From the sunny beaches of San Diego to the majestic redwoods of the Northern part of the state, California enjoys natural beauty like no other, helping to make it one of the most heavily populated and heavily traveled states in the union.
As the population explodes and the number of both commercial and recreational vehicles on California roads and highways continues increasing - combined with an exponential increase in interstate travel - accidents between automobiles and trucks on our highways and freeways are rising exponentially. Our hundreds of miles of coastline and other waterways also add to a danger from watercraft and boating accidents.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured as a result of a car accident in California, you deserve the guidance of a knowledgeable and experienced California car accident lawyer who can navigate the complexities of personal injury law and fight for the reparations that you're entitled to.
If you do not see a law firm listed in your geographic area, please use our free case review form or call us at 1-800-919-2468 as we most likely have a affiliated law firm right in your local area
Furtado, Jaspovice, & Simons
Handling cases in San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose and surrounding areas
Girardi & Keese
Handling cases in Los Angeles and surrounding areas
Rodriguez & Associates
Handling cases in Bakersfield and surrounding areas
Shepard & Haven, LLP
Handling cases in Sacramento, Stockton, Modesto and surrounding areas
Steigerwalt & Associates
Handling cases in San Diego and surrounding areas
It seems that all roads end in California. California boasts the end (or the beginning) of three major Interstates that run through the United States including the Interstate 10 (I-10), Interstate 40 (I-40) and the Interstate 8 (I-8) which all run from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. California first became popular during the 1840 s when James Marshall discovered a few small gold nuggets while building a new sawmill in Sacramento. Due to this discovery, the year 1848 will go down in history as a half a million people from all over the world migrated to California looking for a piece of the California Gold Rush.
The migration to modern day California has not slowed as about 560,000 people migrate to the state a year. With such attractions as the San Diego Zoo, Disneyland, Hollywood, SeaWorld, Fisherman s Wharf, Alcatraz, Napa Valley just to name a few, tourists mark an x on their United States maps and save up for their next vacation. With the influx of the California population and California s booming tourism industry, car wrecks and highway accidents are bound to occur. On a positive note, California fatal car accidents dropped 2% from 2003 to 2004 from 4,225 deaths to 4,120 deaths. Our research indicates that California has the most fatalities out of any state. However, it also has the highest population of around 35 million people in 2004.
Car accidents involving other moving vehicles accounted for the large majority of accident deaths in California in 2004 with 1,336 deaths due to collisions with other vehicles. This accounts for about 35% of all fatal car wrecks throughout the state. Telephone poles, palm trees, street signs and other stationary objects accounted for another 1,072 auto accident deaths in 2004.
The SUV hype and all of the highways that allow high speed transportation like Highway 395 contribute to California SUV rollover and car rollover fatalities reaching an annual number of deaths in 2004 of 412.
Upon further investigation of the 3,727 fatal car accidents there are a few different vehicle classes involved: Cars, light trucks, large trucks, busses and motorcycles. Inherently, motorcycles are less safe than cars and trucks because there is no protection from a potential impact. The only thing between the concrete and the rider is a helmet. Motorcycle accidents accounted for 432 deaths in California. Cars like station wagons, sport cars and sedans led in California fatalities with over 1,730 deaths. Right behind car accidents, accidents with light trucks like SUVs and minivans led the fatality rate in California with 1,048 truck fatalities. Large trucks like big rigs, 18 wheelers and tractor trailers accounted for another 50 accident related deaths in 2004.
Due to the large population in California cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego there are bound to be accidents involving pedestrians. Pedestrian accidents occur in many places: school zones, crosswalks, bike lanes and sidewalks. In 2004 there were 684 pedestrians killed by moving vehicles.
Los Angeles is a very large city, second only to New York City as far as population goes. This fact has greatly contributed to the pedestrians killed by cars, trucks and motorcycles accounting for over 263 deaths. San Diego is right behind Los Angeles with 102 pedestrians killed in car crash related accidents. Contact a qualified California car accident lawyer today.
A statute of limitations is a type of federal or state law that restricts the time within which legal proceedings may be brought. This usually varies depending on the state the suit is filed in. Generally, after this time restraint is over, the injured plaintiff has lost the opportunity to sue. Once the tardy claim is prohibited by the statute of limitations, there is no chance for introducing it again at a later date. Statutes of limitations were formulated in order to deflect such issues as inexhaustible lawsuits and fraudulent claims.
Statutes of limitations window of time in the state of California expressed in Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 312 et. seq.:
PERSONAL INJURY
California requires an injured person to file a claim for personal injuries within two years of the date that the injury took place on. This time restriction includes claims for the types of injuries caused by matters such as premises liability and defective products.
MEDICAL MALPRACTICE
Medical malpractice claims against negligent healthcare providers in California must be filed within three years after the injury date or one year after the injured party discovers the injury, whichever occurs first. The only exception is when a foreign object is found inside the injured person s body, in which case the statute of limitations will not begin to run until the person discovers, or should have discovered, the object.
WRONGFUL DEATH
In most cases in California, a wrongful death legal action must be filed within two years of the date of the victim\\\\\\\'s date of death, except for cases specifically due to asbestos exposure.
SPECIAL RULES FOR MINORS AND OTHER ISSUES
Except in instances regarding medical malpractice or wrongful death, the window of time in California lapses on the minor s 18th birthday.
The material found on this web page has been provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any individual circumstances. This information does not equate to legal counseling and is subject to change without warning.
If you've been forced to endure the difficult effects of an accident on California streets and roadways or in a lake or river, you could possibly be entitled to be financial compensation for your physical and emotional pain. Don't let varying statute of limitation laws cripple or destroy your case before that happens. Call an experienced, knowledgeable accident lawyer as soon as possible. Don't let justice pass you by.
Begin your case review by filling out the form below or call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-919-2468