Montgomery County Head-On Collisions
A head-on collision is a term used to describe two vehicles that come into contact with each other with each vehicle striking the front of the other vehicle. Typically, these accidents occur in more rural areas where there are a windy stretches of road with one lane of travel in each direction separated by only a double yellow line. In that scenario, one vehicle may have a propensity to drift over the double yellow line and strike the approaching vehicle head-on.
Head-on collisions are very dangerous because the vehicles are making direct contact with each other and are traveling in opposite directions. There is a tremendous impact with a lot of force. That force is transferred through the vehicle into the operators and occupants of the vehicles, which can result in significant bodily injuries. Someone who has been involved in such an accident should make sure to contact a Montgomery County car accident lawyer after they have visited a medical healthcare professional.
Determining Fault
The manner in which fault is assigned varies from case to case. The way a claim is investigated depends upon the facts and circumstances of the accident. Likewise, the location of the accident in the roadway and the lay of the land where the accident occurred are all factors that go into the investigation.
Factors That Can Impact Liability
There are always a number of factors taken into consideration when determining fault and contributory negligence. The way these factors affect any particular case depends on the facts of that case and whether the injured party, who is initiating the claim, was the driver or passenger of the vehicle. It is nearly impossible for a passenger to contribute to his or her injuries in a motor vehicle accident unless alcohol is involved. Conversely, it is more likely for a driver to cause or contribute to his/her injuries.
The factors that are evaluated are usually a thorough investigate of how the accident occurred, what the parties were doing prior to the accident, what events led up to the accident, and where the accident occurred, among many other factors depending on the facts of that individual incident.
How a Montgomery County Car Accident Attorney Can Help
The first steps a Montgomery County car accident attorney takes in a head-on collision case is the investigation of the accident. These cases are very fact specific in that a determination of fault and/or contributory negligence depends on the facts giving rise to that specific accident. The investigation may involve the collection of eye witness accounts, if there are any, as well as collecting any other third-party investigation materials from the police, or any retained accident reconstructionist that may assist the injured person in establishing liability in the case.
Looking at Medical Bills
The first step a Montgomery County car accident attorney takes in investigating a head-on collision is determining who is at fault for the collision. Once the attorney has developed a strong theory of liability, then the focus of the case turns to an evaluation of the medical records in order to determine the nature and extent of the injuries, and begin his/her evaluation of a possible recovery by the injured person.
Filing an Action
Once all of the information is collected, a Montgomery County car accident lawyer will reach out to the at-fault party’s insurance company, notify it of the claim and attempt to negotiate a resolution of the claim without filing suit. If that’s not successful, the injured party must decide if they intend to pursue the claim. If they do, the next course of action is to initiate a lawsuit and pursue that claim through the litigation process.
Follow Up With Your Doctor
As in all cases involving an injury to someone’s person, it is important for anyone who is injured in a motor vehicle accident to follow doctor’s orders and obtain whatever treatment or examinations his/her physician prescribes to them. This is important for a person’s health and well-being and it is important in processing the claim.
