Left Turn Car Accident
If a negligent driver recently caused you harm in an intersection accident, there is a good chance that they were making a left-hand turn.
Busy intersections can confuse drivers and a common place to get hit by another car. One of the most common mistakes a driver makes is the daring left-hand turn, where they must cross through one traffic lane and safely enter a second. Traffic engineers have recognized this risk and will install special traffic lights at intersections with many left-hand turn activities. However, these still don’t prevent all accidents.
This attorney is very smart, very experienced, returns phone calls and knows the answers when asked. One call and I knew this was a great law firm for auto accidents.
Response from the owner: Our law firm appreciates this. This is a comment we get from so many people who call…”none of the lawyers we called told me all the things that you did.” Whether we take a car accident case or not, helping people is a good thing.
5 Star Lawyer for sure! Best you will find in Saint Louis.
Response from the owner: Thanks for the 5 Star Rating. Reviews like this are great. Injury victims quickly figure out the TV advertisers are not good. We work hard at being the best we can be and it reflects in our representation of car accident victims.
Watch this lawyer in action. Was way better than all the others. Get this lawyer for an automobile accident for sure.
Response from the owner: Thanks for the recommendation. Besides doing cases, our attorneys train for this. Hard work, case knowledge and technique is key to success in car accident litigation.
Very pleased with The Hoffmann Law Firm. Lawyers are attentive, friendly and go the distance to force the settlement you want. The TV lawyers recommend low offers. This law firm gets the maximum.
Response from the owner: We get calls from car accident victims that had to fire the TV lawyers that they hired. They give the same two reasons: 1) they never spoke to a lawyer at the Big TV law firms, only a paralegal, and 2) the paralegal recommended they accept a low offer. At our law firm, you only talk to the lawyer and if an offer is low we tell you to sue. Thanks!
You will love this car accident lawyer.
Response from the owner: You are the best! Thanks for the review. Our attorneys work hard but it all starts with a great client.
Several lawyers said to call this lawyer because he is the best. You will appreciate this law firm. Helped with the injury and property claims. Attentive and knowledgeable. Great reputation in St Louis.
Response from the owner: Thanks Lexi. Our #1 source of cases is other lawyers referring us cases that are too big for them to handle.
Would use this accident law firm. Best in Saint Louis. Highly rated and it shows. After one phone call, you just know this attorney is better. 5 Stars!!
Response from the owner: Thanks for recommending our lawyers in St Louis. There is a major difference in lawyers as you well know.
Great law firm thanks Leah for the referral
Response from the owner: Appreciate you recommending our law firm. Car accident litigation is all we do and specializing allows us to focus.
Car accident lawyers on tv are not good . Get this attorney ! He is a pro !!
Response from the owner: Thanks Nathan. TV lawyers market for car accidents, use paralegals instead of lawyers and give their employees settlement quotas hence forcing cheap settlements. At our law firm, you get a lawyer who keeps pushing forward for more.
A+ attorney. Smart. Helpful. Great for automobile accident cases. Located in saint louis, missouri. Use him!
Response from the owner: Thanks. Car accident cases are difficult without the right attorney and great clients. Much appreciated.
Quality lawyer. Best law firm for a car accident. Advice was way better than other lawyers I called in St. Louis. Helped with property and injury.
Response from the owner: Thanks. The TV lawyer advertisers are just car accident settlement mills. As soon as people call a real attorney, they always tell us how much better and more helpful we were. Appreciate this.
Get this lawyer if you have an automobile accident. Simply the best!
Response from the owner: Thanks Lizzy. Recommendations from other is the best way to find a car accident attorney.
This lawyer is big time. Smooth. The other lawyers on the other side were not nearly as good as this attorney. I recommend friends in St Louis to him for accident injuries and they all say the same thing…”that lawyer is great.”
Response from the owner: Very nice of you to say. Our lawyers work hard on auto accident cases.
Family used this car accident attorney after a crash. Located in St Louis. This lawyer answers the phone and will walk you through the process. Knows his stuff!
Response from the owner: Taking calls, going over the car accident injury and property process is important. Clients that call always say we are the only lawyers that explained everything. Much appreciated.
Tried the lawyers on TV. They were not good. Hired this car accident lawyer instead because he had great reviews. The reviews are correct. This attorney is as good as they get. He does big injury cases that need to be litigated.
Response from the owner: Car accident lawyers on TV do not litigate cases. It is mass production. They have quotas. Local attorneys are best on auto accidents.
Very very good at injury claims for car wrecks. Use this St Louis attorney. Two thumbs up!
Response from the owner: Thanks for the review! All we do is accidents. When you specialize, your knowledge base and practice skills grow. Thanks!
Used this attorney for an auto accident. Highly recommend this lawyer in St. Louis. Communicates well.
Response from the owner: Communicating with clients is essential. Taking the client though the car accident claims process is important otherwise major mistakes can occur. It is an effort that we make. Thanks!
Best for car accidents in St Louis. Use this attorney.
Response from the owner: Thanks. Great clients make for great cases!
This lawyer is great for car accident injury claims. Did an uninsured motorist case. Very good attorney.
Response from the owner: Car accidents can be insured or uninsured. The claims are much different. Thanks for the review.
Great lawyer if you are in an auto accident. I recommend this attorneys office.
Response from the owner: Thanks J. Glad we got your auto accident case completed and that for telling others about our lawyers.
Very good car accident attorney. Did my and my relatives claims and paperwork. Highly recommend.
Response from the owner: Thanks for recommending our law firm on car accident cases.
Fantastic law firm, I would recommend! Received free consultation related to an auto accident when my parked car was damaged by a baseball. Very supportive advice, these guys are good!
Response from the owner: Thank you!
Recommend this attorney for auto accidents.
Response from the owner: Thanks for recommending our attorneys for an automobile accident.
Best St Louis lawyer for car accidents.
Response from the owner: Thanks Tana. Appreciate this!
Great Lawyer!!
Response from the owner: Thank you
I was in a car accident in St.Louis and hired Chris as my lawyer. He was amazing!!! He helped me every step of the way and was able to get me a great settlement!!!Highly, highly, highly recommend him!
Response from the owner: Each step is important in a car accident. Thanks for recommending us for car accidents injury claims.
If you have an auto accident and need an attorney in St Louis, I recommend Mr Hoffmann.
Response from the owner: Appreciate this James and you did great as well. Car accident claims always start with a good client.
Great car accident lawyer. Did a very good job on my injury case. Thanks!
Response from the owner: Thanks. Appreciate the compliment. All we do is car accident litigation.
Very accomplished accident attorney in Saint Louis. 5 stars for sure!
Response from the owner: Thanks
A car accident lawyer I would recommend to anyone.
Response from the owner: Thanks. That is great of you to say about our lawyers.
Great car accident attorney!!
Response from the owner: Thanks
When I had my accident he was very professional, honest and caring to me and my family it wasn't about the money it was about the care, he made sure me and my kids were took care of and I really appreciate it this is a gexcellant law firm also his secretary is the best,so I would like to say thank you chris for everything melinda .
Response from the owner: Thank you
Great car accident lawyer in St. Louis. This is a very good car accident lawyer in St. Lious. Takes phone calls. Listens. Experienced in injury litigation.
Response from the owner: Thanks Maddie. Our law firm brings experience to the table on car accident cases.
Great people, helped me through a situation over the phone. His words and advice eventually helped me in my case.
Response from the owner: Glad to hear!
Although Mr. Hoffman did not represent me in my case he was willing to take the time to get me in touch with someone who specializes in the type of incident I needed legal representation with. Attorney's such as Mr. Hoffman are difficult to find. He took personal time to keep in touch with me and give me sound legal advice and guidance. I highly recommend speaking with Mr. Hoffman if you require his services. I truly believe he is the type of person who cares and will make sure the job gets done RIGHT. Do not hesitate to contact him
Response from the owner: Anytime!
In an auto accident in St. Louis, the other car pulled out and hit us. The collision was very bad. We were all injured and used this attorney. He is very experienced in handling injury claims and got a great settlement after filing a lawsuit for us. 5 Stars!
Response from the owner: Thanks Ms. Santoni. Side impact car accidents are some of the worst our lawyers see. We have to file lawsuits on nearly every case because insurance companies deny almost every claim, but I am glad we got yours resolved. I appreciate you recommending our lawyers and giving us a 5 Star rating.
My daughter and I were in an car accident. We for both injured badly. After I finally got out of the hospital, I started looking for lawyers in Saint Louis and found this attorney who does accident and injury claims. It said their attorney would answer 24 hours a day. I called their law firm at 10 p.m. and a injury lawyer answered. He was polite, knowledgeable, and advised me of what needed to be done for myself and my daughter regarding the car accident. I hired them to do or auto accident case. They kept me well informed during the car accident case in Saint Louis County Court. I was well prepared for depositions. He help with everything. I got a good settlement as did my daughter for our injuries. Although the car accident was scary, it was bearable having a good helpful attorney on our side. I highly recommend this Saint Louis car accident law firm. Their attorneys and lawyers are great. Highly recommended
Response from the owner: Happy to help.
The Chris Hoffman law firm takesgreat care of all my legal needs. They are caring and personal and will fight for what you need. I highly recommend them. You will be very satisfied and know he got you the best deal available.
Response from the owner: Great cleints are the start to pursuing any legal case and you are the best! Thanks for the recommendation Barbara!
A true professional in terms of car accident cases. I definitely recommend this lawyer for any injury after a St. Louis accident. Very good at what these attorneys do!
Response from the owner: Thank you very much for such a great review. Our attorneys work hard at providing great service. Car accident cases are fought by insurance companies from the property damage through the personal injury claim. This forces people to get local lawyers to do their claims. Missouri and Saint Louis, in particular, is known for accident claim denial even against your own insurance carrier. Thanks again!
You will not find better attorneys for a car accident in St. Louis. Very experienced. These attorneys know all the facets of an accident case and have great advice when problems come up during the injury claim.
Response from the owner: Thanks Jack. Our attorneys appreciate a great review like this. It helps car accident victims know who are the real lawyers in St. Louis who do this work versus the mere advertisers who refer victims to lawyers they have never met for a kickback. Much appreciated!
Thanks for helping with my car accident case. These lawyers are best in St. Louis.
Response from the owner: You are welcome and thanks for the review! A lot of car accident victims read these and find it helpful in choosing a lawyer for their case. Great cases always start with great clients!
great lawyer for auto accident cases . I thought this law firm did great work .Very happy with their services. I would recommend them to others.
Response from the owner: It was very nice of you to leave a review. Thanks Brenda! A good case always starts with a great client. We appreciated the recommendation. It is good to hear back from clients and have them refer us to other injury victims after a car accident. Wish you well!
This is the best choice for a car accident attorney. These lawyers get great settlements.I was recommended to them from some people I know and was happy to get a great recommendation.
Response from the owner: Our attorneys appreciate the compliment! It is great to hear we are doing well. It means a lot when you recommend our lawyers to other car accident victims. Thanks again!
Glad I switched to this auto accident lawyer. These lawyers fight hard for their injury clients. I highly recommend these lawyers.
Response from the owner: We are happy you switched as well. Good clients are the basis for a good case. Fighting to protect your rights after an accidental injury is our sole focus. Your recommendation means a lot. Thanks again for the review.
If you are injured in a car accident you should hire this attorney. This is the best legal representation. These attorneys are very professional.
Response from the owner: Thank you for reviewing our law firm and recommending our lawyers. Attorneys appreciate feedback on whether they are doing well on cases and reviews are one of the best means for this.
ST.LOUIS AUTO ACCIDENT? I RECOMMEND THIS LAWYER FOR ANY ACCIDENT CASE INVOLVING INJURIES. VERY GOOD LAWYERS!
Response from the owner: Appreciate the Good Words! SInce our law firm started focusing exclusively on car and auto accidents, the focus had increased our knowledge and the learning curve has greatly benefited out settlement results. Specializing is key for any lawyers! All benefit from this. Thanks again for the review!
Causes of Left Turn Intersection Accidents
Even with traffic lights in place, speeding, drunk driving, distracted driving, and even human error can all cause major intersection accidents. Left-hand turn maneuvers are all the more dangerous as they involve multiple lanes of traffic coming from two different directions. If you were injured in such an accident, you probably never even saw it coming.
Why Are Left Turns So Dangerous?
Left turns are considered dangerous due to several factors:
Sudden Stops
One of the biggest dangers of making a left turn is that you may have to stop unexpectedly. This can be due to several reasons, such as another car unexpectedly pulling out in front of you or a pedestrian walking into the crosswalk. Sudden stops can lead to confusion or cause you to lose control of your car, increasing the risk of an accident.
Blind Turns
Another danger of left turns is blind spots. As anyone who has ever driven knows, blind spots are areas on the road where you can’t see what’s happening around you. This presents a major risk when making left turns, as other cars traveling at high speeds may be in your blind spot and thus invisible to you. This can lead to serious accidents, especially when turning onto a busy street.
Fortunately, you can take certain safety precautions to reduce the risks associated with left-turn-related blind spots. This includes using turn signals more carefully or increasing following distances between vehicles to increase reaction time if another car does appear unexpectedly in your blind spot. You can also take extra care by merging over slightly further from the center line before beginning your turn. This can help minimize the chances you’ll veer too far out into traffic once you start turning.
Inability to Judge Speed
When making a right turn, you can usually tell how fast oncoming traffic moves. However, judging the speed of oncoming traffic when turning left can be more difficult. Misjudging the speed and turning it into oncoming traffic can lead to an accident.
Poor Vantage Point
When making a right turn, you have a good vantage point of oncoming traffic. However, other cars or obstacles often obscure your vantage point when turning left. This makes it more difficult to see oncoming traffic, which can result in an accident.
Unfamiliar Intersections
Another danger of left turns is that they often involve unfamiliar intersections. This means that you may not know the layout of the intersection or what type of traffic pattern to expect. This can lead to confusion and accidents.
Traffic Lights
Left turns also often involve waiting at red lights, further obscuring your view of oncoming traffic. And if the light turns green while you’re still waiting to turn, oncoming traffic may start moving before you can see it, which can lead to an accident.
Who Is At Fault?
Generally, the driver attempting a left turn is found at fault because that driver must give the right of way to oncoming vehicles and ensure enough space to make the full turn without interrupting traffic flow. However, this rule has some exceptions, and sometimes, it is very difficult to prove fault. Here are a few accident scenarios in which the driver of the other vehicle involved in the accident can also be partially or completely at fault.
- The driver of the other vehicle involved in the accident ran a red light or was speeding at the time of the accident.
- The other driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs when the accident occurred. However, it would have to be proven by blood alcohol concentration tests.
- The other driver broke traffic laws immediately before the accident occurred.
- The other driver indulged in distracted driving, such as mobile phone use.
- The other motorist did not have a valid driver’s license when the accident occurred.
Safely Making a Left-Hand Turn
Here are some tips to help a driver avoid a left-turn accident.
- Yield the right of way to traffic.
- Ensure no bicycles, vehicles, or pedestrians are in your path.
- Signal your intent to turn at least 150 feet in advance.
- Be extremely cautious.
The summer months are the most dangerous months to be on the roads. This time is sometimes referred to as ‘left-turn accident season’ and with good cause. In the summer, more vehicles are on the roads, increasing the chances of two vehicles colliding. The heat can cause drivers to become fatigued more easily. Additionally, the heat can cause tempers to fray, and people may drive more aggressively. The number of drunk drivers on our roads also increases in the sunnier weather. The number of motorcycles and bicycles on the roads also rises, so accidents are bound to happen.
Why ‘left-turn accident season’?
This time of year is known as left-turn accident season because when a car makes a left turn, it can be easy to miss seeing a biker or a cyclist coming across the opposite intersection if the driver is not paying full attention. Of course, it could also be a car, van, or truck, but these are easier to spot. More often than not, motorcycles and bicycles are involved in these accidents.
Injuries from Left Turn Intersection Accidents
Broken bones, neck injuries, and brain trauma are all common injuries associated with left-hand turn accidents. Recovery time could be long, with large medical bills to show for it. In addition, you may be facing years or even a lifetime of continued care for a grave injury. Our law firm helps by projecting the estimated cost of that care and seeing that it is included in your car accident claim.
Automatic Liability?
Left-turn accidents do not automatically result in liability for the defendant. The defendant can use the issue of contributory negligence to defend cases where the defendant made a left turn in front of an oncoming vehicle. The various ways the plaintiff can be considered negligent are when they are speeding, they could have slowed down, or when the other driver nearly cleared the intersection when the crash occurred.
The above-mentioned defenses can increase the amount of fault allocated to the victim and decrease the defendant’s fault. This can significantly affect the amount of damages that can be recovered.
Free Consultation with a St. Louis Car Accident Lawyer
Don’t let the fear of being found to blame force you into a settlement without first speaking with a lawyer who has extensive experience with car accident claims. With intersection cameras and access to traffic light patterns, our firm has great success in proving negligence in left-hand turn accident claims. If you were injured or lost a family member in a car accident due to a negligent driver, call our 24-hour legal help number at (314) 361-4242 or toll-free (866) 763-6433.
Free Consultation (314) 361-4242
Frequently Asked Questions: Left-Hand Turn Accidents in St. Louis
Who is at fault in a left-turn accident?
In most cases, the driver making the left turn is presumed to be at fault. However, there are exceptions, such as when the oncoming driver runs a red light or is speeding. Each case is unique and requires careful investigation.
How can I win a left-turn accident case?
To win a left turn accident case, you’ll need to prove the other driver was at fault or shared fault. This may involve gathering evidence such as traffic camera footage, witness statements, and expert testimony. An experienced St. Louis car accident lawyer can help build a strong case.
What if I’m partly at fault for a left-hand turn accident?
Missouri follows a “pure comparative fault” rule. This means you can still recover damages even if you’re partly at fault, but your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you’re found 20% at fault, you’ll receive 80% of the total damages.
Are left-hand turn accidents always the fault of the turning driver?
No, while the turning driver is often at fault, there are situations where the other driver may be fully or partially responsible. Examples include speeding, running a red light, or driving under the influence.
What evidence is important in a left turn accident case?
Key evidence can include police reports, witness statements, traffic camera footage, skid mark analysis, and vehicle damage. Your St. Louis car accident attorney will help gather and analyze all relevant evidence to support your case.
