A side-impact collision accident occurs when a driver collides head-on with the side of another vehicle. Depending on the speed that vehicles are traveling at, these accidents can be fatal. As with any accident that has the potential to have been fatal, it must be taken seriously. This means that lawyers need to be involved, and a compensation claim made. Dangerous drivers must be punished. The best way to deter them from behaving recklessly and get them off of the road is to take them to a court or to make a financial claim against them.
This article will explain how you can determine fault in a side-impact collision accident:
Contacting a Lawyer
If you have been involved in a car accident, then it’s crucial that you contact a lawyer. If you’re not a trained legal professional there’s absolutely no way that you will be able to represent yourself and get yourself compensation. According to a team of specialist personal injury lawyers in Duluth, lawyers will diligently work to get you the compensation that you deserve. This means that they will employ all of their skills and the knowledge that they have learned through their careers in your case, in order to deliver you adequate financial compensation. You can usually find lawyers who offer their services on a no-win-no-fee basis. This is perfect for people who are on a limited budget and can’t afford to pay outright for legal representation.
Dashcam Footage
One of the easiest ways to determine fault in a car accident is with dashcam footage. Most vehicles are equipped with dashcam footage nowadays. The use of dashcam footage simplifies determining fault massively. For this reason, make sure that you equip your vehicle with a dashcam. You should put one on the front and the back of a vehicle. If you are involved in a side-impact collision, your dashcam footage will show whether you pulled out illegally without looking, even if it doesn’t show the actual collision. This will help lawyers and insurance company representatives to decide who was at fault.
CCTV Footage
If dashcam footage isn’t available, then your lawyer or insurance company will look for CCTV footage. If your accident took place in a built-up area, then this shouldn’t be a problem. They will begin looking for CCTV footage as soon as you notify them so that it doesn’t get deleted. CCTV footage is very effective in determining fault because it will show the entire accident, potentially from multiple angles. This allows lawyers and insurance representatives to make a clear, concise decision. CCTV is particularly effective in side-impact collisions because dashcam often fails to show the actual crash.
Eyewitness Statements
Eyewitness statements are also used when determining fault. If your accident took place in a busy, high-traffic area, then it’s likely that other drivers will have witnessed it. In addition, passengers in your vehicle and the offending vehicle will have the opportunity to give their statements. If there isn’t any video evidence, then eyewitness statements will be crucial in determining fault. You must encourage witnesses in your vehicle to be as honest as possible. Make it clear to them that they mustn’t embellish or exaggerate events in order to make you look innocent because this can get them in trouble.
Police Reports
If the accident was severe, then the police will likely have attended. The police’s road traffic team will inspect the vehicles and draw up a report, detailing what they saw and potentially what they think. This report is very useful to your legal team, particularly if it shows the accident wasn’t your fault and couldn’t have been your fault. With that said, if the police want to get involved then you will have to wait until the end of their investigations until you can launch a lawsuit and claim financial compensation. They might want to get involved if you or the other driver were under the influence, were driving dangerously, or were driving without a license.
Location of Damage
Lawyers and insurance representatives will also examine the vehicles involved and look at the location of damage, in order to work out who was at fault. In side-impact collision cases, the location of the damage can help them to discover whether you pulled out too quickly without looking, or if the other driver did. It won’t be necessary to examine your vehicle if there is video evidence, however, which means that you can hold onto your car instead of surrendering it to examination specialists in an impound lot.
If you have been involved in a side-impact collision, then you need to contact a lawyer. A lawyer will help to determine fault so that the offending driver is punished, and the victim gets the compensation that they deserve.
Published by HOLR Magazine