Sacramento Crash May Be Due to Drunk Driving
A multiple-vehicle crash along State Route 99 resulted in the injury of at least one person in Sacramento on February 15, 2020. The accident involved four vehicles and occurred near the Sutterville exit ramp. A caller to the California Highway Patrol (CHP) who reported the collision said a female driver in a silver-colored vehicle was texting and speeding when her sedan struck the center divider and several other cars. Two of the vehicles ended up in the center divide, partially blocking the number one lane. One of the vehicles in the accident was reported to have front-end damage, while another reportedly sustained a broken axle. Valley toxicology was contacted for suspected alcohol or drug use, which may have contributed to the collision.
Multiple-Vehicle Crashes
It is common to see accidents involving multiple vehicles in and around Sacramento. This is largely due to highway and urban street congestion, where vehicles are often forced to be caught in stop and go traffic. One of the main reasons this type of accident occurs is a driver’s lack of focus on the road ahead. Distracted driving has evolved as one of the major causes of accidents nationwide and is largely due to the use of cell phones and texting. Other causes of a multiple-vehicle crash are speeding, disobeying traffic laws, fatigued and drunk driving, and failing to provide an adequate distance between vehicles.
Liability in a Multiple-Vehicle Crash
Determining who was responsible for a multiple-vehicle crash is often complex. Let’s look at who is responsible for rear-end accidents, which frequently lead to a crash involving multiple vehicles. Consider that driver A is texting and fails to see that driver B has slowed down due to a traffic issue ahead. Driver A hits the rear of driver B’s vehicle, pushing it into the vehicle in front. Who is liable? Usually, the car to the rear who started the chain event is liable. In this case, driver A was driving distracted. Driver B is not liable, providing that the vehicle had functioning taillights, warning the motorist to the rear that the brakes had been applied. Driver C hit in the rear by driver B is also not responsible.
Drunk Drivers and a Multiple-Vehicle Crash
Drunk drivers are often responsible for a multiple-vehicle crash that results in serious injuries and fatalities. A conviction for drunk driving following an accident is strong proof of negligence. This is due to the fact that a conviction for drunk driving involves a greater degree of proof. When this occurs, the driver may be held responsible for their actions, both criminally and in a personal injury lawsuit.
How Can a Personal Injury Lawyer Help Me?
Our law office has handled many traffic collisions, obtaining compensation for our clients to pay for their medical bills and other costs. We send out investigators to the multiple-vehicle crash site right away to talk to the witnesses and check the police report for errors. The investigators search for nearby traffic and business cameras that might have recorded the incident and perform accident reconstruction. In addition, they check road conditions for debris, potholes, and non-functioning lights to see if the government entity in charge of maintenance was lax. Once all the information is gathered, it is turned over to our lawyers to build a case for our client. The evidence is used either when negotiating with the insurance company on your behalf or in taking the case to court.
Personal Injury Lawyer in Sacramento
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento personal injury lawyer. If you were injured in a multiple-vehicle crash, I may be able to help you get the compensation you deserve. Call me at (916) 921-6400 or on my toll-free number (800) 404-5400 for my free and friendly advice. An online form to message me is also available.
For more than 38 years, I’ve helped the residents of Sacramento obtain compensation for their accident injuries. From any sort of traffic accident to wrongful death or traumatic injury, I work hard to get you the compensation to cover your medical costs, lost earnings, and for your pain and suffering.
Go to the links below to read comments and reviews by previous clients and cases that my firm has handled:
I belong to:
Photo Attribution: Depositphotos_37553527_l-2015
:cd llo [cs 740]