Rear-end car accidents are one of the most common types of automobile collisions. Many people may think of these as fender benders, but rear-end collisions cause a ton of damage, injuries, and deaths each year. What should you do if you find yourself in a rear-end collision incident? Big Al, your personal injury lawyer in Baltimore, can help guide you through the process.
What Causes Rear-End Collisions?
The cause of rear-end collisions is not always clear. A variety of factors can cause them, including inattention, distraction, and driver error. Most typically, a distracted driver that isn’t paying attention to other cars and their surroundings causes a rear-end collision. Frequently, these happen at red lights or stop signs. The first vehicle is in a stopped position, and the second car either doesn’t stop soon enough or starts accelerating before the first car does. Another large contributor to rear-end collisions is following a car too closely.
Rear-end car accidents can be much more violent than a front-end accident. A car at a high rate of speed hitting a car that’s slow or completely stopped can be jarring to all passengers. These types of rear-end collisions can lead to severe injury or death. The force of the impact is concentrated on the back of the car and at the driver’s seat. The driver’s head can suddenly jerk forward and then quickly snap back into place, causing whiplash. Aggressive driving typically leads to these more violent collisions.
Determining Liability For Rear-End Car Accidents
In almost every case, the fault is with the second car hitting the first car. However, fault can be on the front car in the case of someone backing into another vehicle. Occasionally, the front vehicle can also contribute if they are found to be negligent. The fault is placed on any party that’s deemed to be negligent and is not obeying traffic and safety laws.
The state of Maryland follows the contributory negligence standard. This means that if someone has contributed to an accident, even very minimally, they can’t claim any damages from the other party involved in the crash. If both drivers are found to be negligent, they can only recover damages from their individual insurance companies, not from that of the other party.
Tailgating and failing to signal properly are two common reasons for rear-end collisions happening. While there isn’t a set distance, Maryland law requires vehicles to follow others at a safe driving distance. If it’s determined that the driver was tailgating, they’re going to be the ones found at fault.
Maryland law also states that you’re required to signal at least 200 feet before a turn or stop that you’re going to make. This gives other drivers enough time to slow down or stop with you. Fault can be placed on the car in front if they don’t signal or they don’t provide drivers around them with an appropriately distanced signal.
Obtain the Settlement You Deserve From an Experienced Attorney
The Law Firm of Richard Klein specializes in personal injury and automobile accidents in Maryland. We want to help you get the settlement you deserve from the insurance company for your pain and suffering. Navigating the process of insurance claims after a car accident can be extremely difficult, so let us help you with the heavy lifting.
If you’ve been affected by a rear-end collision, call us today at 410-291-8012, 1-800-HURT-123, or request a consultation online.
