Category: Car Accidents — Page 20 of 22

California Vehicle Code Section 20001 requires the driver of a vehicle involved in a collision to immediately stop if the accident causes injury or death. Vehicle Code Section 20002 mandates a driver to stop at the nearest safe location after an accident where there is property damage but no injuries. Drivers must stop so they can render aid to those who are injured and so they can exchange information. California is a fault state for car accidents, so the driver who causes a crash should pay … [Read more...]

Most of us use parking lots without considering the potential safety hazards. We think that since cars travel at a low rate of speed, parking lot accidents are unlikely. Parking lots are actually dangerous places for pedestrians and drivers. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration warns that parking lots are one of the most common sites of back-over crashes.  Back-over accidents happen when a driver pulls out of a parking spot and runs over a pedestrian because the driver … [Read more...]

An in-depth study published on Distraction.gov revealed that “the relative risk of [being in a traffic accident while using a cell phone] is similar to the hazard associated with driving with a blood alcohol level at the legal limit.”   Despite the clear and present danger, Distraction.gov also reported that at any given daylight hour, there are 600,000 drivers on the roads holding phones to their ears. States have attempted to address the distracted driving issue by imposing … [Read more...]

According to MADD, every two minutes someone is injured by a drunk driver. In 2013, 10,076 people died and 290,000 more were injured by someone driving under the influence of alcohol. Driving under the influence is illegal, but the consequences for DUI are more severe if someone is injured or killed in a DUI related crash. This infographic highlights aggravated DUI factors that increase DUI penalties in California. If you or a loved one is injured or killed by a drunk driver, a … [Read more...]

When you are involved in an accident, you may have a damage claim and be entitled to compensation. Auto insurers usually pay for property and injury damages caused by their policyholders. If someone else was responsible for your collision, his or her insurer will be liable for paying you.  You can obtain money through a judgment in a civil lawsuit, but many cases settle outside of court. When you negotiate a settlement, you typically come to an agreement with an insurer on how much you will be … [Read more...]

Each year motor vehicle collisions cause billions of dollars in economic losses. In 2014, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported the actual economic costs of crashes were $871 billion over the course of the year. Medical and rehabilitation costs were primary drivers of those expenditures. Car accident victims need medical treatment to get better. An injured accident victim can sue for reimbursement of healthcare expenses in an automobile accident lawsuit. In the meantime, … [Read more...]

Similar to most states, California is an at-fault car insurance state. That means the driver deemed to be at least 50.1% to blame for an auto accident is considered to be at-fault. California law requires drivers to have liability insurance. When there is an auto accident, the liability insurance of the at-fault driver is used to cover personal injuries and property damage incurred by other drivers and passengers. Although all drivers are required to carry insurance, … [Read more...]

What Should You Do At A Car Accident Scene? from Michael Waks Car accident scenes can be chaotic, but what you do, or don’t do, at the scene can effect your car accident claim. Here's what you should do at a car accident scene. … [Read more...]

According to a survey conducted on behalf of Nationwide Insurance in 2013, most insured drivers know more about their favorite television show than about their car insurance policy. Half the respondents to the survey did not know how to file a car insurance claim, one-fifth did not completely understand the details of the policy, and only 40% had ever read the policy. Your car insurance policy is a legal contract and many people find it confusing and intimidating. Hopefully you will never need … [Read more...]

If you have a pre-existing medical condition, you may be concerned you will not receive full compensation for the injuries you sustained in a car accident. For example, before the car accident you sometimes experienced lower back pain after lifting something heavy or standing on your feet for several hours. While this pain limited a few of your activities, it did not dramatically affect your lifestyle. However, after being injured in a car accident that was not your fault, your … [Read more...]