Information on Sideswipe Accident 

When a sideswipe accident occurs anywhere on the road, they are frequently common on freeways and at intersections. A drivers that is negligent when changing lanes may scrape against your car and hit your tire, causing you to lose control. All too often, these accidents lead to severe crashes; the driver may try to swerve out of the way or may not be able to regain control of his car after it’s been hit. The crashes can result in severe injuries and damages to numerous parties.

Majority of the times a sideswipe accident can be caused by someone not checking his blind spot, merging into another lane when someone else is merging from the other side, merging onto the freeway without speeding up or slowing down to match traffic, and much more. Some individuals may be negligent and look at their phones while driving, or they may be speeding and unable to stop in time. Others even go so far as to drive while inebriated, which can alter perception and make it hard to gauge distance and speed.

The simple act of a sideswipe can just as easily scrape some paint off the doors as it can cause a devastating crash. You should not take such potential accidents lightly and always be aware of your surroundings; if someone is getting too close to the side of your car, you can speed up or slow down to provide room. Defensive driving is important, but if you do get hit, you should contact a lawyer at our firm for the next step.

Proving the Negligence of Driver

To prove that an individual was negligent, you must be able to show that he owed you a duty of care that was breached, which led to an accident that caused you to get hurt. If you can show that each part of the chain occurred and led to the next, you are in good shape for your claim.

Some key points to remember, though, include the breach itself and the presence of injuries. If the driver did not breach the duty and an accident occurred because of your own negligence, you likely won’t be able to receive any compensation, or you may receive a lessened amount if you both could be blamed. Further, if you weren’t hurt in the crash, you will not be able to seek damages for personal injuries.

Damages Endured from a Sideswipe

Sideswipe accidents can run you off the road and cause you to crash into other vehicles, road hazards, light poles, telephone poles, buildings, and more. Even a slight nudge could make you lose control of your car and crash. Some of the injuries you could sustain include:

• Neck pain

• Dislocations

• Whiplash

• Neck and Spinal cord injury

• Disc injuries

• Closed head injuries

• Fractures

• Broken bones

• Nerve damage

• Concussions

• Traumatic brain injuries

• Muscle damage

• Coma

• Severed limbs

• Paralysis

• Death

You should not take your injuries lightly. Contact the paramedics immediately and reach out to an attorney who can help secure you the compensation you deserve for such damages.

Statute of Limitations for Your Claim

Personal injury lawsuits can only be filed up to two years after the injury has occurred. If you do not file a claim within this time period, you will not be able to receive any compensation at any point in time for your damages. It can be difficult to remember the exact day of the injury and how much time you have left, and we recommend hiring a skilled lawyer to help you file your documents and get all of your evidence submitted on time.

You may be eligible for the statute of limitations to be tolled, or temporarily suspended. This extension of the deadline can occur in various ways; most commonly, it is because you were underage at the time of the accident, in which case the time limit would begin counting down on your 18th birthday. A severe injury may also have impaired your mind or body and left you unable to pursue legal help; the statute, therefore, would begin when you returned to functioning health.

The defendant can also alter the time limit of the case. If he left the state and resided elsewhere in an attempt to outlast the statute of limitations, he would not be successful, as the time limit does not count down while he is not present in the state. Once he returned, the deadline would begin.

We Fight To Recover Your Remedies

Based on the specifications of your case – the details of the accident, how severe your injury was, it is ultimately going to determine what you could be entitled to sustain based on your case. However, what you can be compensated for if your case prevails can often be put into several different categories.

The categories of compensation can include:

Medical bills: Should you win your case, you could be awarded compensation for medical bills you’ve had to pay as a result of your injury. This includes both past and future bills stemming from the injury, and can potentially cover expenses such as transport or in-home rehabilitation services.

Lost wages: Lost wages can be awarded if your injury has caused significant missed time at work, or has made you unable to perform your job. You could be entitled to even more lost wages if the injury leaves you permanently disabled and unable to find consistent work.

Pain and suffering: In some cases, the damages endured from physical pain and emotional suffering can be compensated to pay for therapy treatments.

Punitive damages: Punitive damages are awarded in more extreme cases, wherein the injury was caused by someone’s recklessness. They are awarded to try and dissuade the defendant and others from acting with that level of recklessness again.

You Don’t Pay Until You Win.

Contact a Personal Injury lawyer to schedule a free, no obligation initial case evaluation at (310) 894-6440. Our Personal Injury Attorneys will help protect your rights. And remember, You Don’t Pay until You Win, or You Don’t Pay At All!