Managing Partner
Changing lanes can be a delicate and dangerous traffic maneuver. A driver is expected to check their mirrors and blind spots for other vehicles, use a signal, and then carefully switch lanes. This should all be done while maintaining a safe speed and not “cutting off” another motorist.
Unfortunately, not all drivers take these precautions, and they end up causing serious and sometimes catastrophic wrecks. If you were injured in a car accident in Macon or Warner Robins due to an improper lane change, it will be up to you to prove the at-fault driver’s negligence. Joshua E. Palmer Law Firm examines the evidence you will need.
What Will the Evidence Have to Show?
Every driver in Georgia is expected to conduct themselves reasonably while on the state’s roads and highways, and that includes while changing lanes. Drivers who act negligently and cause accidents can be held liable. The victim will have the burden of proving this negligence by establishing the following elements:
- Duty of care: This means that the driver has a duty to act in a manner that is reasonably safe and avoids causing harm to others. If a motorist was driving at the time of the accident, this duty will nearly always apply.
- Breach: A breach is a violation of the duty of care, and it can be evidenced by any negligent act or omission. Improper lane changes are one example of a breach.
- Causation: Next, the victim must show causation. This means proving that the at-fault driver directly and proximately caused the crash.
- Damages: Finally, the victim has to show the nature and amount of damages they sustained. This can include such losses as medical bills, lost time from work, pain and suffering, and more.
How Do I Show the Other Driver Was at Fault?
Working with an attorney, an accident victim in Macon or Warner Robins will need to gather evidence that proves all of the above, including that the defendant driver was at fault. Showing that a lane change was negligent is particularly challenging, but it is an essential element. Depending on the facts in your case, that evidence could include:
- Dashcam footage: Many drivers use dashcams to document when others are behaving unsafely. Dashcam footage may show unsafe merging, weaving in and out of lanes, switching lanes without a signal, and other negligent lane changes.
- Surveillance camera footage: If you don’t have a dashcam, it’s possible there are surveillance cameras in the area that recorded the improper lane change. Our attorney can take the steps necessary to obtain a copy of this footage.
- Witness statements: Other drivers who observed the accident, especially those who may have stopped to help you, can serve as valuable witnesses later. If there were any witnesses to your crash, get their names and contact information.
- Police report: You should call 911 and report the accident immediately. A law enforcement officer will come to the scene and generate a report about what happened. This police report is vital evidence and your attorney can get a copy of it.
- Pictures and videos of the accident scene: Take pictures and record videos of the accident scene and your vehicle. Generate these images and videos at different angles and capture debris, road markings, vehicle damage, and anything else that could show the other driver’s fault.
- Restaurant and bar records: This may sound like an odd category, but drunk drivers cause many unsafe lane change accidents. Your lawyer can trace the events leading up to the accident and determine whether the driver was intoxicated. If a Macon or Warner Robins restaurant or bar served the driver too much alcohol, it could also be held liable.
- Vehicle records: Other parties that may be responsible for unsafe lane change accidents are vehicle and parts manufacturers and repair shops. If there’s evidence that these and related parties were to blame for your crash, we will work hard to find it.
- Expert witness reports: Expert witnesses are professionals with specialized or technical knowledge who can explain complex subjects to juries. One example is an accident reconstructionist, who can observe photos, videos, and other evidence to detail how the improper lane change wreck happened.
- Your own personal account: Your statement about how the accident happened is evidence. As quickly as you can after the crash, you need to write down everything you can remember about it. Spare no detail, and turn over this information to your attorney.
Working on Behalf of Macon and Warner Robins Accident Victims
An unsafe lane change accident can change your life for the worse, but the committed team at Joshua E. Palmer Law Firm is ready to work hard for the justice you deserve. Contact us today to begin your case.
