Los Angeles Side Impact Collision Attorney
If you have suffered serious personal injury in a side impact collision that was someone else’s fault, the esteemed California attorneys of Compass Law Group, LLP are ready to help. We are dedicated to working energetically until we obtain the compensation you and your family deserve. Not only do we have comprehensive knowledge of California law; we have exceptional negotiation skills and courtroom strategies to lead you to a successful outcome.
When most people think of side impact collisions, they picture T-bones in which the front of one vehicle slams into the side of another. There is, however, another fairly common variety of side impact crash known as a lateral side-impact accident. This occurs when cars riding in the same direction scrape against one another. Also, some side impact accident injuries result from single driver accidents in which the driver hits a tree, telephone pole, or similar obstruction with the side of his/her car.
T-bone crashes occur most when one car is making a left turn at an intersection and hits the vehicle going straight ahead. In most cases of this nature, the driver making the left turn is considered liable because he/she ran a red light or stop sign. Still, it is possible that the driver going straight is the one at fault for illegally passing a traffic sign or signal, or of not noticing that the driver turning left has a green arrow. T-bone crashes can also happen when one vehicle skids on a wet or icy road, or is hit by a third party, and then bangs into the side of another vehicle.
Side-impact collisions can easily happen when one driver fails to be alert to the fact that she/he is crossing over the line that defines the lanes, fais to look in the rearview mirror when changing lanes, or fails to double-check for a car in his/her blindspot. These side impact collisions are known as sideswipes.
Single driver side-impact collisions occur when one driver, whether ill, distracted, or impaired, or dealing with a slippery road surface, loses control and smashes sideways into a tree or other obstruction.
It is important to be aware that side impact crashes account for 20 percent of car accidents and that 40 percent of these side impact crashes result in serious injury or death.
As with all car accidents, the point of impact makes a tremendous difference in terms of whether the driver or one of the passengers is more severely injured. Clearly, if the place you are sitting is directly hit, you are far more likely to be gravely injured or even killed. Another variable is whether the two vehicles are of similar sizes or weights or if one is significantly larger or heavier. As you would expect, people in the smaller car are much more likely to suffer greater injuries.
The types and severity of injuries of those hurt in side impact collisions vary not only by where they are sitting in the vehicle and the size of the cars relative to one another, but also to the safety devices that are part of each vehicle. Seatbelts, extra-large side-view mirrors, airbags, or warning devices can each play a part in lessening the human toll of side impact car accidents.
If you have been hurt in a side impact car crash, you may have suffered one or more of the following injuries:
- Lacerations
- Bone fracture
- Internal bleeding and/or organ damage
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Spinal cord injury
- Neuromuscular injury
- Amputation
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Wrongful death
Whatever your needs as a result of your side impact collision, Compass Law is fully prepared to defend your rights and fight vigorously, both in and out of the courtroom, to obtain the money that will help you and your family by reimbursing you for:
- Medical costs
- Property damage
- Lost income, present and future
- Pain and suffering
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Permanent disability
- Loss of limb or organ
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Spinal cord injury
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Funeral expenses, final medical costs, loss of support (in wrongful death cases)
At Compass Law Group, we’re fully aware of how frightening it is to be incapacitated and unable to work as medical and hospital expenses mount. For this reason, we will charge you no attorneys’ fees until we obtain the compensation you need and deserve.
In California, as throughout the U.S., the law recognizes that more than one party may be responsible for a car accident. Laws concerning this issue vary state to state, but in California, we adhere to a policy of pure comparative negligence. Comparative negligence means that if the court determines that you bear some liability for the accident that seriously injured you, it will assign you a percentage of blame.
This might happen, for example, if you were driving while impaired when the other vehicle hit your car, or if you were making an illegal turn when the collision occurred. If the court assigns you 50 percent of the blame, and you are awarded $1,000,000 in damages, under the comparative negligence statute you will receive $500,000. What the word “pure” means in this context is that no matter how much blame you are assigned by the court, you are still entitled to a percentage of damages. In other words, even if the accident is deemed to be 80 percent your fault, in the example given you would still receive $200,000.
Right now you’re probably in a state of confusion, feeling overwhelmed by the trauma you have just been through. That’s a good reason to seek strong, caring legal representation now. Don’t wait and worry. Call Compass Law Group today and begin to feel in control again.
Contact our Los Angeles car accident attorney today for an initial consultation.
This list isn’t all-inclusive many personal injury suits have been raised based on different factors that aren’t included above. Our team of Los Angeles car accident attorneys can work on cases without anything out of pocket.
We’re old enough to have the necessary experience, yet young enough to use the most cutting-edge technology and tactics, and are determined enough to fight and outsmart the other side, every time.
