Experienced Springfield Car Accident Attorneys Ready to Help

At Sabbeth Law, our Springfield car accident lawyers are ready to help you navigate the legal claims process and secure maximum financial compensation after a crash.

Having received prestigious honors from U.S. News Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers of New England, and a Martindale AV Rating, our entire legal practice focuses on representing victims and their families.

If you or your loved one was hurt in a motor vehicle collision in Windsor County, we are ready to get started on your case. For a free consultation with a top Vermont car accident attorney, call us today.

Common Causes of Car Accidents in Springfield, Vermont

Car accidents can happen in a split second and leave lasting consequences. In Springfield, Vermont, common causes include:

  • Distracted driving and texting while driving
  • Speeding or reckless driving
  • Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
  • Poor road conditions or hazardous weather
  • Defective vehicle parts or maintenance issues

No matter the cause of your car accident, our experienced attorneys have likely handled a similar case and can provide the guidance you need to pursue full and fair compensation.

What to Do After a Car Accident

Taking the right steps immediately following a collision protects both your health and legal rights.

Check for Injuries and Ensure Safety

First, check for injuries and call 911 if anyone needs emergency medical care. Move to a safe location if possible, but avoid leaving the accident scene.

Exchange Information and Document the Scene

Exchange information with other drivers involved, including names, contact details, insurance information, and license plate numbers. Document the scene by taking photographs of vehicle damage, road conditions, traffic signs, and visible injuries. Collect contact information from witnesses who saw the accident occur.

Protect Your Legal Rights

Avoid making statements about fault to other drivers or their insurance company representatives. Even apologizing can be interpreted as accepting responsibility. Seek medical attention promptly, even if you feel fine, as some injuries manifest symptoms days later.

Navigating Insurance Claims

Understanding the insurance process helps you avoid common pitfalls that can reduce your compensation. After reporting the accident to your insurance company, an adjuster will be assigned to investigate your claim. This insurance company representative works to minimize payouts, not maximize your recovery.

Insurance adjusters may request recorded statements, medical authorizations, or quick settlements before you understand the full extent of your injuries. You have no legal obligation to provide recorded statements or sign broad medical releases for the other driver’s insurance company.

Early settlement offers rarely account for future medical expenses, ongoing treatment needs, or long-term impacts on your earning capacity. Once you accept a settlement and sign a release, you cannot pursue additional compensation even if complications arise later. Having an attorney handle communications with the insurance company protects you from tactics designed to undervalue or deny valid claims.

How Fault Is Determined

Establishing liability requires thorough investigation and evidence analysis. Police reports provide official documentation of the accident scene, statements from involved parties, and the responding officer’s assessment. However, the accident report represents only one piece of evidence.

Witness testimony offers independent perspectives on how the collision occurred. Physical evidence, including skid marks, vehicle damage patterns, debris fields, and traffic camera footage, helps reconstruct the sequence of events. Cell phone records can prove distracted driving, while toxicology results establish impaired driving.

Traffic law violations documented through citations strongly indicate fault. An experienced car accident lawsuit attorney knows how to gather and present this evidence effectively to establish the other party’s negligence.

Springfield, VT Comparative Negligence Rule

Vermont follows a modified comparative negligence system under Vt. Stat. Ann. Tit. 12, § 1036. This means liability for a crash is assigned in proportion to each party’s fault, and your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of responsibility.

For example, if you are found 20% at fault for a collision and your total damages equal $100,000, you can recover $80,000. However, if you are determined to be more than 50% responsible for the accident, you cannot recover any damages.

Insurance companies aggressively pursue comparative fault arguments to reduce their payouts. They may claim you were speeding, failed to brake in time, or violated traffic laws. Protecting your rights requires strong legal representation that can counter unfair fault allegations with solid evidence.

Statute of Limitations in Springfield, VT

Vermont law imposes strict deadlines for filing legal claims after a car accident. Under Vermont statute, you have three years from the accident date to file a personal injury lawsuit. Wrongful death claims must be filed within two years of the victim’s death.

Missing these deadlines means losing your right to pursue compensation entirely, regardless of how serious your injuries or how clear the other driver’s fault. While three years may seem like ample time, building a strong car accident lawsuit takes months of investigation, evidence gathering, and negotiation.

Starting early allows your attorney to secure witness statements before memories fade, obtain accident scene evidence before it disappears, and file your claim well before the deadline approaches. Do not wait to seek legal representation.

Filing a Personal Injury Claim for Compensation and Damages

After suffering injuries in a serious motor vehicle accident, taking prompt action is crucial for protecting your legal rights. The claims process begins by gathering critical documentation, including police reports, medical records, and evidence from the accident scene.

Photographs of your injuries, vehicle damage, and the crash location provide powerful visual evidence to strengthen your case. Insurance companies often attempt to minimize payouts through quick settlement offers that rarely reflect the true value of serious injury claims, particularly when long-term medical needs exist.

Springfield car accident victims with catastrophic injuries face particularly complex claims. The true costs of traumatic brain injuries, spinal damage, or permanent disabilities extend far beyond immediate medical bills and medical expenses.

Securing proper compensation requires thorough documentation of both economic losses—including medical expenses and lost wages—and non-economic damages such as pain, suffering, emotional distress, and diminished quality of life that Vermont law allows victims to recover.

Vermont Car Accidents and Legal Standards

Motor vehicle collisions happen regularly in our region. According to the Vermont Highway Safety Office 2020 Annual Report, approximately 300 severe injuries and 60 fatalities are reported in car accidents statewide each year. Many hundreds more suffer mild and moderate injuries.

If you were hurt in a collision in Windsor County, your claim is governed by state law. Vermont operates as an at-fault auto accident jurisdiction, meaning the party deemed responsible for causing a wreck is also legally responsible for the resulting damages, including any injuries suffered. Every accident requires an in-depth investigation to determine exactly what happened and why it happened.

Protecting Your Rights Against Uninsured Motorists

Not all drivers carry adequate insurance coverage despite legal requirements. When an uninsured or underinsured driver causes your accident, recovering compensation becomes more challenging but not impossible.

Your own insurance policy likely includes uninsured motorist coverage that can provide compensation when the at-fault driver lacks sufficient insurance. This coverage functions as a safety net, allowing you to recover damages for injuries and losses even when the responsible party cannot pay.

However, pursuing uninsured motorist claims involves navigating complex policy language and negotiating with your own insurance company, which may resist paying the full value of your claim. An experienced attorney understands these policy provisions and can maximize your recovery from available coverage sources.

Maximizing Your Financial Recovery

In Vermont, auto accident victims have the right to pursue compensation after a crash. Getting the full amount you deserve can be frustrating as insurance companies try to settle claims for less.

At Sabbeth Law, our Springfield auto accident lawyers fight hard to get our clients every penny they are owed. You may be able to obtain a settlement or verdict that includes financial compensation for:

  • Vehicle repairs
  • Emergency room treatment
  • Medical bills
  • Physical therapy
  • Mental health counseling
  • Loss of current and future wages
  • Pain and suffering
  • Permanent physical deformity
  • Permanent physical impairment
  • Wrongful death claims.

Wrongful death claims provide surviving family members with compensation for funeral expenses, loss of financial support, loss of companionship, and the emotional trauma of losing a loved one. These claims require compassionate yet aggressive legal representation to ensure families receive justice.

You Can Rely On Sabbeth Law

After an accident, insurance companies waste no time building their defense. They focus entirely on protecting their profits, finding ways to pay out as little as possible to injured victims.

At Sabbeth Law, we will not let you fall behind in the claims process. When you reach out to us, you will speak to a Springfield auto accident attorney who will review your crash, answer questions, and explain the claim process; fully investigate your accident and injuries while gathering evidence; handle all paperwork and dealings with insurance companies; and go as far as needed to get you justice and full financial support.

Our results measure us. Our law firm knows you need compensation to pay medical bills and support yourself. With a lengthy record of client reviews, you can trust our Springfield, Vermont car accident lawyers to handle your case with the highest level of personal attention and professionalism.

Contact Our Springfield Auto Accident Attorneys Today

At Sabbeth Law, our Vermont car accident lawyers fight hard to protect the rights of injured people and their families. We have the experience you can trust to hold insurance companies accountable.

If you or your loved one was hurt in a traffic crash in Springfield, our legal team can help. Contact us now for a free, no-strings-attached initial consultation.

We represent motor vehicle accident victims in Springfield and all over Windsor County, including in Hartford, Windsor, Norwich, Hartland, Woodstock, Royalton, Bethel, and Weathersfield.