Car Lands in Ravine in Santa Barbara County Single Vehicle Accident
I’m Ed Smith, a Santa Barbara car accident lawyer. On July 18, a motor vehicle accident at Solvang caused injuries to one man. The reason for the accident is being investigated as to cause.
What Happened
The crash occurred near the intersection of Chalk Hill Road and Mesa Vista Lane northwest of town just before 5:30 in the afternoon, when the driver’s vehicle went past a gate, skidded about 200 yards off the road and ended up going into a ravine. County fire department personnel from Santa Barbara arrived to help extricate the man from his vehicle. He was transported by California air medical services to a hospital in Santa Barbara for medical treatment with injuries described as moderate.
Driver Error as a Cause of Single Vehicle Accidents
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 94 percent of accidents involving one vehicle can be attributed to driver error. The majority are recognition errors in which a driver may be inattentive or distracted by texting on a phone or other type of distraction such as accessing GPS while driving. Decision errors are also a major cause of car accidents involving only one vehicle and account for about 33 percent of crashes. They can include falsely predicting the movements of other vehicles, misjudging the speed of another vehicle and making illegal maneuvers such as speeding. Performance errors are those where a driver overcompensates on a sharp turn or drifts into the opposing lane. Seven percent of accidents with single vehicles are due to driving when drowsy or overly tired or falling asleep while driving.
Accidents Caused by Negligence
Not all accidents involving one vehicle are the fault of a driver. In some instances, a driver of another vehicle can cause an accident by passing too closely, cutting a driver off or other maneuvers that force the driver to swerve. In addition, problems with roadways can cause accidents by having poor signage, potholes, debris in the road or for other reasons. The third type of negligence is found in a vehicle itself. For example, a manufacturer’s defect can cause a vehicle to malfunction. In the event a single car accident is shown to be the cause of injuries to an individual, damages may be sought to cover the expenses caused by the crash.
Recoverable Expenses From a Motor Vehicle Accident
- Lost wages from being off work, bonuses and other monetary benefits of a job are recoverable.
- Medical costs, including ambulance fees, hospital costs and tests, doctor visits and anything else directly attributed to the accident.
- Disfigurement refers to scarring or other permanent marks suffered from an accident.
- Pain and suffering refers to both physical pain from the crash and mental pain associated with it such as anxiety, depression and other symptoms.
- Loss of consortium refers to damage to a marital relationship.
- Punitive damages are awarded in rare instances when an injury was caused by criminal negligence such as a drunk driver.
An experienced injury lawyer can help in these cases by compiling evidence, along with expenses incurred, to present a strong case to the court or to negotiate with insurance companies. That way, an accident victim can obtain fair compensation for their injuries.
Santa Barbara Car Accident LawyerI’m Ed Smith, a Santa Barbara car accident lawyer. If you or a loved one has suffered an injury because of the negligent actions of another person, please phone my office at (805) 372-0200 or (800) 404-5400 for my friendly and free advice.
I have been helping California, including Santa Barbara, victims of traumatic injury and in cases involving wrongful death for 35 years to obtain the fair settlement they deserve.
To learn more about some of my previous cases, go to Verdicts and Settlements. In addition, client reviews and comments are found on Yelp, Avvo and Google.
Million Dollar Advocates Forum has a membership limited to trial attorneys who have won at least $1 million in verdicts or settlements for their clients. I am a California member of this group.
I am owner and creator of autoaccident.com, a website dedicated to teaching others about personal injuries in the State of California.
Photo Attribution: car-accident-811078_1920.jpg
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