At Caddell Reynolds Law Firm, our dedicated team has decades of experience successfully representing car crash victims across Arkansas, southern Missouri, and eastern Oklahoma. We have the knowledge and resources to win even the most challenging cases, including those involving:
- Company Vehicles
- Distracted Driving
- Drunk Driving
- Fatal Crashes
- Government Vehicles
- Head-On Crashes
- Multiple Vehicle Pile-Up
- Rear-End Collisions
- Speeding
- Teen Drivers
- T-Bone Wrecks
- Uber/Lyft
- Uninsured Drivers
- Weather-Related Crashes
From gathering evidence and building a strong case to negotiating with insurance companies and fighting for you in court, you can trust us to provide the compassionate support and tenacious advocacy your case demands—every step of the way.
If you or a loved one was injured in a motor vehicle crash that wasn’t your fault, don’t wait to seek the legal help you need. Contact Caddell Reynolds today for a Free Case Review with an experienced Arkansas car accident lawyer. We work on a contingency-fee basis, so if you hire our firm, you won’t pay us anything unless we win your case.
Let us protect your rights and help you on the road to recovery.
How Common Are Car Crashes?
According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 2,000 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes across those three states in 2023 alone:
- Arkansas: 596 traffic fatalities
- Missouri: 991 traffic-related deaths
- Oklahoma: 718 killed in motor vehicle crashes
Arkansas ranked fourth in the nation for traffic fatality rates, with 19.4 deaths per 100,000 residents.
While vehicle occupants account for the vast majority of car crash victims, other vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, motorcyclists, and cyclists, make up a significant share of the lives lost to these often avoidable tragedies.
Most Car “Accidents” Aren’t Accidents: Common Causes
While every motor vehicle “accident” is unique, most aren’t truly accidental. Instead, predictable and entirely preventable factors trigger these collisions, such as
- Distracted Driving: Driver inattention, whether from texting, talking on the phone, adjusting the radio, or speaking with passengers, significantly impairs a driver’s ability to react to hazards.
- Driver Fatigue: Drowsy driving can be as dangerous as driving under the influence. Fatigue slows reaction times and impairs judgment, making a crash more likely.
- Failure to Obey Traffic Laws: Many wrecks are the direct result of a driver disregarding the rules of the road. This includes running red lights or stop signs, failing to yield the right-of-way, making improper turns, and tailgating.
- Speeding or Reckless Driving: Exceeding the speed limit or driving aggressively reduces a driver’s reaction time and increases the severity of a crash.
- Driving Under the Influence (DUI/DWI): Alcohol and drugs severely impair a driver’s coordination, judgment, and ability to operate a vehicle safely.
- Environmental and Road Conditions: Hazards like rain, ice, fog, potholes, road debris, or inadequate signage can contribute to collisions.
- Mechanical Failures: Poor vehicle maintenance can lead to catastrophic failures. Tire blowouts, worn brakes, or defective steering systems can all cause a driver to lose control.
Physical Consequences of an Auto Wreck: Common Injuries
A car crash puts tremendous force on the body, often causing injuries that aren’t obvious at the moment. You may feel shaken, but “okay,” only to discover later that something is seriously wrong after the adrenaline wears out of your system.
- Musculoskeletal Injuries: Injuries affecting bones, muscles, and ligaments are the most common type sustained in a crash.
- Whiplash: A rapid back-and-forth neck movement causing strain.
- Fractures (Broken Bones): Ranging from minor cracks to severe compound fractures affecting arms, legs, ribs, or the pelvis.
- Herniated Discs: Damage to the spinal discs that can cause intense pain, numbness, or weakness.
- Head and Brain Injuries: Motor vehicle collisions are a leading cause of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).
- Concussions: A mild TBI caused by the brain striking the skull.
- Severe TBIs: More serious damage that can lead to long-term cognitive, physical, or emotional impairment.
- Internal Injuries: These are incredibly dangerous, as symptoms may not be immediately obvious.
- Internal Bleeding: Ruptured blood vessels that can be life-threatening.
- Organ Damage: Force from the impact can damage or rupture vital organs like the spleen, liver, or kidneys.
- Psychological Injuries: The trauma from a crash can have lasting mental health effects.
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): A common consequence of experiencing a traumatic event.
- Anxiety and Depression: The shock and life changes following a crash often lead to significant emotional distress.
Do I Have a Car Crash Case?
In Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma, your ability to hold another driver legally responsible for your injuries and losses depends on proving four essential elements of negligence—the legal standard that applies when someone fails to exercise the level of care a reasonable person would under similar circumstances, resulting in harm to another.
- Duty of Care: Every driver has a responsibility to operate their vehicle safely and follow traffic laws. This duty exists to protect everyone on the road—from other drivers and passengers to pedestrians and cyclists.
- Breach of Duty: A breach occurs when a driver fails to live up to that responsibility. Speeding, texting behind the wheel, running a red light, driving under the influence, or failing to yield are all choices that violate the duty of care.
- Causation: Proving negligence also requires showing that the other driver’s breach directly caused the crash and your injuries.
- Damages: Finally, you must show that the crash resulted in real, measurable losses. Damages can include crash-related medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage, as well as the physical pain, emotional distress, and disruptions that have altered your daily life.
If you’re unsure whether your situation meets these requirements, you don’t have to sort it out alone. An experienced car accident lawyer at Caddell Reynolds can explain your rights, evaluate the strength of your case, and help you pursue all the compensation the law allows.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Car Crash?
Liability for a collision isn’t always as straightforward as you might assume. Depending on the circumstances of the crash, two more parties could share blame.
- The At-Fault Driver: The most obvious liable party, a driver would be at fault if their negligent actions—speeding, failing to follow traffic laws, distracted driving, or impaired driving—caused or contributed to the crash.
- The Vehicle Owner: If an owner knowingly lent their vehicle to an incompetent, impaired, or unlicensed driver (negligent entrustment), they may be held responsible for a crash and resulting injuries.
- Employers: If the at-fault driver was working at the time of the wreck—such as a delivery driver or commercial trucker—their employer can be held vicariously liable under a legal doctrine known as “respondeat superior.”
- Vehicle or Parts Manufacturers: If a defect in the vehicle, like faulty brakes or a defective airbag, caused or contributed to the crash, the manufacturer can be sued in a product liability claim.
- Government Entities: A city or state agency may be liable if the collision was caused by dangerous road conditions, such as large potholes, poorly designed intersections, or malfunctioning traffic lights.
- Mechanics or Repair Shops: If negligent or faulty repairs contributed to the wreck, the shop that performed the work may be held responsible.
Understanding Comparative Negligence
When more than one party shares blame for a car crash, liability is divided among all at-fault drivers. If you were partly responsible, you can still file a personal injury lawsuit against the other at-fault parties. However, in Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma, these cases are governed by a legal doctrine called comparative negligence, which requires that your percentage of fault reduce any compensation you receive. Depending on the state and your degree of fault, you may be entirely barred from receiving any compensation:
- Arkansas: Follows a modified comparative fault rule. You can only recover damages if you are found to be less than 50% at fault. If you are 50% or more at fault, you are barred from receiving any financial recovery.
- Missouri: Uses a pure comparative fault system. You can recover damages even if you are 99% at fault. Your total compensation is simply reduced by your percentage of fault.
- Oklahoma: Follows a modified comparative fault rule similar to Arkansas, but you can recover damages as long as your fault is 50% or less. If you are found to be 51% or more at fault, you cannot recover.
For example, if you have $100,000 in damages but are found to be 20% at fault, your award in all three states would be reduced by 20%, leaving you with $80,000. However, if you were found 60% at fault, you could recover $40,000 in Missouri but would receive nothing in Arkansas or Oklahoma.
How Our Arkansas Car Accident Lawyers Can Help
When you’re coping with the fallout from a serious automobile crash, contacting an attorney might be the last thing on your mind. But the earlier you get a lawyer involved, the sooner they can protect your rights, preserve critical evidence, and shield you from the tactics insurance companies leverage to shift blame and limit or deny claims.
If you choose Caddell Reynolds, our attorneys will walk you through each step of the legal process and explain your options in a way that makes sense. We listen carefully, address your concerns, and ensure you have the information you need to make well-informed decisions at each stage of the legal process. Most importantly, we’ll shoulder the legal and insurance burdens for you, leaving you free to focus on your recovery and reclaiming your life.
Investigating the Collision
We’ll immediately begin gathering and reviewing the police report, medical records, photos and videos of the scene, witness statements, and vehicle damage assessments. When needed, our attorneys work with accident reconstruction experts and other specialists to determine exactly how the crash happened and who was responsible.
Dealing With Insurers
Your legal team will become the single point of contact for every insurance adjuster handling your claim. We won’t allow anyone to pressure you to give a recorded statement or accept a quick settlement, and we’ll help you avoid mistakes that could hurt your case.
Managing Paperwork and Deadlines
We’ll prepare and file all necessary paperwork and ensure your claim complies with the applicable statutes of limitations. Missing a deadline or failing to submit a form—even unintentionally—could potentially bar you from recovering compensation altogether.
Valuing Your Claim
Your lawyers will evaluate all current and future damages, including medical bills, rehabilitation costs, lost wages, future earning capacity, property damage, and pain and suffering. With a complete picture of your losses, we can push back against low-ball offers and advocate for the full compensation you’re entitled to.
Negotiating with Insurance Companies
Insurers aim to settle claims for as little as possible. Our lawyers understand how they work, and they know how to counter their tactics. With experienced legal representation, you’ll be in a much stronger position during negotiations.
Representing You in Court
We will do our best to settle your case before going to court. However, all of our car accident lawyers are skilled litigators, so we won’t hesitate to go to trial if a resolution proves impossible. They understand the most effective ways to present evidence to a judge or jury, question witnesses, and argue for maximum compensation. The mere fact that we’re fully prepared to go to trial when necessary also sends a clear message to insurers that low-ball offers won’t be accepted.
Protecting Your Financial Recovery
After a settlement or verdict, your attorney will help you manage medical liens from healthcare providers or insurance companies that must be repaid. Negotiation on your behalf, we’ll work to ensure you keep as much of your financial recovery as possible.
Let Us Fight for You
At Caddell Reynolds Law Firm, our attorneys have decades of experience helping individuals and families navigate the aftermath of serious crashes. We understand the burden of mounting medical bills, lost income, and an uncertain future. Most importantly, we know what it takes to win against powerful insurance companies and their high-priced teams of attorneys.
If you’ve been injured in a car crash and are unsure where to turn, reach out at 800-671-4100 or contact us online to schedule your free, no-obligation case evaluation.
