Common Causes of Car Accidents
In these examples the alleged wrongdoer is referred to as the defendant and the innocent motorist is referred to as the plaintiff. Car accidents can happen in many different ways and are caused by different factors, but there are some typical cases. They include:
€ Rear End Collisions: In a rear end collision the front of defendant's car hits the rear of the plaintiff's car. Because all motorists have a legal duty to observe what' is in front of them, a rear end collision is difficult to defend. The only serious defense is that the plaintiff suddenly stopped for no reason. Typical injuries are neck and back injuries caused by the sudden impact from behind.
€ Head on Collision: Head on collisions can be deadly. When two vehicles collide head on and both are travelling at 45 miles per hour, the resulting crash has the same impact of a car hitting a parked car at 90 miles per hour. The liability question in most head on collision cases is which motorist crossed over the center of the roadway.
€ Left turn across traffic: When a motorist makes a left hand turn across oncoming traffic, he has a high legal burden. It's his duty to observe traffic coming from the opposite direction. A sudden left turning vehicle gives the straight-on driver no time to avoid a collision. Like a rear end collision, it's a difficult case to defend.
€ Traffic warning cases: Stop Lights and Stop Signs. Traffic warning devices are there for a reason, and when a motorist fails to heed the warning he is liable for causing an accident. Unless there is eyewitness testimony, the evidence in a case like this can be difficult, and it often comes down to one person's word against the other. People often blurt out the truth right after an accident, and therefore the police report can often make the case. If defendant apologizes for going through a light, the case then becomes just a question of damages.
€ Pedestrian Cases: Motorists and pedestrians have a duty to observe what's happening around them and the evidence in these cases usually involves whether the pedestrian was in a walkway, was there adequate line of sight, and was the pedestrian paying attention. If the evidence shows that the pedestrian was texting or talking on a cell phone while walking, he will have difficulty proving the accident was caused solely by defendant.
€ Drunken Driving Cases: These sad cases cut across all of the above types of motor vehicle accidents, and it's a question whether intoxication caused the accident. Don't drink and drive.
The above cases are the most common causes of motor vehicle accidents.
€ Rear End Collisions: In a rear end collision the front of defendant's car hits the rear of the plaintiff's car. Because all motorists have a legal duty to observe what' is in front of them, a rear end collision is difficult to defend. The only serious defense is that the plaintiff suddenly stopped for no reason. Typical injuries are neck and back injuries caused by the sudden impact from behind.
€ Head on Collision: Head on collisions can be deadly. When two vehicles collide head on and both are travelling at 45 miles per hour, the resulting crash has the same impact of a car hitting a parked car at 90 miles per hour. The liability question in most head on collision cases is which motorist crossed over the center of the roadway.
€ Left turn across traffic: When a motorist makes a left hand turn across oncoming traffic, he has a high legal burden. It's his duty to observe traffic coming from the opposite direction. A sudden left turning vehicle gives the straight-on driver no time to avoid a collision. Like a rear end collision, it's a difficult case to defend.
€ Traffic warning cases: Stop Lights and Stop Signs. Traffic warning devices are there for a reason, and when a motorist fails to heed the warning he is liable for causing an accident. Unless there is eyewitness testimony, the evidence in a case like this can be difficult, and it often comes down to one person's word against the other. People often blurt out the truth right after an accident, and therefore the police report can often make the case. If defendant apologizes for going through a light, the case then becomes just a question of damages.
€ Pedestrian Cases: Motorists and pedestrians have a duty to observe what's happening around them and the evidence in these cases usually involves whether the pedestrian was in a walkway, was there adequate line of sight, and was the pedestrian paying attention. If the evidence shows that the pedestrian was texting or talking on a cell phone while walking, he will have difficulty proving the accident was caused solely by defendant.
€ Drunken Driving Cases: These sad cases cut across all of the above types of motor vehicle accidents, and it's a question whether intoxication caused the accident. Don't drink and drive.
The above cases are the most common causes of motor vehicle accidents.
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