Failure to Yield Accidents
Boston Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting the Rights of Car Crash Victims
Collisions resulting from a driver’s failure to yield cause some of the most severe and devastating injuries. At Lowney Law, LLC, our car accident lawyers proudly represent individuals in Boston and elsewhere in Massachusetts who have been hurt as a result of another person’s carelessness behind the wheel. Failure to yield collisions can happen in a matter of seconds, and drivers must exercise diligence and caution while operating a motor vehicle. The attorneys at Lowney Law LLC have the skill and experience required to assert the rights of victims against those who act negligently.
Hold Negligent Drivers Accountable for Your Injuries
One of the most common causes of failure to yield collisions is distracted driving. These accidents frequently happen when making a left turn, at crosswalks, and at controlled intersections. Other scenarios involve emergency vehicles, merging lanes, and pulling out of a private driveway. Intersections are one of the most dangerous places for failure to yield accidents.
Like other motor vehicle collisions, these crashes often result in a legal claim based on the elements of negligence. The injured person must first establish that the defendant owed him or her a duty of care. Typically, drivers have a duty to yield at stop signs and intersections when more than one direction is controlled by a stop sign, and they are required to proceed cautiously. Generally, the duty of care requires that motorists operate their vehicles with the same skill and care that an ordinary person would in similar circumstances. For example, a vehicle traveling in the right-hand lane of traffic has a duty to yield the right of way to a transit bus that is attempting to merge into that lane from a bus stop or shoulder. When a defendant fails to exercise the appropriate duty of care and yield the right of way, he or she has committed a breach of this legal obligation.
It is not uncommon for a defendant to argue that the victim was partially at fault for the collision. As long as the injured person is not more than 50 percent responsible for the accident, however, the rule of modified comparative negligence may allow him or her to receive compensation that is proportionate to the defendant’s degree of responsibility.
In addition to establishing duty and breach, a crash victim must also show that the defendant’s conduct was the direct cause of his or her harm. Finally, there must be actual costs and losses that resulted from the injuries. Since failure to yield accidents often result in side-impact collisions at intersections, they are particularly dangerous and often lead to severe harm. This is especially true when the negligent driver’s failure to yield results in a collision with a pedestrian, bicyclist, or motorcycle rider. Side impact accidents can lead to serious and catastrophic injuries, including brain damage, broken bones, and paralysis. Depending on your situation, you may be able to seek compensation for pain and suffering, medical bills, the costs of future treatment, lost wages, and repairs to your vehicle.
Explore Your Options with a Boston Lawyer after a Motor Vehicle Collision
The motor vehicle collision attorneys at Lowney Law, LLC have substantial experience representing accident victims in the Boston area. Time may be running out on your claim, so it is important that you contact an attorney without delay. We offer free initial consultations, and we do not recover any fees unless we obtain a settlement or a judgment in your favor. Call us now at 617-364-8000 or fill out our online form to set up a meeting with us. We have helped individuals throughout Massachusetts, including in Boston, Dorchester, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Roslindale, Roxbury, West Roxbury, and communities across Suffolk County.
