Head-On Collision Attorney in Atlanta

The Atlanta Law Firm to Call after a Head-On Collision

Head-on collisions are not the most common type of accident, as drivers should be able to avoid slamming head-on with another vehicle by taking appropriate defensive measures quickly. Nevertheless, head-on collisions are a definite danger on Atlanta’s roads, and when they occur the results can be deadly. These accidents tend to cause more deaths and serious bodily injuries than you would expect given their rarity.

What Are Common Head-On Collision Injuries?

Someone involved in a head-on collision can suffer any injury that a motorist involved in another type of fender bender can experience. For example, we have met motorists who have suffered:

However, head-on collisions can also cause much more serious injuries given the force generated. We have also seen:

Motorists should take all injuries seriously. Even relatively minor injuries can develop complications, leaving motorists more injured than they expected. Receive immediate medical treatment and stay in contact with your doctor to discuss whether treatment is working.

What Causes Head-On Collisions?

How can two vehicles strike each other head-on when one or both should be able to swerve out of the way ahead of time? Actually, many of the drivers are impaired or otherwise seriously confused. Head-on collisions can be caused by:

• Drunk driving. A drunk driver might fall asleep and slowly drift into oncoming traffic. Oncoming traffic might never see the drunk driver coming their way.
• Drowsy driving. When drivers fall asleep, they can lose control of their vehicle, veering into oncoming traffic. All it takes is a couple of seconds of dozing off for someone to soon crash into an oncoming car.
• Confused drivers. If a driver is unfamiliar with his surroundings, he might enter a one-way road and panic.
• Distracted drivers. Reading a text message or email can impair a driver as much as a few beers.
• Defensive driving. A driver might swerve to avoid a vehicle or pedestrian in his lane only to strike someone in the other lane.
• Aggressive driving. Illegal passing up a hill or around a bend can lead to a head-on collision.
• Suicide. A driver who wants to kill himself might go out with a bang by trying to get into a head-on collision.

Regardless of how the collision unfolds, victims rarely have enough time to react. Instead, they suffer the full brunt of the crash, ending up in the hospital with sometimes life-threatening injuries.

What Do You Need to Prove as a Victim?

To receive compensation in Georgia, you need to prove that the driver who hit you did not operate their motor vehicle in a sufficiently careful manner. In legal terms, this means you need to show the driver was “negligent.”

Most of the examples above are examples of negligent driving. For example, getting into a car while intoxicated is not the type of care that an ordinary person would use. For that reason, a drunk driver who slams into you should be expected to compensate you for your losses.

In many cases, negligence is clear. A driver will admit that they were sleepy while driving, or else witnesses will be able to testify that the driver looked exhausted in the moments after a crash. However, in some situations, it is not always obvious whether the driver was negligent, in which case you will need evidence.

An experienced Atlanta head-on collision attorney can go over everything and find evidence that is helpful.

Losses Associated With Head-On Collisions

It is the rare person who can walk away from a head-on crash completely unscathed. Instead, many people will experience the following:

• Large medical expenses. You might need surgery or time in the intensive care unit to help you survive an accident. You might also need rehabilitation or other medical treatment to overcome the limitations imposed by your physical injuries.
• Unexpected mental health expenses. Injuries affect the mind as well as the body. You might need mental health counseling, group therapy, or antidepressants or other prescription drugs.
• Lost income. After a serious injury, you might be unable to return to work. Even if you have sick or personal days, you soon might run out of them and not have any income coming in.

These are some of the more common economic losses, which you can measure in dollars and cents. But other losses are harder to value though no less real:

• Impaired intimate relationships. Your physical and emotional injuries could dramatically impair your spousal relationship, for example.
• Pain. Bodily injuries often leave victims in considerable pain, which no amount of painkillers can truly blunt.
• Anger or other emotional distress. Physical impairment can take a toll on someone’s emotions, leading to mental anguish. This anguish is a loss that goes above and beyond whatever it costs to attend therapy or obtain antidepressants.
• Reduced quality of life. You might not be able to enjoy golf or basketball anymore, or you might not be able to play with your children or grandchildren.

Non-economic losses like these also qualify for compensation. You should meet with an experienced attorney to consider how much you might receive in a settlement.

Speak With an Atlanta Head-On Collision Lawyer Today

Head-on collisions do not have to end your life as you know it. Instead, you can fight back by seeking the financial resources you need to help you land back on your feet. At Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC, we have deep experience in all types of car accidents, including head-on collisions. We know what evidence you need to prove your case, and we are skilled at collecting it efficiently.

Contact us today. You can schedule a free consultation with one of our head-on collision attorneys in Atlanta by calling 404-418-8244 or completing this online contact form. Avoid delay, as Georgia law gives motorists a short window of time to pursue a legal remedy in the courts.