Athens Head-On Collision Lawyer

A head-on collision is an auto accident in which the front of the vehicle crashes into another vehicle or a stationary object. Most of the time, these types of accidents occur on undivided roads or at intersections. This type of accident is one of the most devastating types of car crashes, even for survivors.

If you’ve been in a head-on accident in Athens, you need a car accident lawyer. Brady M. Larrison of Larrison Law Firm Auto Accident and Personal Injury Attorney can help.

Causes of Head-On Car Accidents

There are many potential causes of these accidents, including:

Distracted driving: Activities such as texting, talking on the phone, or anything else that takes a driver’s attention off of the roadway in front of them is a distraction.
Driving while intoxicated: Driving while drunk or under the influence of drugs can cause drivers to engage in unsafe behaviors.
Fatigued driving: When a driver is tired, they are much more likely to lose control of the vehicle, especially if they close their eyes or fall asleep behind the wheel.
Improper passing: A driver crossing a double yellow line to pass another vehicle may cause a head-on collision.
Driver confusion: A driver who gets confused and turns onto the highway in the wrong direction or onto a one-way street can cause a crash.
Reckless driving: Drivers who behave recklessly can lose control of the vehicle and crash into another motorist or a stationary object.

Other potential causes for head-on collisions include inadequate signage and poorly designed roads. A lack of wrong-way road signs can result in inattentive drivers unfamiliar with the roadways crashing into other motorists.

Injuries and Fatality Risks In Head-On Crashes

In 2020, approximately 10% of fatal car crashes were head-on collisions. Many more resulted in traumatic injuries. Some of the most common injuries resulting from these crashes include:

Trauma to the chest, including a collapsed lung or a torn aorta
Trauma to the abdominal region, including digestive organs, spleen, kidneys, and liver
Traumatic brain injury, or TBI ranging from a mild concussion to coma and death
Facial injuries, including cuts/bruises to the head/face or broken eye sockets, jaw, nose, or cheek
Neck and shoulder whiplash
Spinal cord injuries, which may cause paralysis or death

Who is Liable in a Head-On Collision?

When there are two vehicles involved, typically one of the drivers is at fault. This is especially true if the driver is fatigued, driving distracted, or under the influence and leaves their lane to crash into the other vehicle.

If the crash is due to a vehicle defect, the manufacturer may be held liable and if the crash is due to improper signage or inadequate maintenance on roadways, the engineers who designed the roadway could be held liable.

According to Georgia state law, an accident victim must be less than 50% responsible for the accident to recover any damages. Any time there is an accident, it is important to determine who is responsible so that they can be held accountable by a head-on collision attorney.

How Much is a Head-On Collision Settlement Worth?

The actual amount of compensation you get for your head-on collision settlement depends on several factors including the damage suffered. According to the Insurance Information Institute, in 2020, the average claim amount for bodily injury following a car crash was $20,335, and the average amount for property damage claims was $4,711.

What damages can be included in a head-on collision settlement?

The damages that are typically considered for compensation in a head-on collision include:

Property damage: Cost to repair/replace vehicle, as well as any other property damage
Physical injury: Current and future costs associated with medical treatment including ambulance/airlift transport, hospital stay, physician visits, rehab/therapy, medical equipment, medications
Wrongful death: If the victim of the car crash was killed, the family or estate may recover damages due to wrongful death, which include all of the above plus burial costs, loss of consortium, and loss of future income.

How We Can Help

If you or a loved one was involved in a head-on collision and suffered severe injuries or death, you need an Athens car accident lawyer like Brady M. Larrison of Larrison Law Firm Auto Accident and Personal Injury Attorney. He and his team of legal professionals can help you get the most from your claim. When you contact us, make sure that you have documentation of all of your expenses related to the accident and you can justify your claims and what they are worth.

We can help you file your claim, prove fault and liability, determine a value for your claim, negotiate with insurance companies, and represent you in court if we are unable to settle. We fight for you from beginning to end.

Brady M. Larrison has more than 12 years of experience as a plaintiff’s attorney in and around Athens, GA. He understands the laws surrounding car crashes and can ensure that you get the compensation you deserve. Let us know how we can help you or your family move forward and recover what you lost.