Los Angeles is home to some of the world’s busiest freeways and trucking channels, and sometimes defensive driving simply is not enough. When an aggressive driver, trucker, or other motorist hits you in the Los Angeles area while failing to properly yield, you may be entitled to financial compensation through the law.
If you were injured in a no-fault collision, you may be underutilizing your full legal rights to find evidence to support your case. Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 794-0444 for a free consultation.
Frequent Causes of Collisions
If you have ever driven in the L.A. area, you know how wildly some of the drivers behave, and often without consequence. Aggressive drivers routinely bend and break the rules. Local police are often preoccupied with more pressing crimes, unable to enforce routine traffic laws. Due to these factors, a Los Angeles failure to yield lawyer may be the first line of legal defense of the rules of the road.
With over 50,000 annual reported traffic collisions reported by KTLA 5, L.A. roadways are a busy, chaotic place. According to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), there are five frequent causes of traffic violations leading to collisions in L.A.:
- Tailgating
- Running red lights
- Driving under the influence
- Excessive speed
- Turning Left
The common underlying factor in each of these involves failure to yield to some degree. California VEH 21800 – 21809 outline the official laws regarding right of way. These laws show who has the right to go first during moments of confusion on the road. Although many collisions can be prevented by obeying traffic safety laws, many collisions involve driver impairment.
Impaired Drivers on L.A. Roadways
Vehicle operators at fault on roadways are frequently found with impairments, including:
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol (DUI)
- Sleepy driving
- Distracted driving (such as driving while texting)
Each of these can represent a potential total distraction on the road that may result in a collision. These distractions are all breaches of the rules of the road and can result in failure to yield with escalated risks of injuries and fatalities.
Truck Accidents: Heavier Loads and Higher Risks
Truck accidents can present especially escalated injuries and risk of fatality. Because trucks are heavy and large, they are difficult to maneuver in tight city spaces. They also cannot slow down as easily and as quickly as cars, and they carry additional force if they hit anything else on the road. When truck drivers break rules, including their legal duty to yield, accidents are often more serious when they do occur and can even include multiple-car pileups.
Traffic laws are in place to maximize our safety, and for those who break the rules of the road, sometimes the only enforcement is the eventual traffic collision. Unfortunately, this means that laws are usually only enforced when there is a victim with injuries.
Reasons to Act Sooner Rather Than Later
People who were injured by the fault of another in an auto accident in the L.A. area may be entitled to recover:
- Lost wages
- Medical expenses
- Ongoing therapy costs
- Pain & suffering
- Loss of consortium
- Punitive damages
Punitive damages occur in cases of extreme negligence and egregious misconduct, representing the rare instances courts try to send a message to the industry through large fines, potentially putting a company out of business. Punitive damages are often more than the other categories combined, but only a lawyer will know for sure whether punitive damages may apply to your case.
The statute of limitations in California to file a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit is two years from the date of the incident, per California CCP §335.1. After an accident, there may not be much time to gather evidence. For example, relevant nearby surveillance camera footage may exist only for a short time after a collision. Video records are large and expensive to maintain on computer servers, so security firms typically delete video after a certain amount of time elapses, and this amount of time is usually closer to a few weeks than two years.
If you believe that you were injured by the fault of another on the road in the L.A. area, Pintas & Mullins Law Firm would like to hear from you.
For a free legal consultation with a Failure to Yield Accidents Lawyer serving Los Angeles, call (800) 794-0444
Roadway Fault, Negligence and Recklessness
Truckers and drivers have standards of caution to use on the roadway. Truckers, their insurance company, and their employer may be held liable if a driver was behaving recklessly and an accident resulted, and if a number of other factors can be shown.
Truck collisions often involve serious bodily injuries and property damage, and trucking companies, insurance companies, and defense attorneys work aggressively to minimize their risks, losses, and fault percentage.
California is a “shared fault” state, meaning a percentage of fault is determined in a collision by an arbitrator, judge, or jury. If a party’s fault percentage is less than 100%, then it means they were at least partially at fault for the collision, and the eventual financial award will be changed accordingly.
Los Angeles Failure to Yield Accidents Lawyer Near Me (800) 794-0444
Time Is Limited to Take Action
The earlier you contact your legal expert, the sooner they can start building your case. Various evidentiary aspects of the traffic collision scene, such as broken glass, tire skid marks, video security cameras, and many more provide only temporary windows of opportunity, far smaller than the statute of limitations.
Expert attention costs nothing out of pocket at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm. They can provide you with a free consultation where you can have the facts of your case examined by a lawyer. There is no fee to discuss the specifics with a licensed legal expert, and it is totally confidential.
If you were injured in a vehicle accident in the L.A. area, a Los Angeles failure to yield lawyer is ready to help with collecting evidence and protecting your interests. Injuries and health issues are plenty to deal with, so let our team get to work for you today. Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 794-0444.
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