Navigating crossroads is a typical component of driving in West Virginia. If you live or work in a rural area, you might encounter intersections not secured by stop signs or traffic signals. Even in areas where intersections are secure, the risk for collision is high; chances that driver negligence may be a causal factor when a crash occurs at a crossroads are also high.
If you survive a collision at an intersection, you might suffer severe injuries. Statistics show that such collisions often involve fatalities. Data also shows that certain types of driver negligence often occur moments before vehicles collide at an intersection.
Did the driver who hit you run a red light?
Speed is a critical factor for all motorists as they approach an intersection. If you have a green light, but a driver to your left or right fails to stop at a red light, the results may be disastrous. Whether he or she was aware that the light was red and was acting recklessly — or was dealing with a distraction at the time and didn’t notice the traffic signal — is irrelevant. Either way, the driver’s failure to stop may have caused you or someone in your vehicle to suffer severe injuries if a collision occurred.
Were you hit from behind at an intersection?
If you’ve ever had someone tailgating you on a West Virginia highway, you understand how frustrating and annoying (and dangerous) it can be. If another driver is traveling to closely behind you when you come to a stop or slow down at an intersection, you might end up hit in a rear-end collision. This type of crash often results in severe whiplash injuries for occupants of the struck-by vehicle.
Did a vehicle hit you when you were crossing the street?
If you suffered injuries as a pedestrian struck by a vehicle at an intersection, your recovery may be a long, arduous process, especially if you suffered broken bones or a brain or spinal injury. A driver’s failure to observe surroundings is a common issue in intersection collisions, particularly those involving pedestrians.
Building a strong support network after a motor vehicle collision
As mentioned earlier, many West Virginia intersection collisions result in fatalities. Surviving a crash doesn’t necessarily mean you can return to work right away or resume life as usual. In fact, you may have suffered severe injuries that require extensive medical treatment. If your injuries resulted in incapacitation, you might need additional support to assist with daily functions, either temporarily or on a permanent basis.
In addition to your family members and close friends, you may also need support from an experienced medical team, physical therapists or nurses who provide in-home care. Many recovering accident victims also seek legal support, especially when driver negligence was a causal factor in the collision that resulted in their injuries.
