What to do after a sideswipe car accident in Nashville, TN

After being in a Nashville sideswipe accident, the following steps can put you in the best position possible for your health, and for your personal injury claim:

1. Inspect yourself and passengers involved for injuries.
2. Call 911 immediately, especially if you require medical attention. For non-emergency highway incidents, call 847 (THP) on any cell phone. A police officer will likely come to the scene, but if they do not, you will need to report the crash yourself by filling out and mailing a Nashville police report within 20 days of the accident. If a passenger was injured in the crash, they can also obtain a copy of the report as an involved party.
3. Get medical attention as soon as possible. Medical treatment is essential to your recovery, and will also serve to document your injuries for the insurance company. Personal injury lawyers will use this documentation as evidence in your claim.
4. Ensure you are safe from oncoming traffic. If you can move your vehicle to the side of the road, do so safely. This not only protects you from further injuries, but also helps protect other motorists who may need to avoid the crash.
5. Photograph the scene in a way that shows what happened. Taking pictures will help you remember details about the crash and serve as evidence to document the accident. This evidence can help support your personal injury case if you’ve been hurt and seek compensation. Take photos or video evidence of vehicle damage, injuries, and the scene.
6. Take notes about the accident, including the location, date and time of the accident, and the direction each vehicle was traveling. If you were the victim of a hit-and-run, note any details about the car that hit you such as their license plate or any other identifiable items on the vehicle.
7. Exchange information with the other driver, including driver’s license, insurance information, address, phone, email, and vehicle information, including the make, model, and license plate number. You should also ask for the vehicle identification number (VIN), which is located on the dashboard on the driver’s side of the vehicle.
8. Gather contact information from witnesses, including their name, email, and phone, if possible.
9. Do not admit fault to the other driver, police, or your insurance company. Your car accident attorney will help determine fault through the proper channels and processes.
10. Contact an experienced Nashville car accident attorney as soon as possible.

Nashville car accident lawyers can help you after being sideswiped

If you’ve been injured in a sideswipe accident, an experienced personal injury lawyer, such as Hughes & Coleman, can help you recover compensation for:

• Property damage
• Medical bills
• Lost wages (including future lost wages)
• Pain and suffering

Car accident victims should contact an attorney as soon as possible following a wreck. Our legal team is here for you at 800-800-4600, day and night.

What are sideswipe car accidents?

Sideswipe accidents are a type of car accident in which the sides of two vehicles collide with each other while traveling in the same or opposite directions. There are two types of sideswipe collisions that our Nashville personal injury lawyers often handle:

Sideswipe in the same direction

A same-direction sideswipe accident occurs when two vehicles traveling in the same direction make contact with each other on their sides. This typically happens when one vehicle attempts a lane change and inadvertently swipes the side of another vehicle in the process.

For example, if a driver in the right lane of a highway attempts to change into the left lane without checking their blind spot and hits the side of a vehicle already in the left lane, this would be considered a same-direction sideswipe accident.

Blind spot accidents can occur in various types of wrecks involving passenger vehicles, motorcycles, and commercial trucks. Commercial trucks, in particular, are prone to such accidents due to their larger blind spots, also known as “no-zones”.

Sideswipe in the opposite direction

An opposite-direction sideswipe car accident occurs when two vehicles traveling in opposite directions make contact with each other on their sides. This type of accident can occur when one of the vehicles drifts into the opposite lane of traffic, such as when a driver falls asleep at the wheel or loses control of their vehicle.

Opposite-direction sideswipe accidents can be dangerous and have the potential to cause severe injuries or fatalities. The force of the impact can cause the vehicles to lose control, veer off the road, or collide with other vehicles or objects. In some cases, these accidents can also result in head-on collisions, which are among the most serious types of wrecks, and can often result in serious injury.

Sideswipe auto accident statistics in Nashville

According to Nashville car accident data, there were 2,136 sideswipe collisions in Nashville in 2022. Most sideswipe accidents in Nashville occur when vehicles are traveling in the same direction, though there are instances where sideswipes happen when cars are traveling in the opposite direction.