic rules, significantly increase the risk of accidents on Jackson’s roads.
- Failure to Yield Right of Way: Many accidents occur when drivers fail to yield the right of way at intersections, resulting in collisions. Failing to follow traffic laws and yield appropriately can lead to serious accidents and injuries.
- Weather Conditions: Inclement weather conditions, such as rain, fog, or ice, can make roads slippery and reduce visibility, increasing the chances of accidents. Drivers must adjust their driving behavior accordingly to account for adverse weather conditions.
- Inexperienced or Elderly Drivers: Inexperienced or elderly drivers may lack the necessary skills, judgment, or reaction time to navigate complex driving situations, increasing the risk of accidents.
What Are Mississippi’s Seat Belt Laws?
Jackson seat belt laws are in place to promote safety and reduce the risk of injuries in motor vehicle accidents. A failure by a negligent party to follow these laws can be important evidence in a Jackson car accident. Here are some key aspects of seat belt laws in Jackson:
- Mandatory Seat Belt Use: Mississippi law requires all occupants of a motor vehicle to wear seat belts. This applies to drivers, front-seat passengers, and passengers in the back seat. It is the responsibility of the driver to ensure that all passengers, especially minors, are properly restrained.
- Occupant Restraint Systems: Children under the age of 7 and weighing less than 65 pounds are required to be secured in an appropriate child restraint system. The specific requirements for child restraint systems depend on the child’s age, weight, and height, and they must comply with the guidelines outlined in Mississippi’s child passenger safety laws.
- Primary Enforcement: Seat belt laws in Jackson are primary enforcement laws, which means that law enforcement officers can stop and ticket drivers solely for not wearing seat belts, without any other traffic violations being present.
Failure to wear a seat belt does not necessarily prevent an injured person from seeking compensation in a car accident lawsuit. However, if it is determined that the failure to wear a seat belt contributed to the severity of the injuries, the injured person’s compensation may be reduced proportionally to their level of fault.
Does Jackson Use a Fault-Based System?
In Jackson, the legal system follows a fault-based system for determining liability in car accidents. A fault-based system, also known as a tort system, means that the party at fault for causing the accident is typically held responsible for the resulting damages and injuries.
Under the fault-based system in Jackson:
- Determining Fault: After a car accident, determining fault is crucial in establishing liability. Insurance companies, law enforcement agencies, and legal professionals investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident, gather evidence, and assess the actions of each party involved. Fault is generally assigned to the party whose negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct caused or contributed to the accident.
- Liability and Compensation: The at-fault party is generally responsible for compensating the injured party for their damages. These damages may include medical expenses, property damage, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other related losses. If multiple parties share fault, their liability and responsibility for compensation may be apportioned based on their percentage of fault.
- Insurance Claims: In a fault-based system, individuals involved in car accidents typically file insurance claims with their own insurance company or the at-fault party’s insurance company. The insurance company investigates the claim, assesses fault, and negotiates a settlement. If a fair settlement cannot be reached, the injured party may pursue a personal injury lawsuit to seek compensation through the court system.
Contact Our Jackson Car Accident Attorney Today
If you or a loved one has been involved in a crash, it is vital to seek the guidance of a skilled Jackson car accident attorney. At Monge & Associates, our steadfast team of legal professionals is ready to deliver the informed representation and support you require in this difficult time. We fully grasp the physical, emotional, and financial hardships a car accident can impose on your life, and we’re devoted to defending your rights and securing the compensation you’re entitled to.
With our comprehensive understanding of Mississippi’s fault-based legal framework and our unyielding commitment to our clients, we’ll guide you each step of the way through the legal process, championing your cause, and working tirelessly to help you regain control and progress forward. Contact Monge & Associates today for a complimentary consultation, and allow us to serve as your trusted partners in seeking justice and securing the compensation you deserve for your Jackson car accident injuries.
Mississippi Car Wreck Resources: How drunk driving fatalities in Mississippi compare to the rest of the US
There were an estimated 42,795 fatalities due to motor vehicle crashes in 2022, down by 0.3% from the year prior, according to early estimates released in April 2023 from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. While a reduction in crash-related deaths, even one as slight as this, is generally positive, the facts remain deeply concerning: Crash-related deaths rose more than 10% in 2021 and more than 7% the year before that, marking a disturbing trend leading into and persisting through the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021, the most recent full year of traffic-death data available, drunken driving fatalities rose by 14% from 2020. Monge and Associates cited data from NHTSA to identify states with the highest rate of fatalities from car accidents involving at least one drunken driver. States are ranked by drunken driving fatalities per 100,000 residents. This rate is listed up to its first decimal point, but the exact ranking of states was determined from the total rate calculation, which did not result in ties.
A blood-alcohol content of .08 or higher is considered impaired. Judgment and driving abilities continue to worsen as BAC levels increase. Laws adopted between 1982 and 1997 throughout most of the U.S. successfully decreased the proportion of DUI-related motor vehicle fatalities in subsequent years.
Alternative transportation programs have also shown some promise in helping to deter drunken driving. Even in areas lacking robust transit options, recent studies suggest that alternatives such as rideshare services like Uber and Lyft can reduce drunken driving-related collisions.
Keep reading to see what percentage of car crash deaths in Mississippi involved drunken driving and how it compares to the 49 other states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. See the ranking of all 52 states and territories here.
Mississippi by the numbers
#11 highest
– Drunken driving fatalities per 100k residents: 5.3 (155, 20% of all car crash fatalities)
– Fatalities involving driver with BAC 0.15 and above: 3.5 per 100K (102, 65.8% of all drunken driving fatalities)
– Change in drunken driving fatalities from 2012: 18.8% decrease
Continue below to see drunk driving statistics of other states in your region.
Alabama by the numbers
#10 highest
– Drunken driving fatalities per 100k residents: 5.6 (281, 29% of all car crash fatalities)
– Fatalities involving driver with BAC 0.15 and above: 3.5 per 100K (177, 63% of all drunken driving fatalities)
– Change in drunken driving fatalities from 2012: 17.1% increase
Arkansas by the numbers
#7 highest
– Drunken driving fatalities per 100k residents: 6.1 (185, 27% of all car crash fatalities)
– Fatalities involving driver with BAC 0.15 and above: 3.8 per 100K (116, 62.7% of all drunken driving fatalities)
– Change in drunken driving fatalities from 2012: 28.5% increase