New Haven Head-On Collision Lawyer

Head-On Collision Lawyer In New Haven, CT

Head-on collisions in New Haven and elsewhere are among the most catastrophic car accidents, often with severe injuries or fatalities to motorists in both vehicles. Head-on collisions made up 29.6% of car accidents in 2022, resulting in an alarming 5,800 deaths and tens of thousands of injuries. One driver is almost always at fault in a head-on collision accident, leaving them liable for damages ranging from property damage to wrongful death.

Understanding Crash Force in Head-On Collisions

Collision experts explain that there are three collisions in every accident, the vehicle’s collision, the occupant’s collision inside the vehicle, and the internal collision inside the motorist’s body. Crash force calculations show that a 120-pound person becomes a 6,600-pound force propelled forward in a collision between a vehicle and an immobile object. During a head-on collision with both cars moving toward each other at full speed, the crash force doubles, resulting in the most severe car accident injuries.

What Causes Head-on Collisions in New Haven?

With the exception of icy or slippery road conditions causing a vehicle to slide out of its lane or a defective vehicle part in the steering system, head-on collisions are almost always preventable and result from driver error. Common causes of head-on collisions include the following:

• Distracted driving
• Drowsy driving
• Drunk driving
• Speeding around sharp curves
• Driving the wrong way on a one-way street
• Entering a divided highway in the wrong direction or crossing over a median into oncoming traffic
• Improper passing
• Failing to adjust speed to slippery road conditions
• Poorly designed roadways or inadequate signage
• Roadway hazards or animal crossing causing a driver to swerve out of their lane
• Steering system failure

In fault-based insurance states like Connecticut, it’s necessary to determine the cause of the accident, the negligent or reckless action that led to the collision, and the appropriate insurance company to file a claim against to recover damages like medical expenses, lost income, and compensation for pain and suffering or wrongful death.

Common Injuries in New Haven Head-on Collision Accidents

Most head-on collisions cause severe or fatal injuries when they occur at average or high speeds. Common injuries in head-on collisions include:

• Traumatic brain injuries
• Chest trauma
• Internal organ damage
• Fractures, including of the limbs, ribs, hips, clavicle, and pelvis
• Spinal cord injuries
• Internal bleeding
• Crush injuries
• Neck injuries
• Back injuries
• Wrist injuries
• Knee injuries
• Facial trauma
• Contusions, lacerations, and artery injuries
• Wrongful death

Even when head-on car accidents occur at low speeds, they often leave motorists with significant injuries and expensive damages.

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Proving Liability for a Head-On Collision

Connecticut follows a modified comparison negligence insurance system that allows injury victims to recover compensation even if they were partly at fault for an accident as long as they are less than 51% at fault. The compensation they recover is minus their percentage of fault. For instance, if a driver is determined as 25% at fault, they can recover $75,000 of a $100,000 claim.

A head-on collision requires an in-depth investigation to determine each driver’s percentage of liability, but typically, the driver who enters or moves into the wrong lane is as much as 100% at fault for the accident.

To prove liability in a head-on collision requires demonstrating that the at-fault driver owed a duty of care to take reasonable actions to prevent causing injury to other drivers, they breached this duty by acting negligently or recklessly, their breach of duty caused injury to another, and the injury victim suffered damages like medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering.

What Can a Head-On Collision Car Accident Attorney Do For Me?

It might seem clear that the driver who left their lane is completely responsible for a head-on collision, but insurance companies commonly dispute claims or assign an undue portion of the blame to the injury victim to lower the amount of their payout. A New Haven car accident attorney from Weber & Rubano is ready to investigate your collision, document evidence to make a compelling case on your behalf, and negotiate the highest possible settlement in your car accident claim.