Sideswipe collisions are absolutely startling. In fact, you’ll likely hear the noise of the collision before you realize that anything else has happened. A sideswipe crash can lead to virtually no injuries when it happens at a low speed. But at high-speeds, a sideswipe collision can send one or both cars spinning out or even overturning. The trouble is that many people forget about the risk and damage of a sideswipe accident.
There are ways to be much safer about avoiding sideswipe collisions, and there are systematic methods for resolving these types of crashes. With sideswipe collisions, the fault is a particular issue, and it can be something that both sides battled back and forth on. If you’re the victim of a sideswipe collision, contact our Atlanta car accident attorneys.
What is a Sideswipe Accident?
Sideswipe accidents aren’t as common as rear end collisions, and they’re generally less destructive when it comes to property damage and injuries. A sideswipe accident typically refers to one car brushing another, and the damage is done to the sides of both vehicles.
However, there are side collisions that involve one car hitting the other from the side with their front end. Usually, the argument with sideswipe accidents a fault is that someone was attempting to enter a road and that the other driver “didn’t let them in.” It becomes an argument of the right-of-way and who should have yielded. Unlike rear end collisions or head-on collisions besides white crashes, it can have a lot of argument over fault before they reach a resolution.
Merging Lanes and Changing Lanes
A science wife is any side collision that happens when one vehicle hits another along the side of the car. The most common situation for this is that the sides of both vehicles will brush against each other. That’s the result you see from people who sideswipe when changing lanes or emerging onto a road or freeway.
However, side collisions can also happen when someone fails to yield at a left turn or blows a red light. It is important that if you see a sideswipe crash coming up that you don’t try to adjust in a way that may put you or passengers at risk of taking the bulk of the impact. Many drivers will intuitively speed up or try to slow down; however, what often happens is that the other driver matches this action.
Who has the Right-of-Way in Merging Lanes?
In merging lanes, the vehicles which are already on the street that someone is attempting to enter have the right-of-way. That means that for freeways, the drivers on the freeway have the right-of-way, and those merging onto the freeway need to yield. For many new drivers, this is the scariest moment when it comes to determining the right-of-way because you need to safely enter the freeway, and it can be difficult to do so if there’s heavy traffic.
Understanding How You Weren’t At-Fault
When it comes to understanding fault, you need to pull back the veil on the insurance company procedures for how they conduct investigations. Initially, they look at the evidence available such as videos or photos. However, if they can’t determine fault from the evidence, they’ll start going to statements for an account of the crash. Witness statements are not always reliable, but they can be very helpful. Driver statements, however, are frequently unreliable and often not helpful.
Be very careful when speaking with insurance companies about exactly what happened because a statement such as “I had no idea the car was there,” could put you at fault. Then it becomes a battle of your account versus their account of the crash. Never talk to the other driver’s car insurance provider.
Finding an Atlanta Car Wreck Lawyer
At the Weinstein firm, you’ll be sure to find a team full of skilled and compassionate attorneys who understand you are caught in a strange position when it comes to fault. You thoroughly believe that you’ve done nothing wrong. However, this other driver claims that it was you who caused the sideswipe crash. Unlike in a rear end collision or a frontal collision, you don’t have one determined view on the accident. Most victims in a sideswipe collision weren’t aware of the vehicle until it hit their car.
The good news is through evidence, witnesses, and crash recreation; you can get to the bottom of the fault and start your claim. We will help you determine how to start your claim and what goals to put down in your demand letter for full compensation. Contact the Weinstein firm today.
