Car accidents whether on crowded San Francisco streets or the busy freeways that connect San Francisco to the South Bay, East Bay or North Bay are a way of life for Northern California drivers. Although virtually all families throughout the Bay Area will be touched by a drunk driver, distracted driver or other unsafe motorists at some time during one’s life, most people assume that San Francisco car crashes are something that happens to other people. When one is actually involved in a serious collision that results in injury to vehicle occupants, it can be a stressful and confusing experience. The prospects of dealing with legal and insurance complications while trying to recover from one’s injuries can be overwhelming. Because we frequently receive questions from San Francisco car accident victims about their rights and remedies, we have provided an FAQ that addresses some of the questions we hear most frequently.
Is the risk of being involved in a car accident really that significant?
There are almost six million car accidents per year resulting in more than 30,000 fatalities and more than two million more people being injured. Almost a third of these fatalities are caused by drunk drivers and many more result from speeding or distracted drivers. The risk of being involved in a San Francisco auto accident is substantial because there are so many drivers who do not exercise reasonable driving conduct.
What are the most common causes of San Francisco car accidents?
The most frequent causes of car accidents in the Bay Area include:
- Distracted drivers
- Alcohol or drug impaired drivers
- Texting and driving
- Tailgating other vehicles
- Running through stop signs or traffic signals
- Speeding or failing to slow down in rain or fog
- Failing to check blind spots or otherwise making unsafe lane changes
- Failure to exercise caution at intersections and crosswalks
- Not complying with the California Rules of the Road
While there are many other types of unsafe driving behavior that may contribute to a serious car accident, these are frequent causes of car accident related fatalities.
How soon do I need to seek legal advice or initiate legal action following a San Francisco car accident?
Time is of the essence in pursuing a car accident claim in San Francisco because prompt investigation is an important part of pursuing such a claim. Witnesses may forget the details of what happened, and vehicles may be repaired preventing accident reconstruction experts from having enough evidence to develop a persuasive explanation for the cause of a collision. There are also formal deadlines imposed, such as the statute of limitation and the California Tort Claims Act. The statute of limitations for filing a lawsuit for a car accident claim in California is two years. However, specific circumstances can affect when the time starts or result in the time being tolled (suspended) for some period so you should consult with an experienced California car accident attorney. If a governmental entity is the defendant, you must file a claim with the government within six (6) months of your car accident pursuant to the California Tort Claims Act. Failure to comply with either of these deadlines could result in a complete bar to your ability to pursue your claim regardless of the merits.
Should I contact or communicate with the other driver’s insurance company?
It is never advisable to communicate directly with the other driver’s insurance company without legal representation or advice. Insurance companies handle thousands of such claims and know how to obtain information that may compromise your claim. The best practice is to avoid all communication and not to sign anything. Once you decide on a San Francisco personal injury law firm to represent you, the law firm will contact the insurance company and handle the negotiations and litigation.
Contact Us For Your Free Accident Case Consult
We invite you to read the second installment of our blog on frequently asked questions about San Francisco car accidents. While we have tried to address the most common questions, the best way to obtain detailed information is to call and speak to one of our experienced San Francisco car accident attorneys. If you or someone you love has been injured or a loved one has died in a San Francisco car accident, you should contact us as soon as possible because critical deadlines apply. We invite you to contact The Law Office of Ian Zimmerman for your free initial consultation. We are open 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., speak Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese, and are available for weekend, evening, home and hospital meetings and visits. We also offer free initial consultations and work exclusively on a contingency fee basis so that you pay nothing if we don’t win your case.