According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly 100 people are killed in motor vehicle accidents daily. In addition to fatalities, roughly three million are non-fatally injured in vehicle accidents, at the cost of over $75 billion every year. Vehicle accidents represent a serious loss to society, families, and individuals.
Few accidents are as harrowing and devastating as a head-on collision. Most head-on collisions result in completely totaling the vehicles involved, along with serious bodily injuries and extensive property. If you were involved in a head-on collision, a Marion head-on collisions lawyer may be able to help with your case. If negligence played a part in the accident, you may have grounds for a personal injury lawsuit. Please contact the Fitch Law Firm LLC at (614) 545-3930 to learn more.
Causes of Head-On Collisions
A head-on collision is when two vehicles traveling in opposite directions impact together front bumper to front bumper. Head-on accidents, or frontal impacts, are extremely dangerous and have a higher fatality rate than other types of accidents, as per data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Advanced vehicle safety features such as airbags and collision avoidance systems can only do so much to protect vehicle occupants. Once a road hazard or dangerous condition leads to a frontal crash, the damage is usually severe.
Here are a few common causes of head-on collisions.
- Wrong-way driving: this can happen if a driver takes a wrong turn, jumps the curb or median, or swerves into oncoming traffic to avoid a collision or an unexpected road hazard
- Losing control: a driver can lose control of his or her vehicle for a variety of reasons. Falling asleep, sudden changes in road traction, tire blowouts, and impacts with other vehicles can send a vehicle into an uncontrollable spin or into lanes of vehicles traveling in the opposite direction, resulting in a frontal crash
- Driver negligence: a driver can unintentionally end up traveling toward oncoming traffic and have a head-on collision as a result of distracted driving, fatigue, intoxication, unclear signage, overcorrections, or as a result of taking drastic crash-avoidance maneuvers
The chances of having a head-on collision will likely increase if any of the factors below are present:
- Narrow lanes or roads that do not have dividers between traffic traveling in opposite directions
- Damaged roads, potholes, and construction zones
- Overspeeding, unsafe passing, reckless driving, or distracted driving
- Senior citizens are more at risk for accidents than individuals in other age brackets. Poor vision and poor lighting can also contribute to an accident
- Unclear signage, poor weather, or unfamiliarity with the road
Head-On Collision Injuries and Damages
A head-on collision can cause a wide range of injuries and damages, all the way from minor vehicle damage with minor scratches or bruising to death, paralysis, physical incapacitation, and amputations.
Common injuries seen in head-on collisions include:
- Head, neck, back, and spinal cord injuries
- Muscle, nerve, soft tissue, and bone injuries
- Internal organ damage and internal bleeding
- Lacerations, scarring, and disfigurement
- Fractured and broken bones
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Dental, eye, and hearing injuries
Head-on collisions can also lead to extensive property and vehicle damage, and you may have to spend weeks or months out of work while you recover. Depending on how your accident occurred, and the parties deemed responsible for the collision, you may be able to seek compensation for:
- Vehicle damage
- Lost wages, up to certain limits
- Medical treatment costs, including surgery, rehab, medications, and testing
- Pain and suffering
- Diminished quality of life
- Burial and/or funeral costs in cases involving wrongful deaths
You may include any losses directly attributable to the accident from any at-fault parties in your claim. A Marion head-on collisions lawyer can help you identify and quantify these losses. Call the Fitch Law Firm LLC at (614) 545-3930 today. We can review your case for free.
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Determining Liability
Liability for a head-on collision will be determined by how the accident occurred. Consider the following scenarios.
- Someone drives while drowsy or under the influence or drives while distracted and causes an accident
- Poor vehicle maintenance leads to a breakdown while a vehicle is on the road, causing an accident
- Poor signage, missing traffic control signals, or damaged roads lead to an accident
For each of these examples, a different party—either a vehicle driver, a vehicle owner, a service or maintenance team, a local municipality, a construction team, or a parts manufacturer—may shoulder some of the blame for an accident that they caused or contributed to.
To win a head-on collision compensation claim, you must be able to prove that the at-fault party who caused or contributed to your accident should have known better or acted with the safety of others in mind. If a failure to do so leads to an accident that causes you bodily harm or other losses, you may be able to sue for compensation.
To do so, you will need to gather evidence to prove your case, such as:
- Police reports
- Medical records and bills
- Accident photos or video footage
- Eyewitness statements
- Cell phone records
- Evidence of alcohol or substance use
- Vehicle maintenance or service records
- Driving logs to prove fatigue or overwork
As the injured party, we will not tax you or your family with collecting evidence. Instead, our legal team takes care of this and every other aspect of your case for you. We use this evidence to build your case file and fight hard for a fair settlement.
A Robust Case File Can Bolster Settlement Negotiations
The majority of personal injury cases will not go to court. They are usually resolved with a settlement based on the weight of the accumulated evidence. Our car accident attorney can handle the back-and-forth settlement process for you. Recovering from an accident can be a challenging time. While you focus on taking care of yourself or an injured family member, we will:
- Create and submit your demand letter
- Submit documentation and physical evidence
- Field each monetary offer you receive
- Explain the pros and cons of each offer
The final settlement decision is yours to make. We work hard to guide you toward a well-informed decision that your current and future losses and lets you start putting your life back together.
We understand how difficult it can be to recover after suffering a traumatic head-on collision. You may be afflicted with injuries, you may have lost a loved one, and you may be unable to work. You may also be overwhelmed with the administrative aspects of filing an insurance claim, collecting evidence, calculating your losses, negotiating with insurance adjusters, and caring for other injured loved ones.
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We want you to know that you are not alone in this difficult time. A Marion head-on collisions lawyer may be able to assist you with your case. From evidence collection and negotiations to obtaining expert testimony in support of your claim, we can help you put together a claim and file it with the right agencies.
Statutes of limitation apply to head-on collision cases, and we will work to ensure that you meet all administrative and legal deadlines as well. Please call (614) 545-3930 now for your free initial consultation.