Rhode Island Car Accident Attorney

Put Years of Experience in Your Corner

While there is promising evidence that car accident rates have decreased over the years, there are still thousands of life-altering crashes involving cars, trucks, and motorcycles every year. Many innocent drivers in Rhode Island continue to suffer catastrophic injuries and permanent disabilities because others on the road engage in distracted driving, drunk driving, and other negligent behaviors.

Being involved in a car accident – no matter how minor – can be incredibly traumatic and result in severe injuries. If you or a loved one was injured in a car crash that wasn't your fault, you have the right to receive compensation for any damages you have sustained.

For more information on your rights and options after a serious auto accident, call (401) 200-4059. Your consultation is free; you pay nothing unless we win your car accident case.

What Should You Do If You're in a Car Accident?

Automobile accidents are a leading cause of injury and death in the Unites States. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2015, the estimated number of people injured on our nation’s roads increased from 2.34 million to 2.44 million. Unfortunately, a car accident can happen at any time, so it is best to be prepared if you are ever involved in one.

There are important steps you can take to protect yourself in the event of a car accident. Here are some helpful tips from Decof, Barry, Mega & Quinn, P.C.:

• Immediately after a vehicle accident, stay put until medical personnel and first responders arrive. You may not feel any pain or injuries at first, but it is best for those trained in on-the-scene emergency medicine to examine you and assess your condition before you move or try to get out of the car.
• If the emergency medical personnel recommends that an ambulance transport you to a medical facility, follow that advice.
• Whether you are speaking with medical personnel first at the scene or in the emergency room, provide as many details of your current medical condition as possible. Describe ALL of the places where you feel pain, numbness and/or no feeling at all. Also, let the medical personnel know of all pre-existing medical conditions as well as any medications you are taking.
• If your medical condition permits, be cooperative and provide law enforcement with as much information. If you are in no condition to do so, you can follow up with police at a later time or they will follow up with you.
• Also, if your condition permits, use your cell phone to take pictures of the accident vehicles, location, any damage, and the scene BEFORE any vehicles are moved. If family members or friends come to the accident scene, have them take photos for you.
• If you were not at fault in the accident, seek legal advice. If you have not done so at the time of your contact with a lawyer, in addition to contacting the insurance company for the person at fault, have your lawyer send notification to your automobile insurance carrier.
• If the at-fault driver’s insurance company contacts you before you have retained a lawyer, do not speak to them. Your conversation may be recorded and it is best that you wait to obtain advice from an attorney.
• Obtain a copy of the police report. If for any reason you cannot, when you retain a lawyer, they can obtain a copy.
• If continued medical treatment is necessary after your emergency room visit, follow the advice of the medical professionals and seek additional medical treatment in the specialty recommended. Avoid performing tasks or activities that complicate your medical recovery. Ask your doctors if you can go back to work, if you can lift over a certain amount of weight, for example, and once you obtain medical guidance, then follow it accordingly. Sometimes it is helpful to make a list of questions you wish to ask or topics you wish to discuss with your physician. While the time with your doctor may be short, use it wisely and have your questions/issues in place in order to maximize learning the best way to help yourself.

If there is any change for the worse in your medical condition between office visits, contact your doctor immediately. Be clear about the changes and be persistent if it is in your best interest to see the doctor sooner than later. If your doctor’s office is unresponsive to your needs, and your condition is serious, go to the nearest medical facility as soon as possible.

If you have been seriously injured in a car crash, please contact us to speak with one of our experienced personal injury attorneys.

Why Hire a Car Accident Attorney?

Rhode Island is an "at-fault" state regarding car accident claims, which means the injured party may file a claim against the at-fault party's insurance company. Unfortunately, insurance companies are often motivated to minimize claims to avoid large settlements.

The Rhode Island car accident attorneys at Decof, Mega & Quinn, P.C. are not afraid to negotiate aggressively with the at-fault party's insurance company to secure a fair settlement for your injuries. When negotiation fails to bring a reasonable settlement, we do not hesitate to take a car accident case to trial.

 We know how important a fair settlement or award will be as you begin to put the pieces of your life back together after a severe car accident, so we will spare no effort to secure the best possible result. Don't wait to give us a call.

"I feel very blessed to have had you in my corner, and want to thank you for bringing my case to the best possible conclusion. You forever have my professional respect and my sincere personal gratitude." - Linda S.

Compensation for Car Accident Injuries

After a car crash, you may be grappling with permanent or long-term changes to your health, mobility, career, and family life. Many car accident injuries will require years of treatment, significant financial resources to heal, and sustained psychological counseling and rehabilitative assistance.

Auto accidents can lead to a wide range of injuries and debilitating conditions, such as:

• Lacerations, scrapes, and wounds
• Broken and shattered bones
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
• Neck injuries and vocal cord paralysis
• Severed limbs
• Spinal cord injuries & paralysis
• Internal bleeding and hemorrhaging
• Whiplash
• Herniated discs and displaced joints
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Filing an insurance claim or a civil lawsuit against the at-fault driver may often be the best way for victims to get the resources or “damages” they deserve after a car crash caused by negligence.

Rhode Island Shared Fault Laws

Every state handles fault for car accidents a little differently. In Rhode Island – which is an at-fault or “tort” state – car accidents are evaluated on the principle of “pure comparative negligence.” This means you can still file a car accident lawsuit against a negligent driver even if you were somewhat responsible for the crash. 

However, your share of the compensation will be reduced by the percentage of your participation. For example, a person ruled 10% at fault for a car accident can only receive up to 90% of the requested damages.

It’s also important to understand what counts as negligent behavior while driving. Negligence on the road can look like this:

• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol (DUI/DWI)
• Distracted driving and texting
• Road rage and aggression
• Tailgating (following too closely)
• Failing to obey traffic signals and stop signs
• Improper merging or signaling to merge
• Speeding
• Failing to look when backing out of a space

From our offices in Providence, our Rhode Island auto accident lawyers help victims of car, truck, motorcycle, and pedestrian accidents across the state. Our experience in this arena of personal injury law is diverse. 

Our legal team uses our familiarity with a wide range of motor vehicle accident cases to benefit our clients, as we can more easily identify the cause, assign liability, and ascertain the actual value of a case.

Can the Owner of the Car Be Liable Even if They Were not Driving?

Obviously, the negligent driver can be held responsible for any catastrophic personal injuries caused in a given accident, but in many serious accidents, the driver’s insurance policy coverage may be insufficient to cover the damages awarded. In this situation, unfortunately, a permanently and catastrophically injured person may not be able to collect their full damages.

At Decof, Barry, Mega & Quinn, P.C., however, our attorneys have significant experience in identifying parties other than the negligent auto driver who may be liable for damages and whose insurance policies are available.

For example, under certain circumstances, the owner of a vehicle may be liable for the negligent operation of the vehicle by another person simply due to their ownership of the vehicle. Such “vicarious liability” attaches even in the absence of negligence by the owner of the vehicle. As car rentals, leases, loaners, and shared cars (think “Zipcars”) have become more common, the relationships among all the parties involved in these transactions have become more complicated. Consequently, the question of who is responsible (and whose insurance is available) has also become more complex. This is especially true now that several different state and federal laws govern owner liability.

Having a detailed working knowledge of the state and federal statutes governing liability in these situations becomes imperative. That’s why it’s important that you hire a personal injury law firm with the experience and expertise required to identify all avenues of recovery. In addition, the firm must have the wherewithal to handle personal injury lawsuits involving multiple defense attorneys representing multiple corporate defendants and multiple insurance companies.

Our firm won a precedent-setting Rhode Island Supreme Court case which held that lessors of motor vehicles were subject to vicarious liability. As a result of this Supreme Court victory, our catastrophically injured client was able to recover millions of dollars of personal injury damages beyond the negligent driver’s policy limits. See Oliveira v. Lombardi, 794 A.2d 453 (R.I. 2002). Similarly, in February of 2015, our firm won a multimillion dollar judgment at trial against the owner and lessor of an automobile on behalf on our permanently injured client. The firm’s experience and skill in pursuing these additional parties has allowed us to recover millions more in personal injury damages than would have otherwise been available under the negligent driver’s insurance policy alone.

Car Accident FAQs

Get Started on Your Accident Case Today!

The Rhode Island car accident lawyers at Decof, Mega & Quinn, P.C. have helped hundreds of clients injured by negligent drivers in this state. Our team has the experience to protect your rights and get you the total compensation you deserve. 

By explaining all your legal options and advocating for appropriate recovery, our personal injury lawyers aim to help you heal from your injuries and find peace of mind for the future.

Contact us at (401) 200-4059 for a free consultation today.