Long Beach Sideswipe Accident Lawyer
The severity of a sideswipe accident, which occurs when two parallel vehicles scrape against each other, can range from minor to severe. A sideswipe accident can cause significant damage and injuries, so it is helpful to reach out to a Long Beach car accident lawyer as quickly as you can.
Why Turn to Our Long Beach Sideswipe Accident Attorney for Help?
- Harting, Simkins & Ryan, LLP, is a law firm that provides experienced and trusted legal counsel to individuals seeking representation. The firm specializes in protecting the rights of their clients and offers guidance and support through every step of the legal process, ensuring that each client’s personal and individual needs are met.
- The firm operates on a contingency fee basis, meaning that clients are not required to pay any fees unless the firm successfully recovers a settlement or verdict in their favor. This approach eliminates the financial burden for clients upfront, allowing them to pursue their case without worrying about immediate legal costs.
- With a team of skilled Long Beach personal injury attorneys and trial advocates, Harting, Simkins & Ryan, LLP is dedicated to achieving the best possible outcome for their clients. They combine their legal expertise with a personalized approach, recognizing that every client’s situation is unique and requires tailored attention.
When Does a Sideswipe Accident Happen in Long Beach?
A sideswipe collision can occur from various situations. They usually happen when two vehicles are going in the same or opposite directions and end up hitting into one another. A sideswipe commonly occurs during the following situations:
- Parked cars: A sideswipe accident usually involves a parked car or narrow roads where it can be hard to drive and have limited street parking. A driver who does not properly judge how much room they have may accidentally drive into a parked car while traveling down the road.
- Lane changes: Every driver must check their blind spots and signal right before they change lanes. It is common for drivers to neglect these steps. A driver who merges into another lane without properly signaling or failing to check their blind spots are more likely to cause an accident. This is why a sideswipe accident is common in these scenarios.
- Merging onto a freeway or highway: Heavy traffic is always stressful, but you must still follow the proper steps like signaling, watching for other traffic, and checking blind spots. Drivers on the highway already must also be cautious of cars trying to merge. A driver who is being negligent and failing to signal, tailgating or driving too close to another vehicle is more likely to cause a serious sideswipe crash.
Factors That Influence Severity of Injuries
A sideswipe collision can cause a minor dent and scratch some of the paint off your car, or it can be disastrous. Some of the factors influencing how bad it can be are:
- The impact angle and vehicle speed: A sharper impact angle with higher speed is going to increase the force, leading to serious damage and injuries.
- Vehicle safety features: Most new vehicles have many safety features. You can usually find side-impact airbags, reinforced door structures, and several alerts that can go off when another vehicle is near you. However, this cannot stop a car from hitting you completely.
- Proper seatbelt use: Just like any accident, wearing your seatbelt can help drastically reduce the risk of serious injuries by making sure you stay in place during the crash.
- A secondary collision: Depending on the intensity of the sideswipe, it can cause a driver to lose control of the vehicle. This could end up impacting other objects or vehicles around.
Contact a Long Beach Sideswipe Accident Lawyer
A sideswipe accident, just like any accident, happens unexpectedly. You need legal representation in your corner to make sure you are going through the process quickly. Contact our Long Beach sideswipe accident attorney to start with a free case evaluation and see how we can help you move forward.