Car Crash Lawyer in Green Bay
Some car accidents are minor, and those involved walk away without any injuries. However, when severe car accidents occur, drivers and passengers face physical pain, mental distress, and economic hardship. If you sustain injuries in a Green Bay car accident, you may face various challenges in the coming weeks and months. Fortunately, Wisconsin law permits you to seek compensation for your losses related to an accident that is caused by someone else's negligence.
Contact the experienced Green Bay car accident lawyers at Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers to learn more about filing a personal injury case. Our firm regularly works with injury victims to recover damages caused by preventable car accidents. Contact us to share your story, determine if you can request compensation, and discuss how your car accident injuries have affected your life.
Injured in Green Bay? Get Nicolet.
Why Choose the Green Bay Car Accident Attorneys at Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers?
The skilled legal team at Nicolet Law has extensive experience fighting for car accident victims, including those involved in Green Bay collisions. We take a tough stance against insurance companies who try to devalue your claim or otherwise prevent you from obtaining the full value that you deserve for your losses. The firm’s dedication to client service has led to the recovery of millions in insurance settlements and jury awards for our clients.
Each accident has unique circumstances that add to or detract from the value of a claim. However, regardless of your situation, our experienced Green Bay personal injury lawyers know how to pursue compensation aggressively. Take a look at some of our recent case results to learn more about our team's successes.
Common Negligent Driving Behaviors That Lead to Green Bay Car Accidents
According to the Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), an average of 130,000 car crashes occur each year, with about 4,000 occurring in and around Green Bay. Various factors can lead to car accidents, including weather, traffic, and mechanical breakdowns, but most have one thing in common—they are preventable. Drivers do not have control over the weather or traffic congestion, but they do have control over how they operate their vehicles. Unfortunately, most car accidents occur because of driver negligence.
Examples of common careless driving behaviors that lead to dangerous and fatal Green Bay car accidents include:
Driving Under the Influence
It’s no secret that Wisconsin residents enjoy their spirits—drinking in Wisconsin occurs more often than in many other states. It follows that intoxicated driving also happens more.
In the last several years, Wisconsin has earned the title of the nation’s “drunkest” state more than once. Wisconsin regularly ranks in the top five when it is not in the number one spot. Additionally, Green Bay has earned the title of the state’s drunkest city on multiple occasions.
Green Bay is home to the Packers' Lambeau Field and has a culture that encourages social and binge-drinking. Although some people refuse to drink and drive, this is not always the case. Drivers who operate their vehicles after consuming alcohol endanger others. Alcohol impairs drivers, making it challenging to judge space and time and sometimes stay awake while driving.
Distracted Driving
Driving while distracted is among the most dangerous driving behaviors and arguably the most common cause of preventable car accidents in Green Bay, throughout Wisconsin, and throughout the nation. Distracted driving is any activity that serves as a manual, visual, or cognitive distraction to the driver. Many assume cell phones are the biggest culprits related to distracted driving. Cell phones are a problem; texting checks all three boxes because it distracts the hands, eyes, and mind. However, distracted driving has been a problem longer than cell phones have been around.
Mobile devices have placed massive public attention on distracted driving, but many other distractions can lead to dangerous car crashes in Green Bay.
Examples of common driving distractions include:
- Snacking, eating, and drinking
- Personal grooming, such as makeup application or brushing hair
- Reaching for dropped items in the backseat or on the floor
- Arguments and heated discussions
- Daydreaming
- Focusing on events outside the vehicle
- Adjusting vehicle features such as heat, A/C, mirrors, seats, or radio
Speeding
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), speeding contributes to about one out of four traffic crashes. Many assume speeding only includes going over the posted speed limit. However, driving too fast for weather, road, or traffic conditions also constitutes speeding.
Traveling too fast for weather conditions is especially problematic in Green Bay’s winter months when snowstorms occur regularly. Drivers who go too fast on snow and ice-packed roads risk sliding into other vehicles or sliding through a stoplight and causing an accident.
Speeding makes it challenging to control a vehicle, especially during inclement weather, but speeding on clear roads can be just as dangerous. Even when speeding does not directly lead to an accident, it does make accidents more deadly. Speed increases the impact of a car accident that causes more severe injuries and dramatically increases the chances of accident-related deaths.
Fatigued Driving
Getting behind the wheel without proper rest is as dangerous as drunk driving. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has dedicated ample time and resources to studying the relationship between sleep and driving. Their research reveals that drivers who go without sleep for 18 hours have the same level of impairment as those with a 0.05 blood alcohol level.
Like drunk drivers, fatigued or drowsy drivers have difficulty judging time and distance. Additionally, they risk nodding off at the wheel, swerving into traffic, and causing a dangerous and potentially deadly car accident.
Drivers suffer fatigue for various reasons. For some, drowsy driving is rare after a long day or not getting enough sleep. Others suffer from continuous fatigue, often related to their job or health condition. Shift workers and those with demanding schedules, like truck drivers or those who work more than one job, often face fatigue daily. Also, undiagnosed medical conditions such as sleep disorders and diabetes can cause continued drowsiness and some prescription medications.
What Is Wisconsin's Statute of Limitations for Green Bay Car Accident Claims?
In general, you have three years to pursue legal action after a Green Bay car accident. However, this time frame could vary depending on who shares liability. If you sustained injuries in a Green Bay car accident, take action as soon as possible to ensure you can build a strong case against the at-fault party.
Who is Responsible for Paying for My Injuries?
The time you have to bring a lawsuit depends on whom you sue and whether someone died in the accident. Some of the parties you might name as a defendant in a Green Bay car accident lawsuit include:
- Another motorist: Most car accident claims involve two or more motorists. According to Wisconsin law, those injured in a car accident have three years to file a lawsuit against another driver when that driver’s negligence led to the accident that caused their injuries.
- Third parties: Sometimes, a third party is financially responsible for damages after a Green Bay car accident or shares liability with another party. For example, if a driver injured you in their employer’s vehicle, your Green Bay car crash lawyer might advise you to sue the employer for damages. The three-year statute of limitations also applies to lawsuits that include a third party.
- Auto/Auto part manufacturers: Companies who make cars and car parts can sometimes be liable for damages related to a car accident and injuries when the accident occurred because of a defective car or car part. For example, if a driver who caused an accident had a tire blowout that occurred because of defective tires, your lawyer might advise you to sue the tire company for damages. These product liability claims have a three-year statute of limitations in Wisconsin.
- City of Green Bay, Brown County, or the State of Wisconsin: Although it does not occur frequently, sometimes drivers have a claim against a government entity for damages after a car accident. Potholes, malfunctioning stoplights, removed traffic signs, and uncleared debris sometimes cause dangerous car crashes. If you want to file a lawsuit against Green Bay, you only have 120 days. Our Green Bay car accident lawyers can advise you on your time limit if another government entity’s actions or failures contributed to your accident and injuries.
If you have lost a loved one in a Green Bay car accident, you could have grounds for a wrongful death lawsuit against the allegedly responsible party. According to Wisconsin law, eligible surviving family members sometimes recover damages, but they must take action within two years after the death of their loved one. A Green Bay car accident lawyer at Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers can answer any further questions you have about wrongful death lawsuits.
Sometimes, exceptions apply to statutes of limitations, so speaking with a lawyer can safeguard your rights.
Client Testimonial
What Injuries Can Our Green Bay Car Accident Lawyers Handle?
If you are facing financial stress from missing work, medical bills, and a permanent injury after a car crash, bringing an accident injury claim can result in compensation for your losses. Severe car accident injuries can also cause emotional trauma that is more difficult to place a dollar value on but is still a form of legal damages you can request.
Some of the more common injuries our legal team can handle include:
- Head, neck, and spinal damage, including whiplash
- Traumatic brain injury
- Broken bones
- Internal bleeding and organ damage
- Cuts, bruises, and burns
- Amputation
- Concussions and traumatic brain injuries
- Tendon, ligament, and muscle damage
It is easy to know that you need to hire a lawyer in extreme cases, but those in the middle might leave you uncertain about what action you should take. You should always consult with a lawyer and let them review your case in a free consultation.
Which Damages Can I Request After a Green Bay Car Accident?
If you bring an insurance claim or civil lawsuit against another party after a Green Bay car accident, you could recover damages if you prevail in your case. Damages include compensation for a wide range of economic and non-economic losses related to your accident and injuries.
Specific damages vary among cases, but here are some examples of common damages included in car accident settlements or jury awards:
- Medical treatment costs, including ambulance service, emergency room treatment, surgery, hospital stay, radiology, diagnostic tests, doctor visits, and prescription medication
- Estimated future medical costs when a car accident causes a permanent injury or requires around-the-clock care in a long-term nursing care facility
- Rehabilitation expenses, including specialized treatment such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and mental health services
- Costs for crutches, wheelchairs, prosthetic limbs, and other assistive devices
- Lost income from time away from work due to the accident and injuries
- Estimated future lost wages after a car accident leads to a permanent injury preventing someone from returning to their job
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of consortium
How Do I Find a Car Accident Attorney Near Me?
No matter where you’re injured, Nicolet Law is here to help you recover after your car accident. In addition to Green Bay, we’re proud to serve many other Wisconsin communities:
- Hudson
- Eau Claire
- La Crosse
- Wausau
- Superior
- Rice Lake
- New Richmond
- River Falls
- Milwaukee
Our car accident attorneys are happy to speak with you at any of our convenient office locations. However, if your mobility is impaired due to your injuries, we will gladly arrange to meet with you wherever is most convenient.
Injured in a Green Bay Car Crash? Contact the Car Accident Lawyers at Nicolet Law Today
The compassionate legal team at Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers understands the challenges you face after a Green Bay car accident. They can handle the details of your claim and build a case against the responsible parties while you focus on recovering from your injuries.
If you live in or near Green Bay, contact us online or at (920) 504-3655 for a free case evaluation to discuss the circumstances of your accident, your injuries, and your legal options.