Like any other type of accident, cross traffic accidents occur due to the negligence of one or more drivers. These types of accidents can result in serious injuries depending on the severity of the impact. Common cross traffic accidents include failing to yield accidents, left-hand turn accidents and turning lane accidents. In this post, we’ll discuss these three types of cross-traffic accidents and highlight the injuries that they can cause.
Failing to Yield Accidents
This type of accident occurs when a motor vehicle driver fails to appropriately yield the road. The car that fails to yield is often hit by another motorist who has the right of way. Failing to yield accidents usually occur in situations where drivers merge onto the traffic aggressively during a red or yellow traffic light or when a vehicle is getting out from a driveway to enter the street.
Failure to properly yield is mostly the cause of the accident. A driver who gets injured because the other driver failed to yield properly can file a personal injury lawsuit against them. By filing a personal injury lawsuit, they can receive compensation for financial and non-financial damages. These may include lost income, medical bills, pain and suffering, and property damage.
Failing to yield accidents may also be caused due to distracted driving, driving under the influence or a fault in the vehicle.
Left-Hand Turn Accidents
When a driver is making a left-hand turn, they must yield the way to the oncoming traffic. They should only complete the turn when they are sure that there are no vehicles approaching that may hit them. Drivers making a left-hand turn are also required to yield the way to pedestrians and motorcyclists.
If a driver makes a left-hand turn without yielding way and gets hit by another vehicle, they’ll be held liable for the accident. The reason is that they are required by the law to yield to traffic. Common causes of left-hand turn accidents include failure to yield, distracted driving, not following traffic signals and driving under the influence.
If you hit another driver who was making a left-hand turn, you can file a personal injury lawsuit against them. You’ll be required to prove to the court that the accident occurred because the driver making the left-hand turn failed to yield the way. Photographs of the accident, police report and witness testimony would be enough to prove that the driver making the left hand turn was at fault.
Turning Lane Accidents
Turning lane accidents occur when people fail to use turn lanes properly. For example, center turning lanes are used by drivers who wish to turn left. They may be used by drivers in both directions to make a left-hand turn. Failure to appropriately use center turning lanes can result in serious turning lane accidents.
Common causes of turning lane accidents include distracted driving, not being aware of how to use center turning lanes, and driving under the influence. If a turning lane accident occurs because of another driver’s mistake, you may file a claim against them to receive compensation.
Injuries in Cross Traffic Accidents
Cross traffic accidents can cause different types of injuries depending on the severity of the accident. Passengers may experience severe head wounds or suffer from minor scrapes and cuts. In addition, cross traffic accidents can also cause chest injuries, neck injuries, back injuries, fractures, concussions, traumatic brain injuries, and soft tissues injuries.
After a cross-traffic accident, you should seek immediate medical treatment even if you aren’t seriously injured. Symptoms of certain injuries don’t appear immediately, but you may start experiencing them a few days later. Therefore, it is imperative that you get yourself checked by a physician after a cross-traffic accident.
Never Accept the Initial Offer from the Insurance Company
When you are involved in a cross-traffic accident where the other driver was at fault, the insurance company of that driver will likely contact you. They will make an offer to compensate you for your damages. You should never accept this offer because it is usually not enough to cover all the damages you incur as a result of the accident.
Insurance companies make early offers to settle the case outside of the court so that they don’t have to pay you a fair compensatory amount. You should ask the insurance company to give you the rightful compensation. If they deny, you should take the case to court by filing a personal injury lawsuit. An experienced car accident attorney can help you file a personal injury lawsuit after a cross-traffic accident.
Benefits of Hiring a Local Accident Attorney
Palm Beach County’s leading personal injury attorney, David Shiner and the attorneys at Shiner Law Group have been representing injured clients for over 16 years. The main benefit of hiring a local accident attorney is that they’ll be able to collect all the evidence required for the case like witness testimonies, photographs of the crash, medical bills, etc. Additionally, they’ll file the personal injury lawsuit on your behalf to help you get compensated for the damages incurred in the cross traffic accident.
Conclusion
Cross traffic accidents are usually caused by drivers who fail to yield, don’t make proper turns and/or don’t follow the traffic rules. Injuries that passengers may sustain as a result of a cross-traffic accident include minor cuts, severe head wounds, traumatic brain injuries, back injuries, neck injuries, chest injuries, and soft-tissue injuries. If are ever involved in a cross-traffic accident, seek immediate medical attention so that you can recover from your injuries.
Moreover, file a personal injury lawsuit against the driver responsible for the accident to get compensated for your damages. When you need to file a personal injury claim, hire an experienced local accident attorney from Shiner Law Group to fight the case for you. Our attorneys can increase your chances of getting a fair compensation in a personal injury lawsuit.
