In an Accident, Who Is at Fault when Merging Lanes on the Highway?

Car accidents often cause unwanted pain and suffering in addition to property damage. If you’ve been involved in an accident as the result of merging traffic on the highway, the question that often arises is in regard to who caused the accident.

As vehicle use continues to grow on congested highways, speed, understanding highway rules, and sound decision making come into play in whether an accident occurs, causing injuries and pain in its wake.

Who is at Fault when an Accident Occurs Merging Lanes?

The truth is, accidents related to lane changes and merging are often complicated, especially in determining who is at fault. These types of accidents often occur as vehicles merge onto or off a highway ramp during times of heavy, fast moving traffic. When a vehicle on the highway moving at 70+ mph and a merging vehicle collide, a serious accident is the result, one that often ends in further collisions via ensuing pile-ups.

Merging accidents occur for a number of reasons including:

• Merging onto the highway at speeds that are too fast or too slow
• Changing lanes without signaling
• Crossing over multiple lanes
• Cutting off others in traffic

In most cases, the driver of the merging vehicle is at fault, because he or she is legally obligated to yield the right of way, though there are exceptions.

When you are involved in a merging accident, you should immediately call the police and file a report. The officer on the scene will take your account and add his or her own observations, both of which will help prove your innocence if you are not at fault. You should also exchange contact details with the other driver and with any witnesses, asking them to corroborate the events leading to the accident if called upon to do so. Taking photos and drawing a diagram, if you aren’t injured, can also help.

Common Injuries in a Merging Accident

Whatever the circumstances of your accident, ensuring everyone involved in the accident gets the medical care needed on the scene and in the days that follow. Common merging accident injuries include:

• Whiplash
• Neck injuries
• Back injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Knee injuries

These resulting injuries can cause considerable problems including pain, weakness, and other discomfort.  In order to ascertain the cause of your pain and discomfort, your chiropractor will order a digital X-ray or MRI.

Following your diagnosis, your doctor will develop a customized care plan which may include chiropractic care, physical therapy, and pain management to help relieve your pain, and allow you to recover and regain your strength.

Car Accident? Call County Line Chiro First

Following a car accident, call or stop by one of our five convenient South Florida locations for a complete checkup. Here is why you should call us first:

1. Retain your medical benefits – Did you know you only have 14 days to declare injuries? If you don’t have life threatening injuries, contact us County Line immediately!
2. Transportation – We’ll pick you up! We offer transportation to your nearest County Line location just give us a call and we’ll schedule a pick up.
3. State-of-the-art technology – We have the latest technology to pinpoint any potential underlying damage. Since CAT scans can’t diagnose soft tissue damage, we use digital X-rays and MRIs to accurately diagnose and identify the source of your injury.

If you have been involved in a car accident as the result of merging traffic, on a highway, or interstate, the professionals at County Line Chiropractic Medical and Rehab are ready to help you recover with the necessary treatment required for you to recover and get the pain relief you need.