According to a news report released in May 2017 from CBS SF Bay Area, a study showed that the “number of collisions on Highway 17 has more than doubled in the past four years.” Accidents on highways, like Highway 17 and others across the nation, involve high speeds (with an average of 68 miles per hour on California highways). As a result, injuries sustained in these accidents are often more serious than wrecks that happen elsewhere. Additionally, more trucking accidents are reported on highways and these accidents are devastating and cause life-altering injuries — in worst case scenarios, even wrongful death — more often than not.
If you or your passenger were involved in an accident due to the negligence of another driver on a dangerous roadway in California, then you deserve recovery for damages.
At Golden State Lawyers, APC, we dedicate our practice to helping wrongfully injured people and the families of deceased loved ones receive justice for their physical, emotional and financial losses. We have spent the last 40 years building our reputation as a firm of aggressive negotiators and tireless litigators who do whatever it takes to see our clients through to a favorable outcome. All of our attorneys are proud to be AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®, the highest ranking for legal ability and ethics available. Our local San Jose dangerous roadway accident lawyers are prepared to fight for you no matter the situation.
What are Common Causes of Accidents on Dangerous Roadways?
Some of the most severe auto accidents are not always caused by driver negligence. Many times, the danger is posed by the roadway itself — and the workers responsible for it. Dangerous roadways result from a number of factors, including unsafe design, faulty or nonexistent inspections and inadequate maintenance. Utilizing specialized experts in the field, our dangerous roadway accident lawyers at Golden State Lawyers have successfully recovered millions of dollars for clients injured due to dangerous road conditions.
The following are examples of how dangerous road conditions can cause serious car accidents:
- Design flaws: Roads constructed that have poor visibility, unsafe turns, absence of a center divider or guard rails are dangerous. You may be able to hold the city or state and other relevant parties responsible for designing and creating the road that caused an accident resulting in personal injury.
- Inspection Failure: Roads that are not periodically inspected and maintained can deteriorate and cause dangerous conditions that could have easily been discovered had proper routine inspections been performed.
- Improper Maintenance: When repairs are made to roads, failure to use the appropriate materials — or failing to sufficiently repair known defects — can result in dangerous conditions that could lead to an accident. Examples of improper maintenance include failing to secure faulty bridge supports, overgrown foliage on the roadway and large potholes in the road that can potentially cause damage to a car.
If you are a driver, passenger or pedestrian injured as a result of a dangerous roadway accident, then you may be entitled to compensation from multiple parties for damages. In most personal injury cases in the state of California, you typically have two years from the date of the accident to file a claim. However, if the negligent party was a government entity — as is often the case in accidents caused by dangerous roadways — California only gives you six months to file a claim. For this reason, it is highly recommended that you contact reputable dangerous roadway accident lawyers for aid as soon as possible.
Data Scientist, Julien Refour, compiled and researched a series of data sets including vehicle volume, road centerlines, intersections, lighting, roadway conditions, driver age, major injuries, fatal injuries and more used to identify the most accident prone streets in San Jose:
What are the Most Common Types of Highway Accidents?
There are many different ways that an accident resulting in personal injury can happen on the highway. The following are three of the most commonly reported types of highway accidents:
- Rollovers. Many commercial trucks are very top heavy. This makes them unbalanced and more susceptible to rolling over while on the road. Rollovers often involve one or more passenger vehicles in addition to the commercial vehicle. Additionally, traveling at high speeds and high winds only heighten the risk of a rollover.
- Jackknifes. We have all seen the frightening image — either on the news or in reality — of a tractor-trailer truck at a 90-degree angle. This typically occurs when a truck driver has to suddenly slam on his or her brakes, which causes them to lock and the tractor portion of the truck to skid forward. It can be the result of driver error or other form of negligence, or it can be due to the road itself.
- Blowouts. Tire blowouts on a large commercial vehicle — or any vehicle really — can be difficult to get under control. As a result, accidents resulting from a blowout can involve multiple vehicles and, depending on the circumstances, can even cause a truck to rollover.
These and other similar circumstances are often to blame in accidents that occur on dangerous roadways. If you have been involved in an accident that was caused by the negligence of another driver or the roadway itself, then you deserve compensation for damages.
Injured in a Highway Accident? Call Now for Your Free Initial Consultation
Being injured is a scary and frustrating position to be in, regardless of how you were injured. You not only have to deal with the stress that comes from recovering from your injuries, but also with the fact that life goes on — even if you are not able to keep up with it. You might be rendered unable to work — perhaps in the long-term — from your injury, losing much-needed wages every day. If you have children, and your injury prevents you from taking care of them — then you likely have to contend with finding consistent childcare. These stressors are all the more frustrating if your injury was caused by the negligence of another.
Contact one of the dangerous roadway accident lawyers at Golden State Lawyers, APC today to set up a free initial consultation. If travel is problematic, then we will happily visit you at your home or hospital room. All of our legal services are provided on a contingency fee basis, which means we only charge a fee if you are compensated for your injuries.
Call us at 408-279-4222 or contact us online to get started.