Car accidents happen in many different ways. You could get rear-ended at a stoplight, T-boned while backing out of a parking space, or sideswiped when another driver fails to check their blind spot. These accidents can cause a wide range of injuries. The type of accident can affect both the severity of your injuries and the complexity of your personal injury claim.
What are the different types of car accidents that occur most frequently in Indian Land, SC? Some of the most common types of auto accidents include:
- Rear-end collisions
- Side-impact collisions
- Sideswipe accidents
- Single-vehicle accidents
- Multi-vehicle accidents
- Rollover accidents
- Head-on collisions
If you’ve been seriously injured in a car crash in South Carolina, you need an experienced personal injury lawyer who will fight for the fair compensation you need.
David Blackwell Law is a personal injury law firm with an office in Indian Land, SC. Attorney David Blackwell takes pride in helping people who have been hurt in accidents caused by others and need help seeking fair compensation for their injuries. Call David Blackwell Law today if you’re looking for an experienced personal injury attorney in Indian Land, SC who will listen with empathy, treat you like family, and fight for your rights.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions happen when one vehicle stops or slows down and the other vehicle slams into it from behind. Usually, this is because the tailing driver followed too closely or wasn’t paying attention to the road. Perhaps the at-fault driver was distracted by a text message on their phone, a conversation, or a meal. A driver who stops without warning on a busy highway can also cause a rear-end collision, but courts and insurance companies generally assume the tailing driver is at fault.
Whatever the reason for the crash, rear-end collisions can have serious consequences. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), rear-end collisions account for 29 percent of all motor vehicle crashes and frequently cause injury or death.
Side-Impact Collisions
A side-impact collision happens when one vehicle strikes another from the side, often at a right angle or close to a right angle. Such collisions are called T-bone car crashes because the impact angle resembles the letter T.
These accidents can be especially hazardous because the sides of a car offer less protection than the front or rear. If another car crashes into the door panels of your vehicle, there isn’t much between the occupants of the car and the oncoming vehicle. The potential for severe injuries is high.
The most common cause of a side-impact collision is failure to observe the proper right of way at an intersection. An at-fault driver might run a red light, ignore a stop sign, or proceed when another driver has the right of way. According to the Federal Highway Administration, half of all traffic injuries occur at intersections.
Sideswipe Accidents
Sideswipe accidents occur when a driver merges or changes lanes without looking or drifts into another lane through inattention. The two vehicles bump against each other before veering off. This type of accident often causes relatively minor injuries, but sometimes the injuries are more severe.
For instance, if a car sideswipes a motorcycle, the motorcyclist can be badly hurt. A sideswipe accident sometimes causes drivers to lose control of their vehicles. According to the Insurance Information Institute, failure to stay in the right lane caused 6.6 percent of all fatal crashes in one recent year.
Single-Vehicle Accidents
A single-vehicle accident occurs when a car crashes into a fixed object without hitting another vehicle. In one recent year, according to the National Safety Council, accidents in which a motor vehicle crashed into a fixed object caused a quarter of all traffic deaths. Single-vehicle accidents can be caused by:
- Driver distraction
- Poor visibility
- Bad road conditions
- Swerving to avoid an animal or an object on the road
- Swerving to avoid an oncoming vehicle
In a crash caused by a driver trying to a head-on collision with an oncoming vehicle, the driver going the wrong way can be held liable even though the oncoming car wasn’t involved in the actual collision. However, most single-vehicle accidents are the fault of the driver who crashed.
Multi-Vehicle Accidents
Some car accidents involve multiple vehicles. Bad weather can cause a chain-reaction collision in which one vehicle crashes into another on a freeway. These crashes are also known as multi-car pileups.
Multi-vehicle accidents are among the most complex motor vehicle accident cases that personal injury attorneys investigate. It takes an investigation to determine who was at fault in a multi-vehicle accident. In many cases, more than one driver is responsible for the crash. For instance, one driver might have drifted into another lane and sideswiped another, but a third driver behind them might have been following too closely and going too fast, making it impossible to stop in time.
It’s a good idea to contact a personal injury attorney after any car accident. But it’s especially important in multi-vehicle accidents because of the difficulty in assessing liability. There are often multiple insurance companies involved after this type of crash. None of those insurers will want to admit that their policyholder was at fault. An experienced personal injury lawyer can investigate to determine what happened, guide you through the legal process, and seek compensation from those financially liable accountable.
Rollover Accidents
A rollover accident occurs when a vehicle flips over onto its side or roof. In a rollover accident, the occupants can sometimes be ejected at high speed, often resulting in traumatic brain injuries or fatalities. This is one reason why seatbelts are so important. SUVs, vans, and pickup trucks are the vehicles most likely to roll over, but a rollover can happen to any vehicle.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 77 percent of rollover accidents in a recent year happened after the vehicle hit another vehicle or a fixed object. Rollovers can happen on wet or icy roads or when a driver tries to take a turn without braking or slowing down. In a rollover crash caused by another vehicle, the other vehicle’s driver may be liable depending on the circumstances.
Head-On Collisions
Head-on collisions happen when two vehicles drive directly into each other. This almost always means that one driver is going the wrong way on a highway or one-way street. Sometimes, a head-on collision happens when a driver goes the wrong way on an exit ramp or crosses into oncoming traffic.
Head-on collisions often cause fatalities and catastrophic injuries. According to the Insurance Information Institute, head-on collisions accounted for 11 percent of all fatal car crashes in a recent year. The driver going the wrong way is almost always at fault for these accidents. Other factors can also contribute to the severity of the crash. For example, a head-on collision at 80 miles per hour is likely to be much more devastating than it would have been at 55 miles per hour. According to the NHTSA, excessive speed was a factor in 29 percent of traffic fatalities in a recent year.
Contact Our Indian Land Car Accident Attorneys
While there are many different types of car accident claims, they all have one thing in common. All car accident claims involve an injured person who needs help covering their expenses and getting their life back on track.
The insurance companies see a car accident claim as an expense that will reduce their profits. That’s why they will always offer the lowest settlement they think they can get away with. The only way to force them to offer more is to present them with clear and convincing evidence and make it clear you are willing to file a personal injury lawsuit and take them to court if necessary.
An experienced personal injury lawyer such as David Blackwell can interview eyewitnesses, review traffic footage, request copies of police reports, and review medical records with expert assistance to develop a persuasive personal injury case.
If you’ve been hurt in a car accident in Indian Land, SC, you need a lawyer who focuses on personal injury cases and understands this area of South Carolina law. David Blackwell Law focuses on representing personal injury victims and pursuing the maximum compensation available to help them rebuild their lives. Even though most personal injury cases are settled out of court, David Blackwell prepares every case as if it is going to trial. That thorough preparation lets the insurance company know that David Blackwell Law will take the case to trial if necessary.
David Blackwell treats clients with the utmost care and compassion. If you’re looking for a tough but caring personal injury lawyer in Indian Land, SC, contact David Blackwell Law today to discuss your case in a free consultation.