Best Left Turn Accident attorney Near Me

Have you been injured in a left-turn accident in Alabama? Left turns are one of the riskiest driving maneuvers and are dangerous for both motorists and pedestrians. If you’ve been injured in a left-turn accident through no fault of your own, our Huntsville and Decatur, Alabama, left-turn accident attorneys at Ferguson & Ferguson can help you with your accident case. We have successfully represented car accident victims for over 27 years. Call now for your no-obligation, free consultation. Call now. Call 256-534-3435.

Causes of Left Turn Accidents

Some of the most common causes of left-turn accidents include:

• Failure to yield the right-of-way
• Speeding
• Distracted driving
• Illegal turns
• Negligence
• Misjudging the speed of an oncoming vehicle
• Miscalculating the gap in traffic
• Inadequate surveillance
• Failure to use proper signals to alert other drivers
• Cutting the corner
• DUI
• Illegal drugs
• Attempting to elude police

Most Common Injuries in Left Turn Accidents

In a left-turn collision, people on the right side of the negligent car tend to have more serious injuries than those on the opposite side because the people on the right side where the impact happens absorb more force from the crash. Some of the most common injuries seen in left-turn crashes include:

• Head injuries
• Neck injuries
• Back injuries
• Chest, abdominal and pelvic injuries
• Limb injuries
• Soft tissue injuries
• Wrongful death

What should I do after a left-turn accident in Alabama?

Call 911 when appropriate, seek medical attention, exchange driver and insurance information, identify witnesses, and photograph vehicle positions, damage, skid marks, traffic controls, lane markings, and visible injuries. Avoid debating fault and preserve every record related to the collision.

Who is usually at fault in a left-turn accident?

A driver turning left generally must yield when required to oncoming traffic, pedestrians, and other lawful road users. However, fault is not automatic; signal phases, speed, visibility, lane position, and the conduct of everyone involved must be evaluated.

Can the oncoming driver be at fault in a left-turn collision?

Yes. An oncoming driver may bear some or all responsibility if speeding, running a red light, driving impaired, using an improper lane, or otherwise acting negligently. Reliable evidence is needed because the turning driver is often blamed initially.

How is fault determined when both drivers had a traffic signal?

Investigators may use traffic-camera or business video, signal timing and sequencing, witness statements, vehicle event data, skid marks, damage patterns, phone records, and driver accounts to determine which movements were permitted.

What if the other driver sped up while I was turning left?

Acceleration or excessive speed may affect fault because it can change the available gap and time to complete the turn. Evidence such as video, event data, roadway measurements, and crash reconstruction may help establish speed and timing.

What if a driver turned left without using a signal?

Failing to signal may support a negligence claim when it contributed to the collision. The significance of the violation depends on the positions of the vehicles, witness accounts, video, and whether other road users had time to react.

Are left-turn accidents usually side-impact collisions?

Many left-turn crashes involve the front of one vehicle striking the side of another, but they can also cause head-on, motorcycle, bicycle, pedestrian, rear-end, and multi-vehicle collisions. The impact location can influence injury severity and reconstruction.

What causes left-turn accidents?

Common causes include failure to yield, speeding, distraction, impaired driving, misjudging the speed or distance of oncoming traffic, obstructed views, illegal turns, cutting the corner, failing to signal, and entering an intersection without adequate surveillance.

What injuries commonly result from left-turn crashes?

These collisions may cause traumatic brain injuries, neck and back injuries, chest, abdominal, and pelvic trauma, fractures, limb injuries, soft-tissue damage, spinal injuries, internal injuries, disability, and fatal injuries.

Can a motorcyclist bring a claim after a left-turn accident?

Yes. A motorcyclist may have a claim when a driver turns across the motorcycle’s path or otherwise fails to yield. Motorcycle visibility, speed, lighting, lane position, and driver attention are frequently disputed and require careful investigation.

Can pedestrians or bicyclists make claims after unsafe left turns?

Potentially. Turning drivers must watch for pedestrians and bicyclists in crosswalks, intersections, bike lanes, and adjacent roadways. Traffic signals, right of way, visibility, and each party’s conduct affect liability.

What evidence is important in a left-turn accident case?

Important evidence may include the crash report, photographs, surveillance or dash-camera video, witness information, traffic-signal timing, vehicle event data, phone records obtained lawfully, roadway measurements, medical records, and proof of lost income.

Can traffic-camera or nearby business video help prove fault?

Yes. Video may show signal phases, vehicle speed, lane position, turn timing, and impact. Recordings are often overwritten quickly, so identifying cameras and sending preservation requests promptly can be critical.

What if an obstructed view contributed to the left-turn crash?

Vegetation, signs, parked vehicles, construction, road design, weather, or other obstructions may affect what a driver could see. Responsibility may involve driver choices and, in some cases, a property owner, contractor, or governmental entity, subject to special legal requirements.

How does Alabama contributory negligence affect a left-turn claim?

Alabama follows a strict contributory-negligence rule. A defendant may argue that an injured person’s own negligence contributed to the collision and bars recovery, although exceptions and other doctrines may apply. Preserving evidence is especially important when fault is disputed.

What compensation may be available after a left-turn accident?

Depending on the facts, a claim may seek medical expenses, future care, lost wages, diminished earning capacity, pain and suffering, mental anguish, disability, disfigurement, property damage, and other legally recoverable losses.

What if the at-fault driver has no insurance or too little coverage?

Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage may be available through your own automobile policy or another applicable policy. Coverage depends on policy terms, notice, exclusions, available limits, and Alabama law.

Should I give the other driver’s insurer a recorded statement?

You generally should not give an adverse insurer a recorded statement without understanding how it may affect the claim. Be truthful in required communications with your own insurer and consider legal advice before discussing disputed fault or injuries.

How long do I have to file a left-turn accident lawsuit in Alabama?

Many Alabama injury claims are subject to a two-year limitations period, but different or shorter requirements can apply depending on the parties and facts, especially when a governmental entity is involved. Obtain case-specific advice promptly.

Where does Ferguson & Ferguson handle left-turn accident cases?

Ferguson & Ferguson represents clients in Huntsville, Decatur, and communities throughout North Alabama. The offices are at 303 Williams Avenue SW, Suite 321, Huntsville, Alabama 35801, and 211 Oak Street NE, Decatur, Alabama 35601.

Free Consultation

If you have been injured in any type of motor vehicle accident in Alabama, you need to give the experienced Huntsville personal injury lawyers at Ferguson & Ferguson a call today. Contact our Huntsville and Decatur car accident attorneys at Ferguson & Ferguson today at (256)534-3435 for a free initial no-obligation consultation. We are here to help you.

Huntsville Office Location:
303 Williams Avenue SW
Suite 321
Huntsville, AL 35801

Decatur Office Location:
211 Oak Street NE
Decatur, AL 35601