Houston Sideswipe Car Accident Lawyers

Whether the person drifted into your lane or merged without clearance to do so, a sideswipe accident could leave you and others in your car with major injuries.

If you’ve been sideswiped in Houston by another driver who wasn’t paying attention or was operating their vehicle recklessly, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and resulting damages.

Our Houston car accident lawyers can help you to recover compensation and determine the best course of action for filing a lawsuit. Contact Haun Mena for help in determining what you need in order to open a personal injury claim.

Scenarios Where Sideswipe Accidents Happen

A sideswipe accident refers to any crash in which two vehicles traveling in the same direction make contact. This frequently occurs when someone attempts to change lanes or when lanes merge.

Sideswipe accidents are most frequently caused when one driver attempts to move their vehicle unsafely, resulting in them striking another car next to them.

The following issues often cause sideswipe accidents.

  • Drowsy driving

  • Road rage

  • Hydroplaning on wet roadways

  • Drifting out of the lane

  • Failing to check blind spots before a merge or lane change

  • Driving under the influence of alcohol or drug

  • Taking curves on the road too quickly

Sideswipe Accident Injuries

The injuries resulting from a sideswipe accident may be minor or severe in nature. This depends on the circumstances of the accident and the conditions surrounding the crash itself.

Someone traveling at a relatively low speed in heavy traffic, for example, may accidentally sideswipe the vehicle next to them but only cause minor property damage.

On interstates, sideswipe accidents can cause more substantial damage to vehicles and the passengers inside. Common catastrophic or severe injuries from a sideswipe car accident include:

  • Internal injuries

  • Broken bones

  • Fractures

  • Lacerations

  • Bruising

  • Traumatic brain injuries

  • Whiplash

  • Spinal cord injuries

  • Burns

Any victim in a sideswipe car accident should get medical attention immediately to rule out more serious medical injuries and to determine a treatment plan to address the underlying issues. Continuing to attend all medical appointments is strongly recommended to protect an injured victim’s right to accident recovery.

Who is At-Fault for a Sideswipe Accident in Houston?

A sideswipe accident may turn into a Houston car accident lawsuit if it occurred due to another person’s negligence. Another driver could be found at fault for the accident and your injuries if they were:

  • Not paying attention

  • Operating their vehicle recklessly

  • Under the influence of alcohol or drugs

  • Texting behind the wheel

  • Engaged in any other activity that would classify them as breaching their duty of care

Texas crash data also reveals other sideswipe accident causes, such as failure to follow stop and go signals, defective or slick tires, disregarding a stoplight, and defective brake lights.

Injured drivers may be able to obtain some compensation through insurance claims. However, caps on insurance policies may not reimburse a passenger or driver who was critically injured in an accident.

If you can show that the other driver owed you a duty of care in the given situation, violated that duty of care, and caused damages as a result, you may be able to recover compensation.

A Houston car accident lawyer can help you to evaluate liability. Determining fault in a sideswipe accident in Houston may prove difficult, especially if the drivers cannot remember what happened or disagree about the circumstances. Police officers may assess fault in their initial arrival on the scene and document this in an accident report. Reviewing the police report can help you determine factors that may influence liability.

Our car accident lawyers in Houston can also review other details to help determine who is responsible for the sideswipe accident, including physical evidence, video surveillance, statements from eyewitnesses, and results from an evaluation carried out by accident reconstruction experts.

Securing Compensation for a Sideswipe Collision

If another driver caused a sideswipe accident with you in Houston, you may have a chance to recover compensation, including money for vehicle repairs, healthcare expenses now and in the future, lost wages at work, and pain and suffering. Your lawyer will help you to determine what applies in your specific case.

When do I need to file a sideswipe lawsuit?

Texas gives you no longer than two years after the date of the accident to file most sideswipe crash lawsuits. The statute of limitations for personal injury claims runs out at this point. However, if your sideswipe accident involves a government vehicle or government employee, you need to take action sooner.

Why are sideswipe accidents dangerous?

Many vehicles today are developed to protect passengers and drivers from head on and rear end collisions. However, sideswipe accidents can cause critical injuries due to driving twisted metal through the legs of passengers or trapping them inside the vehicle. Not every vehicle comes equipped with side airbags, so passengers on either side of the vehicle are exposed to critical injuries in a crash.

A Houston Car Accident Lawyer Can Help After Your Sideswipe Crash

If you’re unsure how the accident happened but know you were hit from the side, hiring a lawyer can make it easier for you to recover compensation. To give you the best chance to recover while knowing that your legal rights are protected, contact the Houston car accident lawyers at Haun Mena now.

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