Since California has multiple densely populated areas, the state sees thousands of car collisions yearly. Traffic accidents often happen in Redding, where there are many motor vehicle crash types, although some accidents are more common.
People collectively lose millions of dollars in healthcare expenses and car damage from car accidents. Car crash claims work to get victims the compensation they need to recover. Since crash claims require completing so many challenging tasks, contact a car accident lawyer for the legal support you need to pursue the compensation you deserve.
Areas in Redding With a High Accident Potential
Motor vehicle crashes may happen anywhere in Redding and at any time. However, an area with a high accident potential is an urban interstate. For example, Interstate 5 sees over 180 fatalities every year.
Intersections also see many accidents, especially during increased traffic. Some people try to speed through an intersection to beat a red light. This dangerous behavior can result in a collision. Additionally, a driver may not pay attention and crash into someone when they make a turn.
Many people use arterial roads to and from highways. The arterial routes near motorways like I-5 and CA 44 see regular traffic flow, making accidents more common.
The Common Traffic Accidents in Redding
Redding residents may suffer from various car accidents. Some accidents happen more frequently than others. Regardless of the type, speak to a lawyer if you believe another person’s negligence led to your injuries from a car accident.
Head-on Collisions
In Redding, a head-on collision is one of the most common motor vehicle accidents. This crash occurs when the front ends of each vehicle collide to cause significant damage.
Many causes lead to a head-on crash. For example, drinking alcohol excessively or becoming distracted can cause head-on collisions. Severe weather can obstruct a person’s view or make the driver lose control of the car, resulting in a head-on crash. Regardless, the impact can significantly affect someone’s health, property, and well-being.
Rear-End Collisions
Redding drivers risk getting into rear-end collisions on busy roads. Rear-end damage happens when the front end of one vehicle runs into the back bumper of another car. Even if the force of impact seems minor, this accident can lead to injuries like whiplash.
Speeding often contributes to rear-end collisions. Around 35.1 percent of speed-related accidents are rear-end crashes. A higher speed means a person requires more distance and time to react and brake. As a result, a speeding car is less likely to stop before hitting another car.
Alternatively, an individual might not notice traffic slowing down in front of them if they are distracted by a phone or other external element. Drowsiness is another factor contributing to rear-end accidents since fatigue affects the ability to react.
Side-Impact Collisions
Side-impact collisions, or T-bone accidents, are another frequent car crash type. This accident occurs when a vehicle’s front end collides with another car’s side. Side-impact collisions regularly occur at intersections.
A side-impact collision can happen when motorists ignore a red light or a stop sign and hit a passing vehicle. In addition, left-hand turns have the potential for an accident. The risk of a head-on collision generally increases during periods of heavy traffic.
Another cause of a side-impact collision happens when a person fails to yield to oncoming vehicles. Phones and other distracting devices draw a driver’s attention away from the road, contributing to these accidents.
Rollover Accidents
Rollovers occur when a car turns onto its side or roof in an accident. Sometimes the vehicle flips completely back onto its wheels. Regardless of where a car lands, the motion can result in substantial damage, like traumatic brain injuries.
Speeding may cause a rollover accident if the driver makes a sharp turn. However, unsafe road conditions often contribute to these accidents. The design of a curved street might pose dangers for unsuspecting motorists. Additionally, a driver could hit another vehicle, causing it to flip over.
Single-Vehicle Crashes
A driver can get into an accident without a collision with another vehicle. The driver could swerve off the road and hit a tree, pole, or fence. Other single-vehicle crashes happen when an object falls off a car, striking another vehicle.
Slippery road conditions may cause someone to lose control and drive off the road. Another cause of a single-vehicle accident is equipment failure. A tire could blow out suddenly, or the brakes fail to work.
Hit-And-Run Accidents
In Redding, around 17 hit-and-run accidents happen annually. The state requires motorists to stop and exchange information with the person they hit. They generally must wait for the police to arrive as well. Nevertheless, some people leave the scene.
One reason a person may hit and run is the liable driver did not have a license. Another cause of a hit and run is the person is underinsured or has no coverage. Additionally, the driver could have been drinking alcohol or engaging in other dangerous or illegal behavior during the accident.
What Injuries Are Worth More in a Claim?
If another person caused your accident, you start a claim to pursue reimbursement. The value of your damages depends on multiple factors, including the type and extent of injuries.
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A car accident claim increases in value with severe injuries, including:
- Traumatic brain injuries. The in-hospital costs alone may range anywhere between $2,130 and $401,808. In addition, the injury may affect a person’s ability to earn wages due to lost mental function.
- Burn injuries. While car fires are rare, burns may result from seat belt friction, hot metal, or a deployed airbag. A first-degree burn usually does not lead to a high settlement. However, more severe burns require expensive treatment and long recovery periods.
- Scarring. Glass and other sharp objects may leave someone with a scar. A person is likely to get a high settlement based on the location and severity of the scar. Additionally, permanent scars are more severe due to the emotional harm they cause.
- Spinal cord injuries. A person may have a hospital bill worth tens of thousands of dollars. Of course, the bills add up for lifetime treatment. Tetraplegia can have a lifetime cost of over $5.4 million. Car accident lawyers ensure compensation matches the expenses.
You may not know the scope and extent of your injuries until you see a doctor. When you do, keep a copy of your medical documents with you. You can give these documents to your car accident attorney to assess. They use the records to estimate how much compensation the other side owes.
Who Can You Sue for a Car Accident in Redding?
The Other Driver
In most cases, the liable party is another driver. Many accidents happen because of human error. Motorists should know the traffic laws and act accordingly. If motorists fail to uphold their duty of care to others, they are responsible for the resulting damages.
An Employer
However, entities beyond the driver may be liable for the accident. When your lawyer determines fault, they may discover a business owner owes you compensation. An employer may be accountable if a worker drove a company vehicle during the accident.
The employee must have been on duty at the time and traveling to fulfill the business’s interests. Independent contractors make liability even more complex. To navigate the complexity of car accident claims and to ensure you don’t miss any possible liable parties, hire a lawyer to help hold the right person responsible.
The Government
The government is another potentially liable party in a car accident case. If the other driver was a government employee, you could sue their department. To successfully hold the government accountable for your accident, you must prove the worker traveled during work hours to perform their duties.
A person could file a claim against a government agency if the road conditions were unsafe. The city might be responsible if the streets had significant potholes or a flawed layout. The claimant needs to link the government’s inaction to fix the road to the collision. Holding the government liable is challenging, and a lawyer can help.
A Manufacturer or Distributor
A car part manufacturer, distributor, or car dealer may be liable for your accident. An improper vehicle assembly or poor design could lead to an equipment malfunction, causing a motor vehicle accident and various injuries. Manufacturers are negligent if they do not ensure vehicle parts do not cause unnecessary harm to consumers.
A lawyer may also find the distributor or dealer responsible if the entities were reasonably aware of car defects and allowed the product to enter the market.
In some cases, multiple groups are negligent, causing an accident. Your attorney evaluates each piece of evidence to see which parties owe you compensation.
The Insurer May Deny Your Claim
A sign of when you need a car accident lawyer is if the insurer denies your claim. An adjuster may reject a claim for a variety of reasons. Some justifications are valid, but others might be in bad faith.
Causes for a denied claim include:
- A delayed medical evaluation. Attorneys advise clients to see the doctor immediately following an accident. Postponing a visit to a doctor might make the insurer think the damage is not substantial.
- The adjuster believes you are at fault. While insurers want to know the facts, they also want to save money. An adjuster looks for admissions of guilt or other reasons to believe the victim is liable. Avoid giving recorded statements to the insurer.
- A policy limit. A person’s needs after a collision may exceed their or the other driver’s maximum coverage. The adjuster may pay the victim up to the limit or refuse a payout. Make sure to review the terms of your current policy.
- An excluded driver. In some cases, the at-fault motorist is an excluded driver: someone whose name was not under the car owner’s insurance plan. Many policies do not cover damages if an excluded driver causes them.
- The claimant missed the deadline. Car accident victims generally have to report the incident and file a claim quickly. Insurance companies may have a strict time limit for initiating a claim. The adjuster is likely to reject someone who missed the deadline.
Find a motor vehicle collision firm if you believe the insurance company refused your claim unfairly. An attorney can determine if you rightly deserve payment from the at-fault driver.
The Statute of Limitations in Redding
Car accident victims in Redding must act quickly to obtain reimbursement for their losses. Like other states, California has a law for the statute of limitations regarding car collisions. The clock begins to run the moment the accident occurs.
The usual time you have to begin a lawsuit is two years from the day of the accident. Once the two years are up, you can no longer seek compensation, and the other party can ask the judge to dismiss your case.
If the victim died after a car crash, a family member could sue the liable party on their behalf via a wrongful death claim, but they have limited time to initiate one. The deadline to file such a claim ends two years after the victim’s death.
Some people only want to file a property damage lawsuit. The California statute of limitations is three years for this type of claim. Additionally, a person has about six months to send a notice of claim if the defendant is the municipality.
A couple of years is not much time when you are busy with your recovery and other personal matters. Immediately hiring a car accident lawyer after a crash helps ensure you file all paperwork on time and do not miss the deadline.
How to Pause the Statute of Limitations
A few circumstances may pause the statute of limitations temporarily. For example, the victim could be someone under the age of 18. The two-year period does not start until the minor turns 18.
Another reason to stall the deadline is if you cannot locate the at-fault driver. The person might have left the state immediately after the collision. The law may provide you time to find and serve the liable party.
If a car accident in Redding injures you or someone you know, contact a car accident lawyer to assist you with your claim.