A head-on collision is when a vehicle violates the right of way of another car and collides with the front quadrant of the other vehicle. If you have been injured in a car wreck because someone else negligently ran into your vehicle, consider retaining an experienced car accident attorney from the Berry Law. A Seward head-on collision lawyer can help you sort through the complex legal process that follows front-end car wrecks, so call today to get started.
Common Causes of Seward Head-On Collisions
The most common cause of a head-on collision is a vehicle drifting across the yellow line into the oncoming traffic’s lane. Like rear-end collisions, head-on car accidents often occur as a result of someone texting, looking down at his/her phone, looking at the dash, or operating the radio.
While distracted driving causes most head-on collisions, the weather conditions can also lead to a wreck. For example, rounding a corner on ice may cause a driver to lose their traction and drift over into the other lane where they hit an oncoming car. Head-on collisions typically happen in areas like curves or bends because drivers do not anticipate the bend coming, they drive too fast, or the weather causes them to drift over.
Injuries in Head-On Collisions
Head-on collisions are particularly serious because they can result in catastrophic injury. Any accident can result in catastrophic injury, but head-on collisions have a much greater likelihood of catastrophic injury and death. The force of two vehicles colliding together and into each other can cause significant harm and injury to the occupants of a car.
When a multi-thousand-pound car going 35 miles-per-hour collides into another multi-thousand-pound car, and they stop immediately, inertia will cause the individual in that car to stay in motion. The force of a sudden stop on their body can be catastrophic.
Assigning Fault in a Head-On Car Wreck
Fault is assigned by insurance companies and traffic law on a case-by-case basis, regardless of what kind of wreck it is. An insurance adjuster, as well as legal counsel, would first determine if law enforcement issued a citation to any of the drivers for inattentive driving or failing to maintain their lane.
If a person failed to maintain their lane or was not paying attention and subsequently caused an accident, law enforcement may issue a citation to that driver, which carries significant weight when it comes to establishing liability. For a head-on collision case, sometimes it comes down to an all-or-nothing evaluation.
However, if both drivers were drifting into the middle of a lane and caused a head-on collision, it could be challenging to convince an adjuster that their driver was more at fault than the other. If an individual’s vehicle never left its lane and the other vehicle crowded into their lane, the other driver may be cited for a traffic violation. A Seward head-on collision attorney can use an at-fault driver’s citation to help establish liability during litigation.
Unpredictable Weather
Weather is one of the most significant factors in determining liability in a head-on collision. For example, if the weather conditions are particularly terrible and a person drives slowly, exercises good judgment, pays attention to their surroundings, exercises reasonable care but drifts into the oncoming lane because of a patch of ice that could not have been foreseen, he/she may not incur liability because he/she did not drive negligently.
Liability and negligence stem from a legal doctrine that places responsibility on people to exercise reasonable care. A head-on collision lawyer in Seward can help claimants assess the circumstances of a case to determine who is at fault for causing an accident.
Berry Law’s Team Provides You With Multiple Attorney Perspectives
Call a Seward Head-On Collision Attorney Today
A skilled attorney can meet with you and obtain a copy of your accident report, which features information about the incident itself and any details recorded by law enforcement. It is a substantial advantage to have legal counsel to ensure that you have followed up with any necessary medical care, notified your insurance carrier, have taken pictures so he/she can begin collecting evidence and preserving the claim. Additionally, an attorney may request access to your medical records and bills for evidence of harm from the accident.
A Seward head-on collision lawyer can work to gather and preserve evidence of damages, help determine liability in your case, and advocate for your rights in court. Call today to start working on your case.
