Fort Lupton Side-Impact Collision Lawyer
Although side-impact collisions are not the most common type of car accidents, they can cause the most bodily harm to the people in the cars. Even when a car is traveling at low speeds, a side-impact collision can cause severe injuries that can result in lifelong health complications or even death.
If a side-impact crash has hurt you, you may be facing a lengthy medical recovery and enormous financial debts. An experienced attorney could help you pursue monetary compensation against the party responsible for your accident. With a dedicated Fort Lupton side-impact collision lawyer on your side, you will be able to focus on your physical and emotional recovery, while your attorney skillfully handles the legal and financial issues.
What is a Side-Impact Car Accident?
Side-impact collisions, also known as broadside or T-bone collisions, occur when one vehicle crashes into the side of another vehicle. They generally occur at intersections when:
- An oncoming driver does not stop at a red light or a stop sign
- An oncoming driver does not yield to another car
- One car suddenly turns left in front of another car
Harm Caused by T-Bone Collisions
Side-impact collisions often cause more significant bodily harm than other types of car accidents because cars do not offer as much protection to their passengers from side-impact collisions. In a rear-end crash, the body of the car and the trunk offer some protection. Similarly, in a front-end collision, the car’s front airbags and the front of the car itself provide some distance between the car’s occupants and the oncoming car. In a broadside collision, there is no such distance. Victims often face the full impact of the crashing vehicle in a t-bone collision with only the door to protect them. Although some newer vehicles have side-impact airbags, they still do not offer much protection from the force of a broadsiding car.
The impact of a side-impact collision can also push the t-boned car out of its lane and into objects on the side of the road, like fences, and utility poles, or into the path of oncoming cars. Some of the injuries that follow a broadside collision are:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Fractures
- Facial disfigurement
- Internal injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Paralysis
- Whiplash
- Amputations
Survivors of side-impact wrecks can face lifelong health complications that require extensive and costly rehabilitation and may leave them unable to work. A Fort Lupton side-impact collision lawyer can file a civil suit for negligence against the at-fault driver to help a survivor recover damages for their medical and rehabilitation expenses, lost present and future wages, as well as for their pain and suffering.
Impact of Shared Liability
It can be challenging to determine who is liable in a side-impact collision, and courts often based liability on who had the right of way when the accident occurred. Colorado Revised Statutes Section 13-21-111 allows a claimant to recover damages even if they were partially responsible for their accident, as long as their degree of fault is less than that of the other driver, but courts will reduce the claimant’s damages in proportion to their degree of blame for the accident. Experienced local counsel can help establish the negligence and liability of the other driver by interviewing witnesses and following the proper procedural channels.
Call a Fort Lupton Side-Impact Collision Attorney Today
If a side-impact collision has seriously injured you, you may need more compensation to recover from your injuries than an insurance company is willing to pay. You may need to reach out for professional legal assistance. A dedicated Fort Lupton side-impact car accident lawyer will fight for your rights and will work hard to get you the kind of settlement that you deserve. For more insight regarding a specific case, or if you wish to get started on a clam, call a trusted injury attorney today.