Ignoring red traffic lights can potentially cause devastating automobile accidents with property damage, injuries, and fatalities.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) considers red-light running a serious safety issue, resulting in several hundred people dying on U.S. roads each year. In 2017, the FHWA recorded 890 fatalities involving red-light runners at an intersection, 46 of which involved pedestrians and cyclists.
Personal injuries and property damage from car wrecks caused by red light runners can be severe due to the nature of this type of wreck. Both cars may be traveling at high speed. One motorist may have a green light while the other is rushing through the intersection on a red light as fast as they can. Red-light running accidents can also involve multiple cars.
Some of the typical bodily injuries can be shoulder, neck, and whiplash injuries, as well as fractures, spinal cord and brain injuries. Extensive injuries can require a lifetime of medical treatments and incur more medical costs.
If you were injured in a car crash due to another driver running a red light, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit and receive compensation for your financial losses, as well as the pain and anguish you endured. Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today for a free legal evaluation of your case by dialing (800) 794-0444.
Proving Fault for Accidents Caused by Drivers Running Red Lights
The driver of a vehicle entering the intersection after the traffic light has turned red commits a violation. A driver also commits a traffic violation if they turn right on red when the law does not permit a turn on red. You might think that proving fault and negligence in an accident where a driver ran a red light is relatively easy. In reality, however, proving fault can be challenging.
If the other driver ran a red light but claims they had a green light, you will need further evidence to prove the other driver’s fault. Obtaining traffic camera footage of the accident can help an accident case. If there is no camera footage and police reports remain inconclusive, you may have to file an injury lawsuit to have a chance of getting adequate compensation for your losses.
These red-light accident cases can be extremely challenging to prove, especially without witnesses. You may choose to hire a personal injury lawyer for legal representation in proving the other driver’s fault.
California’s Statute of Limitations on Personal Injury Lawsuits
When you are a victim in any type of accident and suffered extensive injuries through the negligence of another party, you usually have recourse through the legal system and could file a personal injury lawsuit. In the event that your loved one died as a result of someone’s negligent action of running a red light, for example, you could file a wrongful death lawsuit.
In the state of California, California’s Code of Civil Procedures §335.1 defines time limits for traffic accident personal injury lawsuits. Acting in a timely manner after an accident is important. For personal injury lawsuits, the statute of limitations allows you two years, starting from the date of the accident. Property damage lawsuits carry a time limit of three years.
While several years can sound like plenty of time, building a case against a negligent driver can take quite a while, potentially requiring research, the scouring of medical and police reports, as well as possibly ordering traffic camera footage. If your personal injury case is complex and it seems difficult to prove the fault of the other party, you may have to consult expert witnesses.
If you are relying on eyewitness testimony for your personal injury claim, consider that many people’s memories fade after months and years. You can contact a Los Angeles red light attorney as soon as possible after an accident to help you abide by the statute of limitations.
For a free legal consultation with a Red Light Accidents Lawyer serving Los Angeles, call (800) 794-0444
Compensatory Awards for Red Light Accidents
Having suffered injuries in a car accident is not only painful and devastating, but it can also prove extremely costly. Depending on the severity of injuries, car accident victims may not be able to return to their job for the foreseeable future, or possibly ever.
Injured victims may be permanently disabled and might need help at home or a home health aide to come to their house and help with daily tasks. It seems unfair that car accident victims must deal with these costs and worries when someone else caused the accident by their negligent and reckless action of running a red light.
You should not have to shoulder all your accident-related costs if you were not at fault. It is important to protect yourself and your family after a serious car accident. Even if your injuries are not severe or debilitating now, they could progress in the next few years. A Los Angeles red light lawyer can help you evaluate your losses so that you seek adequate compensation for your injuries. Some of the compensatory awards you could receive with a personal injury lawsuit, among others, include:
- Medical bills and future medical costs
- Lost wages and future earning capacity
- Medical equipment
- Transportation costs
- Costs for home assistance
- Compensation for pain and suffering
Do not let a negligent driver get away without seeking justice.
Los Angeles Red Light Accidents Lawyer Near Me (800) 794-0444
Contact a Los Angeles Red Light Lawyer at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm
We are here to help you if you want legal representation as you proceed with filing a personal injury lawsuit. We can take care of all the details and help you build a case. Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today for your complimentary consultation. We can discuss your next best steps for getting justice and compensation for your accident injuries. Call us at (800) 794-0444.
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