The weakest part of a vehicle is its side panel, which is also the closest part of the vehicle to a driver or passenger. It is no wonder that side-impact car accidents often cause horrific injuries.
If you were hurt in a side impact car accident in San Jose, reach out to a local personal injury lawyer. The state’s rules around vehicle accident liability are complex, and insurance companies often take advantage of injured people unfamiliar with the system. You might not get the settlement you deserve if you try to handle your claim alone. The dedicated auto accident attorneys at Solution Now Law Firm are on your side. We are ready to help you get the payments you need.
T-bone collisions happen when the front end of one vehicle collides forcefully into the side of another. This type of crash often occurs in intersections when a car tries to beat a red light, rolls through a stop sign, or turns in front of an oncoming vehicle. Cars exiting parking lots or driveways could be T-boned if they fail to note oncoming traffic.
Sideswipes are also side-impact collisions. These could happen if a vehicle attempts to merge without sufficient clearance, makes a wide turn, or changes lanes and collides with a car in its blind spot.
Side impact accidents are usually the result of a driver’s negligence. The at-fault driver must compensate any other parties who suffered losses from the accident. A San Jose attorney could help an injured person prepare a demand for compensation from the at-fault driver’s insurer.
In a side-impact crash involving two vehicles, one or both drivers might have been negligent. If both drivers bear some blame, their insurance companies will allocate responsibility between them, and the injured person will receive a portion of their damages. However, other parties could have liability as well.
For example, perhaps a sideswipe accident happened in part because a vehicle’s lane departure warning system (LDW) failed. The manufacturers of the vehicle and LDW could have liability. If a fallen stop sign or malfunctioning traffic light contributed to a T-bone wreck, the local government where the accident occurred might bear some responsibility.
A San Jose accident attorney could investigate an accident’s circumstances to identify all the potentially responsible parties. If the at-fault driver’s insurance coverage limits might be insufficient to cover the injured person’s damages, bringing other negligent parties to the negotiating table could help ensure the injured person receives a reasonable settlement.
California Code of Civil Procedure §335.1 allows someone two years to file a lawsuit seeking damages for personal injuries. A plaintiff seeking money for damage to their vehicle has three years from the accident date to file suit.
If one of the involved drivers was a public employee on the clock, or if road safety was a factor in the crash, a local government could have liability to an injured person. In such cases, a claimant must file a notice with the relevant government office within six months of the incident. The government must accept or reject the claim within 45 days of receiving the notice. If it rejects the claim or does not respond timely, the injured person could file a lawsuit seeking damages.
Failure to meet these time limits will leave an injured person unable to recover financially. A court will not allow a lawsuit to go forward if the plaintiff does not file it on time, regardless of its merits. An attorney in San Jose who handles side impact accident cases could preserve a plaintiff’s rights by ensuring compliance with all legal time limits.
Side impact crashes often cause significant injuries that take time to heal. While you are recovering your health, allow a professional to handle the task of getting compensation for your losses.
If you were in a side impact car accident in San Jose, contact a local injury lawyer for help. They could manage your claim, handle negotiations, and if you do not receive an acceptable offer, they could take your case to court. Contact our office today to get started.
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