When you get behind a car’s wheel, several things happen that might cause you to require the services of a Douglasville injury attorney. For instance, you might get into an auto collision due to another driver’s carelessness. Such a crash could cause injury or property damage for which you require financial compensation.
Getting you this compensation requires the Douglasville injury attorney to identify the party at fault. In some auto collisions, this is easy to do as the evidence pointing to the negligent party is readily available. But in some others, identifying the at-fault party is not always straightforward.
One such instance is in a blind spot accident. This article will examine blind spot crashes, how fault is determined, and what you can do to avoid such occurrences. If you or a loved one are involved in a blind spot accident, contact Hartley, Rowe, and Fowler immediately.
Understanding Blind Spot Accidents
To understand blind spot accidents, you must first know what a blind spot is. It is that area around a car that a driver cannot see even when they look into their mirror. Different vehicles have different blind spots that you should educate yourself about.
For example, large trucks have blind spots in front, directly behind, and along each side, primarily on the right side. Therefore, if you can’t see the truck driver’s reflection in their side mirror, you are in the truck’s blind spot, and the driver cannot see you.
If you continue driving in the blind spot and try to overtake in that position, there is a high likelihood of an auto collision. Also, compared to sedans, SUVs have a greater blind-spot area, especially at the rear when changing lanes and at the front.
Ultimately, a blind spot collision happens a driver’s visibility is blocked by the vehicle in front of them or by something in their car. Since visibility is a significant factor in this accident type, there is usually a debate on who is at fault.
The driver in front can claim that driver in the back should not have been in their blind spot to prevent an accident. On the other hand, the one at the back can claim that they signaled the driver in front before trying to overtake, and the motorist in front should have yielded to them. This back-and-forth is why it is crucial to know how to determine fault in such a collision.
A Douglasville Injury Attorney Explains How Fault Is Determined in a Blind Spot Accident
In most blind spot collisions, the at-fault party is the driver with a blind spot or the one who did not have the right of way and failed to yield. For example, a driver is at fault if they changed lanes without prior warning to the car within their blind spot. The responsibility is easy to determine in this instance.
However, it becomes tricky when two vehicles are trying to merge simultaneously. Here, determining fault is harder as both drivers will likely argue they had the right of way. In most cases, both drivers involved may share the responsibility, and where this is the case, your Douglasville injury attorney will apply the rules of comparative negligence.
They do this to ensure you do not take on the entire blame, especially where is a likelihood of the other driver being more at fault. So, even if you were partially at fault, you can still recover some compensation. But first, your attorney must present evidence showing the other party’s liability.
Some of the proof required is:
- Photos from the crash scene
- Dashcam footage
- The vehicles involved
- Statement of witnesses and all the drivers involved
- A police report of the accident
Depending on the crash impact and the level of a dispute about the accident’s cause, the police or your lawyer might involve an accident reconstruction expert. A reconstructionist will recreate the accident using evidence gathered at the crash scene. Since they are experts in their field, their report on how the accident happened carries a lot of weight.
So, where the fault is disputed, if the accident reconstructionist says the other driver is liable, it frees you of liability. But if they conclude you shared the responsibility, your compensation will be minus your fault percentage. Note that you will not get any settlement if your liability is up to 50%.
Can Blind Spot Accidents Be Prevented?
Like all types of vehicle collisions, you can prevent blind spot accidents. It involves taking preventive measures, which include the following:
- Keeping Your Vehicle Mirror Clutter-Free: Your car mirror is what you use to see what is happening inside your car and the vehicles coming from behind. It is one of the most critical visual driving aids and essential for safe driving.
As such, you should keep them clutter-free. For example, don’t use anything that blocks the mirror or makes it blurry.
- Adjust the Rearview and Side Mirrors: The rearview and side mirrors are on the exterior of motor vehicles. With the rearview mirror, you see areas behind the car, while the side mirror allows you to see what is on the car’s sides outside the driver’s peripheral vision.
You must adjust your mirror properly to prevent blind spot collisions. While you can do this manually, most modern cars automatically adjust side mirrors with controls inside the vehicle.
- Conduct Over-the-Shoulder Check: Rearview and side mirrors are great but don’t rely on them only. Ensure you conduct over-the-shoulder checks to verify no car is in your blind spot. Do this before changing or merging lanes.
- Be Alert for Other Vehicle Blind Spots: You are responsible for staying out of other drivers’ blind spots. This is very crucial when driving behind large trucks or SUVs.
Were You Injured in a Blind Spot Accident? Our Douglasville Injury Attorney Can Help
No matter how careful you are, accidents are still bound to happen. Furthermore, you are likely to sustain injuries and other property damage when it does. In such an instance, you need the legal expertise of a personal injury law firm like Hartley, Rowe, and Fowler.
At our firm, we have helped several personal injury victims prove their claim in blind spot accidents and secured them the maximum financial compensation. We are committed to helping you regain what you lost in the accident. For this reason, this Douglasville injury attorney focuses more on getting you help and only ask for our legal fees once we win.
So, if you or a loved one were involved in a blind spot accident or other types of vehicle collision, contact our Douglasville, Georgia, personal injury lawyer. We offer a free initial consultation.
