Damages We Collect for Our Muhlenberg County Clients

After an injury, it can be difficult to understand what comes next. Serious injuries can leave you juggling medical bills, car repairs, along with just trying to get better. Thankfully, the law allows you to seek compensation by filing a personal injury suit. Every case is different and every insurer will consider a variety of factors when calculating the value of your case. Some costs are typical with most personal injury matters, including:

Medical Bills

Recent data shows that the average hospital stay costs over $10,000. The unfortunate reality is that many cases cost much more than this. And according to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, a High Tetraplegia spinal cord injury can cost over $2.5 million over the course of a person’s lifetime. Most people cannot afford these costs. The goal of a personal injury case is to recover all reasonable medical costs. In the case of serious injuries, this includes future medical costs, payable in a lump sum payment.

Lost Wages

Recent numbers show that workers lose millions of days per year as the result of workplace injuries—somewhere in the ballpark of 70 million. That doesn’t take into account injuries that happen off the job. Just in Kentucky, there were over 34,000 injuries due to motor vehicle accidents in a one year period. Unfortunately, most workers don’t have enough sick pay or savings to allow them enough time off of work to recover from their injuries. A personal injury suit can help you recover lost wages and in the case of serious injuries, future wages.

Pain and Suffering

Any injury is painful. It’s hard to adapt to a new normal. The body and the mind react to injuries in different ways. While these injuries may not have a direct monetary cost, it does not make them any less difficult to deal with. Pain and suffering awards usually depend on the severity of an injury and how much it affects a person’s day-to-day life.

Damages may include:

• Chronic pain
• Depression
• Anxiety
• PTSD

Loss of Enjoyment

How much do you think about the things you enjoy every day? What if an accident prevented you from doing these things? Loss of enjoyment is a “soft” cost and will depend on the severity of the loss or more specifically, how the loss affects your quality of life.

Punitive Damages

Sometimes a defendant’s actions are so egregious that the court finds it necessary to punish that person for their actions. Punitive damages are also used to deter other people from repeating the same actions. These damages are added to your final judgment. Cases where punitive damages may apply include drunk driving, road rage, and homicide.

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Every day, hundreds of Kentucky residents become injured in a motor vehicle accident. These accidents involve cars, trucks, large trucks, motorcycles, and pedestrians. According to the Kentucky Traffic Safety Data Services, the number of total reported collisions consistently tallies at over 150,000. Recent numbers show that over 20 percent of these accidents involve some sort of injury. While there has been a decline in the total number of accidents, these numbers are still too high.

Common injuries after a motor vehicle accident include:

• Broken bones
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Soft tissue injuries
• Burns
• Mental health issues

Slip and Fall Accidents

These accidents commonly happen in public arenas including grocery stores, restaurants, and parking lots. However, these accidents can and do happen at private residences. Whether an injury happens at a private residence or a public space, property owners have the same general responsibility. According to the CDC, over 800,000 people are hospitalized every year as the result of a fall. Premises liability laws outline exactly how responsible a property owner is for the safety of their guests, but generally, the owner must provide a place that is safe and free of hazards.

General Premises Liability

While slip and fall accidents technically fall under the premises liability umbrella, they happen with such frequency that they often get their own billing. When we say premises liability, we often think of the other premises liability cases.

This includes:

• Sports accidents
• Swimming pool accidents
• Chemical exposure
• Apartment or office fires

Remember, property owners have a legal responsibility to ensure their home or place of business is safe. This includes controlling animals, providing proper safety devices for indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and meeting state regulations regarding fire safety. When a property owner is negligent, they put the lives and wellbeing of others at risk.

Wrongful Death

It’s hard to separate a “wrongful” death from any other type of death. Every death feels unexpected and wrong. But wrongful death claims cover cases where a person or entity’s actions (or lack thereof) directly result in someone’s death. It’s important to understand that the purpose of a wrongful death suit is not meant to compensate someone for the death of a loved one. There is an unnecessary, and inaccurate stigma that is often associated with wrongful death cases.

The point of a wrongful death suit is to offset the costs of a person’s death from the deceased’s family to the at-fault party. Unfortunately, when someone dies, the family has to consider medical bills, funeral and burial costs, and loss of wages. Whenever someone dies of unnatural causes, it’s important to consider a wrongful death suit.

How Our Greenville Personal Injury Attorneys Can Help You

After an injury, it’s normal to have a lot of thoughts running through your mind. For many people, talking to an attorney is not at the top of their list. However, it is something you should consider. While the law allows you to file a claim against the at-fault party, unfortunately, insurance companies don’t always treat victims fairly. Sadly, most insurance companies offer far less to non-represented parties than those that have an attorney simply because they know they can get away with it. A personal injury attorney can help you fight for your rights and seek a fair and just settlement.

At Flora Templeton Stuart, some of the things we do to help our clients include:

• Gather evidence: Your case will rely heavily on evidence. This may include pictures, medical records, or witness statements. It’s important to present this evidence the right way. How the insurance company views your evidence can make a big difference in the end result.
• Talk to your doctors: Your doctors are an important part of your recovery. As lawyers, it’s our job to build connections with care providers in the community. This allows us to help you find the doctor that’s right for you and work with facilities to delay payment until the end of your case.
• Negotiate a fair settlement: Insurance agencies can be difficult to work with. You have to understand that their priority is their bottom line. This means they will be looking for inconsistencies in your story and ways to pay you less. When you are talking to an insurance company it can be difficult to keep your emotions in check. We work with our clients to understand the value of their case and work with the insurance company to make sure you get what you deserve.
• Represent you in court: Our goal is to settle your case out of court. But this doesn’t always happen. Sometimes the insurance company never comes to the table. When this happens, the only option is to take the matter in front of a jury. Dealing with a personal injury case can be an emotional experience. You want someone who has your best interests in mind and who will be an aggressive advocate for your rights.
• Close out your case: At the end of the case, there is still work that needs to be done. This includes insurance releases, medical bills, and final payments. Our job is to take care of all the paperwork and negotiate final billings so you can focus on your recovery.

Our Greenville Car Accident Lawyers Hold the Negligent Driver Accountable 

Regardless of how your accident happened, our car accident law firm will stop at nothing to hold the at-fault party accountable. You can rely on us to fight to recover your financial losses and the non-economic damages you suffered. 

Leading Causes of Car Accidents In Muhlenberg County 

A report from the Kentucky Transportation Center provides a sober reminder of what causes car accidents on our roadways. The following stats should give everyone pause when venturing out on the roadway: 

• Driver inattention – The leading cause of accidents is driver inattention. This may be a result of cell phone usage or other driver distractions. Overall, in 2022 there were 38,972 accidents as a result of inattention in Kentucky resulting in 134 deaths. 
• Not under control – Failing to maintain control of the vehicle resulted in 14,715 car accidents. As a result, there were 214 fatal collisions in Kentucky. 
• Failure to yield – One of the most violated traffic signals is a yield sign. Drivers who failed to yield were responsible for 85 fatal collisions and 12,092 total accidents. 
• Clearance issues – When a car has insufficient clearance on a bridge or roadway and attempts to change lanes anyway, there can be a serious accident. There were 9,255 accidents including 20 fatal collisions as a result of clearance problems. 

Types of Driver Negligence That Results In Serious Injuries In Automobile Accidents 

• Distracted driving – According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), distracted driving kills nine people each day in the United States. In Kentucky, distraction contributed to 4,426 accidents, nine of them fatal, in 2022. 
• Driving under the influence (DUI) – Data from the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) reports that more than 10,000 people in Kentucky were arrested for driving under the influence in 2022. Narcotics and alcohol can greatly impair a driver’s judgment, sending them across the center line and into your vehicle. Alcohol impairment contributed to 3,260 collisions in Kentucky in 2022, including 96 fatal wrecks. 
• Driving while fatigued – The National Safety Council reports that a driver is three times more likely to crash when fatigued. The council adds that drowsy drivers who go 20 or more hours without sleep are as dangerous as drunk drivers with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level of 0.08 percent. Fatigue contributed to 635 collisions in Kentucky in 2022, including two fatal. 

If another party’s negligence led to your auto accident, our Greenville auto accident attorneys will collect all the necessary evidence to prove their fault. You deserve to be fairly compensated for the damages you suffered because of your traffic accident. 

Common Causes of Semi-Truck Accidents in Greenville/Muhlenberg County

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), over 87 percent of accidents involving semi-trucks occurred because of driver error. Although truck drivers must undergo extensive training, long hours and strict deadlines create the opportunity for potentially fatal mistakes. Below are the four primary causes of accidents due to driver error: 

• Non-Performance: This refers to those who cannot safely perform their duties as a driver due to a physical impairment. Drowsiness, fatigue, and poor driver health are examples of non-performance errors. 
• Recognition: This category refers to drivers who cannot identify changes in road conditions or recognize potential hazards and obstacles. Driver inattention and distracted driving are the most common recognition errors. 
• Decision: When a driver’s decisions endanger others on the road, it is a decision error. This includes tailgating, speeding, or misjudging speed. It is the most common driver error that causes semi-truck accidents. 
• Performance: Inexperienced or poorly trained drivers may overcompensate or panic, leading to a collision. Performance errors result from poor execution and may include overcorrecting, freezing, or improper directional control. 

What Should I Do After Muhlenberg Truck Accident Injuries? 

Regardless of the cause of the accident, it is important to seek legal advice from our experienced Muhlenberg County semi-truck accident lawyers. Because we offer a free case evaluation to our clients, there is never any risk in calling to discuss your case. 

Attorney Flora Templeton Stuart will personally review the details of your case and provide guidance on how to proceed. Call us today to see why Muhlenberg County clients have trusted us for close to 50 years. 

When we handle a truck accident case, we represent our client and fight for the justice they deserve. We must determine what happened, ensure they get the care they need, identify the liable parties, and pursue compensation and accountability on their behalf. For each client, our team: 

Investigates Their Accident 

Our investigators gather evidence to show the truck driver caused the crash. This allows us to hold their employer—usually a trucking company or other corporation—liable and seek compensation based on their corporate liability policy. 

Ensures They Get the Medical Care They Need 

We help our clients get appointments with the best doctors in the area. We can refer clients for treatment, therapy, or rehabilitation with medical professionals in their local area in Christian County. 

Helps Manage Their Current Bills 

We want to ensure you have adequate income to pay your daily expenses and utilities and keep your benefits throughout this process. Your truck accident lawyer can help reserve PIP benefits to recover basic compensation for medical care and income losses. 

How Our Muhlenberg County Motorcycle Injury Lawyers Prove Liability For Your Accident 

In one recent year, there were 95 motorcycle accident fatalities in Kentucky. This included 62 riders without helmets. While safety gear can significantly reduce the risk of fatal or catastrophic injuries, collisions are sometimes impossible to avoid. Careless and reckless drivers cause motorcycle accidents in many ways: 

• Failure to yield the right of way 
• Failure to obey traffic signals and signs 
• Failure to maintain lane 
• Failure to check the adjacent lane before changing lanes 

Drivers also drive drunk, drugged, distracted, and fatigued. They speed and act recklessly behind the wheel. These actions can contribute to motorcycle collisions. To hold these drivers accountable, our law firm develops a strong case to show what caused the crash and how it affected our client. This requires a thorough investigation by our investigators and a compelling case developed by our personal injury attorneys. 

Motorcycle Accident Statute of Limitations 

After an accident, victims only have a certain amount of time to file a personal injury claim. Most motorcycle accident victims who fail to submit a claim within this timeframe may forfeit their right to recover damages from the wreck. 

In Kentucky, those who suffered injuries in a motorcycle crash have only two years from the date of injury or date of last no-fault payment to file a claim. Some may have longer, such as minors or those under a disability. 

While this may seem like a long time, it is important to get started on a claim as quickly as possible. Building a strong case and investigating the accident takes time, especially when the accident involves serious injury or death. Successfully establishing liability may require examining the vehicles, performing accident reconstructions, or analyzing medical records. 

By speaking to our Muhlenberg County personal injury lawyers soon after an accident, we can take every step necessary to maximize your recovery. 

Greenville Pedestrian Accident Injuries and Your Compensation 

The types and amounts of compensation you receive may depend on, among other things, what kinds of losses you sustained. In the past, we have sought compensation like the following for our pedestrian accident clients: 

• Pain and suffering, for the physical and emotional toll the accident has taken on your health 
• Disability, for the loss of physical and intellectual capabilities that you once enjoyed 
• Scarring, for any permanent marks left behind by the injuries themselves (e.g., severe road rash) or necessary treatments you received (e.g., surgery) 
• Medical bills, for the present and future cost of dealing with your injuries 
• Loss of wages, for the income you expected to earn but had to give up when you were hospitalized or ordered to recuperate at home 
• If your family lost a loved one in a pedestrian accident, you can pursue a wrongful death case. Our wrongful death lawyers can help you get compensation for funeral and burial costs, as well as your loved one’s lost wages and any medical expenses prior to their passing. Your family may also qualify to recover noneconomic losses as you grieve your loved one’s loss. 

Behind the Car Accident Statistics in Greenville, KY 

One must take some time to study the data sets available to understand how car accidents are recorded. For example, rather than simply categorize all accidents into a lump sum, the report issued by the chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://wp.kentuckystatepolice.ky.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Kentucky-Traffic-Collision-Facts-2022-Report.pdf breaks down accidents that occur on roadways and those that occur in parking lots or on private property separately. This information helps determine where there is a higher incidence of car accidents. 

In 2022, Muhlenberg County saw: 

• 795 total collisions 
• 10 fatalities 
• 215 injuries 
• 14 drunk driving collisions 
• 7 drunk driving injuries 
• 9 drugged driving collisions 
• 2 drugged driving fatalities 
• 7 drugged driving injuries 

Here are some of the statewide statistics provided in the report: 

• Public roadways reported accidents during 2022: 108,713 
• Private parking lot accidents during 2022: 21,329 
• Accidents resulting in injury: 19,572 
• Accidents resulting in death: 711 
• Serious injuries as a result of car accidents: 2,785 
• Minor injuries suffered in car accidents: 11,805 

The same report breaks down the accidents by the involvement of other vehicles, poles, and pedestrians or bike riders. Those statistics show: 

• Accidents involving two or more vehicles: 69,123 
• Accidents involving fixed objects (trees, poles, etc.): 17,202 
• Accidents involving a parked vehicle: 6,494 
• Pedestrian-involved accidents: 983 
• Bicycle-involved accidents: 331 

As you can see from these statistics, pedestrians and those who have left their cars parked are not always guaranteed to be free from damage or injury due to a car accident. 

Greenville Personal Injury FAQ

Are you considering consulting a personal injury lawyer as a result of injury or harm you received? Here are some answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) about personal injury in Greenville.

After an injury, Contact the Greenville Personal Injury Attorneys at Flora Templeton Stuart

Nobody knows how they will react to an injury until it actually happens. Unfortunately, most accidents are impossible to predict. They tend to take you by surprise. When an unexpected injury leaves you struggling to understand what comes next, you want someone by your side who you can trust.

At Flora Templeton Stuart, we work to meet all of our clients’ needs. Different people need different things. Sometimes this is a play-by-play status update of the case, and sometimes it’s simply having someone to listen.

Our team understands the difficulties that you face, and we are here to help with what you need. Not many firms can claim the experience we have working with personal injury victims. We know the system, and we know what clients need to achieve results. If you have questions, we’re here to help. Contact our office at (888) 782-9090 or visit us online for a free case evaluation.

Flora Templeton Stuart Accident Injury Lawyers
105 E Main Cross Street
Greenville, KY 42345
(888) 782-9090