Common Types of Auto Accidents

rear end accident

There are many different types of car accidents. If you’ve recently been injured in a car crash, the “type” of accident that you’ve suffered may help to determine exactly what caused your harm and who may be held legally and financially liable for it. To learn more about how the type of accident you were involved in may affect your rights and legal options, turn to a reputable car accident attorney from Law Offices of Troy A. Brookover.

For more than 30 years, Troy has helped clients in San Antonio, Central, and South Texas get the compensation they deserve for accidents that weren’t their fault or were partially their fault. He is committed to fighting for the best possible results for his clients, no matter how complicated or difficult their cases may be. If you choose Troy to represent you in your car accident case, you’ll choose an experienced, skilled lawyer who is committed to getting you the money and justice you deserve. He is one of the only attorneys who is Board-Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Just over 1 percent of personal injury lawyers in the state have earned this distinction.

If you’ve been hurt in a car accident in San Antonio and someone else is partially or totally to blame for what happened to you, don’t hesitate to Contact Law Offices of Troy A. Brookover. Troy offers free consultations and works on a contingency fee basis, so there are no upfront costs to getting the help you need during this difficult time.

Troy handles all kinds of car accident cases. Below, you’ll find information about some of the most common car accident “types” that Troy has represented as he has assisted thousands of Texans in pursuing legal and financial justice for their injuries.

Head-On Collisions

A head-on collision involves the front of one vehicle striking the front of another vehicle. Head-on collisions are one of the most dangerous kinds of car accidents, since the vehicles collide with their full momentum. The force of this momentum can cause catastrophic, life-altering, and even fatal injuries to the vehicles’ occupants.

Many head-on collisions occur when one vehicle veers over the center dividing line into oncoming traffic, while others occur when a vehicle travels the wrong way down a one-way street. Another common cause of head-on collisions is unsafe or illegal turns, such as when a driver tries to turn left into an entrance or driveway and cuts in front of an oncoming vehicle. Head-on collisions also sometimes occur at intersections when a driver makes an unsafe or illegal left turn or when another driver runs a red light in front of a left-turning vehicle.

Highway Construction Accidents

Highways frequently undergo construction as workers aim to repair the road surface, expand lanes, or reconfigure traffic patterns. Drivers are expected to proceed carefully and more slowly through highway construction zones because they often have narrowed lanes and because construction workers and equipment are close to traffic. Motorists who fail to exercise caution when driving through a highway construction zone pose a substantial risk of causing an accident, which may injure not only vehicle occupants but also any nearby construction workers.

Intersection Accidents

Intersections are the sites of a wide range of accidents, including head-on collisions, front corner collisions, T-bone collisions, and rear-end collisions. Most intersection accidents occur when a driver disregards traffic signals, such as running a red light or stop sign or not stopping when approaching stopped traffic. Intersection accidents can also occur when a driver fails to yield the right of way, such as when making a left turn in front of oncoming traffic traveling straight. These accidents often cause serious injuries, particularly when vehicles are stuck on the side where there are no crumple zones to absorb the impact.

Interstate Accidents

Interstate accidents are another potentially deadly kind of car accident. These accidents tend to cause more severe injuries because of the higher speeds involved. Interstate accidents also frequently involve several vehicles, sometimes referred to as a “pileup,” since drivers traveling at interstate speeds may not have enough time to avoid a sudden collision in their path.

Rear-End Collisions

A rear-end collision occurs when one vehicle strikes the back of a second vehicle. Rear-end collisions often take place at intersections or at stopped traffic when a distracted driver fails to brake adequately. Rear-end collisions also frequently occur when a driver is following the vehicle in front of them too closely, given the speed of traffic, road conditions, and visibility.

Rear-end collisions frequently cause neck and back injuries, including whiplash, because the force of the impact causes occupants’ bodies to jerk or whip back and forth.

Side-Impact Accidents

Side-impact accidents can take several different forms, including sideswipe collisions, in which the sides of two vehicles contact one another, and T-bone collisions, in which the front of one vehicle impacts the side of another vehicle. Sideswipe collisions are typically caused by unsafe or illegal lane changes, usually when a driver moves into a lane already occupied by another vehicle without signaling and checking their mirrors and blind spots. T-bone collisions usually happen at intersections when one vehicle runs a red light or stop sign and collides with the side of a second vehicle that is proceeding through the intersection with the right of way.

Hit-and-Run Accidents

A hit-and-run accident is any accident in which one or more of the drivers fails to stop at or immediately return to the scene of the crash. In Texas, motorists are legally required to stop after being involved in a collision. After an accident, a driver must stay at the scene to check on the occupants of the other vehicle and to exchange contact and insurance information. Committing a hit-and-run can result in a misdemeanor criminal charge, which may be elevated to a felony charge if someone is injured or killed in the accident.

Multi-Vehicle Accidents

Strictly speaking, multi-vehicle accidents are those which involve two or more vehicles. However, the term often refers to a pileup accident involving three or more vehicles. Multi-vehicle accidents can frequently involve a domino effect of collisions between vehicles. An initial collision sends those vehicles crashing into other vehicles or causes other drivers to collide with the wreckage of already-crashed vehicles.

Multi-vehicle accidents frequently cause many people to be seriously injured, quickly exhausting available insurance coverage. Several different drivers may share fault for a given multi-vehicle accident, complicating the determination of liability for each party’s injuries.

Rollover Accidents

A rollover accident is one in which a vehicle is flipped onto its side or roof or when the vehicle tumbles over multiple times. A rollover accident may be triggered by a collision between vehicles, such as when one vehicle impacts the rear quarter of another vehicle, causing that second vehicle to swerve and overturn.

Driver error can also cause a rollover, such as driving too fast for conditions, taking a curve too quickly, or turning the steering wheel too sharply, which can cause a vehicle to become unbalanced and flip over. Rollovers can also result from negligent vehicle maintenance or defective auto parts, such as problems with tires or brakes that cause a driver to lose control of their vehicle and overturn.

Rental Car Accident

San Antonio is one of the top tourism and convention destinations in the United States. Many drivers here are driving rental cars on roads that are unfamiliar to them.  If a rental car is involved in an accident that causes injuries, it may be unclear who should be held legally responsible. Pursuing compensation for injuries you suffered in a rental car accident can quickly become a complex and time-consuming endeavor.

How Troy’s San Antonio Law Firm Can Help with Any Type of Car Accident Case

If you’ve been injured in a car accident, your energy is likely focused on your medical recovery and rehabilitation. You may feel that you don’t have the stamina to pursue an insurance or legal claim to recover compensation from the insurance company or from the at-fault party. That’s where Law Offices of Troy A. Brookover can help. Let our San Antonio law firm handle all the details of preparing your car accident claim and pursuing financial recovery on your behalf so that you can focus on healing. If you turn to Troy to represent you after a car accident, you can expect him to:

  • Investigate the accident thoroughly and objectively
  • Recover evidence to show what happened before, during, and immediately after the crash
  • Determine who can and should be held at fault for the crash and your injuries
  • Collaborate with expert witnesses as needed to provide effective and persuasive testimony to bolster your case
  • Document your injuries and your past and ongoing expenses and losses
  • Speak with your treating medical providers to understand your prognosis and your future medical needs and losses
  • Explain your legal options to you
  • Keep you updated on the progress of your claim
  • Answer your questions as they arise
  • File your insurance claims and vigorously pursue negotiations to reach a settlement that provides you with a fair financial recovery for your past and future losses
  • Take your case to trial if doing so becomes the best way to get the full and fair compensation you deserve