Who has the right-of-way and who should yield first at a round-a-bout? What about when two people arrive at the same time at a stop sign? There are thousands of accidents each year because drivers either don’t know when to properly yield or they aren’t paying attention at these types of intersections.
What is a Failure to Yield Violation?
The term “failure to yield” usually applies to intersections with traffic lights or two or four stop signs. The concept can also apply to left-hand turns and turning right on a red-light. The drivers that are supposed to wait their turn, don’t and “fail to yield” the right-of-way.
A common example is when cars reach a four-way stop at the same time. The driver on the right, by law, is supposed to proceed first. The other drivers are required to wait, but if they don’t they have “failed to yield.”
Lexington Failure to Yield Accidents
A crossroads is by nature, the backdrop for many auto accidents. It’s where lines of traffic meet up to put vehicles in close proximity to each other, forcing drivers to make split-second judgment calls.
The Insurance Information Institute (iii) found that failure to yield accidents lead to more than 3500 fatalities across the United States every year. That’s 7% of all deadly accidents. Accidents involving drivers who made an improper turn contributed to another 600 deaths. These numbers don’t include the thousands of accidents that lead to injury or property damage only.
A driver can know the rules of the road and follow them but if other motorists don’t bother to learn these laws an accident can hit out of the blue. Drivers can wind up in the hospital through no fault of their own and be facing an expensive recovery.
Lexington’s Kaufman & Stigger Personal Injury Lawyers can make sure victims don’t face their bills leftover from an accident all alone. An at-fault driver should be held accountable for his or her mistake.
Common Injuries In Accidents
Crashes in failure to yield accidents end up being head-on or side-impact collisions and sometimes even rear-end collisions. These collisions can be low-speed or involve high speeds when a car is turning left or right in front of traffic.
All of these factors will determine the severity of the injuries involved. Some of the most common injuries:
- Traumatic brain injuries: Impacts can lead to severe concussions and brain damage.
- Mid and lower back injuries: Lumbar injuries, lower back, sciatica, disc damage can all result from a back injury.
- Fractures: From hairline breaks to compound broken bones.
- Soft tissue injuries: muscles, tendons, and ligament damage.
A few types of injuries especially common in rear-end crashes:
- Whiplash: Occurs when the vehicle comes to a sudden stop or is jolted and the person slams forward and then slams back into their seat. Neck damage can require surgery.
- Airbag injuries: When the body collides with an airbag spine injuries can occur. Head injuries and wounds to the arms and face can result.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a lawsuit after my accident?
1 Year.
The state of Kentucky provides victims with up to a year to file a claim after being injured in an accident. Speed is of the essence if you do intend to file. The further out from the day of the accident you get, the more difficult it will be to collect documents and evidence to prove your case.
Should I file a claim if I think I share some of the blame for the accident?
Yes.
You can still file a claim even if the collision may have been partially your fault. Kentucky is a pure comparative negligence state. That means drivers in an accident can all share different percentages of the fault. So if you were assigned 30% of the blame you could still seek up to 70% compensation for your hospital bills and other losses in the accident.
Should I cooperate with the other driver’s insurance company?
If you feel you were not at fault in the accident, you should not make statements about what happened to any insurance agents for other drivers involved. They may use your comments to poke holes in your case. Tell the police officer what happened and exchange information with the other drivers but don’t make any comments or admissions of guilt at the scene.
Contact a Lexington Car Accident Injury Lawyer
If you’ve been injured in an accident because a driver disobeyed the rules of the road you’ll want to consult with a local attorney before you accept any offer from an insurance company. Those offers usually won’t cover all of the physical, emotional, and financial hardships you’ve faced after an accident. The at-fault driver made a mistake that left you with a painful injury. You deserve to have your recovery now and the future completely covered.
Talk to a Lexington Car Accident Attorney you can trust to be on your side and get you compensation for a full recovery. The attorneys at Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC, have the knowledge and a combined 100 years’ experience in helping clients rebuild their lives after an accident. To discuss your case, contact Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC today, by clicking here to contact them online.
