Sacramento Three-Vehicle Accident Near Airport Boulevard
A Sacramento three-vehicle accident on the Airport Boulevard off-ramp just north of Interstate 5 on March 20 resulted in two couples being taken to the hospital for injuries. The collision occurred shortly after 3:00 in the afternoon, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP). The two couples were taken to Sutter Medical Center for treatment. The accident is being investigated by the CHP. No information was released on whether drugs or alcohol consumption contributed to the crash.
Highway Ramp Accidents
Crashes are common on highway entrance and exit ramps and cause a surprising number of serious injuries. About 50 percent of accidents occur when a motorist is exiting a highway, while 36 percent happen when accessing the on-ramp. Three major types of crashes that can include three-vehicle accidents occur when entering or exiting a highway. These include:
- Run-off-road: Run-off-road accidents often involve only one vehicle but can be caused by a two or three-vehicle accident. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 95 percent of these crashes are caused by driver error. Reasons include speeding, overcompensation, drowsy driving, and distractions.
- Rear-end collisions: About one-third of all accidents are rear-end collisions. Major causes include speeding, distracted driving, fatigue, being intoxicated, a mechanical error such as bad brakes and being an aggressive motorist. Weather conditions such as rain and snow can also be a contributing factor in a Sacramento three-vehicle accident started by a rear-end collision.
- Sideswipes: A sideswipe is caused when vehicles in parallel lanes get too close to each other. Distracted driving, alcohol, drug use, and fatigue are common causes. Sideswipes may occur in addition when a driver overcorrects or attempts to change lanes without looking.
Obtaining Compensation After an Accident
Since California is a comparative fault state, it is important that the accident investigation is thorough to assign appropriate blame. If not, this can affect how much personal injury compensation you can receive and potentially affect your insurance, resulting in higher payments. A lawyer with experience in investigating an accident can check the police report for mistakes, interview witnesses and use crash reconstruction to determine exactly how the collision happened. This places you in a good position to deal with the insurance company as well as build a case to present in court if necessary.
Common Injuries in a Sacramento Three-Vehicle Accident
Different types of injuries are common in a multi-vehicle accident. Some are listed below:
- Cervical sprain and strain: One of the most common soft-tissue injuries is cervical sprain and strain, most often referred to as whiplash. As the vehicle accelerates and decelerates, the head and neck are propelled forward and backward in a rapid, snap-like motion. Often, the symptoms take days to become noticeable and can persist for a month to years in some cases. Some specific symptoms include upper back and neck pain, shoulder pain, blurred vision, headache, tingling in the arms and dizziness.
- Abrasions and lacerations: Both cuts and bruises are common in a car accident often caused by airborne debris in the vehicle. Scalp wounds and facial lacerations can cause excessive bleeding and should always be seen by a doctor.
- Muscle and ligament damage: Any area on the body is susceptible to muscle and ligament damage. While not life-threatening, they do cause considerable discomfort.
- Rupture of the diaphragm: After a considerable blow to the chest, the diaphragm, a thin skeletal muscle that separates the abdomen and chest, can rupture. This results in breathing difficulties.
- Abdominal trauma: The organs found in the abdominal area can be injured when blunt trauma occurs. This includes the stomach, liver, spleen, and intestines. Rupture or tears in the organs can result in bleeding into the abdominal cavity, infection, and pain.
Sacramento Car Accident Lawyers
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento car accident lawyer. A Sacramento three-vehicle accident can result in debilitating injuries that require extended stays in the hospital, lost time from work and stress due to financial loss. Reaching out to an injury lawyer is one way to set the stress aside and allow yourself to concentrate on healing. Call me at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for my free and friendly advice. You can also use our convenient contact form if you find it is easier for you to do so.
I’ve advocated for the rights of numerous Sacramento residents over the last 37 years to obtain the compensation they deserve after car accidents, wrongful deaths, and other traumatic injuries.
I belong to the National Association of Distinguished Counsel and the Million Dollar Advocates. The former honors those whom it believes practice legal excellence and the latter allows membership only to those lawyers who have won more than $1 million for a client.
If you are thinking of hiring a lawyer, check out his or her practice first. You can read about mine by using the following links:
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