Unfortunately, even when you live in, or are visiting, Hawaii, a state known for its idyllic settings and relaxing lifestyle, you are at risk of being involved in a car accident. Most of us, beyond knowing that the statistical probability of being involved in a serious car accident is relatively high, have personally been involved in at least one “fender bender” and know the shock of a collision. Tragically, while severe car accidents, involving serious injuries or death, have declined slightly in some states during the past few years, in Hawaii, they have increased by nearly 6 percent.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a car accident that was the fault of another driver, in addition to excellent medical care, you need excellent legal representation. Cummings Law is a premium personal injury law firm located in Hawaii. Our lead attorney, Brian Cummings, has exceptional credentials and a track record of successful outcomes. His knowledge of state and federal law, coupled with his well-honed negotiation and litigation skills, make him invaluable when you’re filing a car accident personal injury claim. He has obtained over $24,000,000.00 for his clients in just the past few years.
Contact Cummings Law for a free consultation and we will quickly determine whether you have a viable case. If you have gone through the tragedy of the wrongful death of a loved, we are able to handle this awful situation as well. We will win you the compensation you have a right to while treating you with compassion and respect.
How Our Car Accident Attorney Will Win Damages for You
We know you have been through physical and emotional trauma and that you are no doubt worried about the financial future of your family. Once we take you on as a client, you can stop worrying and leave all logistical legal work and insurance communications to us. We will not charge you any attorneys’ fees until we have won you compensatory damages. While you concentrate on recovering, we will investigate the circumstances of your accident, photograph the site, examine police reports, interview any witnesses, and call on any experts (e.g. medical, automotive) who may be helpful in validating your claims.
Common Causes of Car Accidents
Unfortunately, with more and more cars on the road, an increasing number of electronic distractions available, and an opioid epidemic underway, there is an increased risk of collision in Hawaii. Common causes of car accidents include:
- Distracted driving (while texting, talking on the phone, eating, reaching)
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Speeding or ignoring traffic signals
- Driving while sleepy or fatigued
- Improper turning
- Failing to obey traffic signals
Car accidents may also be caused by unavoidable, totally unexpected occurrences, such as a deer running across the road, a sudden storm, or a plane landing on the highway (it does happen!), parcels or debris falling off the vehicle in front of you or off the side of a building. Dangerous weather conditions (rain, sleet, snow, hail, heavy wind, fog) may exacerbate car accidents.
Nonetheless, in the vast majority of car accidents, a driver is at fault and must be held accountable for any serious injuries. Brian Cummings is a sharp and highly experienced car accident attorney who knows exactly which strategy will bring you a favorable negotiation result or a positive verdict.
Types of Car Accidents
Depending on the direction the colliding vehicles are facing when making contact, there are several different types of collisions:
- Head-on collisions
- Rear-end crashes
- Side-impact collisions
- Rollovers
In some cases, even low-speed collisions can result in serious whiplash or other injuries, involving lengthy recovery periods or even long-term disability. Whether one driver or another or particular passengers are at greatest risk largely depends on the angle of impact. At Cummings Law, we have comprehensive knowledge of the causes and types of car accidents and the serious injuries they cause, including traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and spinal cord injuries. We are dedicated to helping you to win the damages you are entitled to while you concentrate on recovering from your physical and emotional trauma and/or adjusting to your ongoing disability.
Damages Cummings Law Can Obtain for You in Hawaii
If you have been seriously injured in a car accident due to the negligence, recklessness, or even malice of another, Cummings Law is prepared to fight aggressively to ensure that you receive every dollar of compensation you are entitled to. We are compassionate about the pain — physical, emotional, and financial — you are suffering and aware of the anxiety you are likely experiencing about the future. Once you come to us for a free consultation, we will start the process to recoup your losses by filing a personal injury lawsuit on your behalf.
We will seek economic damages for your expenditures — medical costs, property damage, rehabilitative and/or nursing care, and lost income (present and future). In addition, we will ask for compensation for non-economic damages (less tangible losses), such as disability, disfigurement, pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life. If the driver who hit you was extremely reckless (drag racing while impaired, for example), we may also be able to win punitive damages for you.
Car Accident Laws in Hawaii
If you have suffered a serious injury in a car accident in Hawaii, you should contact Brian Cummings as soon as possible. He knows state car accident law inside and out and will make sure, once he takes you on as a client, that you meet all required deadlines, obtain all necessary records and understand concepts like “no-fault” and “modified comparative fault.”
No-fault, also called personal injury protection, or PIP insurance means that you will first have to file a claim for damages with your own insurance company before filing a claim against the driver we hold accountable for your injuries. We may be able to file a lawsuit against the proven at-fault driver, but only if the accident resulted in over $5,000 in benefits paid under the no-fault policy, or if you suffered permanent injuries — loss of a body part or body function, or disfigurement serious enough to cause emotional anguish.
Comparative negligence means that the court may decide that you are partially responsible for the car accident and assign you a percentage of the blame. If you are assigned 10 percent of the blame, you will receive only 90 percent of the damages awarded. Modified comparative negligence means that if the court finds you to be 51 percent or more at fault, you will not be eligible to receive any compensation at all.
Contact Our Honolulu Car Accident Lawyer
If you have been harmed in a car accident in Hawaii, contact Cummings Law and take back control of your life. We will handle all insurance and legal matters while you spend your time healing and getting back on track. Remember, your initial consultation with us is free and we will charge you no attorneys’ fees until we win you the compensation you deserve.
