Roseville Sideswipe Accident Lawyer
Sideswipe accidents happen when the sides of two vehicles make contact, often while traveling in the same direction on a highway or city street. While they might sound minor, sideswipes can cause serious injuries, property damage, and dangerous spin-outs or chain-reaction crashes. If you’ve been in a sideswipe accident, it’s important to know your legal rights because proving fault isn’t always simple. Rosenthal Law’s car accident lawyers in Roseville, CA, are ready to help you recover compensation. Just call (916) 774-7200.
Common Causes of Sideswipe Accidents
Sideswipe accidents can happen in many different traffic situations, most often because one driver isn’t fully paying attention or fails to check for others sharing the road. Some of the most common causes include:
- Improper or sudden lane changes: Veering or drifting into an adjacent lane without signaling or making sure it’s clear.
- Merging errors: Entering a highway, on-ramp, or traffic lane without yielding or accelerating properly.
- Distracted driving: Looking at a phone, adjusting the radio, or being otherwise distracted enough to unintentionally cross over lane markings.
- Driving under the influence: Impaired judgment and slow reaction times can easily lead a driver to enter the lane of another vehicle and cause a sideswipe accident.
- Failure to check blind spots: Not taking the time to glance in mirrors or over a shoulder before committing to a lane change.
Recognizing these risks can help drivers avoid sideswipe accidents and help them determine if someone else was negligent in the incident.
How Do You Prove Fault After a Sideswipe Accident?
Determining who is at fault after a sideswipe accident isn’t always straightforward. Proving exactly what happened requires collecting evidence and presenting a clear argument. Here’s what this usually entails:
Photographs and Vehicle Damage
Photographs of both cars, lane markings, debris, and the surrounding road layout help accident specialists reconstruct who had the right of way and which vehicle most likely moved out of its lane. Matching paint transfer and the nature of dents and scrapes can also help show the direction and cause of the sideswipe.
Eyewitness and Driver Statements
Having contact information for nearby drivers, passengers, or pedestrians who saw the crash provides valuable perspectives. These witnesses, plus good descriptions from both drivers written shortly after the accident, are important evidence because they can support or challenge the version of events an insurance company relies on.
Traffic and Vehicle Camera Footage
Some intersections and highways have traffic surveillance cameras or footage from dashcams that can reveal lane markings, actions just before impact, and whether turns or lane changes were lawful. If privately owned businesses captured the incident, this footage should also be searched for and preserved quickly.
Police Reports and Accident Reconstruction
A police investigation is invaluable for documenting conditions, marks on the roadway, and statements from those involved. Sometimes, crash reconstruction experts convert all this data to diagrams and reports identifying which maneuver most likely caused the sideswipe.
Obtaining the right evidence is best done with the help of an experienced Roseville injury lawyer who can make sure you get the justice you are entitled to after someone else injures you in a car accident.
Dealing With Insurers After a Sideswipe Accident
Dealing with insurance companies after a sideswipe accident can be frustrating and confusing, especially when each driver points the finger at the other. Insurers often try to shift blame, minimize the value of your claim, or suggest you’re partly responsible, even when the facts support your side. Adjusters may ask for recorded statements or quick settlements before all the details are clear, putting your right to full recovery at risk.
The hours and days after a crash are critical for protecting your interests, so it’s essential not to accept any settlement, sign paperwork, or agree to a recorded interview with the other driver’s insurance company until you’ve spoken with an attorney. Having a knowledgeable Roseville hit and run accident lawyer intervene can level the playing field and help you push for the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation and learn how we can help you after an accident.