Ready for Your Los Angeles Car Accident Case? If Not, Read This

Image Source: http://i.ytimg.com/vi/iV4-epBjUvQ/0.jpg

Car accident cases are among the most common forms of personal injury cases in the City of Angels. Every year, hundreds of car accident cases are being filed in Los Angeles because of road accidents here and there. The relatively high frequency of car accidents in the city is the main reason for the rise of personal injury cases not only in the city, but in the whole California.

If you are a Los Angeles driver or car owner, it is your duty to know the basics about personal injury law for you to effectively protect yourself in case you get involved in an auto accident.

What does the law say?

Under the existing tort laws in California, a driver who causes harm or injury to another individual because of his or her negligence could face legal charges. Additionally, car accident victims can press civil charges against the driver who caused them injuries for them to recover compensations. Such monetary relief could help them take care of the various expenses brought about by the accident.

What are the types of compensations one could recover?

Every car accident case is unique; hence, there is no exact answer to such question. However, the most common forms of personal injury damages that could be awarded to car accident victims include:

•    Payments for loss of income
•    Payments for future loss of income
•    Payments for hospitalization and medication expenses
•    Payments for pain and suffering
•    Payments for emotional anguish
•    Payments for mental distress

Can I settle a car accident case on my own?
There is no rule that requires accident victims to hire a lawyer for their case. However, expert legal practitioners strongly suggest to claimants to retain the services of an experienced and aggressive Los Angeles accident attorney for their case. A car accident lawyer can help them in speeding up the process of their claim so they can get the compensations they need in time.

Lack of Bicycle Lanes as Cause of Los Angeles Bicycle Accidents

Image Source: http://www.myessentia.com/blog/la/files/2011/03/11_2_09_times_bike1.jpg

One of the different reasons of bicycle accidents in Los Angeles County is the lack of bike lanes. Even though there are hundreds of miles of bike ways in the county, they still cannot compensate the need of the cyclists. Hence, the Department of City Planning of Los Angeles County and the United State Department of Transportation (DOT) joined forces in 2010 to solve the lack of bicycle lanes in Los Angeles. The collaboration between the said agencies envisioned to create at least 200 miles of bicycle lanes every five years.

Recently, the Department of City Planning held a meeting to survey the effectiveness of the joint project. In the said meeting, the department asked the communities for feedbacks in relation to the implementation of the program. Additionally, the department asked for suggestions from the public to ensure that the program will take effect as expected.

The lack of bicycle lanes in Los Angeles County is just one of the various causes of bicycle accidents in the area. Based on available data, the following also play a big role in the rise of bicycle accidents:

Negligent drivers – Drivers who care less in the traffic situation are always a threat to cyclists. Accordingly, motorists who do not keep an eye on incoming cyclists are likely to cause a bicycle accident.

Vision-related issues – It is a known fact that it is difficult to notice cyclists on the road. Cyclists who do not wear bright-colored outfit are vulnerable to accidents because motor vehicle drivers have difficulty noticing them.

Irresponsible cyclists – Bicycle accidents are not always caused by motorists but by cyclists themselves. Bicycle riders who do not follow traffic laws and fail to wear appropriate safety gears are a pedal closer to danger.

Bicyclists who want to learn more about safety should read the California Driver Handbook and other resources. They may also consult with a Los Angeles Accident Attorney to know their legal options in case they get injured in a bicycle accident.

California Drivers Will Be Allowed to Use Cell Phone Starting Jan. 1

 Image Source: http://images.askmen.com/blogs/lifestyle/driving-laws.jpg

Starting January 1, 2013, California drivers will be able to use their cell phone while driving – somewhat. However, texting drivers should not celebrate because physically using their cell phone is still against the law.

California Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 1536, a bill that would allow Golden State drivers to use hands-free technology to create and send text-based messages on their cell phones.

According to a Contra Costa Times report, “Starting Jan. 1, cops will allow you to send, dictate and listen to text messages while driving, but only if you're using a separate, voice-activated device that's connected to your phone -- something like a headset or Bluetooth earpiece or a program inside your car like OnStar.”

The new piece of legislation gained mixed reaction from the public. Some people are not very enthusiastic about the new law because they fear that using hands-free devices to text while driving can still distract drivers. However, police officials are quick to say that drivers cannot touch their devices while using any hands-free way of texting. They say that merely touching your phone will driving is considered a violation of the state’s texting ban laws.

Traffic safety experts agree that drivers can still be distracted even without physically using their cell phone; thus, they suggest that motorists must only focus on their driving rather than on other activities like texting. Hence, iPhone users who want to use Siri to text while driving may still not be able to do so because they have to touch their cell phone in doing so.

In addition, current California traffic laws prohibit drivers from touching their cell phone while operating their vehicle. Thus, California drivers may have to wait for more advanced technology to take advantage of AB 1536.

Incidentally, California drivers who get involved in a distracted-related accident caused by another party should consult with a Los Angeles car accident attorney to know the legal actions they have to take for them to recover for injury compensations.

Top 3 Gadgets that Can Distract Drivers

  Image Source: 

http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/images/kabc/cms_exf_2007/_video_wn_images/8675049_600x338.jpg

Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of fatal accidents in the United States. Statistics say that in 2010, more than 3,000 people were killed and some 416,000 were injured in road accidents that involved distracted drivers.

Distracted driving may be cause by a variety of reasons, and these include:

•    Using electronic gadget
•    Eating and/or drinking
•    Smoking
•    Grooming
•    Talking to vehicle occupants
•    Reading/using navigation system or map
•    Watching on-board video
•    Adjusting on-board sound system

Incidentally, using electronic handheld device is the leading cause of distracted driving in the country. The availability of such devices is so convenient these days that almost any person can have one. According to statistics, teenage drivers are the common victims and/or culprits of electronic gadget-related distracted driving.

Additionally, there are particular electronic gadgets that can easily distract a driver, and these are:

Cell phones/smart phones – Drivers who text or communicate using their mobile phones are considered at-risk motorists. When a driver divides his or her attention into driving and using his or her cell phone, it is highly unlikely that he or she can effectively focus on driving, which can result in a deadly car accident.

Navigation system – This device is designed to help drivers to conveniently reach their destination; however, it can also make everything complicated for motorists. Drivers who are busy using the vehicle’s navigation system can miss the traffic situation, which can cause them to make driving errors.

Tablet PCs – Tablets are becoming more and more popular these days, but drivers who own these gadgets should refrain from using them while driving because they could end up in an accident.

In the State of California, under the state’s vehicle code, drivers are not allowed to operate their vehicle while using any electronic handheld device. Drivers who will violate the said code may be ticketed or fined by authorities.

Los Angeles accident attorneys always remind California drivers not to be distracted while driving to ensure their own and other people’s safety on road.

Additional info at:

http://www.distraction.gov/download/campaign-materials/8747-811629-060712-v5-Opt1-Web-tag.pdf