Car Accidents in Berkeley
Motor vehicle accidents can cause devastating injuries that can result in a long recuperative period or change your life forever. If you are like many individuals, you not only face the devastation of your injury but the financial repercussions associated with ongoing medical bills and lost wages.
Recovering Damages
When a motor vehicle accident has been caused by the negligence of another driver, financial damages can be awarded through a personal injury lawsuit. A seasoned injury lawyer can also assist with negotiations with insurance companies to help recover the amount you need.
What to Do After a Car Accident
- Remain calm and do not leave the accident scene.
- Check for accident injuries in your own vehicle and in other vehicles if safely possible.
- Call the police if injuries, death or vehicle damage.
- Do not move the vehicle unless there is a risk from oncoming traffic.
- Exchange information with other drivers. Include name, address, phone numbers (work and home), license number, tag numbers and insurance information, including policy numbers.
- Get contact information from witnesses. Include names, phone numbers, and addresses.
- Photograph the scene. Include placement and damage of the vehicles and any marks, such as skid marks, or damage to surrounding roadway, shoulders or guardrails.
- See a physician or seek emergency room treatment at a hospital. Some injury symptoms can be delayed. Having a record of treatment is important to support an injury claim.
- Call your insurance company and lawyer if you have one.
Berkeley Accident Statistics
In 2014, according to the California Office of Traffic Safety, Berkeley ranked as number 10 out of 57 counties in California in the number of injuries and fatalities from motor vehicle accidents. Out of 741 fatalities and injuries, consumption of alcohol was an element leading to a crash in 63 accidents, and excessive speed contributed to 154 crashes. Of the total number, 39 accidents involved injuries or deaths of motorcyclists, 98 involved pedestrians and 160 involved accidents with bicycles.
Alameda County Statistics for Motor Vehicle Crashes
In Alameda County in 2014, there were 9,039 fatalities and injuries reported in accidents. Motorcycles were involved in 534 of the crashes, pedestrians in 671 and bicyclists in 648. Speed was a factor in 2,246 of the accidents, and alcohol consumption contributed to 810 crashes.
What Can You Recover When You have a Berkeley Car Accident?
When you’ve been injured in a car accident, you experience the trauma of physical injuries and the worry of how you will pay the bills associated with the accident. You are able to recover certain economic damages and noneconomic ones too.
Economic damages are simple to understand. They include financial losses directly related to the accident. These include any medical expenses such as ambulance and hospital costs, doctor visits, medication, radiographic charges for such tests as X-rays and MRIs and blood tests.
You can recover lost wages that you would have earned if the accident had not happened. If you are unable to return to your job or even a similar job, you may be eligible for lost future wages. Household services, ancillary expenses such as gas to get to the doctor’s office and future medical care are also included.
Noneconomic damages are more complex and are specific for each case. These losses involve subjective response to the trauma the accident inflicted and the physical, emotional and psychological ways the individual was affected. The noneconomic losses include disfigurement, pain and suffering, anxiety, emotional suffering, loss of companionship, loss of physical prowess and the traumatic affliction such as PTSD.
Berkeley Car Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Berkeley car accident lawyer. Car accidents result in devastating injuries that cause pain and suffering and financial hardship. When a negligent driver caused your injuries or those of a family member, call me, Ed Smith, at (510) 631-0200 to receive friendly and totally free advice. Long-distance callers can access my toll-free line at (800) 404-5400.
Million Dollar Advocates Forum works as a guidepost for those who are searching for top trial attorneys around the country. It only allows membership from attorneys who have received settlements or verdicts for clients of $1 million or more. I am a California member of this group.
Some of my practice reviews are found on Yelp, Avvo, and Google. A synopsis of some of my former cases is on the page titled Verdicts and Settlements.
As a California personal injury lawyer for 35 years, I have handled numerous motor vehicle cases throughout the state, including recovering just compensation in wrongful death cases.
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/en/car-accident-police-2391245/
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