Oklahoma City Sideswipe Accidents
When we hear “sideswipe” we commonly think of near-misses and minor parking lot fender-benders, but when a sideswipe occurs at high speed or with powerful force, it can cause one or both drivers to lose control, resulting in serious accidents with injuries and fatalities. At least 1,600 car accident victims died in 2022 due to injuries from sideswipe accidents in the U.S. according to the National Safety Council.
What Causes Sideswipe Accidents In Oklahoma City?
A sideswipe is a collision between two vehicles during which one car grazes the side of the other or strikes a glancing blow against it. The force of a sideswipe collision may force one car off the road or cause a sudden loss of control resulting in an accident. Sideswipes occur on both multi-lane highways between vehicles traveling in the same direction and on two-lane roads between cars driving in opposite directions. Common causes of sideswipes include:
- Unsafe lane changes due to blindspots or reckless driving
- Improper merging
- Improper passing
- Drifting from a lane due to fatigue or intoxication
- Drifting into an oncoming lane while speeding around a curve
- Grazing another vehicle while swerving to avoid an obstacle or hazard on the road
In some cases, a negligent road maintenance or roadway planning agency may share fault for a sideswipe, but typically the liable party is a negligent driver who departs from their lane or makes an unsafe lane change.
What Types of Injuries Occur in Sideswipe Accidents?
Injuries in a sideswipe accident range from mild to severe, depending on the effects of the sideswipe. Some sideswipe accidents result in a collision with another vehicle or obstacle. Some may cause a rollover, especially in tall vehicles such as SUVs, vans, and pickup trucks. Common injuries claimed for compensation in sideswipe accidents include:
- Fractures
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Back injuries
- Neck injuries
- Shoulder injuries
- Knee injuries
- Ankle injuries
- Wrist injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Facial trauma
- Traumatic limb loss
- Burns
Car accident injuries after a sideswipe are painful and expensive to treat, especially when they require surgery, medical procedures, rehabilitation, and time away from work during recovery. Some life-altering injuries cause permanent disability. When another driver’s negligence caused the accident, the injury victim doesn’t have to be responsible for the damages.
What Can I Recover In a Car Accident Claim After a Sideswipe Accident in Oklahoma City?
Oklahoma’s comparative negligence insurance system is fault-based and allows injury victims to recover compensation from the at-fault party as long as they contributed less than 50% of the fault. Under Oklahoma §23-13, the law states:
“In all actions hereafter brought, whether arising before or after the effective date of this act, for negligence resulting in personal injuries or wrongful death, or injury to property, contributory negligence shall not bar a recovery, unless any negligence of the person so injured, damaged or killed, is of greater degree than any negligence of the person, firm or corporation causing such damage…”
A successful Oklahoma City car accident injury claim for damages recovers compensation for medical expenses, future medical costs, past and future lost wages, diminished future earning capacity, compensation for pain and suffering, and any other non-economic damages that apply such as disfigurement, limb loss, or loss of enjoyment of life.
Call the Oklahoma Car Accident Lawyers at Dan Davis Law
Insurance companies commonly dispute claims or attempt to assign an unfair percentage of fault to injury victims to reduce the compensation they must pay on a claim. Call the experienced car accident lawyers at Dan Davis Law to protect your rights and safeguard your best interests throughout your sideswipe accident compensation claim.