Types of Car Accidents in Alabama
Not all car accidents in Alabama are the same. They involve different types of negligence and kinds of collisions. They also involve different locations, vehicles and parties. This is why you should work with an experienced personal injury lawyer if you or a loved one suffers injuries in a crash. The lawyer will understand the nuances of different types of car accidents. The lawyer will also know how to identify and tackle the specific issues that arise in your accident case.
At Serious Injury Law Group, we represent clients throughout Alabama in a wide range of car accident cases. People choose our law firm because they know that experience makes a difference when you face an insurance company that wants to pay you as little as possible or deny your claim altogether. We don’t just settle cases. We fight for the win.
Please read on to learn more about different types of car accidents in Alabama and contact us to learn more about how we can assist you. Our firm offers free consultations through our offices in Birmingham, Montgomery, Mobile and Lowndes County. We can review your case today.
TYPES OF NEGLIGENCE
Speeding / Aggressive Driving Accidents
Careless and reckless drivers in Alabama cause crashes when they driver faster than the speed limit or go too fast for weather, road and traffic conditions. Alabama Department of Transportation (DOT) statistics show that speeding serves a leading cause of accidents in our state. A car’s electronic data recorder (“black box”) can indicate if speed caused a crash.
Drivers put themselves, their passengers and others on the road at risk when they fail to pay attention. Texting and talking on a phone are the most dangerous types of distracted driving. This is why our law firm often requests a driver’s phone records when we investigate crashes.
If a person consumes any amount of alcohol, it can impair the person’s mental and physical faculties and cause dangerous driving. A police report and/or chemical tests can reveal whether a driver’s alcohol (or drug) consumption caused a crash. In some circumstances, a business or social host who gave alcohol to a driver may also be liable in a crash.
Fatigued (Drowsy) Driving Accidents
Research shows that drowsy driving can be just as lethal as drunk driving. Unfortunately, fatigue often contributes to accidents that involve commercial truck drivers. When we investigate truck crashes, we examine driver logbooks to determine whether drowsy driving played a role in the accident.
KINDS OF COLLISIONS
Rear-End Accidents
Perhaps the most common of all collisions is the rear-end crash. In most of these accidents, the rear driver is at fault. The driver may have been distracted, speeding or falling asleep at the wheel. Often, the rear driver follows too closely, or tailgates, and cannot brake on time to avoid impact.
Head-On Accidents
Head-on collisions cause life-changing and fatal injuries. The combined inertia of two vehicles colliding at full-speed creates a devastating impact. These accidents frequently occur when drivers travel in the wrong direction on a one-way road, make a dangerous pass or lose control of the car and cross the yellow line.
Side-Impact Accidents
A “T-bone” collision typically occurs when one driver fails to pay attention or ignores a traffic control sign or signal. The driver may run through an intersection and strike another vehicle directly from the side. The sides of a car cannot absorb an impact as well as the front and back. So, these crashes tend to result in severe injuries.
Sideswipe Accidents
A sideswipe occurs when a vehicle grazes the side of another vehicle. These crashes commonly occur when people merge improperly or when drivers momentarily lose control of their car because they are texting or talking on a phone. Sideswipes are dangerous because they can trigger chain-reaction crashes.
Rollover Accidents
Some vehicles have a high center of gravity, which makes them prone to rollovers. Sport utility vehicles (SUVs), Jeeps and passenger vans are examples. When a vehicle tips or rolls over in a crash, the roof may collapse and cause occupants to suffer crushing injuries. People may also become pinned or trapped inside.
LOCATIONS
Intersection Accidents
More than 86,000 motor vehicle accidents occurred in Alabama in 2016 alone, according to the DOT. These crashes commonly occur when drivers disregard traffic controls, recklessly turn in front of other drivers or simply fail to recognize which driver has the right of way.
Parking Lot Accidents
When two cars collide at low speed in a parking a lot, the accident typically won’t produce serious injuries. However, many parking lot collisions involve pedestrians who suffer catastrophic or deadly injuries. These accidents often occur when a driver backs out of a parking spot without checking his or her mirrors.
Work Zone Accidents
Drivers need to slow down and be especially alert when they pass through highway construction zones. If they fail to use extra precaution, drivers can cause crashes that harm other motorists or injure or kill highway construction workers.
Highway / Interstate Accidents
These crashes can occur at high speed and cause significant injuries. Many of these crashes involve large tractor-trailers. If the crash results in a multiple-car pile-up, numerous parties may share liability.
VEHICLES
Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycle riders and their passengers face an elevated risk of harm because they lack the structural protections of a traditional vehicle. Drivers often fail to see motorcycles, or they treat them differently than other vehicles. Insurance companies may try to put the blame on the victim in a motorcycle accident or argue that a rider’s lack of a helmet caused his or her injuries. Our motorcycle accident attorneys know how to fight these unfair attempts to deny or minimize compensation.
Truck Accidents
Crashes which involve tractor-trailers, large straight trucks, box trucks and other forms of commercial vehicles can present unique challenges. Our firm may rely on a trucker or trucking company’s violations of state and federal safety regulations to show that the driver was negligent. In some cases, a truck crash may involve a fatigued driver who was forced to work past his or her limit, or a trucking company may have failed to properly inspect and maintain its fleet. When a large trucking company is involved in a crash, it is important to team up with a truck accident attorney who knows what it takes to prove trucking negligence.
Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents
Some crashes don’t people who are not in vehicles. Every year in Alabama, thousands of negligent drivers strike, injure and kill innocent pedestrians and cyclists. Many of these victims are children. Traumatic brain injuries, concussions, internal organ damage, fractures and spine injuries commonly occur in these crashes.
PARTIES
Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist Accidents
Many accidents involve drivers who lack insurance or carry insurance that fails to fully cover the damages that a person suffers. If this happens to you, then our law firm can help you to pursue options that may include turning to your own uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage.
Hit-and-Run Accidents
If the other driver hits you and takes off, we can still seek compensation for your injuries. Alabama law allows you to file a claim with your own insurance company in these situations. But it’s not always easy. Many people are surprised to discover that their own insurance company fights them just as hard as someone else’s insurance company would.
Get Help from an Experienced Alabama Car Accident Lawyer Today
If you or a loved one gets hurt in a car accident in Alabama, you deserve to have a car accident lawyer at your side who will stand up for you. The insurance companies have endless resources. They will stop at nothing to avoid paying you for your injuries. Don’t leave your recovery to chance. Instead, contact the experienced trial lawyers of Serious Injury Law Group today. We will fight hard for the compensation you deserve. Our initial consultation is free, and you will pay nothing unless we collect compensation for you.
