San Jose Car Accident Lawyers
With more than 21 million vehicles registered in California State, and that number increasing daily, car accident injuries and deaths are occurring at an alarming rate. In 2009, California car accidents were responsible for the deaths of more than 3,000 drivers. Also in 2009, thousands of motorists suffered an injury as a result of a car collision. Car accidents can happen for many reasons and can involve any type of vehicle including sedans, trucks, SUVs, sport cars, station wagons, convertibles, mini-vans and vans.
At the law firm of Estey Bomberger, each car accident case we take is handled by one of our skilled San Jose personal injury attorneys. We do not hand our cases off to a paralegal, secretary or case manager. When represented by our law firm, clients can expect to receive personal attention and unparalleled results. We have recovered large settlements and verdicts for clients’ accident-related damages, including medical expenses, lost wages, permanent scars, and pain and suffering.
Types of Car Accidents
The different types of car accidents include:
- Rear-end accidents
- Hit-and-run accidents
- Broadside (side impact or t-bone) accidents
- Rollover accidents
- Head-on accidents
- Runoff accident
- Rubbernecking accidents
- Drunk driving accidents
- Lane crossover accidents.
San Jose Car Accident Injuries
Injuries sustained in a car accident can forever change the life of a victim. Catastrophic injuries such as head injuries, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, organ injuries, and back and neck injuries can leave a victim with permanent disabilities and a lifetime of medical care. Other types of car accident injuries include bone fracture injuries, concussions, cuts, abrasions, burn injuries, sprain injuries, severed nerve injuries and amputation (loss of limb) injuries.
Car Accident Statistics
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has provided the following car accident statistics:
- In the United States, there are more than six million car accidents each year.
- In the U.S., car collisions cost more than $164 billion each year, which averages to approximately $1,000 per person annually.
- Nationwide, almost three million people are injured and approximately 34,000 are killed in car accidents.
- Every year, at least 37 percent of car crash fatalities are alcohol-related.
- The most common cause of a car accident is driver negligence.
- Every year, approximately 30 percent of drivers killed in a car collision are not wearing a seatbelt.
Driver Negligence
All drivers must exercise reasonable care when operating a vehicle. Simply put, this means all drivers have a duty to drive safely and not put the lives of others at risk. Any driver that fails to uphold this duty may be subject to civil and criminal punishment. Examples of driver negligence, include:
- Driving drunk, which is in violation of California Vehicle Code § 23153
- Driving over the speed limit, which is in violation of California Vehicle Code § 22350
- Distracted driving (e.g. texting, talking on a cell phone, eating, or applying makeup)
- Aggressive driving
- Falling asleep at the wheel
- Making an unsafe left hand turn
- Making an unsafe lane change
- Failing to obey traffic signals or signs.
