Head on Collision Car Accident Lawyers
Head-on collisions are among the most dangerous types of car accidents. They can cause catastrophic injuries that leave people struggling under the weight of medical bills, trauma, and many other losses. Head-on collisions are also the most significant factor in around 14% of all U.S. traffic fatalities.
If you’ve been in a head-on collision in New Jersey that someone else caused, you need to turn to car accident lawyers who can help you get compensation for your losses. This is the best option, no matter what kind of injuries you’ve suffered.
At Garces, Grabler & LeBrocq, we offer assistance navigating these kinds of personal injury claims. Learn more about these accidents and what can cause them, as well as more from our head-on collision car accident lawyers.
What Is a Head-on Collision?
Sometimes known as frontal collisions, head-on collisions occur when two vehicles coming in opposite directions hit each other, front-end to front-end. They can also happen if a car drives straight into a stationary object, like a tree or a light pole.
The nature of these accidents makes them serious. In turn, they usually result in significant property damage as well as severe injuries.
Although these kinds of crashes aren’t as common as other types, like rear-end collisions, they are the deadliest. It’s rare for drivers to make it out of these crashes without injuries.
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Common Causes of Head-on Collisions
There are a number of reasons why head-on collisions can occur in New Jersey and throughout the country. Some common examples include:
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is an ongoing concern throughout the United States. In New Jersey, 25% of all fatal traffic crashes are the result of distracted driving.
This problem refers to driving while doing anything that takes your mind or eyes away from the road. Texting and driving are of particular concern. Even though it’s illegal to text while driving, people of all ages still do it.
Eating and drinking, changing the radio station, or even working the GPS can all cause your eyes to leave the road, making it impossible to notice hazards. You may even swerve into the other lane without realizing it, making a head-on collision more likely.
Intoxicated Driving
Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol can be deadly for you and for everyone else on the road. Many times, people assume that as long as their blood alcohol concentration level is within the national legal limit (0.08%), they’re fine to drive. That’s not the case.
Having just one drink can make you a more distracted driver while also impacting your reflexes and coordination. You could easily lose control of the car, sending it crashing into oncoming traffic.
The same thing applies to drugs of any kind. Even prescription narcotics can be dangerous if they cause drowsiness or other side effects that interfere with your reflexes and coordination.
Fatigued Driving
If a driver isn’t alert behind the wheel, they won’t be able to respond appropriately to hazards or changes on the road. Driving while exhausted puts you at risk of falling asleep at the wheel, which can lead you to go into another lane and cause a head-on collision.
Speeding
A driver who is traveling too fast for the road conditions or who is going over the speed limit can easily lose control of the car. The car can skid and go into oncoming traffic, putting many parties at risk. Furthermore, a vehicle involved in a head-on collision that is traveling at high speeds is likely to cause catastrophic injuries and even fatalities.
Improper Passing
Many head-on collisions happen on two-lane highways when a driver gets frustrated with a slow vehicle and tries to pass it by entering the lane of oncoming traffic. If a driver undertakes this maneuver in a place or moment where it’s illegal or unsafe to do so, they can end up colliding with oncoming vehicles.
Common Injuries From Head-on Collisions
Head-on collisions have the potential to cause severe harm. Thus, when you’ve suffered one of the following common head-on collision injuries, it’s crucial that you contact a car accident lawyer.
Broken Bones
The force behind this kind of crash is strong enough to cause fractures, but they are even more likely to occur if your body hits anything else during the collision. That includes the windshield, steering wheel, and even the door.
It’s not uncommon for head-on collisions to cause compound fractures as well. These occur when a piece of the bone cuts through the skin.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries happen when the crash damages the spinal cord. These injuries can result in complete or partial paralysis and could be accompanied by symptoms like:
- Loss of bladder and bowel control
- Difficulty breathing
- Loss of sensation
- Neck pain
- Muscle spasms
- Headaches
Any time you damage your spinal cord, it is considered to be a catastrophic injury that could impact the rest of your life. That’s why it’s essential to get medical assistance as soon as possible if you notice symptoms.
Internal Injuries
Sometimes, a bruise isn’t just a bruise but is instead pointing to internal bleeding. With head-on collisions, people can put their lives at risk by:
- Puncturing organs
- Tearing tissue
- Suffering all manner of other internal damage
The faster the vehicles are traveling at the time of the crash, the likelier it is that someone will suffer internal injuries.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries occur when sudden, external, and physical assault damages the brain. They can result from blows, jolts, or punctures and affect how your brain works.
If you have a traumatic brain injury, the hit to your head was hard enough to make your brain twist or bounce around your skull. That results in broken blood vessels and can lead to chemical changes in the brain that affect its function. You can experience symptoms like:
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Vision problems
- Confusion
- Memory problems
- Difficulty concentrating
- Irritability
- Sleeping problems
- Trouble communicating
Traumatic brain injuries often cause lasting damage and require ongoing medical care.
Why You Need a Car Accident Lawyer After a Head-on Collision
Although New Jersey is a no-fault state, it follows modified comparative negligence statutes that complicate the claims process. These statutes state that you can claim compensation even if you were partly to blame for the accident. However, you can only do so if your percentage of fault is below 50%.
This makes it likely that the other party involved and even your own insurance company will try to pin the majority of the blame on you so that they don’t have to pay damages.
It’s essential that you turn to a lawyer to ensure that you are being treated fairly. To do this, your lawyer will gather all of the necessary evidence, which could include expert witness testimony and more.
Having a lawyer on your side also means that you can focus on healing instead of negotiating with insurance companies. It’s common for insurers to try to bully plaintiffs with low offers and threaten not to pay at all unless they accept.
Your lawyer will have experience dealing with insurers and will work hard to negotiate the best terms for you. If the negotiations aren’t fruitful or if the other party is disputing fault, your car accident lawyer can take your case to court.
Damages From Head-on Collisions
If you’ve been in a head-on collision that wasn’t your fault, you probably want to file a claim. When doing so, it’s important to understand the kinds of damages you can be compensated for.
Economic Damages
Economic damages refer to the quantifiable losses you’ve suffered, including medical expenses. A head-on collision can cause such severe injuries that you may need an extended hospital stay, rehabilitation, and numerous other services. The cost of this care can be substantial.
You can claim all of these expenses as part of your economic damages, including any changes you need to make to your home or vehicle as a result of your injuries. And if you need to receive ongoing medical care, you’re also able to seek damages for future medical expenses.
Suffering physical harm like spinal cord or traumatic brain injuries means missing out on a lot, including work. You might spend weeks or months without being able to fulfill your job responsibilities, which means you don’t get paid. By claiming lost wages, you can get compensation for those losses.
Lost wages can include commissions, bonuses, and more. If you won’t be able to return to work for a while or at all, you can claim lost earning potential as well.
Non-Economic Damages
People who have standard insurance policies can claim non-economic damages from the party at fault after a head-on collision. If you have a limited right to sue, you may have to meet the injury threshold.
Pain and suffering is one of these types of damages. Its goal is to compensate you for the physical and mental anguish you’ve suffered because of your accident. The severity of your injuries and how long it will take you to heal will impact the compensation you receive.
Often, head-on collisions cause injuries that make it impossible for people to live their lives as they used to before the accident. If that’s the case for you, you can claim loss of enjoyment of life.
Additionally, perhaps a loved one was in the accident and suffered catastrophic injuries or died as a result of the crash. In such instances, you can also claim loss of consortium to get compensation for the loss of affection and support they once provided.
Involved in an Accident? Garces, Grabler & LeBrocq Can Help
A head-on collision can be a devastating accident that leaves you with financial problems as well as physical and mental trauma. To have the chance to get the compensation you’re entitled to, turn to the team at Garces, Grabler & LeBrocq.
At Garces, Grabler & LeBrocq, we treat each client like family. We’re ready to fight for your rights and take your case to court if we feel it’s in your best interests.
Our years of experience in the field of personal injury law allow us to guide you through the process. We are prepared to take the burden of the claim from your shoulders so you can focus on healing.
One of the most challenging aspects of a claim is that it can take some time to resolve. To make the wait a bit easier, we keep all of our clients in the loop by communicating regularly.
You can expect a tenacious but compassionate group of lawyers to fight your corner when you turn to Garces, Grabler & LeBrocq. Contact us online today or call 800-923-3456 for your free consultation.
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