According to the Center for Analytics & Research in Traffic Safety (CARTS), Acadia Parish has around 1,400 car accidents annually. Crashes in Crowley, LA take a variety of forms, from rear-end collisions to side-impact crashes.
One of the deadliest collision types is the head-on crash, which happens if two vehicles impact front-to-front while moving. If you or a loved one suffers an injury in one of these accidents, a Crowley head-on crash lawyer from Kenny Habetz Injury Law can help you seek compensation from the at-fault driver.
Contact our experienced car accident attorney at (337) 329-8883 for a free consultation to discuss your options.
How Our Crowley Car Accident Attorney Can Help You After a Head-On Collision
Kenny Habetz Injury Law was founded in 2010 to assist victims of traumatic incidents in Crowley, Louisiana, in their pursuit of compensation. Our founding attorney has nearly 15 years of experience representing clients against the people and businesses responsible for their injuries.
If you suffer an injury in a head-on crash, our Crowley car accident lawyer can provide:
- A free case evaluation to assess your situation and explain your legal options
- First-class client service focused on educating clients about the legal process
- A thorough investigation of the head-on collision to gather evidence
- A track record of recovering millions of dollars through negotiation and litigation
A head-on crash can cause disabling or fatal injuries. Contact Kenny Habetz Injury Law to discuss the injuries you or a loved one suffered in a head-on collision and your right to pursue financial compensation in Louisiana.
How Many Head-On Collisions Occur in Acadia Parish?
Head-on collisions are rare. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), only 3.9% of all crashes in the U.S. involve a front-to-front collision. This number places head-on crashes behind all other major types of collisions, including the most common type of crash — the rear-end crash.
However, these rare collisions are highly likely to cause injury or death. The NSC states that these types of crashes cause 29.4% of traffic deaths and 7.7% of traffic injuries. In other words, head-on crashes cause seven and a half times more traffic deaths and almost twice as many injuries compared to their share of total crashes.
CARTS does not disclose the overall percentage of head-on traffic crashes in Acadia Parish, home to Crowley. But it does list the share of traffic deaths and injuries caused by head-on collisions in the parish. These crashes were responsible for over 14% of traffic deaths and 3% of traffic injuries in 2022.
While these percentages are lower than the NSC’s numbers, they do identify the same problem: The nature of head-on crashes causes a disproportionate number of fatal injuries.
How Can a Personal Injury Lawyer Assist After a Head-On Crash in Crowley, LA?
Louisiana law gives accident victims the right to pursue compensation after collisions caused by another driver’s negligent or intentional actions. A lawyer will investigate your crash and assemble the evidence necessary to prove the other driver’s liability for your injuries.
Some issues your lawyer may face in dealing with a head-on collision case include the following:
Identifying the Causes of the Collision
Head-on crashes happen due to wrong-way driving. They cannot occur when all the vehicles in a lane travel in the same direction. For these collisions to occur, someone must travel against traffic.
This might happen when a driver:
- Goes the wrong direction on a highway ramp
- Travels against traffic on a one-way street
- Crosses into oncoming traffic on a two-way street
In rare cases, wrong-way driving may happen even though neither of the drivers acted negligently. For example, a wave of water on a flooded road may push a vehicle across the center line and into the wrong lane.
But in most cases, the cause of wrong-way driving involves negligence by the driver heading into oncoming traffic.
Examples of negligent actions that may lead to wrong-way driving include:
- Intoxication
- Fatigue
- Distraction
You can imagine how these scenarios play out. A driver might swerve into an opposing lane of traffic while reaching for their phone. They might fall asleep at the wheel and cross the median. Or, drugs and alcohol could impair their thinking and cause them to ignore warning signs and drive up a highway off-ramp.
Determining Who Contributed To the Causes
Louisiana law allocates liability to everyone who contributed to the cause of an accident, including the crash victim. If only one driver contributed to the cause of the crash, they will bear full liability for the resulting property damage and injuries. But if the accident victim also played a role in causing the crash, a judge or insurance adjuster might reduce their damages accordingly.
Suppose that you got hit by a driver who was traveling on the wrong side of the road. However, you were speeding at the time of the crash. The at-fault driver could argue that your speed worsened your injuries and prevented you from swerving to avoid the crash. If a court assigns you 35% of the fault, you can only recover 65% of your losses.
Schedule a Free Initial Consultation With Our Crowley Head-On Crash Attorney
A head-on crash can leave you facing expensive medical treatment and a long path to recovery. Contact Kenny Habetz Injury Law at (337) 329-8883 for a free consultation to learn how you can pursue compensation after a head-on collision in Crowley, LA.