A sideswipe accident can cause significant injury and financial burdens to you. A Charleston car accident attorney can negotiate on your behalf with the insurance company to maximize your settlement or represent your case in court when the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement.
Schedule a free consultation with Salango Law, PLLC at (304) 342-0512 to discuss the events of a car crash and your options for financial recovery.
Causes of Sideswipe Accidents
A sideswipe accident occurs when a vehicle traveling in the same direction as you collides with the side of your automobile. A sideswipe may commonly happen because of the following:
- Distracted driving: Drivers who use their cellphones, eat, or interact with their auto’s devices may fail to notice changing traffic patterns around them.
- Speeding: Driving an automobile at excessive speeds can reduce a driver’s ability to react safely to road conditions, traffic, or other external changes.
- Driver Fatigue: Sleep deprivation, medical conditions, and stress may cause drivers to become less alert and have slower reaction times to other automobiles and events on the highway.
- Aggressive driving: Drivers may swerve into surrounding traffic by reacting sporadically to other drivers. Aggressive drivers may also cause side-swipe accidents when trying to avoid a rear-end collision that results from tailgating.
- Road conditions: Road debris, potholes, or encountering rough road surfaces may cause a driver to cross over into a lane of traffic, sideswiping an approaching automobile.
- Weather: Ice, snow, and rain can lead to a driver’s loss of control of a vehicle, sending them careening into traffic on either side, even causing them to leave the road.
Helping determine the causation and fault in a sideswipe accident is one of many reasons to hire a car accident lawyer with our firm. Our team can review vital evidence and even work with expert witnesses to help you seek compensation for your damages.
Injuries From a Sideswipe Accident
Speed and impact angle, the deployment of airbags or seat belt restraints, and the type of automobile you are driving during an accident can impact the injuries you sustain in a sideswipe accident. Your injuries may include:
- Whiplash
- Head injuries, including traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Bruises, cuts, and abrasions
- Soft tissue injuries, including strained or torn ligaments, muscles, and tendons
- Internal injuries
- Spinal cord damage
The body’s whipping or back-and-forth motion at the impact of another vehicle can cause these and other common injuries caused by West Virginia car accidents.
Potential Damages in a West Virginia Sideswipe Accident
Our firm has the experience you can trust to evaluate your damages comprehensively. We are ready to fight for these and other types of damages you can recover in a car accident caused by a sideswipe:
- Medical costs
- Property damages
- Lost wages or earning potential
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Pain and suffering
We recognize the tactics an insurance company may use to minimize or reduce your claim. We will relentlessly strive to maximize your compensation to help you recover. You generally have two years from the time of the accident to file a car accident lawsuit in West Virginia for damages. Waiting to speak with our team may prevent our recovery of crucial evidence in your case.
Discuss a Charleston, WV, Sideswipe Accident With Our Team
A car accident attorney in Charleston with experience in sideswipe accidents can help you navigate the legal process. The Charleston personal injury attorneys at Salango Law never charge you unless we secure a successful settlement or verdict. Schedule a free consultation with our firm today at (304) 342-0512.