Injuries Reported in Watt Avenue and Blackfoot Way Accident
An intersection accident in Antelope caused injuries when one vehicle was T-boned by another recently. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported the accident as happening at Watt Avenue where it intersects with Blackfoot Way at around 11:42 in the morning when a Chevy Silverado pickup collided with a Kia Rondo. The airbags in the pickup deployed as a result of the crash. Emergency responders with the Sacramento Fire Department were called to the scene to assess injuries; however, no specific details were given. The CHP is investigating the crash to determine liability and how it happened.
Why an Intersection Accident Occurs
An intersection accident is among the most common types, accounting for about 40 percent of all collisions. In almost all cases involving an accident in an intersection, negligence is involved. Vehicles converge from many directions at an intersection, which is complicated by the added presence of bicycle riders, pedestrians and motorcyclists. Having an experienced lawyer to help can get you fair compensation following an injury. Some of the most common causes of an intersection accident are:
- Making an illegal turn, which other motorists do not expect or cannot react to quickly enough, can lead to a T-bone collision.
- Turning left or right without yielding to oncoming traffic causes numerous accidents at intersections.
- Running a stop sign or red light endangers traffic coming from other directions and is a common cause of an intersection accident.
- Speeding makes it more difficult to stop.
- Tailgating reduces the driver’s ability to stop quickly if traffic slows.
- Drugged or drunk driving affects reflexes, vision and judgment.
- Distracted driving such as eating or drinking while behind the wheel or texting/talking on a cell phone leads to many accidents.
- Fatigued driving due to sleep apnea, shift work or staying up too late the night before is becoming more common as are the accidents it causes.
- Poor or confusing design of the intersection can lead to an accident.
How an Accident Is Investigated
Gathering evidence to support a client’s compensation claim following an injury accident is important. I’ve successfully handled many claims over my 38-year career as an injury lawyer. My firm sends out our investigators to the accident site to gather the evidence needed to build a strong case for compensation. Among the areas that are investigated are:
- Reviewing the report by the police for mistakes
- Interviewing accident witnesses to get their statements
- Performing accident reconstruction, which shows the positioning of the vehicles before and after the car accident and how it occurred
- Looking for signs of negligence such as drunk or distracted driving, speeding and running a traffic light
- Searching nearby for cameras from traffic lights or businesses that might have captured the accident on tape
- Looking for signs of government negligence such as a faulty traffic light, potholes, debris or overhanging limbs
- Checking incidences of accidents at an intersection to prove that it is an ongoing problem that is caused by poor design
When the evidence has been gathered, our lawyers work to build a case. It is useful when negotiating on the client’s behalf with an insurance company or preparing the case to present in court. In some cases, the insurance company objects to paying the total amount of expenses or even refuses to pay at all. In such instances, the claim can be taken to court to obtain the award needed to pay the client’s total medical bills, lost wages and for their pain and suffering.
Antelope Car Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, an Antelope car accident lawyer. If a negligent driver caused your injuries, you may want to place a claim for compensation. For my free and friendly advice, give me a call at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400. An online contact form is available too.
I’m honored to have served the needs of Antelope residents since 1982, successfully handling their cases that involve traumatic injuries, wrongful deaths and traffic accidents.
I belong to the National Association of Distinguished Counsel and Million Dollar Forum.
The following links are to client reviews and cases my law firm handled:
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/photos/car-accident-broken-glass-splatter-337764/
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