If you’ve been in a sideswipe car crash in Myrtle Beach, let the experienced car accident attorneys at Jebaily Law Firm help you pursue the compensation you deserve from the driver at fault for the collision. The experienced Myrtle Beach sideswipe car accident lawyers at Jebaily Law Firm can file an injury claim for you and negotiate aggressively for the money you deserve while you concentrate instead on putting your life back together.
Contact us today to get started with a free consultation about your legal options following a sideswipe crash in Myrtle Beach.
How Our Law Firm Helps People Hurt in Sideswipe Car Crashes
At Jebaily Law Firm, we’ve been fighting for injured South Carolinians like you for over five decades. Our personal injury lawyers have over 100 years of combined legal experience that we bring to every case we handle.
Here’s how we can help your Myrtle Beach sideswipe auto crash case:
- Investigate and gather evidence – We’ll analyze the circumstances surrounding the accident and review police reports, witness statements, accident videos where possible, and other crucial pieces of evidence.
- Determine liability – We’ll use the evidence we’ve gathered to determine what happened and who is at fault for the crash.
- Assess your losses – We’ll assess the extent of your losses, from financial costs like medical bills and lost wages to personal ones like pain and suffering.
- File your injury claim – We’ll send a demand letter to the at-fault driver’s insurer to start the negotiation process, handling all discussions with them so you don’t have to deal with it.
- Advise on settlement offers – We’ll negotiate your claim with the insurance adjusters and provide legal advice on whether you should accept an offer or hold out for more.
- File an injury lawsuit – If the insurance company’s best offer remains unsatisfactory, we can file a lawsuit with the appropriate court and litigate your case with the goal of securing you an award that compensates you fairly.
Our efforts for previous clients have secured numerous case results with awards of six figures or more, including $2,005,000 in a car accident case involving a traumatic brain injury and $675,000 in a motor vehicle accident case resulting in facial and abdominal injuries.
Read our numerous client testimonials to discover the positive things our former clients say about our law firm. For example, Aazon Lighty writes, “Jebaily Law Firm and staff are the best. Very professional, patient, courteous they care about the person not just the case. They are open and up front with the Client from the beginning to end. They let you know what the laws are pertaining to your case and keeps the Clients well informed of all matters.”
What Is a Sideswipe Car Accident?
A sideswipe car accident is one in which two or more vehicles collide with each other side to side. Usually, one driver drifts out of their lane, causing them to run into vehicles driving beside theirs. While some people might assume that such accidents are less severe than others, in a recent year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that about 15 percent of the 831,000 sideswipe collisions that occurred in a single recent year resulted in injuries.
Motor vehicles do not have crumple zones on their sides like in the front and back, so these crashes can be especially dangerous. While sideswipe crashes at slow speeds often involve mild injuries and minimal body damage, in certain scenarios, they can also trigger more severe secondary collisions.
However, sideswipe crashes can be particularly dangerous at high speeds on highways and interstates. A sideswiping incident at freeway speeds can result in one or both vehicles being run off the road, pushed into another lane, or overturned, for example.
Common Scenarios Involving Sideswipe Accidents
Sideswipe car accidents often occur because drivers don’t see the vehicles in their blind spots or wrongly assume there’s no vehicle beside them while turning or changing lanes. But that’s not the only reason sideswipe crashes occur. Other scenarios that may arise include:
- Merging on highways – A driver might fail to check their blind spot or misjudge the distance when attempting to merge into another lane, resulting in a sideswipe collision with a vehicle already in the lane they are trying to enter.
- Dual turn lanes at intersections – Many intersections have two or more lanes that are allowed to turn. If drivers do not adhere to their lane while turning, they can inadvertently drift into the adjacent lane and sideswipe another vehicle correctly following their lane’s curvature.
- Mistakes while parallel parking – A driver attempting to parallel park in a tight spot might misjudge the space and sideswipe a parked car either in front or behind them as they try to maneuver into or out of the parking space.
These scenarios indicate many ways a sideswipe accident can occur and reinforce the idea that drivers should always pay attention on the road.
Types of Injuries Resulting from Sideswipe Accidents
Some sideswipe crashes result in property damage only. But when a sideswipe crash is more severe, victims can sustain serious injuries such as:
- Whiplash
- Muscle sprains
- Neck injuries
- Broken bones
- Severe bruises
- Internal bleeding and organ damage
- Head injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Torn ligaments and tendons
- Knee injuries and other joint damage
Determining Fault and Seeking Compensation After a Sideswipe Crash
In South Carolina, the person who causes a car accident is liable for the consequences. That means identifying the at-fault party is critical when seeking the compensation you deserve. To determine fault, our lawyers can review evidence like the following examples:
- Eyewitness testimony – Statements from people who witnessed the accident can provide insight into how the accident occurred and which driver left their lane.
- Video recordings – Videos from nearby traffic cameras or dashcams in the vehicles involved or others in traffic might have captured the accident scene, showing which driver deviated from their lane or failed to follow road signs and signals.
- Vehicle damage reports – An analysis of the pattern and location of damage on the vehicles and any paint transfers can help in understanding the dynamics of the crash.
- Cell phone records – These can be used to determine if distracted driving was a factor, such as texting or talking on the phone at the time of the accident.
Our Myrtle Beach sideswipe accident lawyers can help establish fault and seek maximum compensation for you.
Get Help from Our Myrtle Beach Sideswipe Accident Lawyers Now
At Jebaily Law Firm, our Myrtle Beach car accident attorneys are ready to help you demand the compensation you need after a collision someone else caused. We’re committed to working with and partnering with you throughout this challenging process to hold the at-fault party accountable and deliver you the justice you deserve.
Contact us today for a free consultation, and let’s get started on your car accident claim right away.