Louisville Sideswipe Car Accidents

The National Safety Council categorizes car accidents with other vehicles into four types: angle collision, head-on collision, rear-end collision, and sideswipe and other two-vehicle collisions. In car accidents involving other vehicles, sideswipe accidents accounted for 8.2% of deaths. Whether they result in fatal accidents or not, a sideswipe accident can result in serious personal injuries and property damage. That is why it is important to understand how liability is determined in a sideswipe accident, how to prove negligence, and who is financially liable or held liable for your damages under Kentucky law, with the help of an experienced Louisville sideswipe car accident lawyer.

Following a sideswipe collision, talk to a knowledgeable Louisville sideswipe car accident attorney to protect your rights and seek the compensation you deserve, including every dollar lost due to injury or damage.

What is a Sideswipe Collision Accident?

A sideswipe collision accident occurs when two vehicles collide along their sides, often caused by unsafe lane changes or distracted driving. This can happen when two vehicles are traveling side-by-side in the same direction, or traveling in opposite directions on a road with no median, such as at an intersection or along a highway in KY. A parked vehicle can also be sideswiped by a moving vehicle, which may result in harm or injury to pedestrians nearby.

These accidents often involve multiple parties involved and can lead to serious personal injury claims, especially when caused by a drunk driver or intoxicated person. Proving fault and negligence in such cases is crucial to recover damages and seek a fair settlement, sometimes requiring court intervention if a lawsuit is filed. Evidence like dashcam footage and photographs of the accident scene, for example, can be vital to establish causation and breach of duty in a sideswipe car accident. An experienced Louisville sideswipe car accident attorney can help with this.

What You Should Do After a Sideswipe Motor Vehicle Accident?

Whether you caused the sideswipe accident or not, there are several things you must do afterward to protect your legal rights:

• If your vehicle is still operable after the collision, you should stop and move your vehicle away from traffic to a safe area, especially if the accident occurred near a red light or busy intersection.
• Exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver involved in the accident, including details about any other parties who may have been hit or involved.
• Obtain the contact information of any witnesses to the accident, as their support can be crucial in proving negligence or fault.
• Take photographs of the scene of the accident, any damage to your vehicle, and note any visible road conditions such as wet or icy pavement that may have contributed to the accident.
• Take photographs of your injuries, even if they seem minor at first, since some injuries from sideswipe accidents can worsen over time.
• See a doctor even if you do not have any visible injuries, as some injuries are not immediately apparent but can be serious or fatal if left untreated.
• Contact a car accident attorney who can help you understand your rights, especially if alcohol or DUI was reported as a factor in the accident, and to ensure you receive fair compensation for your damages.
• Do not speak to the other driver’s insurer without consulting your Louisville sideswipe car accident attorney first to avoid inadvertently harming your claim or pocketing less than you deserve. 

Determining Liability and Proving Negligence in a Sideswipe Accident

When two moving vehicles are involved in a sideswipe accident, determining who caused the accident and who is liable can be difficult. Where there are witnesses to the accident, eyewitness accounts may help to determine the events that led to the sideswipe collision, including the actions of each driver and any unsafe lane changes. Where there are no eyewitnesses, accident reconstruction experts can investigate the crash and collect and preserve evidence such as dashcam footage and photographs of the accident scene to determine the root cause of the accident and injuries.

Under certain circumstances, liability may also be inferred from evidence taken at the time of the accident, such as which side of the road the cars ended up on, the tire marks left by the vehicles, and whether drivers obeyed traffic laws, which establishes a duty of care. A police report is required for accidents involving injuries or property damage exceeding a threshold in Kentucky.

This evidence is crucial to prove negligence and establish fault in a Louisville sideswipe car accident, especially when serious injuries or a fatality have occurred, affecting the life of a loved one and potentially involving parents, children, or other family members in the aftermath.

Determining liability in a sideswipe collision accident can be complicated. If you have been injured in a sideswipe accident, a Louisville sideswipe car accident lawyer can help investigate your crash and determine the cause of your accident, focusing on negligence and evidence such as dashcam footage and photographs. Your specialized Louisville personal injury lawyer will also help you deal with insurers and ensure that you receive full and fair compensation for your damages, including economic and non-economic damages, even if you were partially at fault under Kentucky’s pure comparative negligence statute.

Kentucky law requires minimum liability coverage of $25,000 for bodily injury per person involved in an accident. Statutory standards for pursuing pain and suffering damages in Kentucky include meeting specific injury thresholds. Basic personal-injury protection in Kentucky generally pays up to $10,000 per person per accident. Kentucky has a no-fault auto insurance system that covers initial medical expenses regardless of fault.

This process may involve a judge to decide liability and damages, especially in cases involving serious injuries or fatalities, which are sadly all too common in Louisville and Lexington sideswipe car accidents. Kentucky law defines negligence components clearly, and your lawyer will focus on duty, breach, causation, and damages to build your case. The remainder of your claim may include future medical expenses and lost wages, ensuring you are fully compensated for your losses.

Contact a Louisville, Kentucky Car Accident Lawyer

Let our experienced car accident attorneys in Louisville help you recover financial compensation for the damages you suffered as a result of a sideswipe accident. Schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with Dolt, Thompson, Shepherd, Conway & Stanton, PSC. today at (502) 369-0616 today or contact us online for your free case evaluation, where we can also discuss how Kentucky’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims and pure comparative negligence laws apply to your case.

Kentucky’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims is generally one year from the accident date, while a Louisville sideswipe car accident gives you up to two years under the state’s motor vehicle exceptions, so having an experienced lawyer to handle your claim early is crucial to protecting your rights.

Beyond handling Louisville sideswipe car accidents, our dedicated team of experienced lawyers is also prepared to assist your family with a wide range of personal injury matters, including severe truck accidents, devastating motorcycle collisions, negligent medical malpractice claims, and complex wrongful death lawsuits.