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There are many different ways that a car accident can unfold. No matter what type of car accident you experience, the aftermath can be traumatic and legally complicated.
Generally, different types of car accidents are classified according to where the impact occurs on your car, the result of the collision, who was driving, the type of negligence involved, and other factors. The type of car accident is important to understand because it may influence the path forward when it comes to seeking the compensation you may be owed.
The car accident lawyers at George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers are ready to help you regardless of the type of accident you have experienced. If you’ve been in any type of car accident, call us at 888-612-7001 or fill out our online form to request a free case evaluation with our car accident lawyers today.
What Types of Car Accidents Could You Experience?
There are many different types of car accidents, and the way an accident is classified can depend upon several factors. Many car accidents are defined by the physical location of the impact on your car, but this is not always the case. The cause of the accident, the aftermath of the accident, the at-fault party in the accident, or a problem with a component in the car itself can all be used to describe the type of accident.
Car Accident Types by the Location of Impact
Many types of car accidents are classified by the physical point of impact during the accident. These can include:
Head-On Collisions
When two cars collide head-on, the results can be devastating. Even at lower speeds, the force of both cars traveling forward can cause serious injuries and death. According to the Insurance Information Institute, head-on collisions account for 10% of the fatalities on America’s roads, and even if you survive such a serious accident, your injuries may cause significant suffering for weeks, months, or even years.
Odd-Angle Collisions
Odd-angle impact collisions occur when one car strikes another at an angle. For example, if a car attempts to change lanes and strikes another car that was already there, an odd-angle collision results. These types of car accidents can be worsened by the potential loss of control resulting from the impact and the presence of other cars, trees, telephone poles, and other obstacles.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions are all too common and can be extremely dangerous if a larger vehicle collides with a smaller one in front of it. Even seemingly minor fender-benders can result in serious neck and back injuries with long-term effects.
T-Bone or Side-Impact Collisions
When one car strikes another at a right angle, the damage and resulting injuries can be serious, and the details of the accident can make a difference in just how serious. The size and weight of the vehicles involved, the slope of the road, and whether side airbags were present can all determine the outcome of a T-bone or side-impact crash.
Types of Car Accidents Caused by a Negligent Driver
Car accidents may be classified by what caused the accident, and these types of accidents include:
Distracted Driving Accidents
Distracted driving accidents can occur any time a driver is not focused on the road. Many activities can cause distractions, such as eating, looking at a phone or texting, applying makeup, changing the radio station, and more.
Drowsy Driving Accidents
These types of car accidents occur when a driver is too fatigued to safely operate a vehicle. This could be caused by a lack of sleep or driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Such accidents are especially common at night and on rural roads.
High-Speed Crash Accidents
Any time a driver violates the speed limit or drives too fast for conditions, a high-speed crash may occur. Speed limits exist to keep drivers and the public safe, and when these limits are not respected, the resulting car crashes can be deadly.
Impaired Driving Accidents
Driving requires focus, coordination, and judgment, and these faculties may be impaired by both legal and illegal substances. When a driver is impaired by drugs or alcohol, serious accidents can occur. It is important to be aware of the side effects of prescription drugs, which may cause sleepiness or impair your vision and coordination.
Road Rage Accidents
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines road rage as “angry and violent behaviors at the extreme of the aggressive driving continuum,” and when drivers become aggressive and hostile, crashes may occur, whether accidentally or on purpose.
Unsafe Lane Change Accidents
An unsafe lane change accident happens when a driver moves out of the lane of travel without first checking that it is safe to do so. These types of crashes may happen due to a failure to check blind spots, driving aggressively, trying to cut in front of a vehicle, or other negligent acts. Such accidents have the potential to snowball if one or most drivers lose control after being struck.
Wrong-Way Driver Accidents
Wrong-way car accidents often occur when a driver mistakenly travels in the wrong direction onto a highway entrance or exit ramp or turns onto a one-way surface street going the wrong direction. The possibility of colliding head-on with oncoming traffic makes such mistakes potentially deadly.
Car Accident Types by Who Was Driving or Type of Vehicle
Some types of car accidents can be classified by who was driving or the kind of vehicle involved in the crash. These include:
Teen Driver Accidents
Teenagers often underestimate danger or don’t adequately calculate risks due to lack of experience. Teenage boys have double the rate of fatal crashes as female teen drivers, and teens driving with teen passengers are more likely to crash. These factors can present increased hazards for those sharing the road with teen drivers.
Elderly Driver Accidents
As people age, conditions such as arthritis and glaucoma, dementia, and diabetes may make it more difficult for them to drive safely. Older drivers cause accidents most often by missing traffic lights and signs at busy intersections, driving the wrong way, and unwittingly driving impaired due to medications or impaired vision.
Rideshare Accidents
People use rideshare services because they want to do the right thing and get home safely. When rideshares go wrong and your Uber or Lyft crashes, you can be left with serious injuries and a complicated case involving the rideshare company, the driver, and their respective insurance companies.
Rental Car Accidents
When you rent a car, you are responsible for any damage to the vehicle. South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia see large numbers of tourists and business travelers pass through on our busy interstate highways, and this large number of drivers unfamiliar with the area can lead to more accidents. Whether you are hit by a rental car or while driving a rental car, these cases can present unique challenges, and you want a rental car accident lawyer with knowledge of local laws on your side.
Types of Car Accident Cases by the Result of the Collision
Car accidents may also be classified by the result of the collision. These types of accidents may include:
Fatal Car Accidents
Any car accident that results in death from injuries sustained within 30 days of the accident is considered a fatal accident. Whatever the cause of the accident, the family of someone killed in a fatal car accident may choose to file a wrongful death suit for the economic and non-economic losses resulting from their loved one’s death.
Hit & Run Accidents
If an accident occurs and a driver leaves the scene, this is known as a hit and run accident. It is an unfortunate reality, but even if the other driver is never found, there are ways to recoup any losses suffered in a hit-and-run accident.
Minor Car Accidents
Car accidents that seem to result in little more than a scratch typically go unreported. However, bodily injuries or more serious damage to your car may come to light in the days or weeks following a low-speed, seemingly minor crash.
Passenger Injury Accidents
Passengers may also be injured in an auto accident, and in some cases, such as side-impact collisions, a passenger’s injuries can be much more severe than the driver’s. Injured passengers are entitled to seek compensation for their injuries.
Pedestrian Injury Accidents
A pedestrian accident may occur when someone on foot is injured by someone not on foot, whether in a car, on a bike, or in some other type of vehicle. Less common are accidents caused by pedestrians.
Rollover Accidents
When the force of an accident causes a vehicle to roll over, the results can be devastating. Rollover accidents may be caused by one car striking another, one car striking an object or obstacle, or a driver losing control of their vehicle. While trucks, SUVs, and other vehicles with high centers of gravity are most often associated with rollover accidents, lower-profile cars can roll over as well, causing serious injuries. Vehicle rollovers are more likely to result in fatalities or more serious injury to the occupants than other types of accidents.
What Can Cause These Types of Car Accidents?
A car accident can change your life in an instant, and there are many factors that can contribute to a car crash. Weather, road construction, driver negligence, and poor roadway design and signage can all lead to devastating injuries and property damage if they cause an accident. Whatever the cause of your accident, you may have legal recourse.
Other Legal Issues You May Need to Address After a Car Accident
No matter what type of car accident you’ve been involved in, there may be additional legal wrinkles you have to deal with after your accident. Those issues include:
Bad Faith Insurance Claims
When you pay your insurance premiums, you expect your car insurance company to honor their side of the bargain when you’ve been in an accident. Unfortunately, this does not always happen. If you believe your insurance company is acting in bad faith in denying or underpaying a claim, we can help you get the compensation you are owed.
Car Diminished Value Claims
Even if your car looks like new when it is repaired after an accident, its accident history can cause the value of your car to decrease. You should be compensated for any diminishment to your car’s value due to a crash.
Child Car Seat Safety Accidents
Child car seat accidents can occur for a variety of reasons. A car seat should protect your child in the event of an accident, but a defective car seat, a wrong-sized car seat for your child’s height and weight, or improper installation can all result in serious injury or death. It is important to replace a car seat after even a minor accident and to be aware of active recalls on child car seats.
No Matter What Type of Car Accident You Were In, We’re Here To Help
There are many ways to categorize a car accident, but no matter what type of accident you were in, the car accident attorneys at George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers are ready to fight for you. Having an experienced car accident lawyer on your side gives you the best possible chance for getting the compensation you deserve.
Our firm has worked on over 50,000 cases, and we know what it takes to get results for Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina car accident victims. Get started with Sink Law today, and we’ll be with you every step of the way. Call our office at 888-612-7001 or fill out our online form to request a free case evaluation with a car accident lawyer today.