Utah Side Swipe Accident Lawyer

According to the National Safety Commission, over 242,000 sideswipe collisions occur every year in the United States. If you or someone you love has been injured in a Utah sideswipe accident, you need a skilled personal injury lawyer advocating for your legal rights and protecting your best interests.

Our car accident lawyers can guide you through the claims process and see to it that you and your family are provided for during this difficult time. Whether you need financial compensation due to medical bills, lost wages, or to pay for the costs of recovery, the experienced and knowledgeable attorneys at Fielding Law can provide you with legal assistance.

Schedule a free case review with a member of our law firm today. Call us 24/7 at 877-880-4090, start a live chat, or send us an email.

What is a Sideswipe Collision?

Sideswipe accidents occur when two vehicles in parallel motion collide and are hit on the side. The collision usually happens in the area of a vehicle referred to as a “blind spot,” where a driver is less able to see the vehicle in the adjacent lane.

In most situations, one vehicle makes a sudden lane change and collides with another car. When traveling at low speeds, a sideswipe collision may only result in vehicle damage, with no one involved being harmed. Sadly, when sideswipe accidents occur at high speeds, drivers and passengers involved often suffer severe injuries.

Determining Fault After Utah Sideswipe Collisions

It’s the responsibility of every driver to look for other vehicles or obstacles in the road before switching lanes. In the majority of sideswipe collisions, the driver who was changing lanes is responsible for the accident.

A driver changing lanes may be held accountable for a sideswipe collision if he or she:

Drifted into the other lane
Failed to check blind spots
Forgot to signal a lane change
Drove too fast for weather conditions
Cut a driver off
Merged without checking whether there was room

While the lane-changing driver is typically at fault for a sideswipe collision, there are some situations where the other driver may also be to blame.

Consider the following examples where the driver who did not change lanes may be held liable:

The driver sped up just as the other motorist was about to change lanes
The driver purposely denied the other motorist the space to merge
The driver slowed down and failed to yield the right-of-way to the following motorists

Proving negligence in a sideswipe collision can be difficult. With both drivers sustaining vehicle damage on the side exterior, it can be difficult to determine who was at fault.

Can Dashcam Footage Be Used as Evidence in a Sideswipe Accident Case?

Dashcams are small video cameras that are mounted on the dashboard of a vehicle and record what a driver sees. These devices have many benefits. They motivate motorists to drive carefully, capture details that a person may not remember after a collision, and provide evidence to determine fault in car accident cases.

The footage that a dashcam records is usually accepted as evidence in car accident cases. Insurance companies have long been accepting photos as evidence after an auto accident, and they will often use dashcam video as well. Other video footage, such as surveillance or CCTV cameras from buildings, are also commonly used when determining liability after sideswipe accidents.

After taking on your case, your personal injury lawyer will investigate the cause of the sideswipe collision and gather evidence. If dashcam footage is available and beneficial to your claim, it may be used and presented as evidence.

Recovering Financial Compensation After Utah Sideswipe Collisions

If you were injured in a sideswipe collision due to someone else’s negligence, you should not have to deal with the financial repercussions alone. The personal injury lawyers at Fielding Law handle all different types of car accident cases and have helped our clients recover millions of dollars in damages over the years.

Depending on your own individual and unique circumstances, our car accident attorneys may be able to help you recover compensation for:

Medical expenses: This may include coverage for ambulance rides, doctor’s appointments, hospital stays, surgeries, medications, at-home nursing care, rehabilitation therapy, and other expenses.
Property damage: You may be eligible for funds to repair or replace your vehicle depending on the extent of the damage. Money for a rental car while you wait for your vehicle to be fixed could also be included.
Lost wages: If the injuries you sustained in the sideswipe collision have caused you to miss work, you may be eligible to recover compensation for lost income.
Reduced earning capacity: If your injuries are long-term and will prevent you from returning to work for an extended period of time, you may be eligible to recover damages for loss of earning potential.
Pain and suffering: This compensation is for the physical and emotional pain you have suffered as a result of the sideswipe collision.
Wrongful death: While no amount of money can compensate for the pain of losing a loved one, monetary compensation can take a financial burden off of your shoulders while you grieve and try to move forward with your life.

Contact a Utah Sideswipe Collision Accident Lawyer Today

Have you been injured in a Utah sideswipe accident due to someone else’s negligence? If so, the car accident lawyers at Fielding Law are here to help. Our law firm has many years of experience in handling auto accident cases in Utah. We know what it takes to build a successful case for our valued clients.

Our law firm believes that your current financial situation should never prevent you from receiving the legal advice and representation you need when you need it most. Our lawyers represent car accident victims on a contingency fee basis. You owe us nothing unless your case is successful and you are awarded a settlement.