Each year in New York there are well over 200,000 vehicle collisions. These crashes involve a variety of different scenarios including lane or roadway departure crashes. A lane departure crash is a collision that occurs when one vehicle crosses the median or center line and strikes an oncoming vehicle. A lane departure crash also occurs when a vehicle crosses an edge line and drives off the road. Lane departure crashes are among the most dangerous types of crashes because they often involve head-on collisions. When a head-on collision takes place the impact of two moving vehicles colliding into each other has the potential to cause severe injuries or death. While some lane departure collisions may be caused in part to poor weather conditions or vehicle malfunction, many such accidents are caused by driver negligence. If you or a loved one was injured in a lane departure crash, it is important that you immediately contact an experienced Long Island Lane Departure Crashes Lawyer so that you will have someone familiar with New York car accidents law representing you throughout each stage of the legal process to help you receive compensation for the losses that you suffered.
Causes of Lane Departure CollisionsAs with failure to yield accidents, parking lot accidents, and rollover accidents, there are a number of causes for lane departure collisions. Some of the most common causes include:
Under New York Vehicle and Traffic Law section 1128 when a road has been divided into multiple lanes that are clearly marked, drivers are required to drive within a single lane and are not permitted to move out of that lane until the drivers has checked to confirm that the lane change can be safely made. If a driver negligently changes lanes and as a result a lane departure crash occurs, the negligent driver would be legally liable.
Consequences of Lane Departure CrashesLane departure crashes often leave victims with very serious injuries that require costly treatment and long recovery periods. Through a personal injury claim there are several types of damages that you may be able to recover from the person responsible for the lane departure crash.
Medical expenses. If you suffer a traumatic brain injury, broken bones, a neck injury, a back injury, or any other serious injury you will need immediate and extensive medical treatment. The bills for this treatment will quickly add up and may include: ambulance fees, emergency room fees, hospital stay fees, surgical fees, doctor's fees, and prescription drug fees. You are entitled to reimbursement for each of these fees from the person responsible for your injuries.
Lost wages. If you experience a serious injury you will undoubtedly miss time at work. In fact, you may not be able to return to your same position at all. An important type of damages that you will be able to recover in a personal injury lawsuit is lost wages. Upon presenting evidence of the days you missed, your hourly wages or annual salary, overtime that you typically work, and bonus opportunities that you missed, the court will require that the responsible party compensate you for the income that you lost.
Loss of future earning capacity. In addition, you are also entitled to loss of future income capacity. If you are no longer able to earn the income that you earned prior to the accident or if you are no longer able to continue on the same career path, you are entitled to seek compensation for loss of future income capacity from the person responsible for your accident.
Pain and suffering. Pain and suffering is a type of economic damage award that is designed to compensate you both for the physical pain that you suffered as well as for the emotional pain that you suffered. Serious injuries that result in a permanent damage often cause the victim to suffer depression, fear, anger and frustration. A pain and suffering award is designed to compensate a victim for the emotional turmoil that such a devastating injury will undoubtedly cause.
Lane departure accidents can have serious consequences, particularly when the vehicles involved are travelling at high speeds. Under New York law you can pursue compensation from the party responsible for the injuries you sustained in a lane departure crash. If you or a loved one was injured in a lane departure crash, contact an experienced attorney who understands both the legal issues associated with personal injury cases as well as the medical issues associated with vehicle accidents. The staff at Stephen Bilkis and Associates has extensive experience representing clients injured in hit and run accidents, rollover accidents, head-on collisions, rear-end collisions, sideswipe accidents well as other types of vehicle accidents. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your car accident.