Traffic that is traveling in all directions meets in intersections, and this is why intersections are often the location of deadly traffic accidents. A lot goes on in intersections, and there are far more opportunities within them for negligent motorists to cause dangerous accidents that lead to exceptionally serious injuries. If someone else’s negligence causes you to be seriously injured in an accident that takes place in an intersection, discuss your claim with an experienced South Carolina car accident attorney today.

Intersection Accidents

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration reports that more than half of all the crashes on our roadways resulting in either fatal or injuries take place at or near intersections. This is an astonishing statistic that highlights exactly how dangerous and common accidents in intersections are. Vehicles in intersections engage in varied activities, including turning left (and crossing lanes of traffic), proceeding forward (and crossing lanes of traffic), and turning right (and moving into another lane of traffic). It’s a lot, and there’s far more room for dangerous errors to be made.

Serious Injuries

There are many serious injuries that are commonly associated with accidents that occur in intersections.

Broken Bones

A broken bone can be exceptionally painful and exceptionally slow to heal. When the break is complicated, surgery and intense ongoing care can be required. When a break doesn’t heal the way it should, it can lead to life-long complications, including chronic pain or even a permanent disability.

Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)

Traumatic brain injuries are generally caused by a blow to the head, neck, or shoulders, and the serious impact associated with intersection accidents fits the bill for causing these serious injuries. Because they affect the brain, TBIs tend to be very unpredictable. However, TBIs are closely associated with serious emotional challenges, including:

  • Changes in personality
  • Serious mood swings
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Self-isolation
  • Sleep disturbances
  • Emotional lability
  • Increased anxiety
  • Signs of depression
  • Increased difficulty connecting with others
  • PTSD-like symptoms  

One of the complicating factors of TBIs is that they have a tendency to push others away just when the victim needs social support the most. Many people who endure serious TBIs compare the results to living with an altered sense of self, which is obviously very emotionally painful to endure.

Spinal Cord Injuries

A spinal cord injury can happen anywhere on the spine, and the general effects include a decrease in range of motion and ongoing pain that can become chronic. If the spinal cord is severed in the accident, the victim suffers paralysis, which means a lifetime of serious medical concerns, treatment, and care. The physical, financial, and emotional damages associated with a serious spinal cord injury are nearly impossible to overstate.

Burns and Cuts

The impact of an accident that occurs in an intersection can send accident victims flying around inside their vehicles and can even shoot them outside of their vehicles. Serious burns and cuts are often the results. Both burns and cuts run the very real risk of dangerous infections that can lead to secondary health concerns and the need for ongoing care. Further, when a serious burn or cut is on or near the face, it can be permanently disfiguring.

Intersection Safety

Intersections are so closely associated with dangerous accidents that it’s important to always proceed with utmost caution. Some of the most important rules of intersection safety include:

  • When approaching an intersection, be on the lookout for other motorists who may ignore the traffic signals in play (better to avoid an accident than to be on the right side of the law after an accident).
  • Always look twice for smaller vehicles, such as motorcycles and bikes, and pedestrians before proceeding through an intersection (in any direction).
  • If anything is blocking or impeding your view through the intersection, inch forward slowly until you are sure that it is safe for you to proceed.
  • If you have already entered an intersection when your light changes, proceed forward as soon as it is safe to do so; never reverse in an attempt to get out of harm’s way.
  • When entering an intersection when the sun is setting or rising, proceed with extreme caution since it might be difficult for other drivers to see you.
  • Be on the lookout for smaller vehicles that are hidden by larger ones when you are crossing multiple lanes of traffic.

When traveling through intersections, it’s always in your best interest to err on the side of caution.

Your Damages

With serious injuries come serious damages that your car accident claim should carefully address.

Your Medical Care and Costs

Serious injuries go hand in hand with serious medical expenses, which can include all of the following:

  • Emergency care and transportation
  • Surgery
  • Hospitalization
  • Medical treatment from doctors and specialists
  • Prescription medications
  • Physical therapy
  • Rehabilitation

Your Lost Hours on the Job and Lost Earnings

As you move through the difficult process of healing from your injuries, you will likely miss work and earn less. The decrease or disappearance of your income can be especially difficult when you are also watching your medical costs creep upwards. If your injuries interfere with your ability to do your job or to continue developing your career, they can also be responsible for a decrease in earning potential.

Your Emotional and Physical Pain and Suffering

The emotional and physical pain and suffering that accompanies a violent intersection accident can be nearly insurmountable and should not be ignored in your car accident claim.

An Experienced South Carolina Car Accident Attorney Can Help

If another driver’s negligence leaves you injured in an intersection accident, you are likely facing a difficult path forward toward recovery. The trusted car accident attorneys at McCravy Law in South Carolina are committed to skillfully applying their decades of experience in pursuit of a case resolution that covers your physical, financial, and emotional damages in their entirety. Your case is important, so please do not hesitate to call us at 1-866-622-7289or contact us online to learn more about how we can help you today.