Maryland Head On Collisions Lawyer
A head on collision is an accident where the front of two motor vehicles traveling in opposite directions collide. Below a Maryland car accident lawyer discusses this type of accident, how it can occur, and what type of injuries it can lead to. If you have been the victim of a head on collision, call and schedule a consultation as soon as possible to begin the process of recovering damages.
How Can a Head On Collision Occur?
A head on collision can occur in a number of ways. These can include:
- Two cars approaching one another on a two-way street, where one veers over the yellow line and comes into contact with the front of another car.
- Where there is a blind corner and a car makes a turn that is too wide resulting in a collision with oncoming traffic.
- Or the top or bottom of a hill where visibility can also result in a head on collision.
Potential Injuries Resulting From Head On Collisions
Head on collisions can be extremely dangerous especially compared to rear end collisions where the car in front has more room to absorb the impact. In the case of a head on collision, there’s not that extra layer of a trunk or some seats to absorb the impact of the vehicle because the two cars are essentially hitting directly where the drivers are located.
As a result, very severe injuries can occur from people hitting their heads on the steering wheel or window and if the air bag deploys it can cause burns to someone’s arms or chest. These type of accidents can lead to head injuries and injuries to the arms, back, legs, and neck making them much more serious than rear end collisions.
What Traffic Laws Apply For Head On Collisions?
The main traffic laws that apply to head on collisions are the following:
- Requirement to stay on the right hand side of a double yellow line
- Law requiring you to decrease your speed at an intersection
If any one of these are violated, then the offender has violated traffic law and can be found liable for any head on collision that occurs.
Potential Factors That Can Impact Head On Collision Cases
One factor that could potentially impact a head on collision case is contributory negligence which states that they cannot recover damages for their injuries if they are even 1% at fault for the accident. So, even if one party is 99% at fault the other may not be able to recover damages because of that 1%. However, this is accident specific and depends on the laws that were violated and how the accident occurred. So, it can change based on whether a vehicle took a turn too fact, crossed the double yellow line, or did something else they were not supposed to while in operation of a vehicle.
Why Is It Important To Follow Up With Your Doctor After a Head On Injury Case?
It is important to follow up with your medical treatment because the doctor is the person in the best position to tell you the extent of your injuries and the duration of your injuries and whether or not they’ve resolved it or not or whether or not they’re likely to return in one form or another.
If you know your injuries or delay in receiving treatment for injuries then they might appear or reappear at a later date and it will be harder for you to have the insurance company pay for your injuries or pay for your medical treatment because they’ll try to say that your injuries were not related to your accident because the thing occurred at a much later date or too far removed from the date of the accident.