Sideswipe vehicle accidents can cause more than a few dents or scratches. Some sideswipe collisions cause severe injuries and can be fatal.
If you are in a sideswipe crash, you may be entitled to compensation. An attorney at David R. Price, Jr., P.A. can help you pursue compensation after a sideswipe accident in Greenville, SC, and surrounding areas.
What Is a Sideswipe Accident?
A sideswipe accident can happen when a vehicle strikes another car side-to-side or at a glancing angle. These vehicles may be traveling in the same direction or different directions.
How Do Sideswipe Accidents Happen?
Driver error can cause sideswipe accidents. These collisions can happen when one car is in the “blind spot” of another vehicle, so that driver can’t see the car coming up alongside their vehicle.
Here are some ways that these collisions can occur:
Improper Lane Changes
When changing lanes, motorists must follow the relevant traffic laws and be diligent about:
- checking their blind spot,
- using their turn signals,
- yielding the right of way to vehicles traveling in the lane they want to enter,
- slowing down if necessary,
- watching out for the car ahead of them in case it stops suddenly,
- being cautious when switching lanes on curved roads, and
- reading the road markings to ensure they can change lanes legally in that area.
Drivers who fail to follow these safe driving practices can cause sideswipe accidents.
Improper Merging
Road signs, pavement markers, and other signage are meant to notify drivers in adjacent lanes of upcoming merges. A driver who isn’t observant while on the road can miss these cues. Some motorists may also try overtaking the car next to them rather than slowing down and letting the vehicle pass. Sideswipe collisions can happen when neither driver makes way.
Drifting or Swerving
Sideswipe accidents can happen when a distracted or intoxicated driver drifts into the lane beside them. If the road curves suddenly, a distracted driver can swerve into the vehicle beside them.
How Severe Are Sideswipe Collisions?
Sideswipe collisions can be dangerous as a vehicle’s side provides less protection to drivers and passengers than a vehicle’s front or rear. When an older car is involved, sideswipe accidents are usually worse because the vehicle can lack reinforced steel beams or side-impact airbags to absorb some of the crash’s force.
A driver can also have a knee-jerk reaction to correct their actions or move away from the automobile impacting them. This move can make the motorist lose control, causing other crashes like rollovers or collisions with trees or other objects off the side of the road.
Who Could Be Liable for a Sideswipe Collision?
Various parties can be liable for a sideswipe accident. Either driver can be responsible in varying degrees. A driver who disobeyed traffic laws, violated the right of way, or ignored common road practices can be deemed at-fault for the collision.
Other parties can also be liable for the sideswipe accident, including:
- a government entity,
- an employer, or
- a third-party driver.
South Carolina fault rules outline that the motorist who caused the sideswipe car crash can be held liable for compensating the injured party for resulting damages.
You should get an attorney to help you assess your case, determine the at-fault party, and pursue the appropriate legal course. A lawyer can help you seek compensation for your injuries.
Contact Our South Carolina Car Collision Lawyers
Attorneys at David R. Price, Jr., P.A. can help you after a sideswipe accident. Our lawyers can examine your case, discuss your legal options, and guide you through the next steps. Contact us today to get reliable and professional legal representation after a sideswipe accident.
Sideswipe Accident FAQs
Which damages can I collect compensation from after a sideswipe accident?
A sideswipe accident victim can pursue compensation for lost wages, accident-related medical expenses, pain or suffering, future lost wages, and property damage.
What evidence can prove your case after a sideswipe collision?
An attorney can help you collect, preserve, and present witness statements, police accident reports, traffic footage, scene photographs, physical evidence, medical records, and expert testimony.
David Price is a Personal Injury, Civil Litigation, Collections, and Criminal Defense Attorney who practices in Greenville, SC. He graduated from the University of Georgia School of Law, and has been practicing law for 12 years. David Price believes in helping those who have been injured. Learn more about his experience by clicking here.
