The Dangers of Side-Impact Collisions
In a recent blog post, we shared some information with you about intersection accidents, including what you should know about the risk factors for these types of crashes and what you can do to prevent them. One of the most common types of collision to occur in an intersection is a side-impact crash. Keep reading to find out more about side-impact collisions, and contact a seasoned West Virginia car accident lawyer if you’ve been hurt in a side-impact crash.
Side-impact collisions occur any time one vehicle is struck on its side, but they can come in numerous forms. They can include lateral collisions, where two vehicles make contact on each of their sides, as well as broadside or T-bone collisions, where one vehicle facing head-on collides with the side panel of another vehicle. These crashes can occur anywhere that cars are traveling in perpendicular directions to one another, including intersections and parking lots.
Frequently, side-impact crashes result from the at-fault car failing to yield the right-of-way at a stop sign or signal. This failure to yield may be the result of the driver of the at-fault car being distracted by their phone. Distracted drivers may fail to look up in time to notice a stop sign or that their signal had turned red and cross-traffic had begun to move through the intersection.
The potential of side-impact collisions to cause harm can fluctuate based on several factors. When the vehicle facing head-on in a T-bone collision is a larger raised vehicle such as a truck or SUV, and the car being hit on its side is lower to the ground, the front end of the larger vehicle is more likely to collide with the window of the lower vehicle. This offers less impact protection for those in the lower vehicle, resulting in more severe injuries.
Speeding can also play a role in making side-impact crashes more serious. If a vehicle has sped up to get through an intersection before their light turns red but doesn’t make it in time, they may be unable to brake once cross-traffic begins to move, causing a serious crash between themselves and a car with the right-of-way. These crashes can result in devastating injuries for victims, who may be eligible to file a lawsuit for the damages they incurred after a side-impact crash.
If you’ve been hurt in a side-impact collision or T-bone crash in West Virginia, find out if you have the right to file a personal injury lawsuit for your damages by contacting the aggressive and effective Martinsburg personal injury lawyers at Burke, Schultz, Harman & Jenkinson for a free consultation on your case, at 304-263-0900.
