It is a well known fact that a construction site job is considered to be one of the most dangerous ones in America. According to statistics, every year there are thousands of workers injured or killed due to construction accidents. The main reason for these accidents is the negligence or even the absence of safety programs which is a must on every single construction site.
While safety measures being one side of the problem there’s also another aspect that might cause the unfortunate event - construction equipment quality. The manufacturers are responsible for the safe design of the equipment along with its maintenance. Therefore defective products become at fault as well at the time of the construction accident. In general there’s a great chance for personal injury or death.
In order to understand the third party liability you must turn to a construction injury lawyer as soon as possible. It is very time sensitive especially if your injuries are substantial. At Amerberg Law Group, we are here for you at every step of the process. Our team will guide you through the options you have to recover reasonable compensation and help you choose the best possible way not only to get back on track but to have your claim fully taken care of. In our practice we have had cases when we were even able to get a larger compensation for our clients, depending on the circumstances we alway go that extra mile for you if possible.
No matter the cause of your injury - you are entitled to the fair resolution of your claim.
Contact our office right away, we promise you a very personable and trustworthy experience.
What is an accident?
A traffic accident is an event that occurred during movement of a vehicle on a road and with its participation, in which people were injured or killed and vehicles, structures and property were damaged or other material damage was caused.
Accident causes
Let’s take a look at the most common ones:
- Speeding
- Driving under the influence
- Lane splitting
- Sudden stops
- Inexperienced drivers
- Left turn accidents
- Dangerous road conditions
- Vehicle defects
- Hazard on the road
- Weather conditions
Statistics
- Unfortunately nowadays Los Angeles is considered to have the highest rate of traffic accidents resulting in injuries and fatal outcomes in the United States.
- In 2019 alone there have been roughly 54,000 collisions reported, making it a bit less than 2018, according to the LAPD including 236 reported deaths.
- It is a very disturbing fact that the amount of traffic collision deaths is 32% more compared to the previous 5 years making the pedestrians the majority of the victims.
- LAPD categorized over 25,300 crashes as hit-and-runs.
- Pedestrian fatalities raised by 69% over the past few years.
- Important to understand that fleeing the collision scene makes it a felony even in case it was not the driver’s fault.
- The main reason for the crash increase was caused by DUI and texting
What to do in a car accident?
When you get into an accident you might feel a bit or a lot frustrated, depending on the severity of the collision. It is important to pull yourself together (if possible) and take the following steps promptly:
- 1. Move to a safe area right away (if you can)
- Move your vehicle / motorcycle out of the way, for example the road shoulder, in order to prevent further harm. If your car is impossible to move, turn on your emergency lights to let other drivers know that you’re going to be there for a while.
- 2. Stop your car and get out of it
- Make sure that your car has come to a complete stop and is no longer moving, turn it off, put it into the park mode or use the hand break if you’re driving a manual. Take a deep breath and look around to make sure it is safe to get out before you open the door. Flares and other safety items might come in handy.
- 3. Check on other people
- Walk over to the other parties involved (drivers, passengers and pedestrians) in order to make sure they are not hurt. If someone is injured it is time to call 911. A person may be severely injured even if showing no significant signs other than dizziness and bruises.
- 4. Report to the police
- It is always best to have a police officer come to the scene which will allow you to prove important details in the future when dealing with the insurance company. Be careful not to admit fault or put the blame on the involved drivers right away at the scene. This would be the police job to adequately judge the situation and conclude whose fault it really is. There are cases when police often don't come to the scene (usually when there’s no injuries), in which case you can simply report your accident to your local DMV.
- 5. Information exchange
- Try to gather as much information as possible according to the list below:
- Name of the driver and the passengers
- License plate number
- Insurance information
- All involved vehicles makes and models
- Accident location
- The police officer’s name or badge number
- 6. Documenting the scene
- Most likely you have your smartphone with a camera, use it to take a few pictures of the accident. This will be a great addition to the other claim details.
- 7. File your insurance claim
- All these steps will make the process much smoother and less stressful.