Durham Side Impact Collision Lawyer
Side impact accidents, also referred to as T-bone accidents, are serious events on Durham roadways. Cars and even SUVs are vulnerable because body panels are long and their reinforcement cannot absorb the force of an accident nearly as well as the crush zones at the front of vehicles.
Injuries sustained in this type of accident can be serious, even deadly, depending upon the speed and where the car is hit. Airbags in doors and seatbelts offer some protection but because people inside sit close to the sides of vehicles they are closer to harm’s way. Those involved in these crashes can sustain injuries to the abdomen, arms, legs, brain, chest, neck, and pelvis.
If you have been suffered injuries following a T-bone accident, it is important to get advice from a skilled Durham auto accident attorney right away. A Durham side impact collision attorney can help you pursue compensation for the damages you have suffered.
Common Causes of Side Impact Accidents
The principle cause Durham side impact collision lawyers see in these types of accidents is driver error. These include:
- Speeding
- Aggressive driving
- Distraction
- Failing to obey traffic signs and signals
- Failing to yield the right of way
- Traffic lights that are not working
- Driver impairment
First Steps to Take After a Car Accident
Durham motorists need to protect themselves legally by taking a series of initial steps. After an accident happens, a person should see if they have injuries or if anyone involved is hurt or unconscious and if so, immediately summon help themselves or ask a bystander to do so. They should not try to move a seriously injured person unless circumstances, such as fire, make it necessary. They must stay at the scene. If they do not, they are in violation of the law and could be criminally charged with hit-and-run no matter who is at fault for the collision even if they return later.
If anyone is hurt or if a lot of damage to the vehicles is evident, someone should call the police or have someone make the call. They will need a police report, which is an unbiased record of the event, and it is best if they get the names and badge numbers of the officers who arrive. A person needs to provide their name, address, driver’s license and license plate numbers, and insurance carrier, and make sure to get the same from the other party.
Someone should keep even tempered following an accident. Being emotional or hostile is not helpful. If the other party blames that person, it is not in their best interest to admit anything, even if they know they caused the wreck. Witnesses often will leave the scene before police arrive so, a person should try to talk to them and get their contact information. What they say can collaborate their side of the crash. Witnesses can be reluctant, so copying down their license number will help them identify them later.
A person should take their own pictures of the crash from as many angles as they can before any vehicles are moved. These will help with accident reconstruction. They should then promptly notify their insurance company and tell them the truth of the accident. If they lie to the insurer, the company may refuse to honor their claim for the collision.
In Case of Serious Injury
A person needs to keep detailed records of their medical treatments and medicines and they should be sure to get copies of them. If they do not, it will be harder and perhaps impossible to prove the full extent of their damages. Sometimes an injury will not show itself until days or even months afterward.
Also, a Durham side impact collision lawyer would recommend their client to keep a journal detailing how the collision has affected their day-to-day activities, including time missed from work, things they can no longer do, and detail how their injuries have changed their life and how their family life has changed. All of this is necessary to prove pain and suffering in the pursuit of damages.
Contacting a Durham Side Impact Collision Attorney
In serious collisions, insurance companies will try to mitigate their loss. To protect your rights, contact a Durham side impact collision attorney today to talk to about your options moving forward. An experienced T-bone accident attorney in Durham can best help you in your case for compensation.
