When you’ve been in a car accident, the last thing you need is the added stress of paying for expensive medical bills and finding a way to replace your lost wages. You and your family are hurting during this time, and you deserve someone who understands what you’re going through and can help you get the money you’re owed.
At Berg Injury Lawyers, our Fresno car accident lawyers have helped thousands of individuals and families who suffered physically, emotionally, and financially after devastating car accidents, and we want to help you too. Give us a call or fill out our free online form to get in touch with our legal staff today.
TYPES OF CAR ACCIDENTS IN FRESNO
Our legal team knows that there are countless causes of car accidents. We have the knowledge, experience, and resources to help victims of all types of car accidents, such as:
- Rear-End Collisions: Rear-end collisions can be sudden and traumatic, and they often occur without warning or time for victims to brace themselves. These accidents may result in whiplash and other injuries to the head, neck, back, and spine.
- Head-On Collisions: Head-on collisions often result in serious and even life-threatening injuries for both drivers and passengers due to the levels of force involved. Victims of these accidents often require immediate medical attention and long-term hospitalization.
- Side Collisions: Side collisions usually occur when drivers run red lights or stop signs and strike other vehicles that are passing through intersections. These collisions typically cause severe—or even fatal—injuries for all victims involved.
THE MOST DANGEROUS ROADS IN FRESNO
State Route 99 and Interstate 5 serve as vital transportation conduits for the Central Valley. Agriculture is vital to the area, and highways and interstates in and around Fresno carry a large amount of traffic from commercial trucks. According to a recent study, the number of accidents and injuries in Fresno doubled between 2019 and 2020.
The following Fresno roadways saw the most crashes and fatalities:
- State Route 99: This state route contains infamously dangerous stretches of highway. One study (updated in 2021) found that in a four-year period, there were about 62 fatal collisions per 100 miles on this stretch. Fresno also saw the highest frequency of fatal crashes.
- Blackstone Avenue: Law enforcement investigated 11 fatal collisions along this main throughway from 2008 to 2018.
- Shaw Avenue: During the same time period, there were nine fatal accidents recorded on this avenue.
TYPES OF COMPENSATION AVAILABLE IN CAR ACCIDENT CLAIMS
Car accidents result in many types of damages, economic and non-economic, which victims can pursue in their claims:
- Economic Damages: These include quantifiable financial losses such as medical expenses, property damage, lost wages, and rehabilitation costs.
- Non-Economic Damages: Non-economic damages describe intangible losses like pain and suffering, emotional stress, and negative impacts on quality of life and personal relationships.
It’s crucial to understand these different types of damages in order to pursue fair compensation for all aspects of your suffering.
STEPS TO TAKE AFTER A CAR ACCIDENT IN FRESNO
Experiencing a car accident can be overwhelming, but knowing what steps to take afterward can help protect your rights and ensure your safety:
- Ensure Safety: If possible, pull to the side of the road and turn on your hazard lights to prevent additional collisions. Check yourself and others for injuries and call for medical attention if needed.
- Call the Police: Contact law enforcement to report the accident and request assistance. A police report can provide valuable documentation for insurance claims later on.
- Gather Information and Evidence: Exchange contact and insurance information with other parties involved in the accident, as well as any witnesses. Take photos of the scene, including vehicle damage and road conditions.
- Notify Your Insurance Company: Inform your insurance company about the accident as soon as possible to initiate the claims process. Avoid speculating about or admitting fault.
- Contact a Car Accident Lawyer: An attorney can protect your rights, negotiate with insurance companies, and fight for compensation on your behalf.
COMMON CAUSES OF FRESNO CAR ACCIDENT CLAIMS
Understanding the common causes of car accidents can help drivers prevent them. Some factors contributing to crashes in Fresno include:
- Distraction: Texting, talking on the phone, or adjusting the radio can divert a driver’s attention from the road, leading to accidents.
- Speeding: Exceeding the speed limit reduces a driver’s ability to react to unexpected situations and increases the impact and severity of accidents.
- Intoxication: Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs impairs judgment, coordination, and reaction time, significantly elevating the risk of accidents.
These factors are behind many of the collisions we see here in Fresno, with our city ranking as one of the worst in the nation for drunk driving. Hopefully, spreading awareness of these causes can inspire drivers to be safer on the road and potentially prevent accidents going forward.
GET OUR EXPERIENCE ON YOUR SIDE
When you and your family have been involved in a serious car accident, you need a legal team that knows Fresno car accidents, knows California law, and knows how to get you money. When you call Berg Injury Lawyers, you’ll get a team of lawyers who will go to work on your case right away, which means you get the money you need sooner. With our No Fee Guarantee®, if you don’t win, you pay nothing. So stop by our law office in Fresno, or call now and get the legal help you deserve.
Fresno Law Office
516 West Shaw Ave.,
Suite 200,
Fresno, CA 93704