Head-on collisions occur when two vehicles moving in opposite directions hit one another. While rare, these types of collisions occur throughout the Washington, D.C. area can lead to serious injuries and even death. There are many causes for these types of crashes, including reckless driving such as speeding or driving while drunk. If you or a loved one has been injured, Washington D.C. head-on collision accident lawyer Roger Gelb can help. At Gelb & Gelb, we have handled thousands of injury cases, and maintain an intimate knowledge of the methods necessary to pursue maximum compensation for injured individuals and their families. It is our goal to help accident victims and their families secure prompt and fair compensation for their injuries and suffering, and we have secured numerous case outcomes in the millions of dollars. Gelb & Gelb is recognized as one of the leading injury firms in the area, and our clients deal directly with Attorney Gelb throughout their cases. We represent people in Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland.
A head-on car collision is an accident where two vehicles collide. The front of each vehicle collides with one another. The most common fact pattern that involves a head-on collision is one vehicle crosses the centerline when there is traffic going two-way opposite direction traffic, and one of the vehicles, the at-fault party, crosses the centerline and hits the injured party or the claimant head-on.
A front-end collision can cause devastating injuries such as traumatic brain injuries, organ damage, as well as spinal and neck damage. The person responsible for the collision can be held liable for damages.
If you or a loved one were injured in a front-end collision, a car accident attorney could help your case. Roger Gelb could help you seek compensation for all of your damages.
A head-on car crash often causes more significant trauma to the face versus accidents that are rear-ended in nature. When somebody stops and gets hits from behind, they may have neck pain or back pain or both. When a person is hit head-on in a car collision, the force can be so severe, and their momentum takes them forward as the vehicle is pushed backward.
It causes the driver in particular to hit the steering wheel, the driver in the front seat passenger to lurch forward, potentially hitting the windshield, where the steering wheel in the driver’s case or the airbags are deployed that could cause significant injuries, including burns.
Protecting and enforcing your rights following a head-on collision is important. Not only will a successful legal claim help to ensure that you recover damages to cover medical costs, property damage, and missed wages from work due to injuries, but compensation can help relieve the emotional distress that accompanies a crash. For personal injury claims following an auto collision, the first step is usually for the victim to show negligence or recklessness on the part of the other driver.
Proving negligence requires setting forth evidence of a duty of care, breach, causation, and damages. Drivers are required to meet a duty of care when operating their vehicle. This includes avoiding foreseeable risks of harm to others on the road, including other drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists. When a driver exhibits negligent behavior, such as texting behind the wheel or failing to follow traffic rules, their conduct may be deemed to have breached their duty of care.
Causation is necessary to a personal injury claim because the at-fault driver cannot be held responsible unless their conduct directly led to the victim’s harm. The force associated with a head-on crash may cause cars to shift into different positions than they were in upon impact. It can help to examine skid marks on the road or rely on accident reconstruction experts to help assess who was at fault.
Finally, as the last step in a personal injury claim following a vehicle crash, the victim sets forth their quantified costs associated with the accident. Maintaining all receipts, medical bills, and documented costs can help injured individuals recover the full amount that they are owed. It is important to seek treatment as soon as possible for all accident-related harm, especially for injuries that may not be immediately apparent, such as neck and spine pain.
Unfortunately, the injuries that follow head-on collisions may be severe, including brain trauma, broken bones, and disfigurement. Costs for future medical bills may be recovered, as there may be residual pain that requires physical therapy. Pain and suffering damages may also be appropriate following a head-on collision.
If a head-on collision leads to a wrongful death, a claim may be brought by close family members or those dependent on the decedent. The types of damages typically recovered in these cases include funeral expenses, loss of consortium, and out-of-pocket medical expenses. In situations where the victim does not suffer an immediate death, a survival action may be available. Medical testimony is often required to meet the legal requirement of showing that within a certain degree of certainty, the victim suffered conscious pain and suffering. A wrongful death or survival action can be handled by a skilled D.C. area lawyer familiar with the legal requirements and statutes of limitations associated with these claims.
Like in any other case, every motorist has an obligation or duty to control their vehicle to avoid colliding. If one of the vehicles cross the centerline, they are certainly negligent. They have an obligation to stay within their own assigned lane.
There may be a dispute on liability in a case like this, both of them are blaming each other, but what happens more often than not, when it is a head-on collision because one of the vehicles cross the centerline, there is typically witnesses that are very helpful. Also, there is more than one vehicle involved that would be a potential plaintiff or claimant vehicle.
If one of the vehicles is struck head-on, that vehicle may also be rear-ended by a vehicle behind it. The two different vehicles act as witnesses for each other as to who was at fault in the accident.
It is important to follow up and get proper medical care following a collision. Not only do they need to follow up, but they need to follow up in a timely fashion. If there is too long of a delay in treatment, it can affect the value of the claim simply because of a jury or judge or whoever hears the case and there was a gap between when the accident happened and when treatments the started, then that may be factored into the value that’s awarded.
Additionally, if it has been too long of a time before treatment starts after your head-on car collision, the doctor or the medical provider may have a difficult time stating within a reasonable degree of medical certainty as a standard that the accident caused the injury.
There are many steps to take after a head-on car crash. After seeking medical treatment, you should reach out to a knowledgeable car collision attorney as soon as possible. A car accident attorney could help you seek compensation for all of your injuries and damages. Call Gelb & Gelb, P.C., to learn about the nuances of a DC head on car collision case.