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What is No-Fault Auto Insurance and How Could it Help You?

If you currently reside in one of the twelve states which operate under a no-fault policy as far as auto insurance is concerned, then your insurance may be somewhat different than more traditional insurance policies. The twelve no-fault states are DC, Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and Utah. There is wide misunderstanding about what no-fault auto insurance is and how it can hurt or help in the event of an auto accident. No-fault insurance encompasses an automobile insurance system which requires that all drivers carry insurance for their own protection and also limits the right to sue other drivers for damages following an auto accident.

No Pure No-Fault System

Under a pure no-fault system in the event of an accident each driver’s insurance pays for their specific damages—up to the policy limits—without consideration of who might have been at fault in the accident. There is no state which currently operates under a pure no-fault auto insurance system meaning these no-fault states operate under a combination of a no-fault system as well as the standard liability system. This means each driver is financially responsible for the cost of the damages they directly caused.

Positive Aspects of No-Fault Insurance

In theory no-fault insurance guarantees each driver receives immediate medical treatment which is surely a good thing. Benefits such as medical expenses, lost wages, funeral and death benefits and compensation for loss of services are usually fully covered under no-fault insurance policies.  No-fault auto insurance is convenient regarding the time-consuming task of filing a claim following an accident and can also reduce the legal and administration fees associated with insurance claims which would lead you to believe that no-fault insurance is considerably less expensive. Unfortunately, the liability portion can actually cause insurance premiums to be higher than those of states without no-fault laws.

Still, those injured in an accident in a no-fault state are more readily able to have their medical expenses and auto damages dealt with quickly allowing them to get on with their life. If you are the at-fault driver in an accident, then no-fault car insurance means you are not responsible for the other driver’s expenses which can be a huge financial relief. Of course the driver who was not at fault may find this system somewhat unfair, however generally speaking the driver who was not at fault probably spends the same amount of time collecting compensation whether no-fault insurance is involved or not.

Statistics for No-Fault Insurance States

Some no-fault states will allow the injured person or persons to sue but only if their injuries meet a specific standard set for severity of injury or a certain financial level.  On the surface it would appear that the no-fault insurance system should be working well, however statistics prove otherwise. Litigation costs for property damages following a collision remain high and there are no consequences associated with driving recklessly meaning the insurance premiums may be significantly higher in no-fault states. The numbers show that the states with some form of no-fault automobile insurance have the highest premiums and insurance premium in no-fault states rose 92% faster than those in personal responsibility states. Overall insurance premiums in no-fault states are approximately 20% higher than those in states with other forms of auto insurance.

If you live in a no-fault state you must read your policy carefully to determine what is covered under your policy. If you are injured in an accident in a no-fault state it’s important that you get legal advice to ensure your injuries and damages are fully covered.

 

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Is Driving Inherently Risky?

With over 45,000 deaths each and every year in America caused by auto collisions it can make you think twice about the safety of getting behind the wheel. In fact, the average adult who spends fifty years of their lifetime driving has a one in a hundred chance of dying in a car accident. Of course to put those numbers into better perspective, statistics also show that you have a four in a hundred chance of being a victim of a violent crime at some point in your life. It’s impossible to live life while avoiding all risks—the very act of breathing in and out certainly puts you at a risk of something negative happening to you. There are ways, however, to ensure that your driving risks are at least somewhat minimized.

Lowering Your Risk

If you want to immediately lower your risk of being involved in a traffic collision, you can stop engaging in any sort of risky behavior when behind the wheel of your car. Most people are well aware that texting while driving is actually more dangerous than driving while impaired. Those who text while driving are twenty-two times as likely to end up in an accident while the simple act of dialing the phone gives you a three-fold risk. Even talking on the phone while driving at least marginally increases your chances of being in an accident which is likely why most school zones are implementing extremely high fines for those caught using their cell phone while driving through a school zone.

Those who have a pattern of getting behind the wheel after having a couple of beers increase their risk of an accident at least 15-25%. Those who live in extremely busy cities could have an even greater risk than those in more rural areas. Drivers and passengers who neglect to buckle up have a sixty percent higher risk of dying or getting extremely serious injuries in the event of an accident. Drivers of SUVs have a significantly higher risk of being involved in a deadly rollover accident than drivers or passenger cars. As you can see, you have some immediate control over lessening the possibility of getting into an auto accident.

Distracted Drivers

Some estimates put the number of accidents which are directly related to distracted drivers as nearly 75%. Even in cases where a distracted driver may not have been the primary cause of the accident, it can contribute. Distractions occur in many forms: drivers use their cars just like a home office; they eat, they change radio stations, talk on their phones, watch their GPS, read a map, discipline the children, talk to their passengers, watch the passing billboards or simply daydream about anything other than the task of driving. Most distractions could be easily prevented if drivers resolved to do only one thing when behind the wheel—drive.

Driving Too Fast and Other Risky Behaviors

Driving over the speed limit is believed to be a factor in as many as half of all collisions. Driving too fast for the road conditions significantly decreases your reaction time. Since as many as seventy percent of all American drivers admit to speeding at one time or another, you can see this is an area of risky behavior that can be significantly minimized. Engaging in road rage,  exhibiting aggressive or reckless driving behaviors or neglecting to take poor road conditions into account when driving can also be a cause of accidents. If you want to minimize your risks when you get behind the wheel, work on losing these risky behaviors. If you have been the victim of a negligent or reckless driver contact a personal injury attorney as soon as possible.

 

 

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Truck Transporting 25 Occupants Crashes – 13 Dead in Single Vehicle Crash

A fatal pickup truck accident in Texas this weekend may be the most deadly single vehicle accident in history.  The pickup truck was transporting 25 people – ten squeezed into the cab of the pickup and 15 in the bed of the truck when it crashed into two trees.  An officer who investigated the F-250 truck crash has been an officer for 38 years and indicated that he had never seen a comparable motor vehicle accident with so many people piled into a single vehicle.  Thirteen of the vehicle occupants died in the collision while the rest of the vehicle occupants suffered injury.  According to media reports, law enforcement officers speculate that the pickup was transporting illegal immigrants, which is why so many people were crammed into the pickup truck.

This terrible tragedy serves as a grim reminder that the many safety features of a motor vehicle are meaningless in a collision if vehicle occupants decline to utilize them.  It is never advisable to pack more vehicle occupants into a car, truck or SUV than can be accommodated by vehicle seatbelts.  Seatbelts are 56 percent effective in preventing fatalities in collisions involving passenger cars.  They are even more effective in preventing fatal injury in vehicle collisions involving other types of vehicles like pickup trucks, vans and SUVs.

Seatbelt use also substantially reduces the risk of serious debilitating injuries by 53 percent.  Seatbelts keep vehicle occupants inside a motor vehicle during a collision where they can take advantage of the protective shell of the vehicle.  In addition to preventing vehicle ejections, seatbelts also reduce the risk of head trauma suffered when one’s head impacts a steering wheel, dashboard or other hard surface inside the vehicle.  Airbags also provide protection from blunt trauma impact and penetration from objects during a collision.

While this safety equipment provides protection from serious injury and wrongful death during a motor vehicle collision, these safety features are meaningless when a vehicle is overloaded beyond the capacity of safety equipment to protect vehicle occupants.  Riding in the back of a pickup truck is particularly dangerous because it is especially easy to be catapulted away from the vehicle and slam against the hard surface of the roadway.  The truck bed also provides no structural protection from the impact of a serious crash.  Although sitting in the bed of a truck can be fun and appealing to kids, you should never allow children to ride in the bed of a pickup even for a short distance or at low speeds on residential streets.

When motor vehicles are overloaded with passengers, the available safety options for vehicle occupants are reduced considerably.  The risk of catastrophic injury and wrongful death is always present when traveling in a motor vehicle, the danger increases exponentially when vehicle occupants overload a vehicle and ignore safety equipment. The experienced Mississippi motor vehicle accident attorneys at Barrett Law have been providing effective legal representation to Mississippi auto accident victims for over 75 years.  We provide careful investigation, thorough analysis of the law and facts and impassioned advocacy so we invite you to call us today at 662-834-2376 to learn how we can help.

 

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NHTSA Reports Traffic Fatalities for First Quarter of 2012 Highest Level in Six Decades

The news in recent year regarding Mississippi motor vehicle accidents rates has generally been positive with a steady decline annually in both fatality rates and the number of deaths per mile driven.  This downward trend is so positive that last year the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that traffic related fatalities had reached their lowest level in over sixty years.  Further, the fatality rate as also lower last year than at any time since 1921 when the number of miles driven was taken into consideration.

Sadly, despite these positive trends, the NHTSA is reporting an alarming turn of events based on data from the first quarter of 2012.  Auto accident rates during this period rose substantially which would constitute the most significant annual increase since data has been kept on accident fatalities by the government.

While the sudden spike in auto accident rates runs counter to a four year trend of declines, it may not be as troublesome as it first appears.  Some traffic safety experts have speculated that the increase is a product of an improving economy and mild weather.  While the economic recovery has been marginal, there is a general consensus that the situation is improved over last year.  A stronger economy usually results in more miles being driven because motorists are better able to afford discretionary expenditures.  The relatively mild winter also means that drivers tend to venture out more frequently.  This is particularly true of motorcyclists who face a higher risk of fatality when being involved in a motor vehicle accident.

While the combination of improved vehicle safety features, aggressive enforcement of DUI laws, anti-cell phone laws and other public education and law enforcement measures have made Mississippi roads safer, there is no way to compel indifferent or inconsiderate drivers to obey the speed limit, abstain from consuming drugs or alcohol prior to driving or putting down their cell phone if they have no regard for the consequences.

While our experienced Mississippi auto accident lawyers sincerely hope that this spike in auto accident rates is an anomaly, we also know that car accidents cannot be completely eliminated.  If you have suffered a serious injury or lost a loved one in a Mississippi auto accident, our experienced Mississippi auto accident lawyers fight diligently to recover the financial compensation injury victims need to move past their tragedy.  The experienced Mississippi motor vehicle accident attorneys at Barrett Law have been providing effective legal representation to Mississippi auto accident victims for over 75 years.  We provide careful investigation, thorough analysis of the law and facts and impassioned advocacy so we invite you to call us today at 662-834-2376 to learn how we can help.

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Mississippi Drivers in Danger of Being Involved in Auto Collisions Because of Rental Car Defects

When you are making plans to get away for the summer, rental car reservations are merely one of the many tasks that must be handled.  Although you may give a fair amount of thought to issues like how much to spend, size of your vehicle and type of vehicle, you probably will not spend a lot of time worrying about if the vehicle is actually safe.  Unfortunately, major rental car agencies currently can and do rent cars, SUVs and vans that have been recalled without remedying the problem.

The notion of renting a car while traveling that has a leaky fuel system, faulty brakes or tires prone to a blowout is frightening.  However, there is no legal requirement that a rental car agency repair a defective motor vehicle before it is again re-rented to another patron.  Federal law does protect consumers from defective motor vehicles by issues vehicle recalls.  Sadly, the requirement that unsafe component parts or systems be corrected prior to a vehicle being made available to a consumer applies to new vehicle sales but not rental cars.

Given the substantial danger posed by renting a car with a safety defect, the House of Representatives announced a proposed bill this week that would force rental car agencies to eliminate product defects that are the subject of a recall before the vehicle can be rented to a new customer.  While the four largest car rental companies in the U.S. claim that they do not rent cars subject to recall until the problem has been addressed, three of these car rental companies have refused to sign a voluntary agreement assuring consumers that they would not do so in the future.

The reluctance of rental car companies to take appropriate steps to prevent consumer from being exposed to defective motor vehicles has prompted the federal government to take action.  The Safe Rental Car Act of 2012 would impose a mandatory requirement that rental car companies comply with any defective vehicle recalls before a motor vehicle can again be made available for rental by patrons.  Because the legislation has not yet been passed, consumers should specifically ask whether the rental car that they are being offered is the subject of any pending recall.

While some might believe it unlikely that a defective rental car would be involved in a Mississippi car accident, the mother of two daughters that died in a fatal collision involving a defective rental car created the motivation for this legislation.  Two sisters in their early twenties died in a head-on collision with a commercial truck after their vehicle rented from Enterprise ignited because of a defective fuel system that had previously been recalled.  If you or a loved one has been injured or you have lost a loved one in a Mississippi car accident, our experienced Mississippi car accident lawyers at Barrett Law represent clients throughout Mississippi so call us today for a free no obligation initial case evaluation at (662) 834-2376.  Our law firm has roots that reach back over 75 years helping car accident victims in Mississippi just like you.

 

 

 

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Mississippi Auto Accident Litigation Strategy: Identifying a Viable Defendant

Serious auto accidents occur daily in Mississippi involving drivers that disregard safe driving practices and violate the speed limit, text and drive, drive while intoxicated and otherwise engage in dangerous driving behavior.  While you may have a legal right to pursue compensation in a Mississippi auto accident claim, sometimes identifying a viable defendant in a position to satisfy a judgment or settlement.  Even when a Mississippi auto accident results in devastating permanent injuries that involve enormous medical expenses or permanent disability from employment, it may not be feasible to pursue a personal injury lawsuit if there is not source of funds to satisfy a Mississippi auto accident settlement or verdict.  Our experienced Mississippi auto accident attorneys carefully investigate our clients’ cases to identify potential defendants and employ creative litigation strategies to obtain a fair financial recovery for our personal injury clients.

Many times there is a third-party that may also have contributed to your Mississippi auto accident.  Depending on the facts and circumstances of your case, a wide range of third parties may be liable for your injuries. If the person who was at fault in your auto accident was performing a work-related function, the company that employs the driver may be responsible for your injuries. These cases can be complex because many times the employer will dispute whether the particular tasks that the driver was engaged in were within the scope of employment.  It is not necessarily dispositive that the task occurred after hours or even that the employee voluntarily decided to undertake the errand.

Even if the driver of a vehicle does not have insurance, the owner of the vehicle who entrusted the driver with the vehicle may be liable for your injuries. When someone entrusts their vehicle to someone who lacks the maturity, competence or responsibility to drive safely, he or she may be liable for negligently entrusting a vehicle to a third-party.  For example, someone who lends one’s vehicle to a friend that he or she knows has a history of driving under the influence of alcohol or a pattern of past traffic accidents may be liable for your injuries.

Other parties that may be liable for your injuries include public entities, which may have designed or maintained a defective roadway and vehicle manufacturers that may have produced a defective automobile.  Our experienced Mississippi auto accident attorneys always explore the possibility of liability of a public entity or vehicle manufacturer, but this is especially important when the at-fault driver is not a viable defendant.  Public entities that know or should know of dangerous roadway conditions may be liable for failure to make a roadway safe or failure to provide adequate warnings of potential hazards.  An automaker that produces a defective automobile may also be liable for your injuries if the defective component contributed to your Mississippi auto accident.

If there is no other viable party against whom you may recover for your injuries, our Mississippi auto accident attorneys may be able to help you file a claim against your own uninsured motorist UM or underinsured motorist UIM coverage.  Uninsured motorist coverage is optional supplemental insurance coverage that may provide compensation for the same types of damages you might recover from a negligent driver if you are involved in a hit-and-run accident or an accident with an uninsured driver.  Uninsured motorist coverage is typically available for a relatively modest additional premium and can be invaluable if you find yourself involved in a serious car accident in Mississippi with no viable defendant to compensate your for your injuries.

Underinsured motorist coverage is slightly different in that it provides additional compensation when there may be a viable defendant in your case, but the defendant does not carry enough insurance coverage to compensate you for all of your loss. If you are faced with this situation, underinsured motorist coverage can provide additional compensation on top of the insurance coverage of a negligent driver.

Anytime you are involved in an auto accident in Mississippi you may face challenges in identifying a viable defendant with sufficient insurance to compensate you for all of your loss.  The Mississippi auto accident law firm of Barrett Law carefully investigates the circumstances of our clients’ Mississippi auto accidents so that we can identify all potential defendants and assess the best possible litigation strategy.  At Barrett Law, our experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyers represent injury victims throughout Mississippi.  Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.

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Good News Bad News Week for Traffic Safety

It has been a good news and bad news in terms of future traffic safety for those driving the roads of Mississippi.  The good news is that the feds have embarked on an ambitious campaign to combat the dangers posed by distracted driving in the wake of the criminal conviction of a driver who was alleged to have been texting and driving when he was involved in a fatal collision.  The bad news is that an offsetting proposed change in the maximum speed limit in Texas may prove more dangerous than drivers using cell phones.

The feds have embarked on a national program to discourage distracted driving which involves a multi-faceted approach to combating this dangerous cause of Mississippi auto accidents.  Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood is pushing the remaining states that do not have laws restricting cell phone use while driving to enact legislation to prevent this serious hazard.  He is also calling on Congress to consider enacting legislation at the federal level restricting cell phone use while driving though the exact framework of the proposed restrictions have not yet been made clear.

The most interesting part of the safety campaign involves implementing a program at a statewide level in California and Delaware that involves aggressive enforcement of cell phone driving laws and other measures that proved effective in Syracuse, N.Y. and Hartford, Conn. when tested on a citywide basis.  The program generated a 72 percent reduction in texting while driving in Hartford and a 32 percent reduction in Syracuse.  California and Delaware will be receiving $2.4 million in federal funds to implement the measures intended to reduce texting while driving.

The unveiling of a campaign to curtail texting and driving should be cause for excitement but develops in Texas may this mute excitement.  Texas is considering becoming the first state in the nation to allow drivers to legally drive 85 mph on stretches of roadway in the state.  Because most drivers exceed the speed limit by approximately five mph with immunity on a regular basis, this would mean that Texas drivers could soon be flying down a toll road between Austin and San Antonio at 90 mph.  While only Texas and Utah currently have posted speed limits of 80 mph, the upward trend in maximum speed limits could be mirrored by other states.

The bottom line is that at higher rates of speed there would be more Mississippi auto accidents.  Further, a collision at 90 mph creates a high risk of catastrophic injuries and fatalities.  The force imposed on the bodies of vehicle occupants increases exponentially in direct relationship to increased speed.  If the state decides to follow through on this proposal, it would have the second highest posted speed limit in the world.  There are a certain roads in Poland that have posted speed limits of 86 mph.

Because we are firm advocates of driver safety, our experienced team of Mississippi car accident attorneys at Barrett Law embraces the current attempts to reduce distracted driving but hope they will not be accompanied with a movement toward increased speed limits.  If you or someone you love has been injured in a Mississippi car accident or a loved one has died in a collision caused by a speeding driver, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and loss.  At Barrett Law, our experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyers represent injury victims throughout Mississippi.  Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.

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Understanding the Unique Dangers Posed by 15-Passenger Vans

While they often transport children to youth activities like church camp or boy scout outings, 15-passenger vans are extremely hazardous vehicles.  These vehicles were never intended to transport large groups of people like a mini-bus but were solely developed to function as a cargo vehicle.  Because 15-passenger vans are not used as intended, they pose a substantial risk of being involved in a rollover collision, especially when fully loaded with passengers.  Rollover accidents are among the most deadly types of vehicle crashes because vehicle occupants are often ejected from the vehicle where they have no protection from injury.

Despite the fact that there are still many 15-passenger vans on Mississippi roadways, the danger they pose to vehicle occupants is well-established.    Many schools no longer permit 15-passenger vans to be used for transporting students, and a growing number of insurance companies refuse to provide coverage for these vehicles.  Although the vans have similarities to other vans, they are longer so there is more seating capacity.  When these vans were extended to add more seating, the vehicle manufacturers never redesigned the vans to make them safe for the purpose of transporting large numbers of vehicle occupants.

Ironically, the very characteristics that 15-passenger vans were intended to provide also play a substantial role in their propensity to rollover.  The vehicles are most dangerous when loaded with more than ten passengers.  The vehicles do not have a wide enough wheel base and are top heavy.  This tendency to be top heavy is magnified when the vehicle is more heavily loaded down with passengers.  Passenger vans share many of the characteristics of SUVs, which are also prone to rollover accidents.  However, 15-passenger vans have an additional feature that makes them prone to rollover crashes.  When the vehicle is full loaded, four passengers sit behind the rear axle.  This means that when the driver of a 15-passenger van must veer sharply to avoid a collision the back of the vehicle is heavy and tends to swing around leaving the vehicle exposed to rollover crashes.

15-passenger vans are hazardous because of this tendency to be top heavy and back heavy.  This danger is more significant because many passenger vans do not have seatbelts installed for all passengers.  A seatbelt is never more urgent than when a vehicle is involved in a rollover accident because there is a high risk of a vehicle ejection.  The importance of seatbelts in 15-passenger vans is reflected by the fact that less than 15 percent of all passenger van fatalities involved occupants that were wearing seatbelts.  If you are injured in an accident involving a 15-passenger van in Mississippi, there are a number of parties that may be responsible including:

  • Other negligent motorists
  • Inexperienced passenger van drivers
  • Manufacturers of these defective vehicles
  • Owners that fail to check for proper tire pressure or old tires

If you or someone you love is injured in a collision involving a 15-passenger van, our experienced 15-passenger van accident attorneys at Barrett Law understand the unique design characteristics that make these vehicles particularly dangerous to occupants.  At Barrett Law, our experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyers represent injury victims throughout Mississippi.  Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.

 

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Feds Propose Mandatory Brake Override System to Prevent Sudden Acceleration Accidents

Federal regulators are proposing a new rule designed to reduce the risk of potentially deadly sudden unintended acceleration accidents.  The regulation would make installation of a brake throttle override mandatory in all new vehicles.  The goal of the proposed safety regulation is to provide a safe way to slow a vehicle where the brake pedal becomes stuck or depressed by a faulty floor mat.  Toyota has recalled millions of cars in the wake of complaints of sudden unintended acceleration accidents.  The automaker also settled a lawsuit for $3.8 million in a fatal unintended acceleration collision in San Diego, CA.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) officials have suggested that the proposed change could prevent sudden acceleration accidents caused by sticky gas pedals and defective floor mats based on the results of studies conducted by NASA and the NHTSA.  The vehicle’s onboard computer would automatically disengage the throttle when the vehicle’s brake pedal is depressed.

The impetus for the new regulation is in part a fatal collision in 2009 in which a floor mat trapped the gas pedal of a Lexus ES350 and caused the vehicle to accelerate to over a hundred miles per hour before crashing and igniting into a fireball of flames.  The crash resulted in the tragic death of an off duty CHP officer and three family members.  Witness reports indicated that at the time the vehicle was accelerating out of control, a vehicle occupant was on the phone with 911 reporting that the vehicle would not slow down despite the driver repeatedly depressing the brake peddle.

Lexis cars and other vehicles manufactured by Toyota suffered severe sales declines in the wake of repeated recalls related to unintended acceleration defects.  Although some vehicle manufacturers already employ brake override systems, they are not yet standard many vehicle makes and models.

Sudden acceleration accidents present a terrifying situation because the uncontrolled acceleration makes the vehicle harder to maneuver and impossible to stop.  While any vehicle that accelerates on its own to high rates of speed poses an extremely high risk of causing an accident, this type of collision is also likely to cause catastrophic injuries and fatalities because of the force of impact.

If you or someone you love has been involved in a sudden unanticipated acceleration accident in Mississippi, our experienced Mississippi sudden acceleration car accident attorneys may be able to represent you in seeking the financial compensation your deserve.  At the Barrett Law Offices PLLC, our experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyers represent injury victims throughout Mississippi.  Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.

 

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Understanding the Danger of Mississippi Side Impact Collisions

Side impact crashes in Mississippi can be extremely dangerous particularly to a vehicle occupant on the side of the vehicle involved in the collision.  Broadside crashes are most common at intersections where the front end of one vehicle collides with the side of another vehicle.  The at-fault driver that broadsides the other vehicle may cause a side impact accident by running a red light or stop sign or failing to obey right of way rules.  Because the physical structure of the door area of a vehicle lacks the structural integrity of other areas of the vehicle and a lack of airbags, many Mississippi side impact collisions result in catastrophic injuries or wrongful death.

When you are involved in a Mississippi side impact collision, you may be physically thrown against the door frame or window.  This can result in severe head injuries resulting in traumatic brain injury.  The injuries suffered in a side impact crash can be especially severe if there is a substantial weight disparity in the vehicle.  If a large SUV collides with a mid-size or compact vehicle the door can crumple and cause devastating injuries to the occupant on that side of the vehicle.  Although recently vehicle manufacturers have attempted to address some of the features of cars that leave vehicle occupants particularly vulnerable during a side impact collision including adding side impact and side window airbags and increasing the strength of vehicle doors and door frames.

Because side impact collisions often occur in intersections, there are a variety of unreasonably hazardous driving practices that contribute to these dangerous Mississippi collisions.  The most common causes of broadside car accidents in Mississippi include the following:

  • Distracted drivers who fail to observe stop signs or traffic signals
  • Speeding drivers who are driving too fast to stop for cross-traffic at an intersection
  • Motorists who make illegal turns into vehicle proceeding straight through an intersection

Mississippi side impact collisions can also cause injury or wrongful death to vehicle occupants because it may cause multiple impacts.  When a vehicle is struck from the side, the vehicle may spin into other vehicles or obstructions causing a multiple impact collision.  Vehicle occupants sometimes suffer the most serious injuries not during the original impact but during the subsequent collisions caused when the vehicle is spun into other traffic.

The only type of accident that is more likely to result in fatalities than side impact crashes are deadly head on collisions.  If you or someone you love has been injured in a Mississippi side impact accident, you may be entitled to seek damages for your injuries.  At the Barrett Law Offices PLLC, our experienced Mississippi side impact accident lawyers represent injury victims throughout Mississippi.  Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.

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