Bardstown Car Accident Attorney

Located in Nelson County, Bardstown ranks in the middle of the range of traffic accidents and fatalities throughout the state of Kentucky as a whole. According to information in a crash report collected by the Kentucky State Police, in 2022, Nelson County had a total of 1,070 reported collisions. Of that number, there were 6 fatalities, 178 non-fatal injuries and 886 property damage accidents.

According to the report, the total number of collisions in 2022 was 130,042 with 723 of those collisions being fatal. Those numbers represent a decrease from 2021, but all of those accidents are still devasting for everyone involved.

There are more types of car accidents than many people realize since no two car accidents or injuries are the same. Motor vehicle crashes that include collisions with large 18-wheeler trucks, motorcycles, pedestrians and other types of non-passenger-car vehicles increase the range even more.

For standard passenger vehicles, some of the most common causes and types of accidents that warrant attention with a car accident attorney in Bardstown include:

• Head on, side impact, and rear-end collisions
• Lane departures and run-off-road crashes
• Drunk-driving and substance abuse accidents
• Drowsy and distracted driving crashes
• Weather and road condition-related crashes
• Aggressive and reckless drivers
• Excessive speeding

The goal for any car accident claim is a fast and fair resolution. According to some estimates, around 90% of all accident claims are settled out of court. Those settlements provide compensation for the victim of an accident that covers their medical bills, lost wages, and property damage.

When a settlement is agreed to, the at-fault driver and their insurance company will be able to close the case. Once you agree to a settlement, you can’t return months or years later to ask for additional funds. That is why you want to get the numbers right. You will work closely with your Bardstown car accident lawyer to determine that fair amount.

After you and your attorney agree to the number, your attorney will draw up a demand letter. That letter will provide details of the accident and some of the corroborating evidence to support your version of events. Based on that demand letter, the at-fault driver’s insurance company can agree, reject, or counteroffer.

With a counteroffer, your attorney will enter into negotiations to come up with a number that works for both parties. You will be kept informed about the negotiations every step of the way. If a new number is agreed to by both parties, you will sign the settlement agreement and can receive the funds.

Under Kentucky law, a personal injury claim involving a car accident must be filed under the two-year statute of limitations. That might seem like an adequate amount of time but when you factor in the potential delays by insurance companies, this time can go by fast.

You might reach a point in your settlement negotiations where the other side is not cooperating. That is when you and your attorney would decide if filing a lawsuit in civil court is the best way forward.

The sooner you begin working with an experienced car accident attorney in Bardstown, the better they will be able to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of any claim you may have stemming from your car accident. Kentucky is considered a comparative negligence state. This means that while a victim may have their recovery of monetary damages reduced by the percentage of fault they bear in causing the accident, the victim’s claim will not be barred completely just because they had a hand in causing the accident.

Some states bar the victim from recovering at all if they contributed to their own injuries, but this is not the case in Kentucky. However, your car accident lawyer in Bardstown still needs to begin investigating the circumstances surrounding your accident as soon as possible in order to prepare your case for negotiations with the insurers and prepare to proceed to trial, if negotiations are unsuccessful.

To learn if you may be able to file a claim and get the compensation you deserve after a car crash in Bardstown where injuries were sustained, reach out to the legal team at McCoy & Hiestand, PLC today.