When you approach an intersection and plan to pass straight through it, you typically have the right of way when the light is green. However, drivers who plan to take a left turn through a green light (when there is no “left turn only” green light) must wait for oncoming drivers to pass before making this maneuver. This is a fairly straightforward method for navigating the roadways in the United States. Still, unfortunately, there are many instances where people fail to yield and commit to a left turn directly in the path of oncoming traffic. Depending on when the driver committed this illegal turn, the at-fault driver may be head broadside by the oncoming vehicle, or they may hit the oncoming car on the side. Regardless of how the cars make contact, the results can be catastrophic.
Fortunately, there is a legal pathway for victims of left-turn accidents to seek compensation for a range of damages the accident caused. These are typically recovered through an insurance claim with the at-fault driver’s auto insurance company. Still, many people fail to realize that the insurance company will not offer a comprehensive settlement. Insurance adjusters are typically incentivized to settle a claim against a policyholder for as little as possible to save the insurance company as much money as possible. When a left-turn accident victim goes through a claim without the help of an attorney, the adjuster will use their inexperience as leverage to reach this goal.
Contact 1-800-Injured To Connect With a Car Accident Lawyer
1-800-Injured is an attorney and medical referral service. After being injured in a left-turn accident, your top priority should be getting medical care and working on your recovery, which often leads to victims filing a claim on their own without taking the time to find an attorney. The process of finding a lawyer in your area who is ready to take your case can be frustrating, which is why we offer a free referral service to connect victims with lawyers in their area for a free consultation.
During your consultation, you will be able to go through the details of your accident with the personal injury lawyer, who will then provide you with specific insights and advice about how best to proceed. Working with a lawyer is affordable (they will take a percentage of your final award, and you won’t pay if they don’t win) and accessible, but you need to reach out to the team at 1-800-Injured to take the first step. Read more about left-hand turn accidents below, and contact us now to get started today.
Common Causes of Left Turn Accidents
There are nearly countless ways that a left-turn accident can happen, but the following are a few of the more common causes. Whether or not the specific cause of your accident is listed below, contact us now to connect with a lawyer who can help you make sense of your options as a personal injury victim.
Distracted Driving
When a driver is reading or typing a text message, eating breakfast, applying makeup, or playing with a GPS (among many other possible distractions behind the wheel), they may fail to notice a vehicle heading in their direction with the right way through an intersection. Distracted driving is a severe issue in the United States and entitles the victims of a crash to compensation.
Inexperienced Drivers
Inexperienced drivers have a lot on their minds as they try to navigate the open roads safely, and they may either panic or simply forget about the right of way when they approach an intersection. Committing to a left turn while failing to gauge an oncoming vehicle’s distance properly and rate of approach can be disastrous for everyone involved. In addition, inexperienced drivers are a significant risk to motorcyclists. They may not recognize the smaller vehicle that takes up less space in their field of vision as they decide to commit to a turn.
Intoxicated Drivers
When someone makes the dangerous decision to operate a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or other mind-altering drugs, they put themselves and everyone else on the road at an increased risk of an accident. An intoxicated driver may not notice a vehicle heading towards them or simply may not think about it at all as they commit to a left turn in front of an oncoming vehicle. If you suspect that the other driver is intoxicated, do not attempt to engage with them. Instead, call 911 immediately (as with any accident) and let the attending police officer handle the rest.
Reckless or Aggressive Driving
Sometimes, drivers make dangerous decisions due to no reason other than their carelessness or aggressive behavior. In these cases, a driver might try to quickly accelerate in front of an oncoming vehicle with the assumption that they will break or avoid them if necessary, with little care for safety or the law. Getting into an accident with a reckless or aggressive driver can be exceptionally frustrating due to the knowledge that the accident was entirely avoidable had they thought about the other people on the road.
Darkness
All vehicles are equipped with headlights and taillights that help others recognize where they are on the road, but some may find that their depth perception is impacted by driving at night. This can lead to someone misjudging the distance between them and an oncoming vehicle before committing to a turn and causing a left-turn accident. However, even if the accident is caused by an honest mistake, this does not mean the at-fault party is not liable for your damages. An attorney will help you get the money you deserve.