Left Turn Accidents

Making a left turn may be dangerous on a two-way street or highway, since the left-turning car must cross through oncoming traffic. Drivers making a left turn should always use care, give a proper signal, look out for other cars and pedestrians, and make sure that the turn can be made without hitting another vehicle. If you are injured in a left turn collision, Knoxville car accident attorney Mark C. Hartsoe and the staff at the Hartsoe Law Firm may be able to help you recover damages. Compensation may cover medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.

In general, a driver making a left turn is supposed to yield or wait until they can safely make a turn before getting in front of a lane of oncoming traffic. Under Tennessee Code section 55-8-129, the left turn driver is supposed to yield to any car or vehicle that is close enough to be a danger. Under Tennessee Code section 55-8-142, a driver is not supposed to turn unless they can do so with reasonable safety. However, once the way is clear, a driver who is making a left turn has the right of way, and oncoming cars and trucks should yield. This means that if oncoming traffic has enough time to stop and allow a left-turning car to complete the turn, but instead a car drives into the intersection and hits the left-turning driver, the driver going straight may be held accountable.

In most cases, a driver making a left turn is liable to an oncoming driver who is driving the other way. The driver of the car making the left turn risks being T-boned and sustaining serious injuries if they do not yield appropriately. However, if the car driving straight was speeding or ran a red light, it may not stop, and that driver may be liable. Whichever driver causes the crash may be held accountable for the injuries to everyone else involved in the accident. It is critical to promptly hire an experienced lawyer like Mark Hartsoe to represent your interests and to assess the facts concerning liability.

A driver who does not use reasonable care may be held liable under a theory of negligence. In Tennessee, negligence per se is a type of negligence in which the plaintiff needs to show that the defendant violated a statute that imposes a duty or prohibits an act for the benefit of someone or the public, the injured person was within the class that the legislature intended to protect by enacting the law, and negligence was the proximate (legal) cause of the injury.

In some cases, negligence per se may apply when there has been a violation of a traffic law. The court will look at whether the statute clearly defines prohibited or required conduct, whether the statute imposes liability without fault, and whether the plaintiff's injury was a direct result of the defendant violating the statute.

If you were hurt in a left turn accident, you should consult a motor vehicle collision attorney. Many people are unable to afford to take time off and obtain medical care without getting compensation from the driver responsible for their injuries. Knoxville car accident lawyer Mark C. Hartsoe at the Hartsoe Law Firm is ready to represent you in a lawsuit for compensation so that you can focus on your recovery. Call the Hartsoe Law Firm at 865-804-1011 or contact us via our online form to set up your free consultation. We represent victims throughout East Tennessee, including in Knox, Blount, Monroe, Loudon, Jefferson, Grainger, Cocke, Campbell, Hamblen, Greene, Anderson, Cumberland, and Fentress Counties.