Car accidents are never something we want to happen, but head-on collisions are usually the most severe. When you’re in one of these horrible collisions, there’s almost always significant property and bodily injury, requiring insurance attorney involvement.
Because of the laws in each state and the in-depth meetings, it’s wise to find legal help in your area, for instance, a Lehi car accident lawyer for those who live near Lehi, Utah. The question isn’t whether you need an attorney; it’s how to proceed with your treatment and claim filing from a legal standpoint. Here, we’ll discuss what a head-on collision involves and why it’s crucial to ensure you follow all the legalities in case you end up in a lawsuit.
What Does a Head-On Collision Involve?
The dreaded head-on collision is a rare but often disastrous type of motor vehicle accident. This crash happens when two cars in opposite directions hit each other at a front-end-to-front-end angle.
These collisions are usually the most devastating out of any car accident. It’s not uncommon for a head-on crash to result in one or more fatalities or life-changing injuries. As you can imagine, it’s not easy for someone to consciously hit another person head-on, so these crashes are usually caused by an illegal action — distracted driving, drunk driving, or another under-the-influence behavior. They can also be the result of faulty equipment, like brake failure.
Head-On Collision Lawsuits
From a legal standpoint, it’s the plaintiff’s job (the non-guilty party) to prove the other driver was negligent or reckless. That’s why you must obtain a skilled, qualified attorney who knows how to handle proving duty of care and breach of duty and can link them to the cause of the accident and subsequent damage.
If your accident happened recently, talk to an attorney before discussing the claim with anyone else, including an insurance representative. Never say anything on your social media page or any other written source, where it can be used against you in the future.
After you retain a lawyer, they will handle the interactions between insurance companies and other necessary parties. Depending on the case, your lawyer may suggest hiring an accident reconstructionist to prove fault, the first step in creating a strong case. If the defendant is not found to be at fault, you have no further case, so this specialist may be crucial to your lawsuit.
Negotiation May Be Necessary
Keep in mind that it’s possible that you were also at fault, but that doesn’t negate the other party’s responsibility. In those situations, both parties may hire legal help to file a lawsuit against the other person. The insurance companies, attorneys, and judge (if necessary) then determine the level of responsibility. You and the other party may then agree to a negotiated settlement.
Without a negotiation, the case will likely go to court in front of a jury. Both sides will state their claims, and the jury will determine the ratio of fault to each site. For example, if the other party is 70% to blame, you would be 30% responsible. At that point, whatever compensation you would have received would likely be reduced by 30%.
Negotiation, trial, and other aspects of a lawsuit are never set in stone. Your lawyer can explain what you may be able to expect in your situation, regardless of who is at fault. For now, your next step simply needs to be to find an expert legal representative to handle your case before you talk to anyone else about your accident.