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Muhlenberg County
CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS
Accident injury lawyer Flora Templeton Stuart, with offices at 105 E Main Cross St. in Muhlenberg County and across Kentucky serves her injured clients and travels to them if they cannot come to her. For close to 50 years, Flora Stuart has represented the seriously injured in car, semi-truck, motorcycle, DUI, pedestrian, wrongful death, and other personal injury accidents and has won over $150 million in settlements for her injured clients. Our law firm has represented hundreds of accident victims in Muhlenberg County, Central City, Bremen, Drakesboro, Powderly, and all of Muhlenberg County, which encountered an 11.7% increase in vehicle crashes between 2012-2016. If you’ve been in an accident, call us 24/7 at 1-866-583-4915 for a free consult with our top attorneys.
With an office on the square, we are always close by to help our injured clients and can get to you quickly after an accident. We often travel to our clients when they cannot come to us, visiting them at our local office, hospital, or home. Getting medical care when you are hurt is crucial, so we refer our clients to excellent physicians while collecting lost wages and getting their medical bills paid.
Learn about our 5-step process for getting you the maximum settlement, and find out what else sets us apart from other injury lawyers.
Steps We Take To Get You A Top Settlement
Call Us 7 Days A Week, Even On Weekends At (888) 782-9090
Flora meets with her clients to make sure they get the medical treatment they need and the settlement they deserve.
We travel to our injured clients when they cannot travel to us.
Our team of investigators will be on the scene immediately for our clients injured in semi-truck accidents.
“We Have Recovered Millions of Dollars for Our Clients”
“I could call and talk to Flora… her staff was great. I never had to worry. They would always ease my tension”.
“She made sure my medical expenses were taken care of… that I had a great medical team to help me heal”.
“It was like talking to your family. My wife and I both grinned… we never had to worry after that”.
Attorney Flora Templeton Stuart litigated a case for a young man with a family who suffered permanent brain damage and a crushed skull after a coal truck swerved into his lane on U.S. 60 East.
Our team went to work immediately to collect evidence and obtain witness statements to prove our client was not at fault. We filed suit and litigated the case for close to 2 years obtaining a settlement of $2.825 million to our client. Our law firm established lifetime annuities for the client and his family and college funds for his children. In addition, we obtained approximately $100,000.00 workers’ compensation settlement and Social Security disability with lifetime payment of medical expenses.
What We Will Do For You in a Car Accident or Injury Claim
After you or a loved one is injured in an accident, Flora Templeton Stuart and her team are ready to help.
- Top attorneys meet with you personally
- Help you recover property damages at no extra fee
- Investigate your accident
- Get you good medical treatment with excellent physicians
- Our attorneys meet with you at a convenient location
- Assist you in getting your car repaired or replaced
- Reserve your PIP insurance benefits to pay your medical bills and lost wages
- Our attorneys have 50 years of experience in negotiating with insurance companies to get you top results
We are truly local firm that cares about our clients, located right here in Muhlenberg County with offices in Kentucky & Tennessee
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 Muhlenberg County 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 Muhlenberg County 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 Muhlenberg County 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 Muhlenberg County/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.
Muhlenberg County 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 Muhlenberg County, 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.
Muhlenberg County 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 Muhlenberg County.
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Our Barren County Personal Injury Lawyers Can Make a Difference
Remember, you have a limited time after your accident to file your claim. An attorney can help you make sure you hit those deadlines. If you wait too long, your claim may be barred and you may be unable to recover damages for your suffering.
This is a situation we work hard to avoid, but even attorneys need help from our clients. To make sure your Kentucky personal injury claim is timely filed, contact our experienced Barren County personal injury attorneys as soon as possible. We can begin the process of investigating your claim, reviewing your medical records, speaking with witnesses, and negotiating with insurance companies.
Remember, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed following a personal injury. This is why working with an attorney you trust can make all the difference in ensuring a successful outcome to your case, a speedy recovery, and a return to normal life. Give us a call to find out how we can help you. You can reach us at (866) 583-4915 or through our contact page.
Why should I consult a personal injury lawyer?
Insurance companies have an arsenal of methods to keep them from paying you as much as your claim is worth. They may try to paint you as the negligent party, rather than their insured. They may state that your injuries are less significant than they are. They can simply delay a claim until you’re desperate, and willing to settle for a low amount.
Conversely, they can offer an early settlement—but one worth far less than it should be—just so you’ll jump at it. They realize that injured people often have medical bills piling up and sometimes cannot work, so their financial situation may cause significant stress. Insurance companies use it to their advantage.
If an insurance company won’t pay a just claim, it is sometimes possible to take them to court. Personal injury suits in court can also be brought against negligence parties, whether an insurance company is involved or not.
If you are eligible for SSDI, you can file the paperwork yourself. However, you can benefit from working with an attorney. SSDI claims are often denied. Sometimes the denials are for relatively minor reasons, such as incomplete paperwork or the wrong form. But the denials mean you won’t get benefits, no matter how relatively trivial the reason. If your case is denied, a lawyer can appeal the denial. If the appeal is successful, you’ll receive benefits.
What should I tell a personal injury attorney about my injury?
If you suffered injury or harm, you can schedule a free first consultation with a personal injury lawyer. At that time, the lawyer will take the time to hear what happened, who caused it, and how you were injured. Personal injury lawyers will give you advice on steps to take.
Most of them take cases they believe are winnable, and many work on a contingency fee basis. Contingency means they are paid out of the eventual settlement you receive, so you don’t pay anything unless your case is successful.
Personal injury cases can only be brought if another party caused the injury or harm. If you have evidence of another party causing the harm, take care to bring it to the initial consultation.
Potential forms of evidence include:
- Police report of a car, motorcycle, pedestrian, or truck accident
- Pictures of the accident scene, from a smartphone or camera
- Surveillance footage of the scene, if available
- Eyewitness testimony
- Records of your injuries, from an emergency room, doctor, or medical facility
- Pictures of your injuries, taken with a smartphone or camera
- Records of how the injury affects your life, including work records and medical records
Before the initial consultation, write down how you were injured, where, and by whom or what. Describe how the injury has affected you, including your ability to work, your family life, and your ability to do things you enjoy.
Then, tell the lawyer all these things. If you do not have evidence, don’t worry. Lawyers may work with investigators, who can determine the cause of accidents and other harm.
What injuries do personal injury cases cover?
The determinant of a personal injury case isn’t the type of injury, but whether another party is liable for the injuries. Nearly any injury can occur in a personal injury case, including:
- Cuts
- Bruises (contusions)
- Sprains
- Broken bones
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Spinal cord injury
- Internal injuries
- Loss of limb(s)
- Burns
- Loss of sight or hearing
- Internal organ damage
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Scarring or disfigurement
- Soft tissue injuries
How are victims in a personal injury case compensated?
Kentucky law allows personal injury victims to receive damage compensation in the following categories.
- Medical bills – Including bills for doctor’s visits, emergency room visits, surgery, hospitalization, physical therapy, prescription medication, and more
- Future medical bills – If doctors expect your injury to need future medical treatment
- Wages lost from work – If your injury caused you to lose time from work
- Future wages lost from work – If experts believe that you will either need to work at a different job or less
- Loss of future earnings capacity – If you can’t work at a previous job because of your injury
- Property damage – If your injury resulted in damage to property, such as a car or home
- Pain and suffering – For physical pain, mental and emotional distress and anguish, and other noneconomic losses
How much will I receive in damage compensation for my injury?
It’s not possible to predict how much a specific case will receive in damage compensation, because many factors are at play. However, some general observations can be made about how insurance companies and civil courts arrive at damage compensation amounts.
Economic losses are calculated straightforwardly, by adding the amount of economic loss you’ve suffered. Your attorney will add together your medical bills (including necessary transportation), for example, plus any time lost from work and any property damage. Time lost from work is calculated by multiplying the amount of time lost by your average wages.
If you are expected to have economic losses in the future, either from medical bills or wages lost from work, your lawyer will get expert testimony about what the likely figures are. Doctors, for example, testify about the recommended course of treatment for your injuries. Costs are calculated for the treatment. Doctors may also testify about your ability to work, as may your employers.
All these costs, both current and future, are tabulated to arrive at one part of your compensation.
Catastrophic injuries have an immediate, lasting negative impact on the victim’s life. A traumatic brain injury (TBI) or spinal cord injury, for example, can both make the person unable to walk again. Injuries that exert significant and lasting harm to an individual, such as loss of an eye or a limb, may result in higher settlements or judgments.
Courts may award higher amounts than insurance companies. Insurance companies want to protect their profits and their insured, while juries may show more sympathy to you, the plaintiff.
What events cause personal injuries?
Almost every kind of accident or event has the potential to injure or harm another person. Common causes of personal injury include the following:
Vehicle accidents – A total of 41,884 vehicle collisions caused injuries on Kentucky’s road during the most recent year. Another 1,152 caused fatalities. Seventy-two percent of fatal collisions involved cars, while 9 percent involved trucks and 7 percent involved motorcycles. The Muhlenberg County area saw 12 deaths and about 260 injuries in just one recent year.
Pedestrian accidents – Nationwide, 137,000 pedestrians go to emergency departments for injuries every year, and 5,977 pedestrians die in collisions, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Kentucky, more than 1,000 times per year, a vehicle hits a pedestrian—the overwhelming majority of times it causes an injury, and about 10 percent of the time these accidents prove fatal.
Premises liability accidents – Owners and landlords of public premises (stores, malls, rental apartments, hotels, theme parks, sporting arenas and more) have a duty to make sure their premises are safe. If they are not, the owners and landlords can be liable. In Kentucky, if a private homeowner invites you over, they must warn you about any hazards on the property and fix any known issues that can cause harm. means they must warn visitors of hazards on their property and fix any known issues to prevent accidents from occurring.
Premises liability injuries include those sustained while tumbling down poorly maintained stairs, tripping and falling in a store if liquid spills and is not cleaned up or surrounded with warning signs, in swimming pool accidents, from malfunctioning theme park rides, and more.
Dog bites – Dogs bites can do serious harm, especially to small children or to any person attacked by a large, aggressive dog. Kentucky’s dog bite laws operate under strict liability, meaning that a dog’s owner is strictly responsible for injury the dog causes. The victim does not have to prove negligence.
This differs from laws in other states, where liability may depend on whether the dog behaved aggressively before or the owner took reasonable care in controlling the dog. You do not have to prove either of these things in Kentucky; the owner is still liable.
How long do I have to bring a personal injury case?
If you are injured in a personal injury case, you must bring a lawsuit within a certain period of time, known as the statute of limitations. Courts will not hear cases filed after the statute of limitations is up.
The standard statute of limitations in Kentucky is one year for personal injury cases. For traffic accidents, it’s two years. The time starts on the date of the injury. In other words, if you were injured on March 2, 2020, you have until March 2, 2021, to bring a case. But don’t wait. During that time, evidence can disappear and memories can fade. The sooner you call us, the better off you’ll make your case.
What if my loved one died as a result of injuries?
If a loved one dies as a result of injuries suffered, Kentucky law offers redress in the form of a legal suit known as wrongful death. Essentially, wrongful death relies on roughly the same negligence standard as personal injury—another party must have caused the injuries leading to death—and is tantamount to a personal injury suit, but for a person who is no longer alive to bring a suit.
In Kentucky, a wrongful death suit must be brought by the personal representative of the deceased’s estate. If there isn’t one when the injured person dies, the court needs to appoint one if a wrongful death claim is to be brought.
The compensation, however, is oriented toward surviving family members, generally spouse, children, or parents (if there is no spouse or children). They can sue for damages for the loss of care, companionship, support, and guidance they received from the deceased.
The estate can seek funeral and burial expenses.
If you need more information or advice, call our Muhlenberg County personal injury lawyers today.
After an injury, Contact the Muhlenberg County 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 (866) 583-4915 or visit us online for a free case evaluation.
Flora Templeton Stuart Accident Injury Lawyers
105 E Main Cross Street
Muhlenberg County, KY 42345
(866) 583-4915
Our team has a five-step process for collecting vehicle accident compensation for victims of car collisions. We’ll investigate your case, open claims with your health insurance provider, collect your medical records and refer you to great doctors, set up annuities and college funds for injured children, and negotiate for the settlement you deserve.
- Medical expenses, past and future
- Disfigurement, loss of limb, permanent scarring
- Lost wages
- Lose love, companionship, and guidance
- Disability costs or live-in care
- Physical pain and emotional suffering
- Lost capacity to earn
At Flora Templeton Stuart Accident Injury Lawyers, we care about the outcome of your case. With five decades of experience, we are confident in our ability to competently guide you through the claims process. We specialize in Car Accident, Semi-Truck Accident, Wrongful Death, Slip & Fall Accident, Work-related Injuries, and many more areas of the law.
Contact us online or by calling (888) 782-9090 and we will meet you where it is convenient, whether at home, in the hospital, or at another location. Receive answers to all of your legal questions and have your case evaluated for free. We can be reached day or night, seven days a week.
If a negligent act has caused injury to you or a loved one, contact Flora Templeton Stuart Accident Injury Lawyers for a free case evaluation.
Several types of insurance coverage that will pay if you’re injured in an automobile collision:
Personal Injury Protection: The vehicle you are in is the primary coverage for payment of Personal Injury Protection (PIP) in Kentucky. PIP has minimal limits of $10,000 and pays medical expenses, lost income, home care, and even a portion of funeral expenses. Kentucky automobile accident lawyers reserve these benefits so medical bills and lost wages will get paid. PIP is repaid by the party at fault.
Liability: The at-fault driver pays for injuries caused to another through their liability policy, which in Kentucky has a minimum policy of $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident and a maximum can be in the millions with a commercial insurance policy.
Uninsured Motorist: If the driver at fault did not have insurance you can collect on your uninsured motorist’s coverage on your own insurance policy.
Underinsured Motorist: If the at-fault driver of the vehicle had insurance but not enough or your injuries are greater than that amount you can collect on underinsured motorists. Flora Templeton Stuart will make sure all underinsured policies are uncovered for maximum recovery.
Negligence in car accidents typically involves a driver failing to exercise reasonable care. As Kentucky car crash lawyers, before we can take action against the liable party, we need to prove that their negligence led to the accident. We do this by establishing the following elements of negligence:
Duty of care: The at-fault party had a responsibility to keep you safe by following all traffic laws.
Breach of duty: The at-fault party breached their duty of care, instead acting negligently.
Causation: The at-fault party’s actions or inactions caused you to suffer an accident and injuries.
Damages: You suffered damages, such as pain and suffering and property damage, because of the at-fault party’s negligence.
Our team will gather evidence to prove negligence, including police reports, witness statements, and surveillance footage.
Under the “no-fault” car insurance system in Kentucky, drivers are required to carry a minimum of $10,000 in Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance. Regardless of who causes the accident, PIP covers medical expenses and lost wages. However, if you’re in an accident, you can opt out of the no-fault system to pursue auto injury claims against the at-fault driver and possibly receive more vehicle accident compensation.
Statute of Limitations in Kentucky and Tennessee
In vehicle accidents, there is a limited amount of time to sue. In Kentucky, you have two years after the wreck to sue which can be extended with PIP benefits being paid, as per Ky. Rev. Stat. § 304.39-230(6). In Tennessee, you only have one year to file an auto accident lawsuit. Time limits for minors start when they turn 18. The Statute of Limitations for Wrongful Death cases is governed by KRS 413.140.
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Kentucky And Tennessee Personal Injury FAQs
Accidents and injuries can occur for many different reasons. However, if an individual, employer, or business is responsible for the incident, a personal injury lawyer near you can advise you of your legal options and the next best steps.
Flora Templeton Stuart Accident Injury Lawyers cares about you. We can determine whether you have a case and assist you with recovering damages such as medical bills, income loss, pain and suffering, and many more.
Why Hire Flora Templeton Stuart Accident Injury Lawyers?
With over forty-seven years of representing clients in Kentucky & Tennessee, our personal injury lawyers are dedicated to obtaining justice for our injured clients. With local attorneys, right here in your community, we provide personal representation with our top attorneys, Flora and Kent. We meet with our clients to explain the entire process, leave no stone unturned with an extensive investigation to include our experts, and will refer our clients to excellent physicians. We take on the insurance company to obtain a maximum settlement. We can come to you and with offices close by we can travel to our injured clients when they cannot come to us. We treat our clients like family.
How do I pay for you to represent me?
Flora Templeton Accident Injury Lawyers we work on a contingency fee so you won’t pay us unless we win your case. We pay all costs of the case and are not reimbursed unless we collect money for you. you can call us for free, even on weekends with no obligation.
What type of cases do you handle?
We handle all car and truck accidents including commercial trucks, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, bus accidents, bicycle accidents, drunk driving accidents, work injuries, slip and falls, dog bites, and more. When a loved one has died in a personal injury accident we handle the wrongful death claim to obtain a recovery for the family to get the justice they deserve. Go to our personal injury overview link for more personal injury cases that we handle. since we concentrate our entire practice on personal injury law we are experienced in these areas of practice.
How do I know if I have a case?
Our lawyers will accept a case where we know we can help. You can call us 24/7 for a free consultation and our experienced attorneys will evaluate your injury case without charge. Our attorneys have never represented insurance companies or corporations. We can focus one hundred percent of our practice on helping the injured. Call us today for your free case evaluation. While we cannot guarantee the amount of recovery when you call we can and will give you an evaluation of how we will do everything to collect a maximum settlement.
