Defective Tires May Cause Serious Mississippi Car Accidents

China has surged in the production and exportation of manufactured products including tires, but tires like other products imported by China sometimes lack the quality control and workmanship to make them safe.  While defective products imported from China have routinely made recent news reports, the prospect of injury from defective tires may be more concerning than other reports of defective products manufactured in China.  Some manufacturers of motor vehicles in the U.S. have chosen to outsource the production of tire valve stems to a China company that has produced defective valve stems, which have been installed on millions of new cars manufactured in the U.S.  The defective tire valve stems have already prompted a Florida wrongful death lawsuit.

These defective tire valve stems were manufactured by Top Seal, which is a subsidiary of Shanghai based Baolong Industries.  The valve stems have become a major issue because the faulty tire valve stems have been used in tires by major tire retailers, such as Discount Tire Stores.  These defective valve stems increase the risk of a tire blowout, which may result in a loss of control, run off the road or roll over accident.  The defect has been determined to have been caused by erroneous mixing of the rubber during the fabrication process.

There are a number of factors that contribute to Mississippi car accidents caused by defective tires.  These defects include the following:

Tire Tread Separation: This defect is caused by inadequate bonding of the tire tread to the steel belt when the tire is manufactured.  Tread separation has been the cause of numerous tire recalls and may be the cause of a rollover accident.  The risk posed by tire tread separation is particularly dangerous when the vehicle involved is an SUV or 15-passenger van with a high center of gravity.  These types of vehicles are particularly susceptible to rollover accidents that are often caused by tire blowouts.

Old Tires: Tires undergo chemical changes over time so old tires are more prone to blowouts.  Sometimes a tire remains in the inventory of a tire company for an extended period; the manufacturer or retailer may be liable if the tire blows out because a tire was actually much older than represented when the tire was purchased.  If the tire is old, it does not matter if there is a lot of tread and the tire does not look worn.

Selling Used Tires as New: If you purchase tires that are marketed by the retailer as new but are really used tires, you may have a legal claim against the retailer and others if it causes a Mississippi car accident.

If you or a close family member has suffered severe injuries or you have lost a loved one in a Mississippi motor vehicle accident caused by a tire blowout, you may be entitled to damages for your injuries. The experienced Mississippi personal injury attorneys at Barrett Law have been providing tenacious representation to Mississippi car accident victims for over 75 years.  We provide diligent legal representation 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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Liability of an Employer for an Employee’s Car Accident

Many people are involved in collisions with people that are driving company vehicles.  These may be either employees of private companies or public employees.  While a driver may be liable for injuries even if the driver is engaged in employment and driving a company car, there are many situations where the company that employs the driver is a more feasible defendant.  An employee may not have insurance and may have limited assets to pay a personal injury judgment.  While you may be able to successfully pursue a claim against the driver’s employer in such situations, this is not always the case.  This issue is particularly relevant with the growing trend of cell phone use for calling and texting while employees are working.

Texting or talking on a cell phone when driving is a visual, mental and physical distraction that creates a significant risk of being involved in a collision.  An employee generally is liable for injuries caused to third parties in an auto accident if the injuries occurred in the “scope of employment.”  This essentially means that the employee is doing something that is beneficial to one’s employer.  The trip does not have to have been specifically requested nor does it even need to occur during business hours.  If an employee decides to pick up blueprints on the way home from the office to save one’s employer a trip, this may be sufficient to be within the scope of employment.  If an employee is in an accident while on the way to the grocery store after getting fast food for oneself while driving home from work, this generally is not within the scope of employment.  There is lots of grey area between these two scenarios so it is a good idea to seek legal advice from an experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyer in either situation.

If any employer encourages their employee to use their phone while on the road or tacitly approves such conduct, this may serve as a basis for finding an employer liable if the employee is conducting some form of company business.  However, even if an employer does not specifically instruct an employee to use a cell phone or provide a company phone, this does not necessarily mean that an employer is not liable for an auto accident involving an employee.  In such situations, our experienced Mississippi car accident lawyers will carefully investigate to determine the employer’s policies regarding cell phone use when driving, enforcement of such policies and the purpose of the driving excursion.  Because the factual scenarios can be extremely complex, these cases often turn on their individual facts.

If you are involved in a Mississippi car accident with an employee of a company, the experienced personal injury attorneys at Barrett Law can evaluate the circumstances of your Mississippi car accident so that we can advise you of your rights and options. The experienced Mississippi car accident attorneys at Barrett Law have been providing tenacious representation to car accident victims for over 75 years.  We provide diligent legal representation 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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Have Measures to Reduce Teen Car Accidents Been Effective

Accident rates and traffic fatalities have always been higher amongst inexperienced teenage drivers.  Motor vehicle accidents cause one in three teen deaths in the United States annually.  On an average day, approximately eight teenagers aged 16 to 19 die in fatal car crashes.  When examined on the basis of the number of miles driven, teenagers in this age group are four times more likely to die in a car crash than more senior drivers.  Teenage drivers are involved in a substantial number of accidents because of inexperience, risk taking behavior and an unrealistic assessment of their own driving abilities.

One program that has been lauded as having a substantial impact on reducing the number of car accidents involving teen drivers and reducing teen accident fatality rates are graduated licensing programs which have been adopted in all states including Mississippi.  Graduated driver’s license programs are designed to grant driving privileges to new inexperienced teen drivers in stages so that the number of risk factors for new drivers is reduced.  For example, a new teen driver with an intermediate license in Mississippi is not permitted to drive at night between the hours of 10 PM and 6 AM unless there is a supervising adult driver in the front seat of the vehicle.  Teen drivers are also prohibited from text messaging while driving.

It has been widely accepted that graduated driver’s license programs are an effective means of reducing car accidents involving teen drivers.  Unfortunately, a new study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) indicates that the benefits that were believed to have been generated by graduated driver’s license programs in reducing teen accident rates and teen car accident fatalities may be illusionary. The study which involved analyzing a broad range of car accident data suggests that the restrictions may simply delay teenage accidents until teenagers have obtained their unrestricted license.

Graduated driver’s license programs have been thought to be so successful that a version is now the law in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Though there are variations between the states in terms of how these programs work, the philosophy behind the programs is similar to the program in Mississippi.  They are a system for granting driving privileges in stages that allow inexperienced new drivers to gain driving experience while reducing accident risks by gradually introducing more challenging driving situations.

Previous studies that were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of graduated licensing programs found as much as a thirty percent reduction in teen accidents for the most inexperienced teen drivers age 15 to 17. While the new JAMA study confirmed that graduated driver’s license programs appear to reduce teen accident rates for the most inexperienced drivers much of the gain is offset by an increase in accident rates amongst fully licensed 18-year-old drivers. The JAMA study found that when accident rates were compared in states before and after the implementation of graduated licensing programs the car accident rate for 18-year-olds increased by twelve percent after enactment of a graduated licensing program.

The researchers suggest that the results may mean it is important to more gradually phase out restrictions that apply to intermediate driver’s licenses.  The researchers also suggest that the spike in accident rates for teen drivers who are 18 may be partially linked to drivers waiting longer to seek a license so that they will not be subject to the restrictions.  At Barrett Law PLLC, we have seen the tragic consequences of teen inexperience behind the wheel.  Teen driving accidents in Mississippi cause many serious injuries and fatalities.  If you are a teenager injured in a Mississippi car accident or another driver injured in a collision with a Mississippi teen driver, our experienced teen car accident lawyers have helped many people just like you obtain compensation for their injuries.  We will evaluate your Mississippi car accident claim so that we can assess you of your rights and options so call us at 662-834-2376.

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How Depression Can Follow a Severe Mississippi Car Accident

Many people who have suffered a car accident are surprised when they find themselves later on simply unable to shake the depression which seems to have invaded their lives. Accidents can occur at any place and time, and with our increasingly busy roadways the chances you will be involved in an auto accident are higher than you would want to think.

With over 5.5 million car accidents in the United States each year at any given time there are literally thousands of Americans struggling to heal from injuries sustained in an auto accident—some of which are not as apparent as others. Even relatively minor auto accidents can bring about long-term anxiety, fears about driving or riding in a car, and an all-encompassing depression which makes it difficult to get through your day-to-day activities and to enjoy the things you once enjoyed.

How Common is Depression Following an Auto Accident?

It is believed that as many as one third of all people who’ve been involved in a non-fatal auto accident will suffer from persistent anxiety, depression and PTSD a year following the accident. Even when the accident was not considered to be especially serious in the medical sense, there can be moderate to severe psychological complications. Surprisingly, those who suffered the most persistent forms of depression were typically passengers in the auto accident rather than the driver.

Symptoms of Depression

Those who are suffering psychological problems following a car accident can feel a range of emotions, from mild anxiety when riding in a car to a total inability to travel in an automobile. Depression can bring on feelings of hopelessness, a loss of interest in your regular daily activities and an inability to sleep. You may feel agitated, restless and irritable and have a low tolerance level. People who suffer from depression may feel constantly fatigued or physically drained, and can have trouble focusing, making decisions or remembering things.

In its more extreme manifestations, the person who is under the grip of depression may engage in reckless behavior such as substance abuse, compulsive gambling or dangerous sports as a method of escaping from their feelings.  Those who are suffering depression as the result of an auto accident may feel an overwhelming sense of anxiety and dread when passing the site of the accident, riding in the vehicle which was involved in the accident or even traveling on similar road conditions. Depression can affect your work and your relationships and requires professional attention.

Treatment for Depression Brought on By an Auto Accident

If you’ve been suffering from depression for more than a month or so following your accident, it’s time to get help. It’s important to see a therapist who has experience dealing with the trauma which can follow an auto accident. You may be prescribed medications in the form of antidepressant drugs along with regular therapy which can include anxiety management, breathing and relaxation exercises. In some cases more experimental therapy can include light therapy or other forms of alternative therapies. It takes time to heal, and it’s important that you not become discouraged.

Getting the Legal Help You Deserve

While getting medical help is essential following your auto accident, it may be just as important to get legal help. If your accident was due to the negligence of another person, and you find yourself unable to continue your life as it was prior to the accident, an experienced personal injury attorney can help you determine whether you can recover damages for your accident. Your emotional pain and suffering are every bit as important as your physical pain and depression treatment can be long-term and costly. An attorney who is knowledgeable about the effects of depression following an accident can be your best ally when dealing with the aftermath of a car accident.

Call and speak with an experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyer from Barrett Law, PLLC.  Be sure to visit our web blog for more helpful information about your case or call us for a free consultation to answer your important questions.

The attorneys at Barrett Law, PLLC serve people throughout Mississippi including: North Mississippi, Jackson, Hattiesburg, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

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How is Pain and Suffering Calculated in a Personal Injury Claim?

If you have been involved in a car accident which has left you with long-term, serious and even traumatic injuries, you may be entitled to reimbursement for your physical discomfort and emotional trauma. You are probably wondering, however, just how your chronic pain or emotional suffering can be equated with a specific dollar amount. In order to get to this figure there are calculators which are used, and which you can likely find online which give you a rough idea. If you are the victim of serious injuries, and emotional pain is a factor, you must have a knowledgeable attorney who can guide you in the determination of what your discomfort, both mental and physical is worth–on a monetary level at least. Once the two of you have made that determination, it is up to your attorney to convince the other party’s insurance company to see it the same way.

How Do You Figure Pain and Suffering?

The short version is that you will add your pain and suffering amount to your detailed costs for medical bills, lost wages and other related damages, then you will provide the argument which supports the requested settlement amount. In other words, suppose you returned to your job, even though your injuries were still very much in evidence and they were causing you constant pain and suffering. Even though you were back at work and bringing in a paycheck, it is highly likely that your pain would be harmful to your job, damaging your ability to make money. This amount could be included in the total damages requested. By the same token, if your job requires you to sit at a computer all day, and your back was injured in the accident, even if you return to work the pain you experience will make your job much harder than it normally is.

How Much Was Your Life Affected?

Many times compensation for emotional trauma and chronic, physical pain is calculated based on the extent your life has been altered or affected by your injuries. If you’ve undergone an injury which will resonate in your life for months or years to come, the higher pain and suffering award you are likely to get. Similarly, the more ways your life is adversely affected, the higher the damages, and if the injury is considered long-lasting, or results in a noticeable disfigurement or disability, damages go up even higher. Of course when talking about a scar, it is generally considered that when a younger person sustains a scar on their face it is warrants more attention than when an older person suffers a scar on their leg or any other place where it is not particularly noticeable. As you can see, determining how much of your life was impacted because of your injuries and resulting pain and suffering can be a delicate process.

Times Five?

One way to arrive at a figure for emotional trauma is to rank your specific levels of chronic pain and emotional distress from one to five, with five being the most serious, then times that number by the rough estimate of damages you’ve arrived at with your attorney’s help. It’s important that you calculate this realistically, however, because if your pain and suffering is really only a one, but you decide to times your damages by five in hopes of being able to quit work for a while, not only will the insurance adjuster assume you are trying to scam the system, but so will a judge, meaning you could end up with nothing instead of ending up with a fair settlement.

Pain and Suffering is Relatively Intangible

Pain and suffering is a relatively intangible issue, yet can affect your life in serious ways. Your levels of pain and suffering may include embarrassment from scars or other disfigurements, a permanent disability which will change your life forever or even the loss of enjoyment of your life and hope for your future. More specifically, an auto accident can leave you with anger, loss of appetite, chronic anxiety, loss of your chosen career, may leave you unable to concentrate or confused, could cause you to cry for no reason (often), could leave you with chronic depression and an inability to enjoy your former life, or could leave you with unwarranted fears, a feeling of hopelessness, may give you nightmares or may even negatively impact your existing relationships. It’s important that you have an attorney who will be your advocate and work aggressively to get you the compensation you need and deserve.

Call and speak with an experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyer from Barrett Law, PLLC.  Be sure to visit our web blog for more helpful information about your case or call us for a free consultation to answer your important questions.

The attorneys at Barrett Law, PLLC serve people throughout Mississippi including: North Mississippi, Jackson, Hattiesburg, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

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Mississippi Car Accidents Caused by Animals

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports there are over a million and a half car crashes each year in America which involve deer or other large animals. Other than deer, motorists may collide with small rodents, raccoons, porcupines, armadillos, livestock and even our feathered friends, which lead to an accident. As more and more home developments go into areas which were once home to wild animals, the animals are being pressed into roadways occupied by motorists.

Ways to Avoid an Accident Caused by an Animal

Obviously, obeying speed limits is a primary way to avoid animal-caused accidents, and in areas with low visibility or where animals are known to be more active, you should reduce your speed even further. In inclement weather such as rain or fog, speed can reduce your response time to the sudden appearance of an animal, increasing your chances of a serious or fatal accident. In rural areas or heavily wooded areas, be especially conscious of the possibility of deer on the roadway, and in known ranching communities, keep watch for livestock which may have escaped from their normal fenced-in area.

Although some people may scoff at signs which indicate animals cross in a particular place—after all, the deer can’t read—the fact is that deer are fairly consistent about where they cross, so pay attention to warning signs. Reduce your speed and exercise extra caution when you see an animal crossing sign. If you should see an animal down the roadway, slow down and determine what you would do if the animal jumped into your path. Slow your speed and use caution and remember that if you see one deer—there are likely more.

If you are startled by an animal leaping in front of you on the roadway, do your best to stay in control of your car—it is much more likely you will be hurt if you veer off the road or swerve into oncoming traffic than if you simply hit the animal, although if you can manage to hit it at an angle there is a better chance it will spin away from your car after the impact rather than coming through your windshield. Some people believe you should turn off your headlights when you see a deer in the roadway at night as it might snap the animal out of its trance and cause it to run away, avoiding an accident, but you could find yourself worse off if you are unable to see what lies ahead.

If You Do Hit an Animal

If you do hit an animal in the roadway, never approach the animal or touch it to see how badly it is hurt. A wounded or scared animal can be extremely dangerous. Call 911 with your cell phone or have another person do so. Seek immediate medical attention and have your injuries treated and documented. Just as you should do in any automobile accident, it’s important to take notes regarding the accident, and photos with your cell phone if you are able. If you can find out who the property owner is, do so, and make sure the police arrive and you get a formal police report for your insurance claim.

Contact a Mississippi Personal Injury Attorney

Especially if there was extensive damage or injury involved as a result of the collision with an animal, you should immediately contact a personal injury attorney who can walk you through the process of filing an insurance claim and can determine if the settlement offered is a fair one. An experienced Mississippi personal injury attorney from our law firm work hard to ensure your rights are protected in the aftermath of an accident and that the expenses for your injuries and damages are fully covered.

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Mississippi Car Accidents Caused by Ice

States which have lots of winter weather are well accustomed to car crashes caused by snow and ice. Such accidents appear to be much more common at the beginning of the winter season, which appears to mean that people tend to forget how to drive in snow and ice through the summer, then regain those lost skills once winter sets in. The truth is that driving in icy conditions requires a completely different skill set than driving on a dry road. Not only must you slow down, you must remember to leave more space between the car in front of you, and brake earlier and with much more caution. Accelerating in icy conditions can cause your wheels to spin, making your car slide into another car or a stationary object and causing injuries.

Icy Conditions Warrant Extreme Caution

In order to determine who is responsible for your accident due to icy conditions your attorney may need to have an accident reconstruction done. Legal liability will, of course, determine who will pay for the damages, and if you neglected to alter your usual driving behaviors based on the road conditions, you may find yourself unable to claim that anyone else was liable for the accident. If you were tailgating the car in front of you, in spite of the ice, then the fact that you careened into the car when it slowed means you may be the liable party. There are exceptions to this, in that if the driver in front of you failed to give any indication that they were about to stop suddenly, and you were driving the proper distance behind them, you would not be responsible. If you have witnesses who can testify that you were cautious and did everything in your power to drive safely, but the ice was simply too slick, then you could probably not be held liable.

When Road Crews Might Be Liable

There are times when a governmental entity may be responsible for ensuring the roadways are properly cleared of ice, and the failure of the city, county or state to correct the icy conditions or at the minimum, warn motorists of the hazardous conditions can render them liable for resulting accidents and injuries. Of course if the accident occurred during a sudden storm, the agency cannot be held liable for the inability to get the ice removed while it was actually forming. Following a storm, however, or in a specific situation where a river has dammed, leaving ice to form on the road, then the lack of proper maintenance may indeed be a factor in determining liability.  In an accident which occurs on ice in a private parking lot, the owner of the property may also be held liable if he had plenty of time to clear the ice and simply neglected to do so.

If you were injured in a car accident on an icy road which was a result of another driver who was not driving according to the road conditions, or from a lack of road maintenance, then you must consult an experienced personal injury attorney even if you have not yet determined who was at fault. Your attorney can assess the situation and fight aggressively for your rights in the case. You may have substantial injuries due to the negligence or recklessness of another and you deserve to be compensated for those injuries as well as for any time you have lost from work and the damages to your vehicle. Don’t wait—get expert help who will deal with the details of your claim while you concentrate on healing and getting back to your life.

If you have been injured in a car accident due to severe road conditions in Mississippi, you may have a claim.  Call our law firm to speak with a Mississippi car accident attorney today.

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Driving Tips to Help You Survive an Auto Accident in Mississippi

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While the vast majority of auto accidents are unavoidable, a skilled driver can minimize the chances of serious injury to all those in the car by being aware of a few simple driving tips. In many cases, the difference between a horrifying wreck and a crash which is survivable could be the brake pedal you neglected to hit or the clearing you failed to look for. While defensive driving can involve making decisions which feel counterintuitive, keep in mind that an accident occurs in a fraction of a second, and learning how to anticipate other driver’s actions can help you survive the accident.

Remember What your Parents Told You—Steer to the Right

Metal, fiberglass and glass can be repaired, but sometimes bodies cannot. If there is a potential accident looming ahead of you such as a multi-car pile-up or a car driving the wrong way, your natural reaction should be to steer to the right. Yes, there may be a guard rail, a fence or a tree in your way, but keep in mind that none of those objects will be traveling at high rates of speed. If you turn to the left you may find yourself in a deadly head-on collision should you cross the median, and if you keep your car going straight, you will end up hitting the car in front of you, and the car in back will likely hit you, and so on. Most roadways have some clearance on the right hand side of the road, and this space is intended for driving emergencies, so use it in any way which will avoid a worse accident.

Accelerate, Don’t Brake

It is most people’s instinct to brake in response to a driving threat, but in some cases you could lessen your chance of serious injury by accelerating instead. When you brake at a high rate of speed, you have effectively limited your maneuverability and will probably still plow into the car ahead of you. Instead of braking, try to anticipate the other driver’s actions and look for an opportunity to accelerate out of the accident, possibly on the right hand side, if it’s clear. Although you are not trained to drive like a NASCAR driver, you may need to think like one in the face of an auto accident.

If a Crash is Unavoidable, Minimize the Damage

Your primary goal should be to avoid head-on collisions with another vehicle or a front-end collision at a high rate of speed into a large immovable object such as a concrete barrier. Do as much as you possibly can to control your speed in the event of an impending accident. Obviously, the faster you are driving, the more damage you will sustain. Your car is weaker, structurally speaking, on the sides, so avoid a side impact if at all possible. If you see another car headed toward you, accelerating might allow the car to hit the rear side of your car rather than dead center.

Don’t bend over or cover your head in response to an impending accident—the damage your neck will sustain when the air bag hits your head will be much worse than if you had remained upright. Never drive or ride in a car which is not outfitted with safety belts and other safety features, and make sure those safety features are regularly serviced. Store objects within your car where they will not fly up and hit you in the event of a car crash. Even small objects can become lethal flying projectiles during a collision. Above all, remain focused and calm and you vastly improve your chances of coming through an accident alive. If you’ve been the victim of an automobile accident, contact a Mississippi personal injury attorney from our law firm immediately to give us all the particulars of the accident so we can best represent your interests.

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Hard Evidence—Taking Photos Following Your Mississippi Auto Accident

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Photographs can literally mean the difference between receiving a fair settlement for your auto accident—and not. Photos clearly show the facts surrounding a case without the inconsistencies of human memory. Many times following an accident everyone involved in the accident has a different accounting of the sequence of events or who did what. Photographs can assist you in proving your report of the incident, allowing you to get an equitable resolution which will cover the damages and injuries sustained in your car crash.

Taking Photos after Your Car Collision

While your first order of business following your auto accident is to get appropriate medical care, the next thing you should think about is making sure the evidence is properly preserved in the event you find it necessary to file a lawsuit to recover damages. If you’ve determined you do not need to go to the hospital (make absolutely certain you are not hurt, otherwise should you determine injuries later they may not be covered because you said you were okay) then spend the time while you are waiting for the police to take accident photographs which will allow you to explain to the insurance adjuster much more efficiently.

What Should I Photograph?

Once you have your camera or cell phone ready, take photos of your car and the damage it sustained. Try to get several photos, from different angles, and watch out for the glare of the sunlight which can obscure the damage you are trying to capture. Take close-up shots at about 3-5 feet, then from further out at about ten to fifteen feet. Try to keep a landmark in the photographs. If you are limited in the amount of photos you can take, be careful to get the ones you need the most—the ones which tell the story of what happened.  Next, take photos of the car which hit you in case the driver later tries to say there was more damage than you actually observed.

If the accident took place at a road intersection, take photos of it in case you have to explain to the insurance adjuster just how it happened. Include the street name in the photo and any other traffic signs which are close to the scene of the accident. If there were any skid marks, be sure and take photos, or if there were no skid marks you could still take photos of the lack of skid marks to show the other person didn’t even try to brake before hitting you. Finally, if there were injuries to the people in your vehicle, document the cuts, bruises, swellings and marks to you or the passengers. Take photos close up and a few feet away.

More Reasons to Take Photos

Having photos which clearly document your accident can actually speed up the settlement process and aid you in filing your initial claim. No matter how small or insignificant the damage or evidence appears to be, photograph it anyhow as insurance against the unexpected. Don’t forget to take photos of the inside damage to your car as well, such as a broken or damaged stereo. If you have concise photos, your adjuster will probably have to spend less time asking you questions.  If you end up hiring an attorney to litigate your accident, the photos will be extremely beneficial to a positive end result.

In addition to taking photographs at the scene of the accident, it can be extremely helpful to keep a daily journal or log which records the pain you experience following the accident. You can also jot down any expenses incurred from the car accident including prescription costs, or any way the accident causes changes to your regular standard of living. Contact a Mississippi personal injury attorney from our law firm soon after your accident so we can give you more advice on what you need to document and build a strong case on your behalf.

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Mississippi Head-On Car Collisions

Approximately one out of every 50 auto accidents in the United States are head-on car collisions—the most deadly kind. The NHTSA estimates that ten percent of car accident fatalities are the result of a head-on collision. The survivors of a head-on car collision often suffer extensive injuries that can be life-altering. When the front ends of two cars collide there will likely be significant amounts of physical and property damage no matter what speed the automobiles were traveling.

Causes of Mississippi Head-On Collisions

Just as with any auto accident, there can be a myriad of reasons for a head-on automobile collision. The most common reasons are texting while driving or talking on a cell phone, although weather conditions such as ice, snow or rain can also be a factor. Other reasons for head-on collisions include passing in an unsafe manner, losing control of the vehicle, driving while impaired, and nodding off at the wheel due to fatigue. Some negligent drivers simply disobey posted traffic signs or signals, failing to stop at a red light, and others mistakenly drive down a one-way street, not noticing the posted warnings. The most common place head-on collisions occur are on two lane roads when one vehicle attempts to pass unsafely into oncoming traffic. Whatever the reason for the crash, whenever two cars collide there will likely be serious injuries to the drivers and passengers of both vehicles.

Physical Results of a Mississippi Head-On Collision

Those who are involved in a head-on car collision may suffer injuries which range from broken bones or whiplash to brain and neck trauma, serious spinal cord injuries or paralysis, burn injuries and multiple lacerations. You may have received facial injuries which could leave you with significant facial scars to deal with in the years to come, not to mention multiple surgeries to try and repair the damage.  You may either have soft tissue damage or catastrophic damage and injuries to your body, and could be subject to months or even years of medical treatments and rehabilitative therapy. The injuries you sustain as a result of your head-on collision could bring medical expenses that you are unable to pay, not to mention lost wages and other out-of-pocket expenses.

The Physics of a Mississippi Head-On Collision

It’s apparent that a head-on crash into another car will cause more damage than a rear-end accident or a side-swipe accident, but if you have the type of scientific mind that wonders exactly why this is so apparent, you can thank Sir Isaac Newton for the formula which explains the answer. If force = mass x acceleration, then you can assume the greater the force in the crash, the more serious the damage. Force can also be seen as any change in momentum, and a car either has forwards and backwards momentum or side to side momentum. Should two cars connect sideways, the impact is distributed between the front, back and sides, however in a head-on collision, the impact is concentrated in the front, meaning the people in vehicles are subject to 100% of the collision force.

Getting the Help You Desperately Need

Although we all want to believe we are safe when we are in our cars headed to work, picking up the kids from school, running errands or going on a family vacation, there is always the chance we can be involved in a car crash. If you should be in a head-on collision, who will be your advocate after the crash and look out for your health and financial interests? Who can better explain the complicated legal issues surrounding a head-on collision than an attorney who represents clients in such types of Mississippi personal injury claim? If you want to ensure your medical bills and future are covered and protected, and that the insurance companies do not take advantage of you, speak with one of our experienced Mississippi car accident attorneys today. We can help you successfully deal with the legal challenges you face, allowing you to heal and re-build your life.

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