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Mississippi Accident Attorneys Discuss the Dangers of Head-On Collisions

Perhaps the most violent of all forms of car accidents, head-on collisions are the primary cause of automobile accident fatalities and often result in serious injuries.  When two vehicles are traveling in opposite directions and collide head-on (or face to face), the force experienced by both vehicles is immense.  Those involved in a head-on collision rarely emerge from this serious accident unscathed.

Causes of Head-On Collisions

The majority of head-on collisions occur when two vehicles heading in opposite directions collide with one another.  Head-on accidents can also happen when a vehicle crashes into a fixed object, such as a telephone poll or tree, straight on.  Negligence is the leading cause of all head-on collisions.

Some of the most frequent scenarios to result in head on accidents include:

  • Passing when it is not safe to do so
  • Turning into the path of oncoming traffic
  • Failing asleep while driving
  • Taking a corner at high speed
  • Failure to observe road signs and signals
  • Driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol
  • Distracted driving
  • Low visibility due to poor weather conditions
  • Tire blow outs
  • Obstacles in the roadways, such as debris or animals

Common Injuries to Arise from Head-On Accidents

While the severity of injuries will depend upon a number of factors following a crash, head-on accidents usually result in devastating injuries for those involved.  Some of the most common injuries sustained by the victims of this form of accident include:

  • Brain injury
  • Spinal cord injury
  • Head injury
  • Neck injury
  • Back injury
  • Broken bones
  • Paralysis
  • Lacerations
  • Whiplash
  • Burns
  • Internal organ damage
  • Death

When a large truck or commercial vehicle is involved in a head-on collision, the chance of victims sustaining life threatening or permanent injuries is grave.  The force of an often 80,000 pound tractor trailer pummeling into an oncoming sedan or smaller passenger vehicle is tremendous, often crushing the car and seriously injuring its occupants.

Following a head-on collision, it is imperative you obtain the contract information from all witnesses to the accident along with vital details concerning the incident.  These details can be forgotten in the aftermath of an accident if not immediately recorded.

Those involved in a head-on accident should retain the representation of an experienced Mississippi car accident attorney as soon as possible after the crash.  Under Mississippi law, negligent drivers who cause the injury of another can be found liable for the victim’s medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, rehabilitation, permanent disability, and more.  Head-on collisions often involve negligence on the part of one driver, whether it be drinking and driving, driving tired, or attempting to pass a vehicle when it is unsafe to do so.  All of these scenarios and more can lead to a recovery for your losses incurred as a result of the accident.

Barrett Law PLLC: Experienced Representation for Auto Accident Victims Across Mississippi

For over 75 years, across three generations, the Mississippi Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law, PLLC have provided skilled, zealous, and intelligent representation for the victims of head on collisions and other types car accidents across the state.  Our car accident attorneys have the knowledge, experience, and resources to obtain the results you desire.  Barrett Law, PLLC operates on a contingency fee basis and the first consultation is always free.  The attorneys at Barrett Law, PLLC pride themselves on ensuring each and every client receives superior representation, with passion and zeal.  Call today at 1 (601) 790-1505 to schedule your free consultation.

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The Facts of Driving Under The Influence in Mississippi

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In our lives mistakes are bound to occur not only one and a while, but for the most of us pretty much every single day. Mistakes ultimately vary, which is dependent on the severity of the incident such as that of spilling milk, or colliding with another automobile. Either way, one thing is certain, mistakes in general carry a common bond, and variable, which is that of consequences, which are obviously dependent on how serious a mistake truly is. While some mistakes just simply result in us receiving a slap on the wrist others can impact our present, and future for years to come.

What Is Driving Under The Influence?

One mistake that individuals make today is that of driving under the influence. Yet, what does it actually mean to drive under the influence, and also, what can you expect from doing so? When an individual is said to be driving under the influence it means that they are “intoxicated” while behind the wheel either from alcohol, prescription medication, drugs, or other substances. When a driver is under the influence and behind the wheel of a vehicle they not only put their welfare and safety in danger, but also everyone else around them.

However, what can you actually expect legally to have to deal with when found to be driving under the influence. Many times, the consequences associated with a DUI are quite dependent on not only the severity of the crime, but also what substance was found to be the contributor to the incident. With alcohol, many consequences and penalties depend on an individual’s blood alcohol content, or BAC, score. For other drugs, depending on whether they are deemed to be legal, or illegal substances then puts different charges in the ring of penalties for an individual to have to deal with.

Ultimately, when you are charged, and/or later convicted of a DUI crime you face consequences that not only impact your life now, and later, but also the lives of your loved ones who now have to alter their plans, and dreams in order to help take care of your situation, and your new dependency. Make sure that when you are charged with a DUI of any kind to contact an experienced, and dedicated DUI attorney today.

If you, or a loved one, have been injured in a car accident due to someone else’s negligence, make an appointment with one of our Mississippi accident attorneys by calling (601) 790-1505.

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Automobiles and Bicycles: Establishing The Fault Line of Accidents

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Transportation is a major portion of our lives, which we rely heavily on each and every day. Whether we are riding our bicycles to class, driving to work, or flying to another location we have a variety of transportation methods in our world today, which go hand in hand with our responsibilities, and even our regional location. Today, many individuals bicycle recreationally as well as individuals using them for short distance travel such as to school, or in large urban areas. While we have increased safety measures and methods for bicyclists who are actually at fault when an automobile accident occurs with a bicyclists involved?

Do You “Get The Picture” of Roadway Safety?

When we envision in our minds seeing an accident occur that involves that of an automobile and a bicycle we ourselves jump to conclusions about who is solely responsible for it. Many times, automobiles are the ones who are assumed to be the one that caused, and are responsible for the accident-taking place. However, that is not always the case especially in this day and age. Today, many individuals are bicycling for multiple reasons whether it is to get healthier, or they simply are trying to cut down on spending, which a motor vehicle can easily add up.

Looking At Safety And Accidents From More Than A Driver’s Perspective

However, studies and reports are starting to show that bicyclists are now not staying on the paths and areas of the road that are specifically outlined for their safety and driving, and operating their bicycles with sporadic patterns. Unfortunately, this puts them in immediate danger from multiple motor vehicle drivers’ who are simply following the rules of the road.  Although bicyclists are at equal fault of accidents occurring as automobile drivers are, drivers should make sure to display extreme regards to roadway safety, and keep a safe distance away from any paths, trails, or bicyclists out on roads, or highways.

Always remember that part of understanding safety is practicing it in multiple aspects whether as bicyclists, or a motor vehicle operator. Make sure to keep an eye out for others no matter what vehicle you are operating on the road.

If you suffer any of these serious injuries because of an anesthesia mistake, our experienced Mississippi anesthesia medical malpractice lawyers are committed to assisting victims of substandard medical care obtain the financial compensation to rebuild their lives.  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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Determining Negligence in a Mississippi Pedestrian Accident

When a pedestrian is struck by a car, the results are usually catastrophic, resulting in serious injuries and death. Even though state laws do their best to protect pedestrians and keep these traumatic events from happening, in the United States alone over 5,000 pedestrians are killed and 64,000 injured each year from being hit by an automobile. These figures average out to one pedestrian being hit every eight minutes, and a life lost every 120 minutes. A pedestrian is simply no match for a car, which can be several thousand pounds of metal and glass. Even though the passengers and driver inside the car are fairly well protected, the pedestrian is totally vulnerable to serious injury.

Who Has the Right-of-Way?

Generally, pedestrians are considered to have the right-of-way, although this is not absolute, and there are certainly times when pedestrians ignore not only the traffic signals, but their own safety as well, crossing the road in a manner that makes avoiding hitting them next to impossible. This type of behavior on the part of pedestrians is, however, the exception rather than the rule. Drivers are expected to approach pedestrian crossings with extra caution and to adhere to specific safety measures, most especially when the pedestrian is clearly visible and is within ten feet of where the vehicle will be turning. Drivers should always slow down—stopping if appropriate—and yield the right of way to pedestrians, and should take special care to be extra alert in areas where pedestrians are common. As an additional caution, a vehicle is not permitted to pass another vehicle which has stopped to allow pedestrians to cross.

Proving Negligence on the Part of the Automobile Driver

In order to establish negligence on the part of the driver who struck a pedestrian, the pedestrian must prove that the driver not only owed a legal duty to the pedestrian under the specific circumstances, but that they breached that duty through negligent or reckless conduct or action—or through a failure to act. The pedestrian must also prove the actions of the auto driver caused the accident which injured the pedestrian and that the pedestrian suffered injury or harm as a result. The facts will be closely analyzed in each accident involving a pedestrian, and it may turn out that more than one person was legally responsible for the accident and resulting injuries. This could be true in a case where a sidewalk, roadway or parking lot where the accident occurred was not properly maintained or marked or if the pedestrian was also at fault.

Automobile Driver’s Duty of Care

Those who operate automobiles are charged with exercising reasonable care under specific circumstances. Some of the factors which commonly contribute to driver negligence include inattentive drivers, a driver’s failure to obverse posted speed limits or yield the right-of-way at marked crosswalks, a driver’s reckless disregard for traffic signs or signals, failure by the driver to signal a turn, a marked disregard for weather or unusual traffic conditions, or driving under the influence of alcohol. Additionally, drivers owe a particular duty of care to small children—those between the ages of 5 and 10 are the most likely to be hit by a car as they are smaller, less visible and often exhibit unpredictable behaviors. The mere presence of children is a warning to drivers to exhibit particular care and hyper-vigilance. If a driver is in the vicinity of a school or in a residential area where children are known to play, extra care must be taken to avoid hitting a child.

Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney

If you have been the victim of a pedestrian-car accident, it is likely that you are struggling to pay your medical bills. You may even be unable to return to work, and find yourself unable to provide for yourself and your family. It is imperative that you retain a knowledgeable personal injury attorney who can protect your rights and get you the help you need following your accident with injuries.

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Distracted Driving as the Leading Cause of Auto Accidents in Mississippi

Distracted Driving as the Leading Cause of Auto Accidents

Any time a driver on the road is paying attention to anything other than the road and the traffic around them, they are putting themselves, other motorists and pedestrians in danger. Although cell phone use and the practice of texting is in the news constantly as a cause of auto accidents, in truth there are plenty of other lower-tech distractions which cause as many, if not more, collisions. Consider the person who just spilled hot coffee in their lap or dropped something on the floor and bent down to pick it up—while driving. According to a study done by the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety, these two things are actually among the most common distractions drivers suffer. Still, cell phones are definitely a distraction—and a danger. Experts believe that those who regularly talk on their cell phone while driving are as much as four times as likely to have a car accident.

More Incidences of Distracted Driving

Unfortunately, our lives are so incredibly busy, that many people almost feel as though they live in their car. They eat breakfast in their car on their way to work, attempt to re-set the GPS, fiddle with the radio, and even put on makeup, shave and read while commuting to work. Parents find themselves turning around—while driving—to see what’s going on with the kids in the backseat, or attempting to put a bottle or pacifier into the mouth of a crying baby.  If you’ve ever passed a car where a woman was applying mascara, using the rear-view mirror, while navigating a busy city street, you probably were very alarmed—and with good reason. People who regularly eat in their car, also regularly spill, then their attention is completely consumed with cleaning up the mess from their clothing or the upholstery.

Types of Distractions

Generally speaking there are three main types of distractions, including visual, manual and cognitive. Visual distractions occur when you take your eyes from the road—most distractions tend to be visual in nature. Manual distractions occur when you physically remove your hands from the wheel of the vehicle, and mental or cognitive distractions happen when your mind is anywhere but on the task of driving.

Many forms of distractions encompass all three of these—if you are texting your husband while driving, you are visually distracted as you glance back and forth at the screen, manually distracted as you use your fingers to type, and cognitively distracted as your mind is on what you are texting rather than watching the road. If the kids are screaming in the back seat and you turn around to swat one of them, again, you have engaged in all three types of distraction—at the same time. Even daydreaming as you drive home from running errands can be a significant distraction, and can lead to an accident.

How Many Accidents are Caused by Distractions?

Because many people don’t want to admit they were applying makeup or texting when they crash into the car ahead of them, it’s hard to get solid statistics on just how many accidents are caused by distracted drivers. Research indicates that the number could be as high as fifty percent of all accidents being directly related to driver distraction—a number that truly boggles the mind. Teens especially are among the worst offenders for talking and texting while driving, although the newest phones have technology which actually shuts the phone down when it detects the motion of the vehicle.

Contacting an Attorney

If you’ve been injured in an accident due to a distracted driver, it’s important that you contact an attorney who can work aggressively to get you the settlement you need and deserve while you work on recovering from your accident and resulting injuries.

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Study of Cell Phone Bans while Driving: The Surprising Results

Distracted driving is widely acknowledged to be a leading cause of serious car crashes.  Mississippi like many states has passed legislation to reduce the risk of distracted driving car accidents caused by cell phones.  Mississippi prohibits text messaging while driving among new drivers with a learner’s permit, intermediate or temporary license.  Many other states have far more extensive bans on cell phone use while driving including bans on texting for all drivers or hands free calling only limitations.

While it was generally presumed that such legislative efforts would reduce cell phone related car accidents.  These assumptions are now being called into question based on the results of a surprising new study indicating that current hands free cell phone laws have not been effective in preventing auto accidents caused by mobile phones.  According to the results of the study, bans on cell phone use and texting while driving also have not resulted in a reduced risk of car accidents.

The study revealed that cell phone bans have not had a significant impact on auto accident rates despite declines in cell phone use while driving.  While the study authors are not suggesting changing the laws designed to limit mobile phones while driving, they are suggesting that states without cell phone bans avoid enacting new laws until further research can be conducted regarding the relationship between mobile phone use while driving and car crash rates.

The results of the recent study confirm prior research suggesting that cell phone bans do not prevent distracted driving accidents.  A prior study conducted by the Highway Loss Data Institute looked at cell phone related car accidents prior to and following cell phone bans in California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia and New York.  The study also revealed that there was not a significant change in the fluctuation of auto accident rates before or after the ban in the states that enacted the bans or neighboring states without bans.

The researchers in both studies are puzzled by the results of the studies.  There is wide agreement that cell phone bans result in a sharp decline in cell phone use while driving.  It is also widely agreed that there is a strong correlation between cell phone use while driving and car accidents.  Some have speculated that the bans have not resulted in fewer auto accidents because drivers simply switch to hands free calling.  However, studies have indicated that there does not appear to be in any difference in accident rates in states with hands free cell phone use laws.

While the results of this study are somewhat confounding, distracted drivers cause many Mississippi car accidents.  The recent study also revealed that drivers are distracted as much as 50 percent of the time.  If you have been injured by a distracted driver in Mississippi, the experienced Mississippi car accident attorneys at Barrett Law Office offer a free no obligation initial consultation so call us today at  (662) 834-2376.

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