Failure-to-yield accidents are among the most common and dangerous traffic incidents. These crashes occur when drivers don’t properly yield the right-of-way as required by law, often at intersections, merge points, or pedestrian crossings.
In busy urban areas like Fresno, with its mix of high-traffic corridors, residential streets, and rural connections, these accidents happen with alarming frequency.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a failure-to-yield accident in Fresno, understanding your rights and the complexities of these cases is crucial to securing the compensation you deserve.
California Right-of-Way Laws Explained
California’s Vehicle Code establishes specific right-of-way provisions that determine traffic priority and liability after accidents.
Intersection Right-of-Way
- Uncontrolled Intersections: First to arrive has right-of-way; if simultaneous, yield to the right.
- Four-Way Stops: Proceed in arrival order; when unclear, yield to the right.
- T-Intersections: Through road traffic has priority over terminating road.
Traffic Signal Requirements
- Complete stops are required at red lights and stop signs.
- Right turns on red are allowed after stopping (unless prohibited).
- Flashing yellow means proceed with caution.
- Treat malfunctioning signals as all-way stops.
Pedestrian Right-of-Way
- Yield to pedestrians in all crosswalks (marked and unmarked).
- Stop when another vehicle is stopped at a crosswalk.
- Pedestrians with guide dogs or white canes always have the right-of-way.
Turning Vehicle Obligations
- Left Turns: Yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians.
- Right Turns: Yield to pedestrians and cyclists.
- Roundabouts: Entering traffic yields to vehicles already in the circle.
Emergency Vehicle Exceptions
- All drivers must pull right and stop for emergency vehicles with active lights/sirens.
Typical Injuries in Fresno Failure-to-Yield Crashes
Failure-to-yield accidents can lead to a number of injuries. In many cases, victims suffer several injuries at the same time, leading to even longer recovery times. Some of the most common injuries include:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries: These injuries range from mild concussions to severe traumatic brain injuries with life-altering consequences. Symptoms may not appear immediately, making prompt medical evaluation after any collision crucial.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: The forces in failure-to-yield crashes can cause herniated discs, spinal fractures, or in severe cases, partial or complete paralysis. Even seemingly minor spinal injuries can lead to chronic pain and mobility limitations that affect victims for years after the accident.
- Chest and Abdominal Injuries: Side-impact collisions common in failure-to-yield accidents can cause severe trauma to the chest and abdomen. Broken ribs, punctured lungs, and internal organ damage are frequent consequences. These injuries often require emergency surgery and extended recovery periods.
- Lower Extremity Fractures: When vehicles collide in failure-to-yield scenarios, the legs and feet are particularly vulnerable. Complex fractures often require surgical intervention, metal implants, and extensive physical therapy. In severe cases, these injuries can lead to permanent mobility issues.
- Facial Injuries and Lacerations: The sudden deployment of airbags, contact with the steering wheel, or shattered glass can cause significant facial injuries. These may include facial fractures, dental injuries, and lacerations that can result in permanent scarring or disfigurement, adding emotional trauma to physical injuries.
Establishing Fault in Failure-to-Yield Collisions
Understanding Traffic Laws: California’s right-of-way laws form the foundation for determining liability in failure-to-yield crashes. Our attorneys have comprehensive knowledge of these laws and how they apply to various traffic scenarios in Fresno. This expertise allows us to identify clear violations that establish the other driver’s fault.
Gathering Evidence: Obtaining witness statements from people who observed the accident provides crucial third-party perspectives on who had the right-of-way. Additionally, traffic camera footage, dashcam videos, and security footage from nearby businesses can provide objective evidence of the failure to yield.
Accident Reconstruction: In complex cases, our firm works with accident reconstruction specialists who use physical evidence, vehicle damage patterns, and scientific principles to determine how the collision occurred. These experts can create detailed analyses and visualizations that clearly demonstrate fault.
Police Report Analysis: Law enforcement officers who respond to accidents make initial determinations about fault and traffic violations. Our legal team carefully reviews these reports, which often cite specific Vehicle Code violations related to failure to yield. While not conclusive for your case, these reports provide valuable official documentation.
Expert Testimony: In addition to accident reconstructionists, we may consult traffic engineers, human factors experts, and medical professionals to strengthen your case. Their specialized knowledge helps establish how the other driver’s failure to yield caused your injuries and the extent of those injuries.
Dealing With Insurance Companies After an Accident
After a car accident caused by a negligent driver’s failure-to-yield, expect contact from the at-fault driver’s insurance adjuster whose primary goal is minimizing payouts, not ensuring fair compensation. They commonly question injury severity, suggest pre-existing conditions, claim shared fault, or pressure quick settlements before you understand your long-term needs.
Having Berg Injury Lawyers represent you significantly changes this dynamic, as insurers know represented clients understand their rights and have professionals calculating true claim values. This typically results in higher settlements.
Protect yourself by maintaining comprehensive documentation of all medical treatments and expenses, avoiding recorded statements without legal counsel, and consulting an attorney before providing any information that could potentially undermine your claim.
Potential Compensation for Failure-to-Yield Victims
Victims of failure-to-yield accidents may be entitled to various forms of compensation to address both economic and non-economic damages. Understanding these categories can help you pursue a comprehensive settlement.
- Emergency Medical Treatment: Ambulance services, ER care, diagnostics, and surgical procedures
- Ongoing Medical Expenses: Follow-up appointments, specialist care, physical therapy, medications, and equipment
- Lost Wages and Income: Missed work, reduced hours, and diminished future earning capacity
- Vehicle Damage: Repairs, replacement, rental costs, towing, and diminished value
- Non-Economic Damages: Pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life
Securing fair compensation requires thorough documentation and skilled legal representation to properly value both current losses and future needs resulting from your accident.
How Berg Injury Lawyers Can Help Your Fresno Case
Our team provides comprehensive legal support to maximize compensation for failure-to-yield accident victims in Fresno through several key strategies.
- Thorough Investigation: Site visits, witness interviews, traffic camera footage analysis, and police report review
- Multiple Compensation Sources: Identifying all liable parties and applicable insurance coverage options
- Insurance Management: Handling all adjuster communications and countering devaluation tactics
- Comprehensive Case Preparation: Evidence gathering, expert consultation, and damages calculation
- Local Expertise: Leveraging our experience with Fresno courts, judges, and procedures
With Berg Injury Lawyers advocating for you, you can focus on recovery while we pursue the full compensation you deserve for your injuries and losses.
No Fee Guarantee®
You might be worried about hiring an attorney because of the potential cost, but at Berg Injury Lawyers, if you don’t win, you pay nothing. There’s also no cost or obligation to hire simply to speak to one of our lawyers. We call that our No Fee Guarantee®.
Contact Berg Injury Lawyers Today
If you or a loved one has been injured in a failure-to-yield accident in Fresno, don’t wait to seek legal help. Our experienced legal team is ready to evaluate your case, explain your options, and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
