Head-on car collisions are among the most severe accidents to occur, often leaving victims with disabling (and even fatal) injuries. These accidents typically happen because one or more people are negligent, in which case victims can seek compensation through an insurance claim, lawsuit, or both.
Whether you were in an accident or you lost a loved one because of a head-on accident, hiring a St Louis car accident attorney may be in your best interests. Your legal team will handle every aspect of your case while you care for yourself physically, psychologically, and emotionally.
Why Head-On Car Collisions Happen
Understanding the cause of your head-on collision will be essential to obtaining a fair financial award. Your car accident attorney will investigate the collision and determine if the cause was:
Impaired Driving
About 32 victims die every day in the United States because of alcohol-impaired drivers.
This is only a fraction of the impairment-related traffic deaths, as it does not account for:
- Tired drivers
- Drug-impaired drivers
- Emotionally compromised drivers
An impaired motorist may fall asleep, veer out of their lane, or lose total control of their vehicle and cause a head-on accident.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving poses a clear risk of head-on collisions, as it involves:
- A motorist taking their mind off the duty of driving safely (which may prompt their vehicle to veer into oncoming traffic)
- A motorist taking one or more hands off the wheel (which may cause the loss of vehicle control)
- A motorist taking their eyes off the road, which can cause them to lose sight of where the vehicle is traveling
It is fairly obvious to see how a distracted driver might cause a head-on accident. As your attorney investigates the collision and determines its cause, they will document any distracted driving that played a role in the accident.
Speeding or Other Aggressive Maneuvers
Aggressive driving is a factor in many traffic accidents, including head-on car collisions.
Dangerous driving actions that may contribute to a head-on accident include:
- Speeding
- Illegal passing
- Driving in the wrong direction down a one-way street
- Driving too fast for weather conditions
- Failing to stop for traffic lights and stop signs
Even tailgating can contribute to a head-on collision, as it may reduce a motorist’s visibility and lead them to pass when it is dangerous. Your lawyer will identify any aggressive driving that contributed to your collision.
Vehicle Defects
Some motor vehicle defects may contribute to a head-on accident. Defective brakes and tires are among the components that can conceivably cause a head-on collision.
Dangerous Road Conditions
Whenever road conditions are dangerously abnormal, the risk of an accident rises.
Road-related hazards that may contribute to a head-on collision include:
- Lack of clear lane markings
- Defective traffic signals
- Downed or absent stop signs
- Uneven driving surfaces, potholes, and cracks (which may cause tire blowouts)
- Dangerous work zones
Your lawyer will conduct an in-depth investigation of your accident and identify every failure that contributed to the collision.
Head-On Accidents Are Associated with Severe Injuries and Deaths
The severe force that vehicle occupants suffer during a head-on collision is enough to cause disabling injuries and even death. There are laws of physics behind the violent collisions that occur when two vehicles strike head-on—you just need to know that these accidents are most often serious.
Some injuries that may result from a head-on collision include:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Spinal cord injuries, which are particularly expensive injuries
- Fractures
- Punctured and collapsed lungs
- Amputation injuries
- Eye-injuries
- Severe burns
- Lacerations
- Internal bleeding
These are only a handful of the many types of injuries from head-on accidents.
Such serious injuries can:
- Cause intense acute pain
- Cause chronic pain
- Cause severe psychological and emotional distress
- Affect your ability to work
- Change your mood and personality
- Negatively affect most aspects of your life
While you know that the head-on accident has taken a toll, it can be difficult to quantify that toll. A car accident lawyer will calculate the exact cost of your damages and demand that liable parties pay for that cost.
Should I Let a Head-On Accident Lawyer Handle My Case?
Most victims are not in head-on collisions more than once. This is likely uncertain, unfamiliar territory for you, and you may have little time to dedicate to responsibilities aside from recovery.
Consider retaining a car accident lawyer for your case because:
- Lawyers’ experience is priceless: Attorneys come prepared to lead head-on car collision cases because they have years of experience—at least, they should. Experience allows attorneys to overcome any challenge because they have done so before.
- Law firms cover case costs: Your attorney and their firm will pay filing costs, expert fees, and any other expenses related to your case. Such financial support can greatly help those facing the hardship of a head-on collision.
- Lawyers can take your case to court: Because head-on car collisions can result in costly damages, liable parties do not always offer victims fair settlements. You should have the option of going to trial if necessary, and a lawyer can take your case to court if it is the best decision for your case.
- Your case is too important to put on the back burner: You likely have doctor's appointments and personal responsibilities ahead. You must ensure that your case receives the attention and resources it warrants. An experienced attorney ensures that your case remains a high priority.
- Your focus should remain on healing: You owe it to yourself to prioritize healing. Hiring an attorney will avoid the many demands of an insurance claim or lawsuit. This will allow you to spend your time resting and recovering as you deserve to.
Work with a car accident lawyer after the accident. An attorney can take the thought out of your insurance claim and lawsuit, which may help you recover compensation as quickly as possible.
Your Attorney Will Use a Contingency Fee to Ease Your Financial Concerns
Head-on car accident lawyers typically use contingency fees. This fee structure works perfectly for accident victims facing uncertain financial circumstances—as is often the case.
When a firm uses contingency fees, it:
- Requires no upfront payment from the client
- Covers all case-related costs (including expert fees)
- Receives its fee as a percentage of the settlement or verdict
- Does not receive a fee unless the client receives a financial recovery
This no-risk arrangement allows any head-on car collision victim to hire an attorney, even in difficult financial circumstances.
What Does a Car Accident Attorney Do?
When you hire an attorney after your car accident, you also retain the services of:
- Any other attorneys who will contribute to your case
- The law firm’s paralegals
- Any experts the law firm hires to contribute to your case
Together, your legal team can be a formidable force fighting for your best financial interests. Some of the most common duties of legal teams representing head-on car collision victims include:
Documenting the Cause of the Head-On Accident
Your legal team will detail the head-on accident, perhaps using:
- Video of the accident
- Eyewitness accounts of how the collision happened (including actions that prompted the collision to occur)
- A police officer’s report detailing the collision
- An expert’s testimony about the likely cause of the accident
- An expert’s reconstruction of the accident
Law firms make the most of all the evidence available to them. Your attorney will immediately investigate the collision to ensure they gather all available evidence as soon as possible.
Documenting Damages
An attorney must prove the cost that a client’s head-on collision has imposed on them.
Your lawyer may illustrate your accident-related damages using:
- All accident-related medical bills
- Medical records (including specific diagnoses of medical conditions)
- X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, and any other medical images of your injuries
- Testimony from your doctor and employer that you have not been able to perform professional duties
- Past income records that show how much income you have lost since the accident
- Invoices for the repair or replacement of your vehicle (and any other damaged property)
Your lawyer will work hard to present an air-tight record of damages. By doing so, your legal team will leave no room for liable parties to contest or undervalue your damages.
Calculating a Precise Settlement Target
Effective lawyers are precise. Your attorney won’t guesstimate when calculating how much your case is worth—they will calculate your damages to the dollar.
Negotiating a Settlement
Your attorney will enter settlement negotiations equipped with:
- All relevant accident-related evidence
- All documentation of your damages
- A detailed calculation of your damages
- Oral arguments to present to liable parties
- Any expert testimony or exhibits related to your case
Most car accident cases settle, but you don’t know if yours will. You can bet that your lawyer will do everything in their power to secure the financial settlement you deserve.
Filing a Lawsuit and Going to Court, if Necessary
If settlement talks do not lead to an agreement, you and your lawyer may face the possibility of a lawsuit. Filing a lawsuit may be necessary when it’s clear that liable parties aren’t going to offer a fair settlement.
Your attorney will oversee every aspect of any lawsuit you file against liable parties.
Overseeing Every Other Detail of the Case
Auto insurance claims and lawsuits are time-consuming, labor-intensive processes. While a lawyer will have a checklist leading them through each step in your case, there is always unpredictability during the claims and legal processes.
Your attorney will:
- Handle all of the unexpected challenges of your case in stride
- Lead all case-related communications as a means of protecting your rights and maintaining oversight of your case
- Draft and file all case-related paperwork
- Manage every other case-related responsibility
With their all-inclusive service, lawyers truly allow head-on accident victims to focus on their health.
Recoverable Damages for Victims of Head-On Accidents
Your recoverable damages are unique to you, and your lawyer will document those damages to determine your case value.
In non-fatal head-on car accident cases, recoverable damages often include:
- Healthcare expenses: Whether you need medical transport, imaging, emergency care, surgery, or any other medical services, your attorney will include all accident-related medical expenses in your case.
- Pain and suffering: A head-on accident can be an immensely traumatic experience resulting in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Injuries and other accident-related circumstances may also cause physical pain, emotional anguish, psychological distress, and other forms of pain and suffering.
- Lost income and other professional damages: If a head-on collision prevents you from working, you will likely suffer several professional damages. These damages may include lost income, diminished earning power, inability to earn promotions and bonuses, and lost employer-provided benefits.
- Vehicle-related expenses: Your lawyer will evaluate the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle. They will also value any temporary transportation you need because of the collision.
- Other property expenses: If you need to repair or replace any other property (like a cell phone or clothing) because of the head-on accident, your lawyer will value the cost of these damages.
- The cost of mental health services: Accident victims who seek counseling, medications, or other treatments for pain and suffering should seek fair compensation from liable parties. Your attorney will do just that.
You may have additional damages, as each victim endures different types of harm in a head-on collision. Trust your lawyer to fully evaluate your damages and fight for a fair financial recovery.
Damages in Fatal Head-On Car Accident Cases
Because head-on accidents have a relatively high fatality rate, we must address the realities of those affected by fatal head-on accidents.
If you lose a loved one from injuries suffered in a head-on accident, your damages may include:
- Loss of consortium
- Funeral costs
- Lost financial support
- Pain and suffering
- Mental healthcare costs
- Loss of the decedent’s household contributions
Every accident victim deserves a dedicated legal advocate to fight for the compensation they deserve. Don’t wait to hire your car accident attorney, as they will face a deadline for filing your case in court if necessary. Take action to begin the process now.
