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Common Causes of Car Accidents

If you have been injured in a car accident, you may be eligible for financial compensation. Before you can receive a dollar in a settlement agreement, you need to know the cause of the accident and have evidence that proves it. The other driver’s insurance company will demand this before they accept liability.

To learn the cause of a car accident, you should contact an experienced attorney so they can perform their own investigation and gather proof. The dedicated car accident lawyers at Nix Patterson fight on behalf of accident victims when insurance companies try to impose red tape on the legal process. We help you overcome barriers that are placed in your way.

In the meantime, here are some common causes of car accidents that can result in serious injuries to both the driver and passengers in the vehicle.

Wrong-Lane Driving

For whatever reason, a driver may not be paying attention to the road signs, or they may not know where they should be on the road. When drivers end up in the wrong lane, it raises the risk of an extremely serious car accident. If they veer out of their lane and end up in the path of oncoming traffic, they could cause a head-on car accident. This type of crash is the most severe type because of the amount of force that is unleashed. Head-on car accidents have the highest fatality rate of any type of car crash.

Tailgating

Motorists may drive too close to the car in front of them as a form of aggressive driving. Drivers may be in a hurry or trying to intimidate the driver in front of them into changing lanes. Excessive tailgating can lead to rear-end car accidents because the trailing driver may not be able to stop in time. Rear-end car accidents can be dangerous because they can lead to whiplash, which can cause a variety of lasting injuries.

Fatigued Driving

Motorists must get the proper amount of rest before they drive a vehicle. Rest does not only mean sleep, but it could also mean taking time to recharge. Fatigue driving can be every bit as dangerous as drunk driving, especially when a motorist has gone an extended amount of time without any sleep. Their reflexes may be dulled, and they may exercise poor judgment. Of course, there is always the risk that the driver may fall asleep behind the wheel and lose control of their car. One study showed that nearly one out of every five fatal car accidents involved a fatigued driver.

Road Conditions and Bad Weather

Adverse weather conditions can cause car accidents, especially when drivers do not travel at a reasonable speed for the conditions. Of course, drivers should consider staying off the roads when the weather is severe. However, those who do need to be on the roads may not show enough respect for the changed road conditions.

In addition, the road itself may have caused the accident because it is in poor shape. Drivers may be traveling through a construction zone, and they may not slow down as required by law. In other cases, a motorist may run over a pothole or debris in the road that should have been cleared by the government. It is the government’s responsibility to maintain the roadways in reasonable condition.

Running Stop Signs or Traffic Lights

Whether they are distracted or they did it intentionally, a driver can run a red light or stop sign. This action causes an intersection crash, which is among the most serious types of accidents. Also known as a T-bone accident, an intersection crash is when the front of one car strikes the broad side of another. The driver who failed to yield the right of way as required by law is the one who would be responsible for the accident. The challenge is when both drivers are telling different stories, and you need evidence to break the “truth contest.”

Speeding

Speeding is a factor in roughly one-third of car accidents with fatalities and injuries. 87% of drivers admit to traveling over the speed limit at least several times per year, even though they know that it is dangerous and illegal.

Speeding raises the risk of an accident because the driver is not able to respond to challenges on the roadway around them in time. They are also more likely to lose control of their car. When a driver is speeding, they also have less time to come to a complete stop, raising the risk of a rear-end car accident. Speeding also makes car accidents more serious because it unleashes more force in the crash.

Distracted Driving

There are numerous things that compete for a driver’s attention when they are on the road. Chief among them is the smartphone, which has caused a spike in the number of distracted driving fatalities in the last two decades. When a driver takes their eyes off the road to send a text or do something else, it often takes them up to thirty seconds to refocus on the road. In that time, their car could have traveled as far as half a mile. Distracted driving accidents are more serious because they often happen at higher speeds without the opportunity to take any evasive action to mitigate the severity of the accident.

Illegal Lane Changes

Drivers need to carefully look into their blind spots before they execute a lane change. They must also remain in their Lane if there is a solid line dividing it from the adjacent lane. Unfortunately, drivers may not properly check their blind spots before making a turn. The result is that they can cause a sideswipe accident or force another car off the road. Another car that is passing by in the lane could be forced into oncoming traffic or into another lane. Sideswipe accidents have the potential to cause serious injuries.

Drunk Driving

Drunk drivers are a problem throughout the country — particularly in Texas. The state has the second-highest drunk driving accident fatality rate in the entire United States. Drunk driving lowers a motorist’s inhibitions, and it causes them to take excessive risks. They may not have the same perception as they do when sober. Drunk drivers often travel at excessive speed and engage in reckless driving. Drunk driving accidents result in serious injuries because they often occur at a high speed and involve extremely unpredictable maneuvers.

Inexperienced Drivers

It takes a certain amount of experience to both exercise proper judgment and follow recognized safety procedures. Younger drivers act in far more reckless ways because they do not yet have the seasoning to understand the risks of their behaviors.

In addition, drivers also need experience to respond to hazards and conditions on the road. They need to be able to anticipate dangers and avoid them whenever possible. There is a reason why teenage drivers have car accidents at twice the rate of other motorists.

Defects in the Car

Drivers may not have done anything wrong in the events surrounding the accident. Their vehicle itself could have been the cause of the crash. For example, there may have been a defective part, such as the brakes, which resulted in an accident. When a vehicle defect is to blame for an accident, you may be able to file a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer or anyone who was involved in the sale of the car. These cases can result in significant financial compensation, although they may be hard-fought legal battles.

Understanding the Cause of a Car Accident

You may not know at the scene of the accident what the exact cause was. Even if you have an idea, you do not necessarily have the evidence to prove what happened. A police officer would show up to the scene of the car accident, and they would write a report. The police report would include the officer’s impression of what may have caused the accident. However, the police report is not a conclusive document because the officers did not personally see what happened themselves. It is also inadmissible at trial because it is hearsay — the officer did not see the events directly, and they may be relating what they heard.

When you hire a car accident lawyer, they will begin investigating the accident. They may collect additional evidence that could prove liability and help you learn the exact cause. This is an investigation that you cannot perform on your own, both because you lack the knowledge and because you are dealing with physical injuries.

Obtaining Financial Compensation for Car Accident Injuries

To receive compensation for your car accident injuries, you would file a claim or lawsuit. When the other driver has car insurance coverage, you may consider proceeding directly to their insurance company to file a claim and negotiate a settlement. This is an informal way of resolving your case that can help you avoid litigation. However, it also comes with the pitfall of having to deal with the insurance company, which can act in underhanded and penny-pinching ways.

Damages in a Car Accident Case

If you are able to prove that someone else was to blame for the accident, you would then establish a legal right to be paid full compensation for your injuries. Car accident damages include both your actual financial losses as well as the more subjective and non-economic impacts of your injuries.

Economic damages include medical expenses and lost wages. Non-economic damages encompass pain and suffering, emotional distress, and other effects of the accident. Your car accident damages are supposed to compensate you for what you have suffered in the past and what you will endure in the future.

Just like liability, you have the burden of proof to demonstrate your damages. You can expect that the insurance company will cast a skeptical eye toward every element of your claim and minimize your damages at every step of the way. A car accident lawyer’s job is to stand up and fight for you when the insurance company is trying to shortchange you.

Why You Need a Car Accident Lawyer

The insurance company will bully and steamroll you when it means that they can save money. They earn a large share of their profits from underpaying claims filed by individual claimants who trust them. If these claimants had secured a car accident lawyer, they would have had a much better chance of securing a larger payout.

Your car accident lawyer could do the following for your case:

  • Investigate the car accident to learn the cause
  • Gather the evidence you need to prove that another driver was at fault
  • Estimate the value of your damages based on your situation
  • File a claim or lawsuit on your behalf
  • Handle communications with the insurance company and negotiate a settlement
  • Try your case in court if you cannot settle with the insurance company

The time to call a car accident lawyer is as soon as possible after the crash because much can happen in the early days. You cannot afford to let too much time pass before getting legal help because it can make your case more difficult.

Contact a Car Accident Lawyer at Nix Patterson Today

The car accident lawyers at Nix Patterson are pragmatic yet aggressive when it comes to getting you full compensation after you have been hurt in a motor vehicle crash. We understand what is at stake, and we pursue every potential lead that could help your case. All you need to do is pick up the phone to call us to schedule a free initial consultation with one of our attorneys. Give us a call at 512-328-5333 or send us a message through our website to speak with a lawyer about your case. And remember — there is no fee to you unless you win.

CONTACT US

Nix Patterson only works on a contingency fee basis. Our clients pay us nothing unless we win. Schedule a free consultation today. Call 512.328.5333 or complete the form below. 

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