Frank Fought for Chris Against the Insurance Companies

When I was hit by an underinsured driver, Warshafsky was the company I talked to first. Frank Crivello immediately addressed my medical concerns and then we discussed my car. The other drivers insurance company wanted me to settle right away. What the insurance company wanted to offer me barely cove...

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Chris O
Krista Fought for a Better Payday for Jimi

I had the pleasure to work with Krista G. LaFave at Warshafsky law firm. Not only was Krista available for my questions, but she worked hard to get more money than I expected. Because of her insight, and professional advice, I listened to her. I was very anxious and wanted to just get this over with...

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Jimi M
"This is the place, and these are the people."

I want to thank Warshafsky Law Firm for everything that they have done for me and my daughter. Specifically, Victor C. Harding and Sue M. Soczka. I can't express enough how grateful I am for all of their hard work and dedication. From the beginning to the end, they took control of everything needed ...

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Tyler P
"Trusting in the Warshafsky team was one of the best decisions my family has made."

The Warshafsky Law Firm were diligent and very professional. I rarely write a review unless I feel strongly about something, but I truly feel that everyone at Warshafsky worked hard on our case and deserves all the good praises. We never felt like we couldn't trust them to work for us to get everyth...

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Mae C
Krista & Victor Challenged a 60-Year-Old Settlement Cap and WON!

​Krista LaFave and Victor Harding made a recovery for almost nine times more than is allowed by law!​ My husband was killed in an auto accident because a municipality failed to erect warning signs alerting drivers of a road closure ahead. Early on, I was told that a municipality is protected by a $5...

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Deidra U
Warshafsky Gives Out Free Legal Advice

Call Warshafsky! is what my friends told me. Thankfully in my accident, no one was injured, but I did not want to be taken advantage of by the insurance company. I wasn't sure if I needed a lawyer, but this IS about the money, right? You carefully listened to me about my situation and let me know th...

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C Boneck

Milwaukee car accident settlement & judgment amounts

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Types of damages available if you’re injured in Milwaukee

If you have been injured in a Milwaukee car accident, you may be entitled to damages, or money, based on a variety of factors. Straightforward economic damages are easier to measure financially. Your compensation may include:

  1. Property damage 
    (typically including the damage to your vehicle and its contents)
  2. Lost wages  
    (loss of income and loss of future earning capacity from being too injured to work)
  3. Medical expenses 
    (including hospital bills past, present, and future)
  4. Emotional distress
    (sleep loss, fear, anxiety, and PTSD experienced after the injury)
  5. Loss of enjoyment/loss of consortium
    (inability to enjoy hobbies and activities, or companionship with your spouse)

 

The role of pain and suffering and non-economic damages

If you have suffered an injury in a Milwaukee car accident, you are entitled to compensation for your pain and suffering. The physical, emotional and psychological impacts of a crash can be severe and long-lasting – you may experience PTSD, anxiety, lost wages and more. Though no amount of money can undo your hardship, financial damages may help you pay medical bills and make up for lost income. An at-fault party will be especially liable for punitive damages if their actions cause a fatality.

An experienced personal injury lawyer can analyze your Milwaukee car accident, determine fault and fight for maximum compensation in settlement negotiations or court. Don’t go at it alone after a Milwaukee car accident. A knowledgeable car accident attorney can advocate on your behalf so you can focus on healing. Trust the personal injury lawyers at Warshafsky Law and receive the fair compensation you deserve after a car accident injury.

 

Milwaukee car accident personal injury attorneys

Milwaukee vehicle accident case types

 

Types of car crash injuries

According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation:

  • As of 2024, Wisconsin experiences an annual average of 132,265 total crashes, resulting in approximately 26,755 injuries each year.
  • Milwaukee County makes up about 20% of those car accidents despite only having 16% of the state’s population.

Common Injuries caused by car accidents include: 

Personal injuries from a car accident can range from minor discomfort to serious, lifelong disabilities. Pain delayed by adrenaline, inflammation or shock can initially obscure the true severity of your injuries. Even if you believe your injuries to be minor, you should still seek medical attention immediately, as it can help your attorney substantiate damages in your injury claim. Documenting the progression of your symptoms, treatment and recovery over time builds critical evidence an experienced lawyer can use to demand fair compensation. Consult a doctor and an attorney as soon as possible after you’ve been in a car accident.

In fatal cases, car accidents are often considered causes of wrongful death. When you or a loved one is wrongfully injured or when your loved one is killed in a car accident in Milwaukee, contact an attorney at Warshafsky Law.

Car accident resources

 

Why police reports are critical to your car accident claim

After a car accident in Milwaukee, order a copy of the police report ASAP. Your attorney will want to review the official report as critical evidence. The police report provides a third-party account of the accident events from the reporting officer who responded to the scene. Having a record of the official police report is vital for your lawyer to establish liability and seek maximum compensation.

You can obtain a copy of the police report easily and for a small fee. The reporting officer should provide you with a receipt with an identification number. Call your local police department, then provide the identification number to your attorney so they can secure a copy of the report. If you don’t have the receipt, give your lawyer the date, time and location of the accident and they will request the official documentation for review.

The report provides a summary of the accident and includes relevant info such as: 

  • Date, time, and location of the accident
  • Name, address, and insurance information of involved parties
  • Traffic citations issued to either party 
  • Identifying information from witnesses 
  • Who was at fault according to the officer

Your lawyer will use the police report to determine the best course of action to pursue the case. It’s critical to obtain a copy of the police report and provide it to an experienced car accident attorney. The insurance company will use the report to conduct its own investigation. Without the report, your Milwaukee car accident claim may be weak, allowing the insurance company to lower your settlement offer or even deny your claim.

Is Wisconsin a no-fault state? 

Wisconsin follows a tort-based system, not a no-fault system (Wisconsin Statute § 346.70). This means fault must be legally determined and attributed to establish liability after a car accident. Your lawyer will need to demonstrate the at-fault party’s negligence or responsibility for causing the collision and your subsequent damages. The at-fault driver is then legally required to compensate you for all accident-related costs through their liability insurance or personal assets. You may be able to receive compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering damages and more. Retaining an experienced Milwaukee car accident attorney is key to determining fault and securing the maximum compensation you deserve in your car accident claim.

Uninsured & Underinsured Car Accident Victims

If you are involved in a Milwaukee car accident with an underinsured or uninsured motorist (Wisconsin Statute § 344.65), you will need to file a claim with your insurance provider. The at-fault driver’s inadequate insurance will not be able to cover the damages, but your provider should. Your insurance company may attempt to avoid paying a claim, so you’ll want a team of experienced personal injury lawyers on your side to fight off any lowball offers. 

Wisconsin State Legislature: Injury to the person. Wisconsin Statute § 893.54 (2024). Duty to report an accident; assistance following an accident. Wisconsin Statute § 346.70.  

How to deal with your insurance company after a Milwaukee car accident

After your Milwaukee car accident, you’ll need to file a claim with your insurance company (Wisconsin Statute § 628.48). When you speak to your provider, they’ll ask for information about the accident. What you decide to share can affect your claim. 

Here is what you should and shouldn’t do when speaking to an insurance adjuster: 

  • DON’T share more than necessary: Anything you say may be used against you to weaken your chances of getting the compensation you deserve. You can also opt to have your attorney handle communication with the insurance company.
  • DO share the date, time, names, and location of the accident: Only provide the facts. 
  • DON’T go into detail about your injury: Insurance companies will try to dig into your medical history to blame your injuries on previous conditions.
  • DON’T admit fault: The insurance company is not on your side. If you take responsibility in any way, they will try to use it against you in your injury claim. 
  • DO hire a personal injury lawyer: Rather than handling the stress of a car accident claim alone, hire a lawyer. Warshafsky handles all conversations with your insurance provider to ensure you get fair compensation, and we won’t settle for less.
  • DON’T sign insurance documents without speaking to a personal injury attorney: If you’re unfamiliar with any insurance documents, speak to your lawyer immediately. Your insurance company will do its best to get you to sign your legal rights away. Don’t fall for it. 
  • DO be polite: Be courteous when speaking to an insurance adjuster but also cautious. Allow your attorney to handle communication with the insurance company to avoid disclosing any incriminating details.
  • DON’T accept the first settlement offer: Insurance companies set out to do one thing–save themselves money. They will offer you the lowest settlement amount possible after your car accident. Don’t accept it. Warshafsky’s expert lawyers will get you more.

About 96% of all personal injury cases are settled before they go to trial. Even if you aren't going to trial, it is still vitally important to have an experienced attorney on your side. Warshafsky's lawyers will fight for you at every step to get the full compensation you deserve.

What are the chances of getting into a car accident in your lifetime? 

  • 77% of U.S. drivers have been in at least one car accident in their lifetime, and there is a 1 in 366 chance of getting into a car accident for every 1,000 miles you drive.
  • On an individual level, getting into a car accident may feel like a rare occurrence. However, on average, there are over 16,000 car accidents in the U.S. every day.
  • Insurance companies estimate the average driver will file an insurance claim for a car accident at least once every 17.9 years, equating to the average person getting into three to four car collisions in their lifetime.
  • In Wisconsin, there were 572 fatal car accidents in 2023 and 25,071 injury-causing car accidents in 2022 (Wisconsin DoT). There were an average of 19,891 hit-and-run related car accidents in Wisconsin between 2018 and 2022.

Age can also play a role in your odds of getting into a car accident. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety and the Wisconsin DoT, younger drivers are significantly more likely to be involved in car accidents when compared to other age ranges.

Car Accident Statistics by Age (data courtesy of AAA) 

AgeCrashes per 100 million miles driven
16-17 1,432
18-19 730
20-24 572
25-29 536
30-39 328
40-49 314
50-59 315
60-69 241
70+ 733

Wisconsin is the 4th Worst Driving State in the US - Alcohol and Speeding to Blame

A new study, published by the insurance review site QuoteWizard, found Wisconsin to be one of the worst driving states in the US. Even if you have a perfect driving record, this ranking affects all Wisconsin vehicles. Nick VinZant, a senior research analyst, sat down with Milwaukee’s TMJ4. VinZant explains, “What we did is we looked at dangerous driving behavior nationwide, specifically speeding tickets, accidents, DUIs and citations… We found that Milwaukee is the worst driving city in Wisconsin.” Wisconsin ranks 4th in the nation for DUIs and 5th for speeding tickets.

How will this affect your insurance premiums? VinZant estimates your insurance to increase:

  • 26% after a speeding ticket
  • 25% - 75% after an accident
  • $10,000 + extra premiums after a DUI

Consult with a Milwaukee car accident lawyer to understand how driving records and citations can impact claim settlements.

Milwaukee's Most Dangerous Intersections

Data and car accident statistics indicate the intersection at Fond Du Lac Avenue, Burleigh Street and 35th Street is the most dangerous intersection in Milwaukee. From 2021 to 2022, 110 crashes and 42 hit-and-runs were recorded at the location. 

IntersectionCrashes RecordedHit and RunsNotable Landmarks Nearby
Fond du Lac Avenue, Burleigh Street and 35th Street 110 42 Sherman Phoenix, Police District 7
West Burleigh Street and West Fond du Lac Avenue 37 16 BMO Harris Bank, Taqueria los Tuxtla
North 35th Street and West Burleigh Street 36 14 Reynold's Pasty Shop, Conflict Sports
North 35th Street and West Fond du Lac Avenue 34 12 Milwaukee County Transit System, O'Reilly Auto Parts
Fond du Lac Avenue, Capitol Drive and 51st Boulevard 81 12 Carson Academy of Science, Zaza's Steak & Lemonade
North 51st Boulevard and West Fond du Lac Avenue 38 10 Milwaukee Fire Department, Uppa Yard
Fond du Lac Avenue, Center Street and 27th Street 81 18 Wisconsin Black Historical Society, Fryerz
North 27th Street and West Center Street 43 18 Milwaukee Public Library, Center Street Branch
North 27th Street crosses with West Fond du Lac Avenue 40 16 Clarke Street Boys & Girls Club, Matco Distributors
West Center Street and West Fond du Lac Avenue 38 10 Clarke Street School, MacCanon Brown Homeless Sanctuary
North 35th Street and West Capitol Drive 41 18
27th Street, Teutonia Avenue and Hampton Avenue 34 15 Advance Auto Parts, Lloyd's Dry Cleaners and Laundromat
60th Street and Silver Spring Drive 32 14 Westlawn Gardens, El Navegante
60th Street and Capitol Drive 32 12 Midtown Shopping Center, Laughing Crab
Sherman Boulevard and Capitol Drive 32 12
Cesar Chavez Drive, Muskego Avenue and Greenfield Avenue 32 14 Pete's Fruit Market; Chase Bank

Car Accident Lawyers in Milwaukee & SE Wisconsin

Attorneys at Warshafsky Law represent clients throughout the state to achieve the maximum possible compensation. We represent clients in: 

Warshafsky Law

Warshafsky prepares every case for full-scale litigation, through the trial and even the appeal. Insurance companies fear our reputation. They WILL settle for a dramatically higher sum than their initial, small offering. We operate under a strict no-win-no-fee policy, meaning we do not collect payment until we win.

Other Law Firms

Most attorneys want to be hired and settle your case fast. Speed of dispensation and volume means more income for these law firms and less for you. These spineless attorneys are simple settlement mills, looking for the quickest pay cut.

89 Car accident fatalities in 2024

Per the Wisconsin DOT statistics from 2023, car accidents went down dramatically in Milwaukee County (from 27,430 in 2021 to 25,604 in 2022) but car accident deaths went up (from 87 in 2021 to 111 in 2022).  Preliminary death count stats suggest 2 in 2024. 2023 total crash data is not yet available.

Milwaukee County car accidents

Milwaukee car accident stats

Milwaukee County car accident deaths

Milwaukee car accident death statistics

We handle all types of car accidents in Milwaukee

Warshfasky Law Firm has represented injured clients in all types of auto accidents in Milwaukee. Each case is unique, the particular facts of your case will be investigated during your free case evaluation.

  • Head-on and rear-end collisions
  • T-Bone intersection accidents
  • Highway rollovers
  • Drunk driver accidents
  • Single vehicle and multi vehicle
  • Distract driver (texting and driving) accidents
  • Uninsured, underinsured, and hit-and-run accidents

Can road conditions impact liability in car accidents?

Common types of car crashes are impacted by icy, wet, debris-filled and improperly designed roads and could impact liability in a car accident. For example, if an entity had a duty to keep an area of pavement well maintained and failed in that duty, it might be argued that their insurance company is liable for your injuries. Call a personal injury attorney after a car accident to examine factors that could affect your case.

Types of vehicles impacting your legal claim

  1. Uber and Lyft cars - Ride sharing services try to insulate themselves from legal liability with end-user license agreements (EULAs) for the passenger (you), and other paperwork for the driver. It may be called into question whose insurance is liable for which monetary damages.
  2. Police cars and ambulances - There are additional car accident laws that apply to government vehicles. For example, under Wisconsin state law you must report an accident if $1,000 or more damage is done to any person’s property vehicle, but that threshold drops to $200 for government property or vehicles.
  3. School buses and garbage trucks - Sometimes a Milwaukee car accident lawyer might seek to enjoin many parties to your lawsuit. The company employing the driver directly could be liable. The entity employing that company could be liable. The insurance company of any involved parties could be liable. A lawyer can help you work this out.
  4. Semi tractors and large trucks - Over the road trucking companies are often protected by huge blanket insurance policies that could be the source of liability needed to help you recover financially. Even if the truck driver was only partly responsible for the damages, the company insurance policy could be responsible for all of your expenses – medical and otherwise.
  5. Motorcycles, bicycles, and pedestrians - Motorcycle accidents are disproportionately likely to involve serious injury or death. Insurance policies do their best to price this into their policy, collecting maximized premiums each month while providing the minimum possible payout to make your accident claim go away.

 

Most common causes of serious car accident injuries in Milwaukee

Vehicle wrecks can be caused by texting and driving, following too close, or any other 1000 factors. In 2022, there were 440 Milwaukee County crashes reported with suspected serious injuries. According to the University of Wisconsin, some of the biggest contributory factors in “serious injury” accidents were:

  • Speed – 126 serious injury accidents28.6% of crashes had at least one driver who exceeded the speed limit, was driving too fast for conditions, or a citation was issued.
  • Seatbelt – 76 serious injury accidents17.3% of crashes had one or more persons who did not use any safety equipment. For motorcyclists this includes helmets.
  • Alcohol or Drugs – 58 serious injury accidents13.2% of crashes had one or more persons who were suspected by law enforcement to have used alcohol or drugs, or a citation was issued.

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Frequent Milwaukee car accident attorney questions

What is a no win, no fee car accident law firm?

Warshafsky Law is a contingency legal firm, which means no win, no fee. You won’t pay any money up-front. You only pay only when you receive compensation. No need to worry about hourly fees or retainers for frequent communication with your attorney.

What are the most common car accident injuries?

The most common car accident injuries include scrapes and cuts, soft tissue damage and head, chest, arm, and leg injuries.

How is fault determined in a car accident in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin operates under a Shared Fault Law, meaning each person involved can be held partially responsible for the crash. Compensation for damages varies based on the percentage of fault attributed to you. Fault is usually determined by the police officers who respond to the scene. Your car accident attorney will examine all the evidence to uncover the true liable parties.

Should I hire a lawyer for an auto accident in Milwaukee?

Yes, contact an experienced car accident lawyer to receive the maximum insurance settlement you deserve. Milwaukee auto insurance companies often lowball claims, and shared liability laws are complicated to navigate. Wisconsin's Statute of Limitations requires you to file your personal injury case within 3 years of discovering the injury. Damages over $5,000 are not handled in small claims court. Hire the best Milwaukee car crash lawyers to build your case with on-site evidence (police reports, medical records, eyewitness testimony) and uncover hidden sources of liability.

When should I call an attorney after a car accident?

Evidence begins deteriorating minutes after the accident. The sooner you contact an attorney the sooner we can begin building your case to win at trial. Retaining a skilled car accident attorney is the only way insurance companies will offer you the full value of your case. Online research can be counterproductive. Our lawyers handle case assessments for free. Act FAST.