Although sideswipe accidents are usually minor, they can be catastrophic or even deadly. The severity is partly because a car’s sides are not reinforced for impacts like the fronts and backs. Bumpers, motors, and trunks help protect you better than a door.
Even if you stay vigilant—checking mirrors before you merge into another lane, taking care at stop signs, and watching where other cars are positioned—accidents happen. When they are caused by someone else acting recklessly, a seasoned auto collision attorney at Reaves Law Firm, PLLC could help you hold the at-fault party accountable. If you are hurt in a side-impact car accident in Jackson, our aggressive legal team is ready to help you get the compensation you deserve.
When a vehicle brushes or slams into the side of another vehicle, a side-impact collision occurs. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that side-impact crashes cause about 25 percent of deaths in passenger vehicles. Side-impact accidents are either sideswipes or T-bones.
Sideswipe accidents happen when one vehicle’s side makes contact with the side of another, usually while traveling next to each other when one vehicle is merging onto a road or into another lane and does not see the other vehicle. Although sideswipes generally occur at lower speeds, they can cause motorists to lose control and slam into other vehicles.
Broadside or T-bone accidents occur when the full force of one car smashes into the side of another. Drivers injured in side-impact auto collisions should contact a tenacious Jackson injury attorney to fight for compensation.
Many factors can lead to a side-impact accident. When those factors include unreasonable behavior on a driver’s part, an injured party may be eligible for compensation if negligence can be proved.
A diligent attorney will offer the jury evidence of negligence, which occurs when a driver uses poor judgment, causes an accident, and others are harmed. An example would be a driver who breaks the law by driving drunk or high and smashes into the side of another vehicle. Other scenarios include:
Side-impact crashes can cause catastrophic injuries to those involved, especially in older cars that may not carry side airbags. Head injuries, crushed bones, severe burns, and post-traumatic stress disorder are all possible. An experienced Jackson car crash attorney understands the impact sideswipe and T-bone injuries can have on a victim and will seek a generous settlement from the at-fault driver’s insurance company or an adequate damages award from a jury.
Mississippi Code Annotated § 15-1-49 gives an injured party three years to file a personal injury lawsuit following a side-impact car accident. Filing beyond the deadline will preclude the case from moving forward.
Side-impact collisions can leave you severely injured, leading to a long and expensive recovery during which you may be unable to work and support your family. If another driver caused the accident through intentional or reckless behavior, our team of dedicated legal professionals at Reaves Law Firm, PLLC might be able to get you the compensation you need to move forward.
Our committed lawyers are adept at negotiating with insurance carriers and proving your case before a jury. Call now to discuss your side-impact car accident in Jackson with one of our skilled attorneys.
