Intersection Car Accidents

Introduction to Intersection Car Accident Claims, Lawsuits and Lawyers

Have you or a loved one been injured in a car crash at an intersection? Then you are likely familiar with serious injuries and property damage that can result from these collisions. Cars typically have safety features designed to absorb the impact from a head-on collision or rear-end collision. However, not all cars have safety features (or, if they do, the safety features are not as robust) to protect drivers and occupants in the event of a side collision (sometimes called a “T” collision). Unfortunately, many of the collisions that occur at intersections are these side or “T” types.

Causes of Intersection Car Collisions

It is a mistake to assume that only one driver can be at fault for a car accident that occurs in an intersection. While in certain cases one person may clearly be responsible for causing the crash, it is more often the case that two or more individuals’ or entities’ carelessness played a role in bringing the crash about. This can include:

• Other drivers who may disregard traffic control signs and signals (such as by failing to see and/or obey a red traffic light, stop sign, or yield sign) and enter an intersection when they are not permitted to do so, thereby causing a crash;
• Adult Passengers and other adult occupants of a vehicle who may have been causing a distraction for the driver. This can include passengers who are having a distracting conversation with the driver or asking the driver to look at the screen of an electronic device or some sight outside the car, passengers who play music or movies in such a way that the driver is unable to focus on the important tasks involved in driving, or passengers who have a distracting conversation amongst themselves; and/or
• Government employees or agencies or others who may be responsible for maintaining an intersection and the surrounding areas but who negligently allow the intersection to become dangerous. For example, a city or local government may fail to properly trim trees and the traffic lights controlling the intersection become obscured. Or a homeowner who lives near an intersection may carelessly park a large moving truck near the intersection, and this truck blocks a driver’s view of the stop or yield sign controlling the intersection. In either event, if it is shown that either act of carelessness contributed to the crash, this person may be held responsible for the intersection collision.

Of course, there may be other responsible parties as well. A car manufacturer may be liable for damages too if a car did not contain reasonable safety features to lessen the force of the collision or if a defective part caused the driver to lose control and crash. The injured motorist and/or passenger and his or her attorney will need to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash to determine who is to blame and what role each responsible party’s negligence played in the crash. In this way the injured victim will have the best opportunity to recover full and fair compensation.

Common Injuries in an Intersection Car Accident

Just like other car collisions, accidents in intersections can leave drivers and passengers alike with severe – and in some cases, crippling – injuries. While a car’s safety features and the victim’s decision to wear a seatbelt can both reduce the severity of intersection car crash injuries, neither guarantees that a victim will escape unscathed. Injuries can include:

• Traumatic brain injuries;
• Head, neck, and spine injuries;
• Broken ribs or broken bones;
• Amputation injuries;

• Internal trauma and/or damage to organs;
• Burns;
• Cuts, abrasions, and/or lacerations.

Because many of these types of injuries can quickly become infected or cause additional harm if not promptly treated, intersection car accident victims should seek immediate emergency medical evaluation and treatment unless the victim is absolutely certain that his or her injuries are minor and do not require medical attention. If the victim has any doubt as to the severity of his or her injuries, he or she should proceed to a hospital emergency room or urgent care clinic just in case.

What To Do After an Intersection Car Crash

Once you have obtained medical treatment following an intersection car crash, contact Stern Law, PLLC for legal advice and assistance. Identifying all responsible parties in an intersection car accident case can be more time-consuming than in other car accident cases, and the longer an investigation takes the easier it is for important evidence and witnesses to go missing. This means there is a greater chance that intersection accident injury victims may have a more difficult time recovering compensation for their expenses and losses.

Stern Law, PLLC has helped numerous intersection injury victims investigate the cause of their crash and hold those responsible accountable for their actions. Contact Stern Law, PLLC for help with your intersection injury crash today by calling (844) 808-7529.