What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Arizona
My sister was involved in an auto accident where someone turned left in front of her. Your opinion on this matter is greatly appreciated, and please read the brief story below. I explained it as best as I can, and included this diagram - http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/6725/diagramt.png (please read all this thread before looking at the diagram).
Alright, my sister was coming home from college on a three lane road. The two left lanes were for people who wanted to go straight, and the third lane (all the way to the right) turned into a right-turn only lane. The two lanes (that went straight) were pretty backed up because mostly everybody wanted to go straight through the light. Because everyone wanted to go straight, my sister was the only one in the right-turn only lane.
There was a man traveling in the opposite direction in his small truck and he was in the suicide lane trying to make a left (so crossing over all three lanes that I just mentioned). The two lanes that went straight through the light, started to make a gap for him to get by (since traffic in those two lanes were almost at a stop anyway). The guy in the truck apparently just "guessed' or hoped there wouldn't be anyone in the third lane that turned into a right-only lane, but there was. It was my sister. She slammed on her brakes, but he turned right in front of her, she barely had any time. When the guy saw her, he tried to gun it past her, but didn't get too far. Since he gunned it when he saw her, my sister hit him towards the back half of his truck.
Now his insurance is trying to play it off like my sister should be liable because they think she could of stopped in time. Also, let me add there were two lifted trucks in the two lanes going straight that blocked my sisters vision from being able to see that a gap was being made (and we have a witness that is willing to make that statement in court). They are saying she is 30% liable because she hit him towards the back of his truck.
That is a load of bull! He turned right in front of her, and as soon as he saw her, she slammed on her brakes. She is a struggling college student. It's not like she wants to get in an accident.
We ended up having to hire a lawyer because my sister should be ZERO PERCENT liable. This guy turned left right in front of her. I've heard even if some lanes are making a gap, you still have to make sure ALL lanes are clear before you turn left.
We hired this attorney and it seems like he is barely doing anything! He is going to go try to talk to the guy's insurance and lower the liability on my sister's part to "maybe 20%". What is that?! We said she should be 0% liable. He is not even doing his job!
To top it off, this driver that hit my sister has multiple traffic citations in Arizona and in Oregon (where is originally from). My sister has a clean record and ZERO citations. When the cops showed up, the guy in the truck was cited, and my sister was not.
Shouldn't this be an EASY and CLEAR case that his guy should be 100% liable for this? My attorney is more concerned with getting more money through medical bills than getting my sister 0% liable for this. I guess all he is seeing is money. The more money my sister gets awarded, the more money he gets. My sister doesn't want to get bogus money for medical claims, she just wants to be zero percent liable and find a new car with the money that she gets from his insurance.
Please help me! Your input is greatly appreciated.What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
My sister was involved in an auto accident where someone turned left in front of her. Your opinion on this matter is greatly appreciated, and please read the brief story below. I explained it as best as I can, and included this diagram - http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/6725/diagramt.png (please read all this thread before looking at the diagram).
Alright, my sister was coming home from college on a three lane road. The two left lanes were for people who wanted to go straight, and the third lane (all the way to the right) turned into a right-turn only lane. The two lanes (that went straight) were pretty backed up because mostly everybody wanted to go straight through the light. Because everyone wanted to go straight, my sister was the only one in the right-turn only lane.
There was a man traveling in the opposite direction in his small truck and he was in the suicide lane trying to make a left (so crossing over all three lanes that I just mentioned). The two lanes that went straight through the light, started to make a gap for him to get by (since traffic in those two lanes were almost at a stop anyway). The guy in the truck apparently just "guessed' or hoped there wouldn't be anyone in the third lane that turned into a right-only lane, but there was. It was my sister. She slammed on her brakes, but he turned right in front of her, she barely had any time. When the guy saw her, he tried to gun it past her, but didn't get too far. Since he gunned it when he saw her, my sister hit him towards the back half of his truck.
Now his insurance is trying to play it off like my sister should be liable because they think she could of stopped in time. Also, let me add there were two lifted trucks in the two lanes going straight that blocked my sisters vision from being able to see that a gap was being made (and we have a witness that is willing to make that statement in court). They are saying she is 30% liable because she hit him towards the back of his truck.
That is a load of bull! He turned right in front of her, and as soon as he saw her, she slammed on her brakes. She is a struggling college student. It's not like she wants to get in an accident.
We ended up having to hire a lawyer because my sister should be ZERO PERCENT liable. This guy turned left right in front of her. I've heard even if some lanes are making a gap, you still have to make sure ALL lanes are clear before you turn left.
We hired this attorney and it seems like he is barely doing anything! He is going to go try to talk to the guy's insurance and lower the liability on my sister's part to "maybe 20%". What is that?! We said she should be 0% liable. He is not even doing his job!
To top it off, this driver that hit my sister has multiple traffic citations in Arizona and in Oregon (where is originally from). My sister has a clean record and ZERO citations. When the cops showed up, the guy in the truck was cited, and my sister was not.
Shouldn't this be an EASY and CLEAR case that his guy should be 100% liable for this? My attorney is more concerned with getting more money through medical bills than getting my sister 0% liable for this. I guess all he is seeing is money. The more money my sister gets awarded, the more money he gets. My sister doesn't want to get bogus money for medical claims, she just wants to be zero percent liable and find a new car with the money that she gets from his insurance.
Please help me! Your input is greatly appreciated.What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?