In a U-turn accident, most people might assume the car who made the U-turn is at fault. While that is usually the case, it’s not always a hard truth. It can be difficult to determine who’s at fault in a normal car accident, and they are usually not 100% someone’s fault. So how is it determined who’s at fault in a U-turn accident?
WHAT IS A U-TURN ACCIDENT?
A U-turn accident occurs when a driver makes a sharp left turn in order to turn 180 degrees around and drive in the opposite direction. The driver must yield to oncoming traffic and then sharply and quickly cut across multiple lanes of traffic. As a result, the U-turn can easily become dangerous if the driver can’t successfully complete the turn without backing up or misjudging the amount of time they have to complete the turn.
Common accidents caused by U-turns:
- Sideswipe
- T-bone
- Rear-end
- Head-on
- Chain Reaction
- Hitting a Pedestrian in Crosswalk
WHAT TO DO AFTER A U-TURN ACCIDENT
There can be a lot of factors that contribute to an accident, including other vehicles, weather conditions, traffic conditions, and even your own negligence. If you are injured in a U-turn accident, evidence will play a large role in determining who was at fault. If able, gather the following information:
- Photos of Traffic Signs: was the U-turn made legally or illegally?
- Witnesses: was the U-turn made safely with an appropriate amount of time and space?
- Contact Information: for the other drivers and any witnesses
NEGLIGENCE
The tort law principle of negligence is often used to determine who is at fault in a car accident. Negligence is the failure to behave with the level of care that someone of ordinary prudence would have exercised under the same circumstances. For example, if you were injured by a driver who made a U-turn, you would need to prove the following:
- Duty: The other driver owed you a duty to drive responsibly and safely.
- Breach of Duty: The other driver breached that duty when they made the U-turn and failed to drive in a reasonable manner.
- Causation: The driver’s breach of duty caused the accident.
- Damages: You suffered a personal injury as a result.
Hire an Attorney
If you’ve been injured in a U-turn accident, don’t attempt to prove fault or handle the case on your own. Insurance companies have teams of experienced adjusters, investigators, and lawyers trying to settle your case for as little money as possible and place as much blame on you as possible. Experienced personal injury attorneys, on the other hand, are there to fight for you. If you hire legal representation, you are more likely to prove the driver was at fault and receive a higher settlement than if you attempt to handle the case on your own.