Lane change crashes in Lexington, KY, usually happen when a driver fails to check their blind spots before maneuvering. They can also occur when aggressive drivers cut off other vehicles while changing lanes.
These car accidents can cause serious injuries in Lexington, Kentucky, particularly when the driver hits a bicycle or a pedestrian. They may also cause chain reaction crashes when the vehicle causes another vehicle to swerve or lose control and enter another traffic lane. When you suffer a serious injury, a Lexington lane change lawyer from Minner Vines Injury Lawyers, PLLC, can help.
Contact our law office today at (859) 550-2900 to schedule a free consultation with a Lexington lane change crash attorney.
How Minner Vines Injury Lawyers, PLLC, Can Help After a Lane Change Crash in Lexington
Minner Vines Injury Lawyers, PLLC, represents accident victims in Lexington, Kentucky, against the people and businesses who harmed them. Our Lexington car accident lawyers have successfully represented hundreds of injured clients, recovering millions of dollars in injury compensation.
Our Lexington personal injury attorneys offer the following services to those who have suffered injuries due to someone else’s negligent or intentional behavior:
- Listen to your story and explain your legal options
- Collect accident reports, medical records, and other evidence for your claim
- Prepare insurance paperwork and negotiate with claim adjusters to settle your case
- Litigate against insurers and at-fault parties that refuse a settlement
Your car accident injuries can result in financial losses and long-term health issues. Contact Minner Vines Injury Lawyers, PLLC, for a free consultation with a Lexington lane change crash attorney to learn how we can help you recover injury compensation under Kentucky law.
How Many Lane Change Crashes Happen In Kentucky?
According to the National Safety Council, the most common crash type in the U.S. is a rear-end collision at just under 41%. Sideswipe crashes occur only about 22% of the time nationally. These crashes cause about 8.2% of traffic deaths and 10.5% of traffic injuries in the U.S.
Kentucky’s crash patterns match up with national statistics. Sideswipe crashes also make up about 21.2% of the commonwealth’s multi-vehicle collisions. They account for only 6.4% of Kentucky’s traffic deaths.
Sideswipe crashes involve very low levels of crash energy since the vehicles hit side-to-side. The only crash energy comes from the speed and power of their sideways movement, not their forward velocity. Even if a driver makes a quick move into the other driver’s lane, they will usually not hit the other vehicle with enough energy to cause serious injury or death.
These crashes are most likely to lead to serious or fatal injuries when they cause a lane departure. The vehicle on the receiving end could hit a fixed object or moving vehicle after losing control. In a worst-case situation, the vehicle might even run off the road and rollover.
What Damages Can I Recover After a Lane Change Accident?
When you suffer an injury in a lane change crash, a lawyer can help you fight for financial compensation. This compensation can cover your economic and non-economic losses.
Economic losses include all the costs necessitated by your injuries, including:
- Past and future medical treatment, therapy, and medication
- Income lost while missing work
- Diminished earnings due to future missed work
- Amounts paid out of pocket for injury-related expenses
You can also recover compensation for non-economic losses, such as pain, suffering, and disability.
However, since Kentucky uses a no-fault insurance system, your options could be limited, particularly in minor crashes. To have the right to pursue injury compensation, you must suffer a permanent injury, bone fracture, or disfigurement.
Proving Liability
If you have the right to sue for your car crash injuries, you must prove the other driver’s liability for your crash. Liability arises from the other driver’s negligent or intentional actions.
Intentional car crashes do not happen often. However, lane change crashes can happen intentionally when an aggressive driver deliberately cuts you off or tries to make you swerve. If a driver hits your vehicle intentionally, you may have a legal claim for battery or assault.
To prove these claims, your lane change crash lawyer must show the crash resulted from an intentional act. This does not mean the other driver intended to injure you. Instead, it means the other driver intentionally moved their vehicle into your lane with the goal of hitting or scaring you.
Negligence is a much more common ground for car crash cases. In these cases, your lawyer must show that the other driver failed to exercise reasonable care and that you suffered an injury as a result.
Some grounds for proving liability in lane change cases might include:
- Failing to check blind spots
- Failing to signal a lane change
- Failing to leave enough room for other vehicles
- Driving while distracted
In all of these situations, your lawyer can show that the other driver did something they knew or should have known to be unreasonably dangerous for other road users.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Lexington Lane Change Crash Lawyers
A lane change crash in Lexington, KY, can injure you, threatening your ability to earn a living or pay medical expenses. Contact Minner Vines Injury Lawyers, PLLC, for a free consultation with a Lexington lane change crash lawyer to discuss your collision and how we can help you pursue compensation for your injuries.