Loose Object In Vehicle Accident Lawyer

Automobile accidents cause injuries and fatalities every day. You probably think that all of these injuries are caused by the impact of your car colliding with another, but you’re wrong. While the initial impact does cause the majority of injuries, loose objects in your car can add to them.

According to Safety Talk Ideas, a 20-pound loose object can amputate limbs because they hit with 1,000 pounds of force when a car is traveling at 55 miles per hour. Even a cell phone can break bones.

Loose objects in vehicles can also distract drivers or become wedged under gas or brake pedals, and both situations can cause crashes. Wearing seatbelts is a no-brainer because they can protect you in an accident, but being smart about having loose objects in your vehicle can also save lives.

How Are Loose Items Dangerous?

As mentioned, loose items can both cause secondary injuries and contribute to causing an accident.

They Can Become Projectiles

During a car crash, your car and everything in it is subjected to opposing forces that can cause twisting and turning in different directions. Many injuries occur simply because of the unnatural way that your body is thrown about during a collision even if you wear your seatbelt.

Everything in your vehicle is thrown around. Unrestrained objects, including occupants who don’t wear seatbelts, can become projectiles. The groceries in your back seat, the laptop laying on the front seat, your child who removed their seatbelt and your dog riding with you to the park can all fly through your car’s passenger compartment and strike other objects.

If any of these projectiles hit you or your passengers, severe injuries can occur. If unrestrained passengers become projectiles, they can sustain injuries when they impact objects in the automobile. They can even be thrown from the vehicle in some cases.

They Can Cause Collisions

Drivers can become distracted by loose items, especially those within reach. This distraction can take their eyes from the road, a hand off the steering wheel, and divert their focus.

Some examples are:

• Purses and briefcases placed in the front passenger seat can tempt drivers to open them to search for something.
• Objects placed on the dash can slide around, making the driver look at the objects rather than the road.
• Pets might play or climb onto the driver, requiring the driver to deal with their pet.
• Open drinks may overturn and begin to spill, causing drivers to reach for the drink.
• Phone notifications might prompt drivers to pick up their phones to read a text or answer a call.
• Items in the cargo area, even those in the bed of a truck, can shift during travel, causing drivers to look at them to assess the situation.
• Loose cargo in outside areas can be thrown from the vehicle, hitting surrounding traffic or becoming roadway obstacles.

Loose floor mats can become bunched up under gas or brake pedals, not allowing drivers to push the pedals. Other unrestrained objects that are in or near the driver’s floorboard area may do the same.

What Can You Do?

To avoid secondary injuries and accidents, there are a few things you can do, such as:

• Use your trunk to store items before putting anything into the passenger compartment.
• Properly secure cargo in truck beds by using straps, tarps, or cargo boxes.
• Keep the inside of your vehicle clean; regularly remove unneeded items and trash.
• If you must carry things in your passenger area, don’t place them within easy reach to minimize the temptation to go through them while driving.
• Check your floor mat and adjust it if it appears to be in the wrong position.
• Never place anything on your dash or close to the driver floorboard area.

Doing these things doesn’t guarantee that loose items won’t cause crashes or injuries, but they can definitely help reduce the risk.

How Can a Loose Object in Vehicle Accident Lawyer Help?

Michigan law states that the party or parties responsible for motor vehicle crashes must be guilty of negligence. Michigan is a no-fault state, meaning that licensed drivers must carry no-fault insurance. When accidents occur, your no-fault insurance policy is obligated to pay for your medical bills and lost wages, regardless of who is responsible for causing the accident.

The no-fault rule provides some protection against being sued if you cause an auto collision, but personal injury claims can be filed in certain circumstances. Your lawyer knows the law and can assess your eligibility to sue for damages.

Proving negligence in loose object in vehicle accidents can be extremely difficult; however, a seasoned attorney knows what it takes and can thoroughly investigate the facts involved in the crash.

What Damages Are Available?

If your injuries and circumstances meet the criteria, you may be eligible to receive both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include:

• Medical bills, including those from physicians, hospitals, therapy and rehabilitation
• Other medical expenses such as necessary medical equipment
• Lost wages
• The cost of hiring caregivers

Economic damages are exact because there is a specific monetary value attached to each item. However, non-economic damages don’t have related dollar amounts.

Non-economic damages might be awarded if you experience:

• Mental, physical or emotional pain, anguish and suffering
• Permanent disfigurement, which can include resulting humiliation and embarrassment
• Permanent disability, including the need for adapting your vehicle and home for handicapped access
• The loss of future wages due to decreased earning capacity resulting from your injuries
• PTSD
• Losing your ability to enjoy life

Because this type of accident-related damages can’t necessarily be seen, they are often difficult to prove. Insurance investigators will attempt to find evidence showing that you aren’t living with these damages. They will scour your social media accounts, speak to your friends, coworkers and acquaintances, and attempt to obtain copies of your medical records.

Fortunately, your car accident lawyer knows how to rebut those claims. We will advise you about things you should and shouldn’t do that could affect the outcome of your case. We’ll also arrange for medical professionals to examine you and show that your life is severely impacted due to the injuries you sustained in your car crash.

Why Hire Mike Morse Law Firm?

Our practice has represented car accident victims since our founding in 1995. Our decades of experience handling personal injury cases, including loose object in vehicle accidents, give us how-to knowledge for dealing with stingy insurance companies that don’t want to compensate you for your damages. We will fight for the maximum damages that you deserve.

Because we’re Michigan’s largest personal injury firm, we have extensive resources that we put to work for every client. Our investigators will diligently search for evidence in your case, and the medical professionals we use can testify on your behalf regarding your injuries and how they affect your life.

Do you think that you can’t afford to hire an attorney to represent you? We work on a contingency basis. This means that “No Win, No Fees Guaranteed.” You don’t owe fees unless we obtain compensation for you.

Call us 24/7 at (855) 645-3946. You can also reach out by live chat, emailing us or submitting our online form. Let’s schedule your initial free consultation appointment today. We will evaluate the facts surrounding your crash and injuries and advise you of your options.