The nature of a car accident often determines both the severity of injuries and who may be legally responsible. In rear-end collisions, for instance, the rear driver is typically at fault for failing to maintain a safe following distance. A similar principle applies to head-on crashes—when a driver drifts into oncoming traffic or makes a reckless maneuver, they can be held liable for the resulting harm.
A Richmond Heights head-on crash lawyer can investigate the scene, collect vital evidence, and determine exactly who caused the collision. At Eason Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers, our team in Richmond Heights, Missouri, will work tirelessly to hold the at-fault party accountable and pursue full compensation for victims and their loved ones. Contact our law firm today at (314) 932-1066 for a free consultation.
How Eason Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Head-On Car Accident in Richmond Heights, MO
For over two decades, Eason Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers has fought against insurers and at-fault parties for injured clients in Richmond Heights, MO. Our attorneys have successfully recovered millions in settlements and court verdicts for accident victims like you.
When you suffer an injury in a crash caused by another’s careless driving, our attorneys provide the following services:
- Learn about your situation and discuss your legal options
- Build a case against the at-fault driver using crash reports and other records
- Prepare your insurance claim and negotiate to resolve it
- File suit against the other driver if their insurer refuses a fair settlement
Head-on collisions often cause catastrophic injuries due to the crash energy involved. Contact Eason Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation with a Richmond Heights car accident lawyer to learn how we stand up to insurers to fight for fair injury and wrongful death compensation.
Proving Liability for Head-On Collisions in Richmond Heights
A head-on crash lawyer proves liability for a crash using negligence law. Someone drives negligently when they fail to exercise reasonable care and, as a result, causes someone else’s injuries.
“Reasonable care” means the caution expected of an ordinary driver in the same circumstances. When a driver does something unreasonably dangerous, a court can find them negligent.
Head-on crashes, by definition, involve a wrong-way driver. A driver might enter the freeway using an off-ramp. They might turn the wrong way onto a one-way street. In some cases, a driver drives on the wrong side of the road.
However, the mere fact that a driver was going the wrong way does not necessarily mean they acted negligently. For example, someone might suffer an unforeseen medical issue that causes them to pass out and cross the median.
Conversely, a head-on crash lawyer might use the following causes of head-on crashes to prove negligence:
- The driver was intoxicated
- The driver fell asleep
- The driver knew they suffered from medical issues and drove anyway
- The driver was inexperienced
For example, a common cause of head-on collisions is impaired driving. Drugs or alcohol can cloud a driver’s judgment and thinking. They might make a wrong turn onto an off-ramp and drive the wrong way on the freeway. When they hit another vehicle, the liability for the resulting DUI accident falls on the impaired driver’s shoulders.
Compensation Recoverable in Richmond Head-On Crash Cases
For non-fatal injuries, the crash victim can pursue compensation for their economic and non-economic losses. Economic losses include past and future medical bills, lost income, and out-of-pocket expenses. A head-on crash lawyer proves these losses using financial records and medical bills.
Non-economic losses encompass the intangible impact on the victim’s life. Pain and suffering, disability, and disfigurement are non-economic losses. For example, a head-on crash might cause a permanent brain injury or paralysis that alters the course and quality of your life apart from the financial burdens you experience. These losses are non-economic.
If the head-on collision results in death, the victim’s spouse, children, or parents can pursue a wrongful death claim. Under Missouri law, the family can seek compensation for lost financial contributions and funeral expenses of the victim. They can also pursue compensation for the loss of companionship, mentorship, and other intangible contributions.
Contact Our Richmond Heights Head-On Crash Attorneys for a Free Consultation
The liability for head-on collisions often involves complex factual and legal issues, particularly if one or both drivers die. Contact Eason Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation to discuss your losses and how we can help you seek compensation for them under Missouri law.