Does the Type of Car Accident Indicate Who’s at Fault?

Fault is tremendously important in a car accident case. When you can prove another person is responsible for causing a collision, then you gain the ability to recover compensation for your injuries and other damage to your life. If you don’t have the evidence or arguments to prove fault, then someone may be able to successfully argue that you were the one responsible for causing the accident, and you may become liable for paying significant damages.

Personal injury lawyers put in a lot of effort to uncover evidence to establish fault, and they comb through legal precedent to find distinguishing factors that support their client’s position on the issue of fault. Many different types of evidence can be used to piece together what happened in the moments leading up to the accident and which driver should be held accountable for causing the collision. The police report, traffic camera footage, witness testimony, and photographs of the damaged vehicles can all indicate the point of impact and the type of collision. And in many cases, the type of collision can play a big role in establishing who is at fault.

Broadside Collisions

These types of crashes go by many names: side-impact, T-bone, and broadside collisions are just a few examples. When the front of one car impacts the side of another vehicle, it creates a “T” shape. These accidents often occur at intersections when the driver of the impacting vehicle runs a stoplight or fails to stop at a stop sign and hits a vehicle that is passing through the intersection appropriately. They also occur when someone is pulling out of a driveway and entering moving traffic.

The driver of the impacting vehicle has the last clear chance to stop the collision. Often, the driver of the vehicle that is hit has no idea what is coming and is blindsided. Evidence of this type of impact can indicate that the driver with damage on the front end of the car is at fault. However, there are occasions when the driver who is hit is in the intersection or on the roadway improperly, so it is important to consider a wide array of evidence.

One factor that indicates fault in a broadside collision is the location of damage to the vehicle that was hit on its side. If the damage is in the middle of the car rather than the front quarter, it indicates the car was moving in traffic and should have been visible, and that the driver of the impacting vehicle was not paying attention.

Rear-End Collisions

Rear-end collisions involve two vehicles traveling in the same direction in the same lane. The front end of the rear vehicle impacts the back end of the vehicle in front of it. When vehicles exhibit this type of damage pattern, it often indicates that the driver behind was at fault for causing the accident because they were following too closely, speeding, not paying attention, or impaired by a substance that reduced their ability to judge and react to road conditions.

This type of accident creates a presumption that the driver of the rear vehicle is at fault, so if that is not the case, the driver of that vehicle must work diligently to present evidence showing why fault should lie with someone else. For instance, the driver in front may have had faulty brake lights. Or a pedestrian may have darted out in front of both cars, forcing the front car to slam on the brakes unexpectedly.

Head-On Collisions

In accidents where the front ends of both vehicles collide, it often indicates that one driver was operating in the wrong lane and that driver may be at fault. In this situation, not only the type of crash but also the impact location would be crucial for assessing responsibility.

Impact at the Corners

Accidents involving turns often result in situations where one or both vehicles have damage at the front corner. This could indicate that a driver was trying to swerve to avoid a vehicle making an improper turn. If the turning vehicle has damage to the rear corner, it could indicate that the vehicle had almost fully executed a turn when it was hit, so the driver of the vehicle that impacted it could be at fault. 

The placement of damage and the cars’ positions at the time of impact can tell the story of what happened, and sometimes, but not always, indicate why it happened. It is important to present additional evidence to complete the story.

Multi-Vehicle Accidents

Causation can be complex in a collision involving multiple vehicles. Often, the actions of one driver trigger an unavoidable chain reaction. Other times, the negligence of two or more people combines to cause a collision. Accident reconstruction experts often consider a wide array of evidence to pinpoint fault in these types of cases.

DeKeyer Law Works to Uncover Evidence of Fault and Prove Liability in Car Accident Cases

To recover compensation after a car accident—and to avoid being liable for the accident yourself—you need proof of fault. The best time to start searching for that proof is right after the accident, when the evidence is fresh. 

As time goes on, the accident scene will change. Skid marks will fade, and any obstructions that could have blocked someone’s view may be moved or removed. Someone’s security camera in the area may have captured images that could provide valuable evidence, but the footage may be automatically overwritten unless an attorney acts to recover it quickly. Witnesses can become hard to find, and their memories of the accident will be less precise with each passing day.

The best way to protect your rights after a car accident is to start working with a knowledgeable attorney who can help you preserve evidence and provide advice to help you avoid mistakes that could damage your ability to recover. At DeKeyzer Law, we know what it takes to recover compensation after a car accident, and we are ready to assist. For a free consultation to learn more about the help we can provide, call us at 713-904-4004 or contact us online now.