A collision at an intersection is one of the most common – and dangerous – types of car accidents. About 40 percent of accidents occur at or near an intersection. The Federal Highway Administration estimates that more than half of all fatal and injury crashes are intersection accidents.
These crashes are particularly dangerous because traffic crosses paths at intersections. The specific factors at intersections – including heavy traffic, pedestrian crossings, cars heading in opposite directions, and high speeds – pose a significant threat to traffic safety. If you were injured in an intersection collision, our car accident attorneys in Sacramento are here to help.
Intersection Accident Causes in Sacramento
Intersection accidents are very common and occur for many different reasons. Intersection accidents can involve a head-on crash, T-bone collision, sideswipe crash, and even collisions with pedestrians and bicyclists.
Among the many potential causes of intersection accidents are:
- Speeding
- Running a red light, stop sign, or otherwise failing to yield the right-of-way
- Distracted driving, such as driving while using a phone
- Drunk driving
- An intersection with a complex or confusing design
- Following too closely
- Violating traffic signs and laws
- Electric Scooters riding through the intersection
- Pedestrians crossing the street
- Police cars going through red lights
- Driver inexperience or negligence
- Poor vision caused by fog, mist, or poor lighting
Be on the lookout for these factors when approaching an intersection. Be careful around reckless or inattentive drivers and try to avoid them if possible. Avoid aggressive driving and aggressive drivers. If you need to, take a detour to get away from them.
Try to slow down well before you reach the intersection, as speeding is one of the leading factors in intersection accidents. Be especially careful in bad weather or during any situation in which visibility is poor. If driving conditions are especially bad, you should postpone your trip if possible. Do not take chances with your safety or with the safety of others.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to avoid every potential danger, even when you are on the lookout for it and are being as careful as you can be. If you have been involved in an intersection crash that was caused by someone else’s carelessness, there are steps you should take to seek the compensation you are owed to pay your bills, repair your vehicle, and move on with your life.
What To Do If You Are In An Intersection Accident
If you’re involved in an intersection accident, it is important that you take quick action to get legal help. California has a two-year statute of limitations. With a few narrow exceptions, after the two-year deadline passes, the courts will prohibit you from pursuing compensation regardless of how valid your claim is. Do not wait to get legal help with your intersection collision case.
California uses a fault-based system when determining who pays for car accident damages. Simply put, that means that a person’s level of fault will determine how much they can collect. For example, a person who is 20 percent at fault will have their recovery reduced by 20 percent. Also, the courts will prevent any party that is more than 50 percent responsible for an accident from collecting any compensation for their losses. It is especially important to gather all possible evidence to support your lack of fault in an intersection accident.
Lawyers may analyze evidence from many different sources. These may include traffic cameras, police reports, blood and drug tests, cell phone records, eyewitness statements, as well as physical evidence from the scene of the collision. The longer you wait, the harder it can be to find these things. Eyewitnesses can be difficult to track down or may forget the details of the crash. Videos and reports could be lost or filed away with thousands of others like them. Evidence like skid marks will fade with time.
Crashes at Intersection Liability: Intersection Accident Lawyer
If you can establish that someone else was at fault for the crash, you may be entitled to fair compensation for the losses you’ve suffered as a result. These include, but are not limited to:
- Medical expenses
- Loss of income
- Reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
- Wrongful death compensation (if you lost a loved one in a crash)
You should preserve any records of medical bills and other expenses you’ve accumulated as the result of the accident. This information could be relevant to your claim.
Get Help Now from Sacramento Intersection Accident Lawyers
Have you hurt in an accident at an intersection in Sacramento or a nearby community? If so, the Demas Law Group is ready to stand up for your rights. Our dedicated trial attorneys have over 25 years of experience helping injured people in our community seek the compensation they need to recover from serious car accidents.
We are proud of our 99% success rate in reaching a verdict or settlement on behalf of our clients. We have worked hard to secure multi-million-dollar settlements for our auto accident clients. We’re ready to put our experience and skill to work for you.
Do not wait to seek the compensation you need. We know that the accident had a devastating impact on your life and your finances, which is why we won’t settle for anything less than what you are rightfully owed. Call us or contact us online now for a free claim review and advice about your best legal options. Let us fight for you.
Demas Law Group, P.C. | Sacramento Intersection Accident Attorney
