Car accident facts and other helpful information
Californians know that passenger cars are the most common types of vehicles often involved in collisions on streets and highways, primarily because cars make up the majority of vehicles on the road.
According to data released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2012 saw more than 5.6 million car crashes. This was the most recent year with complete statistical information. A great many of those accidents ended with injuries ranging from minor cuts and bruises to serious and potentially disabling injuries such as broken bones and traumatic brain injuries. In the worst cases, people died. Because of their prevalence, car accidents drive the majority of personal injury claims in the United States. These claims enable car accident victims to seek compensation from negligent parties who caused the accidents if the victims sustained injuries that required medical treatment or lost income because of the time required to recover.
Negligence can be determined in many ways. If an accident was a direct result of reckless behavior on the road such as speeding or otherwise disregarding traffic laws, that driver can be held liable for injuries or fatalities. Drunken driving is another common cause of car accidents. An intoxicated driver is prone to irrational driving decisions that can easily end in a car crash. If the driver who causes a collision shows signs of impairment at the time of the collision, that person may be held criminally responsible and also may be required to pay for damage to any victims.
In fact, car accidents are governed by the law of negligence. Compensation from a car accident may be possible if the accident was caused by one party’s negligence. Car accident victims may file a claim to reimburse their medical expenses or obtain awards and damages that can help them recover from injuries and financial losses.
Source: Findlaw.com, “Car accident basics,” accessed on Aug. 19, 2014