Left Hand Turn Accident Lawyer in Dothan

A left turn can go wrong in seconds. You may be halfway through an intersection when another vehicle hits the side of your car, leaving you injured and suddenly being told the crash was your fault. 

A left hand turn accident lawyer in Dothan can look beyond that first assumption. Wettermark Keith has recovered more than $1.5 billion for our clients, and we understand how much can depend on getting the story of a crash right.

Our Dothan car accident lawyers can investigate who had the right of way, what each driver was doing, and whether speed, distraction, or another factor contributed to the collision.

Left-turn crashes aren’t always as straightforward as they appear. Sometimes the turning driver made a mistake. Sometimes the other driver did.

Who Had the Right of Way?

Right of way is usually the first issue in a left-turn accident. Alabama Code § 32-5A-111 requires a driver turning left to yield to a vehicle approaching from the opposite direction when that vehicle is in the intersection or close enough to present an immediate hazard. That rule matters, but it doesn’t mean the left-turning driver is automatically responsible every time an automobile collision occurs.

A Dothan personal injury lawyer can look at what was happening before impact, not just where the vehicles ended up. Traffic signals, the speed of the approaching vehicle, visibility, lane position, and the actions of both drivers can all matter. When an insurance company reduces everything to “you were turning left,” important details may get lost.

Alabama’s contributory negligence rules make this especially important. An insurer may argue that an injured person contributed to the car accident and therefore shouldn’t recover compensation. When fault is disputed, the details surrounding the turn can become a major part of protecting your legal rights.

When the Other Driver May Be At Fault

Imagine that you begin a legal left turn with enough space to cross, but an approaching driver is traveling far above the speed limit. Or maybe you have a protected turn signal, and another driver enters the intersection against the light. The fact that your steering wheel was turned left doesn’t tell the entire story.

Other conduct can change how liability is evaluated. Distracted driving, drowsy driving, improper passing, or excessive speed may contribute to a crash. A faulty part or faulty brakes could also become relevant in some auto accidents. If a commercial truck is involved, the investigation may extend to the trucking company or other potentially responsible parties.

This is one reason to be cautious when speaking with insurance adjusters. Their initial interpretation of the crash isn’t a jury verdict, and you don’t have to accept it simply because it was presented confidently.

Common Left-Turn Crash Injuries

Left-turn collisions frequently involve an impact to the side or front corner of a vehicle. Depending on speed and angle, an occupant may have relatively little vehicle structure between their body and the point of impact. A serious T-bone crash can result in injuries that require substantial medical treatment.

Injuries may include:

• Head and brain injuries: A forceful impact can cause a concussion or a more serious traumatic brain injury.
• Neck and back injuries: Sudden movement during a collision can injure muscles, discs, vertebrae, or the spinal cord.
• Broken bones: Arms, legs, ribs, hips, and other bones may fracture during a side-impact or head-on collision.
• Psychological injuries: Some injured victims experience anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder after a frightening motor vehicle accident.
• Catastrophic injuries: Severe crashes can cause permanent impairment and create long-term medical expenses and care needs.

Don’t assume an injury is minor just because you were able to leave the scene on your own. Getting appropriate medical care can protect your health, and medical reports can document the injuries and treatment connected with the collision.

Left-Turn Crashes in Dothan

Dothan drivers regularly navigate busy routes carrying both local and through traffic. U.S. 84 runs through Houston County, and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) documents serious crashes and emergency responses along U.S. 84 in the county. Busy intersections can put passenger vehicles, motorcycles, and commercial traffic into the same space.

Your Dothan left-hand turn accident attorney may need to understand the intersection itself. Sight distance, turning lanes, traffic controls, road markings, and where the vehicles made contact can provide context that isn’t obvious from a brief description in a police report.

In a heavily disputed case, accident reconstruction may also help establish speed, direction of travel, and the sequence leading to impact. Witness statements or available surveillance footage may add another perspective. The goal isn’t to collect evidence for the sake of collecting it; it’s to figure out what actually happened.

What a Left-Turn Crash Can Cost You

Medical bills are often only the beginning. An injury can keep you away from work, make ordinary household responsibilities difficult, and require weeks or months of appointments. Meanwhile, you may be dealing with property damage or a total loss while trying to arrange transportation.

The value of a personal injury case depends on the individual facts, including the severity of the injuries and the losses caused by the accident. A claim may involve qualifying medical treatment expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and vehicle damage. In the most serious crashes, future treatment and reduced earning capacity may also need to be considered.

There is also a deadline to keep in mind. Alabama law generally imposes a two–year statute of limitations on many personal injury claims, although exceptions and different deadlines can apply depending on the circumstances. Waiting until the deadline approaches can also make an investigation harder, even when a claim is still legally available.

Talk to a Left-Hand Turn Accident Lawyer in Dothan

Being the driver who turned left doesn’t mean you should accept blame without asking questions. If another driver was speeding, distracted, ignored a signal, or otherwise contributed to the accident, those facts deserve a closer look. A Dothan left hand turn accident attorney can investigate the circumstances and deal with the insurance issues while you concentrate on your recovery.

Wettermark Keith offers free, no–obligation case evaluations and handles personal injury cases on a contingency basis. With more than 50 years of combined experience, our team is prepared to listen to what happened and explain your options.

Contact us today and let us take a closer look at your left-turn crash.