No matter how careful we are, accidents can happen. And when they do, it’s not always clear who is to blame. In fact, it’s quite common that several parties share some level of fault when it comes to car accidents that result in damages. This is when comparative fault, also called comparative negligence, comes into play. Our San Diego comparative fault attorney team explains what you need to know.

What Does Comparative Fault Mean for My Case?

In California personal injury cases, the doctrine of pure comparative fault applies. This means that even if a person who is injured in an accident is 99% at fault, they can still recover damages. Other states apply modified comparative fault, which means an accident victim can only claim compensation for damages if they are less than 50% at fault for the accident.

If you were in an accident in San Diego and have questions about comparative fault, contact our San Diego car accident lawyer team to see if you qualify to bring a claim for compensation.

What Is an Example of Comparative Fault?

The attorneys at the Law Offices of Keith J. Stone have represented several accident victims in cases where comparative fault applies. One example is a car accident in which multiple victims share fault for what happened:

A driver is distracted, runs a red light, and hits another vehicle. However, the second car was driving above the speed limit for that road. Both accident victims sustained damages, including medical costs and property damage. In this instance, both parties share some fault. The compensation they can receive is reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to them.

Who is Responsible for Recovery and Compensation?

In the above example, who is responsible for paying these damages? In short, both drivers can claim compensation. However, the first driver may not have to pay 100% of the damages because the second driver was speeding, which may have contributed to the crash and the overall severity of the collision.

Working with an experienced car accident lawyer in San Diego can help you understand your rights after an accident. Contact our team to schedule a free consultation to see how much your claim may be worth under comparative negligence law.

What is California’s Comparative Fault Law?

The comparative negligence law in California is the doctrine that provides a way to legally divide fault between the parties involved in an accident. The victim’s damages can then be reduced based on the percentage of fault that contributed to the accident.

The State of California replaced contributory negligence with comparative negligence in 1975 with Li v. Yellow Cab Co. , 13 Cal.3d 804. Contributory negligence made it unlawful for an accident victim to recover compensation for damages if they were even 1% at fault. Comparative fault changed that to make it possible for victims to claim compensation even if they shared fault.

How Does Comparative Fault Apply in Car Accident Cases?

In car accident cases, comparative fault allows victims to lawfully recover damages even if they are partially to blame for the accident itself. The law gives a jury the ability to apportion fault between everyone involved in the accident and adjust compensation according to the percentage of fault assigned to each party.

For example, if “Driver A” is deemed to be 25% responsible for an accident while “Driver B” is 75% at fault, their right to compensation for their damages is limited to that amount. If “Driver A” sues “Driver B” for $100,000 in damages, “Driver A” is only entitled to $75,000. The total of $100,000 is reduced by 25% under the comparative fault doctrine.

How Can an Attorney Help with Comparative Fault?

A San Diego comparative fault attorney can help accident victims understand their rights and claim the maximum compensation for their damages. With strong legal representation on your side, you’re more likely to get fair treatment from the insurance companies and others parties involved in the accident.

To learn more about the comparative fault in California and how it may affect your car accident case, contact the San Diego personal injury lawyer team. We’re ready to help you fight for your rights and get fair compensation after an accident.

Comparative Fault Car Accident Attorney in San Diego

If you were hurt in a car accident in San Diego, contact our team today to schedule a free consultation on your case. We can evaluate the evidence and determine what your claim may be worth using a comparative fault.

Car accidents can be traumatic, no matter how big or small it is. It can shake up your sense of safety on the road, and sometimes, it can land you or your loved one in the hospital with a serious injury. Depending on the seriousness of the car accident, you may need the services of an accident lawyer San Diego.

Dealing with the Aftermath

If hospitalization is involved, you or your loved one would now also have to deal with the cost of medical treatments, on top of working on getting physically better. Even with insurance, the impact of the injury may be long-lasting, affecting your ability to work and earn income in the same way you did before. 

Traumatic brain injuries, in particular, can rack up a lot of cost. Not only is there the surgery and post-surgery care that needs to be dealt with, but there is also the possibility of long-term rehabilitation that’s going to be required, depending on the severity of the injury. 

Traumatic Brain Injuries

Otherwise known as TBI, traumatic brain injuries take a long time to recover because of how sensitive and fragile the brain is. The San Diego CA accident injury could leave the patient unable to function independently, relying on the help and care of others.

Apart from compromised mobility, there are also those that suffer from disabilities such as loss of speech, or loss of fine motor skills. Progress in therapy may be slow, which means that therapy sessions can go on for as long as several years. 

With all of this happening, the financial obligations can certainly become daunting and overwhelming. In many cases, even life savings had been depleted on account of this injury. All because of the accident. 

But while the situation may seem bleak, there is, in fact, a legal recourse you could take for compensation. This will require the help of a car accident lawyer San Diego CA.

The Legal Recourse

You might have heard of this at some point, but did not really think you were ever going to need it: personal injury lawsuit.

A personal injury lawsuit is basically a case filed by someone–or their family member–who was injured because of another’s fault, carelessness, or lack of due diligence. The critical component here is that the claimant shows they have little to no fault in the accident that occurred, and that they themselves did practice due diligence. 

Proving this entails a lot of legwork: gathering evidence, reaching out to potential witnesses, and getting their testimony, and building a strong argument to win the case. This is why it’s crucial that you reach out to a San Diego CA accident injury attorney at the soonest possible time. 

How An Accident Attorney Can Help

A San Diego CA accident attorney can help by taking care of all these tasks, so you can instead focus on your own health and recovery. Not only will they be there to gather evidence and build your case, they will also be there to represent you in court, should your lawsuit reach trial. 

Sometimes, the parties involved would much rather resolve things without a trial, and so would prefer to go into settlement talks. It is important that you have your lawyer present for these talks as well, to ensure that you and your best interests will be fully represented.

Your personal injury lawyer can even negotiate the terms of the settlement on your behalf. This way, you can make sure that you will be getting the best possible offer that is right and fair, given the injuries you’ve incurred. 

The hope is that you don’t get into any unfortunate situation, such as a car accident. But in case you do find yourself in such, keep in mind that you can seek help from an auto accident San Diego attorney such as those from the Law Offices of Keith J. Stone.

The law has been developing for a long time so, well before cars existed, there were accidents that involved more than one responsible party. Eventually folks realized that there needed to be someone way to make sure everyone involved was held responsible when multiple parties were the cause of the accident. Known as joint and several liability, the law became what now provides a legal approach to distributing responsibility for harm to a victim, especially when the damage is serious. While the court can’t turn back time and reverse what happened before the accident, it can provide the victim recovery through economic awards when pursued through car accident attorneys San Diego representation and similar counsel elsewhere in the country. And this financial responsibility is divided out when the court finds which parties were involved and by how much.

The Initial Burden of Responsibility Pursuit is on the Plaintiff

The legal process per any car accident attorney SD advice starts first with the accident victim identifying the parties and asserting their responsibility for the harm suffered. This occurs legally through a lawsuit, and the victim has the burden to show who was involved and to what extent. That is done through witnesses, evidence, police reports, and their own recollection. If successful, either in front of a jury or a judge, then the court awards accountability and determines a financial judgment to compensate the victim. Describing all of this is the easy part; getting from the initial assertion to the reality of the victim’s recovery are two different things. 

Expect a Lot of Finger Pointing When Trying to Find Responsibility

The typical situation in a lawsuit is that a car accident defendant will first try to argue he or she is not responsible for the victim’s injury in the same event. If that doesn’t work, then, with multiple parties involved, the defendant will also try to argue others were the real cause, so the responsibility can’t be applied to the defendant at all. The court under joint and several liability says otherwise. Instead, the court can hold all the parties involved responsible together if it can be proven they were involved in the cause of the victim being hurt in the first place.

Getting to the Root of the Problem With Expert San Diego Help

If you find yourself in a multi-party car accident and trying to recover, as well as hold the other parties responsible, then you need to have a talk with the Law Offices of Keith J. Stone. As a car accident lawyer San Diego CA expert, clients can achieve qualified representation with Keith Stone that works as well as provide the means to get past the chaos of the accident versus floundering in it for months after the fact, buried with medical bills or vehicle repair expenses. Instead, the practical help of a car accident lawyer San Diego California resource can guide a victim competently through the vehicle law legal process as well as produce the proactive support needed to get results, both in terms of covering medical bills as well as restoring the victim to a financial status quo. 

Remember, there are plenty of car accident lawyer SD CA options available, but the Law Offices of Keith J. Stone is one that is specifically geared for joint and several liability car accident cases after vehicular impacts and related damage. As a specialist car accident lawyer in San Diego CA, Keith J. Stone will provide advanced representation not always possible with other choices. Not only will a client be working toward an improvement rather than being stuck in a limbo, he or she can get on with life instead of being wrecked by an accident that was not their fault.

Were you recently involved in an accident? Providing photographic evidence can be one of the valuable things for proving a car accident claim. So you must document your accident with images, right. In this article, we share some helpful tips on capturing photos of your car accident and when is the best time to share them with your attorney. For instance, when you consult the Law Offices Of Keith J. Stone, you will need to send pictures of your car accident as proof. They will go through all of them and decide which one to use for your case. 

Why does using images matter?

Taking images of the accident scene may be beneficial in several ways. First, you can use pictures of your car accident to persuade your insurance company. Or when the other driver issues a contradictory statement. In those situations, photographic evidence will serve as indisputable proof of what contributed to the accident. For instance, if the roads were slippery, you can use photographic evidence to prove why you lost control of your car. 

It is always advisable to take as many photographs as possible. Once you send all the photographic evidence to San Diego, a personal injury attorney will look at the pictures and reconstruct how the accident happened. This way, they will argue your case in a court of law, and win it. 

What kind of images of your accident should you take?

When you take images of your accident, your aim should be to document evidence, not blood and guts. You will be using your camera to collect evidence that you and your attorney will be present in court. You do not take pictures for your social media platform or for friends to pity you. It would be best to capture images of the license plates of all vehicles involved in an accident, damages, injuries, weather conditions, skid marks, collision points, and witnesses. If you have sustained injuries, a personal injury attorney San Diego CA may use some of them to prove your case.

Focus on taking this kind of image:

• Take images of all nearby traffic signs. For instance, if there was a stop sign and the other driver didn’t stop, you can take a picture of it.
• If there is an outgrown tree obstructing the traffic, snap that picture as well.
• Consider taking pictures of traffic lights, especially if they are not far from the accident scene. 
• Take pictures of anything in the vicinity of the accident scene. For instance, if the accident happened not far from a crossing line where school kids usually walk to the other side of the road.
• Take pictures of the other car involved in the accident and approaching traffic. 
• Take close-up pictures of your car to show how damaged it is. A personal injury San Diego may use some of those pictures to help you get compensation. 
• Make sure that you take pictures from different angles and distances. 

Please contact San Diego personal injury attorney if you have any questions. They have been helping clients for years, and they are here to support you with your accident case. 

When to share images of your accident with your attorney?

You can share images of your accident immediately after alerting your attorney about your accident. Your San Diego car accident lawyer will then use the images to reconstruct the accident scene and build up evidence. Your attorney will then help you seek the full compensation that you deserve from the insurance company. You can share all the images via Dropbox or Google Drive. Contact a San Diego accident attorney today, and they will use all your images to build a strong case.

Contact car accident attorney San Diego today!

Are you a teen driver who has recently got a driver’s license? Congratulations, you’re now officially a driver! 

If you’re a teen driver, chances are you enjoy driving yourself from home to school. Why? Because you can now neglect all the traffic rules without being supervised by your parents. That’s pretty normal. It is common for most first-time drivers to feel like that. But we want you to be safe. Hence, we have put together this teen driver awareness article to help you be safe on the road. 

Quick stats about teen accidents: 

• At least 80% teen drivers prefer speed and aggressive driving. 
• Teen drivers are likely to be involved in fatigue-related crashes. 
• Teen drivers are likely to the driver under the influence of alcohol. 

1. Always put on your safety belt.

Never make the mistake of driving your car without putting on your safety belt. It is one of the good habits that will keep you alive. If you’re involved in an accident, for instance, your safety belt will protect you from being thrown out of your car. At least 75% of deaths on the road happen due to not buckling up. The good news is that there are Law Offices Of Keith J. Stone that can help you get the compensation you deserve. 

2. Always clutch the steering wheel steady.  

Handling your steering wheel properly steering allows you to control your car. You should keep a steady hold on the wheel is essential when taking turns or holding the car straight down the road. When driving, ensure that both your hands are on the steering wheel. Avoid turning the wheel while gripping it from the inside of the wheel’s rim as that doesn’t give you 100% control of the steering wheel. However, a San Diego personal injury attorney can represent you if you’re involved in an accident.

3. Avoid speeding

As much as speed may seem exhilarating, there is a danger in it.  When you speed your car, you reduce the distance you’d usually need to stop your vehicle safely. But if it so happens that your love of speed injures you, a personal injury attorney San Diego will be there to support you.

4. Always brake gently

When applying your car’s brakes, it’s crucial to do it gently. And the best way of doing it by avoiding slamming the brake pedal when you want to stop. If you misapply your car’s brakes, it may slip out of control and hurt you and the other driver. But if something terrible happens, a personal injury attorney San Diego CA will be there to represent. 

5. Use turn signals

One of the most crucial things you shouldn’t neglect is using your signals properly. If you signal to turn right, always turn right, and once you have turned, switch off signals. But if by any chance you find yourself involved in an accident because another driver has signaled wrongly, a personal injury attorney San Diego CA will be here to support you.

6. Pay attention to yellow lights 

Most teen drivers make the mistake of not obeying the yellow lights. Instead of slowing down to prepare to stop, most teen drivers step on the gas to rush through the intersection. If you’re involved in an accident by any bad luck, a San Diego car accident lawyer will be there for you. 

7. Always obey speed limits 

Last but not least, if you’re on the road, always ensure that you obey speed limits. Check the road signs; the signs will tell you the speed you need to travel. Rather drive within a speed than exceed it and cause accidents that may leave other drivers hurt, or even worse, killed by your negligence. If you’re involved in an accident, a car accident attorney San Diego will help you. Contact San Diego accident attorney and ensure that you are well represented in court. 

The San Diego personal injury attorney, you hire explores these criteria to determine fault in your personal injury case. Once the fault has been determined, you have another question– ‘Who is responsible for my injuries?’

Who is Responsible for My Injuries?

Once your personal injury attorney determines fault, any damages and injuries are the responsibility of the driver who caused them. Those damages can be any of the following: 

• Lost wages
• Emotional pain
• Physical injuries
• Vehicle or other property damage
• Wrongful death

The personal injury attorney San Diego residents trust is the Law Offices of Keith J. Stone. The attorney will work diligently for you in seeking the answers needed to help your case. We will acquire the police report, contact any witnesses, and talk to your doctor(s), or other medical experts. Our primary focus is to do all the work and relieve you of this stress so you can work on healing and recovery. 

What Type of Compensation Can I get for My Injuries?

When injured in a hit and run accident, there are a number of things you can receive compensation for. The San Diego car accident lawyer assigned to your case will inform you about what type services, you are eligible to receive. 

Here are some examples of personal injury claim compensation types: 

• Wrongful death 
• Emotional and physical pain and suffering 
• Lost wages or the ability to work 
• Punitive damages (if proven defendant acted maliciously or with intent to harm you)

When determining the amount of compensation you are awarded, the attorney calculates current and future losses. 

How Your Attorney can Help

When you need a personal injury attorney San Diego CA residents trust the Law Offices of Keith J. Stone. Your attorney works for you and doesn’t get paid until you win your case. The attorney helps you by handling all the legal formalities and paperwork. We will build your case, and represent you in court, should the case go to litigation.

Contact the San Diego accident attorney people trust to get them winning compensation following a hit and run accident. That car accident attorney San Diego residents trust is the Law Offices of Keith J. Stone.

Call us today to schedule a free consultation appointment with one of our legal experts at 619-531-2022 or 760-940-4110.  Let us do all the work so you start the process of healing and getting back to your life.

Upon being involved in just about any type of accident, there’s always the chance that a victim will suffer a catastrophic injury. These types of injuries can affect a person for life. You’ll be in need of the assistance of an experienced, dedicated and aggressive personal injury attorney to preserve and protect your rights and plan for the future. Here at the Law Offices of Keith J. Stone, a San Diego personal injury attorney can help you to obtain the maximum compensation that you deserve for a catastrophic injury.

What is a Catastrophic Injury?

A San Diego doctor and a San Diego personal injury lawyer might define catastrophic injuries in slightly different ways, but they’re in agreement that such injuries affect victims for life. Catastrophic injuries involve great pain and suffering along with financial and emotional distress. They don’t just affect the victim either. They profoundly affect his or her family members too.

Types of Accidents That Can Cause Catastrophic Injuries

According to our San Diego catastrophic accident attorney, a variety of accidents can cause catastrophic injuries. A few examples of those types oi accidents follow:

• Auto, truck and motorcycle crashes.
• Bicycle and pedestrian accidents.
• Slip-and-falls or trip-and-falls or falls from heights.
• Construction and industrial accidents.
• Dangerously defective products.
• Sports, diving or swimming pool accidents.
• Medical malpractice.

Some Examples of Types of Catastrophic Personal Injuries

The variety of catastrophic personal injuries that can be suffered in an accident might be as broad as the types of accidents that cause them. Our San Diego accident attorney has listed some of those injuries below:

• Traumatic Brain Injuries: These might result from a traumatic impact like a fall or the brain being deprived of oxygen in a water sport accident or medical malpractice. These injuries can affect a person’s cognitive ability, memory, speech, coordination and more.
• Spinal Cord Injuries: A partially or completely town spinal cord will cause a lifetime of paraplegia or quadriplegia.  Modern medical science cannot piece a severed spinal cord back together. Spinal cord injuries are commonly associated with one or more fractured vertebrae caused by motorcycle, bicycle or pedestrian accidents, diving accidents or falls.
• Amputations: An amputation of a limb can either be traumatic from an impact or surgical at a hospital. Although prosthetic devices and physical therapy a certain degree of independence for an amputation, nothing can replace the partial or complete loss of a hand, arm, leg or foot.
• Burns: These are some of the most painful and debilitating injuries that an accident victim might suffer. Severe burn injuries can cause permanent pain, disfigurement and mobility issues.

Damages in Catastrophic Injury Cases

When a victim suffers catastrophic injuries in Southern California, it’s critical that he or she select and retain Law Offices of Keith Stone, a San Diego injury attorney with extensive experience in pretrial settlements and trial settings. That’s because damages pursuant to a settlement or award in any catastrophic injury case are likely to be on the high end. A lifetime of damages might include the following:

• Past and future medical expenses.
• Past and future lost income.
• Pain and suffering.
• Permanent disfigurement.
• Permanent disability.
• Loss of a normal life.
• Loss of consortium.

If you are a family member have suffered a catastrophic injury anywhere in Southern California, working with a skillful and experienced San Diego injury lawyer should be high on your list of priorities. Don’t talk with the insurer of the person or company that caused your injuries. California’s law doesn’t require you to do that, and information obtained from you can be used against you. Before, contact the San Diego catastrophic accident attorney at the Law Offices of Keith J. Stone for a free and confidential consultation and case review. We’ll be pleased to talk about what happened and how it has affected you and your family. After that, we can talk about the legal options that are available to you. Contact us as soon as you can after suffering severe or catastrophic injuries in any accident.

 

While driving a car in some areas of California can delay your travel, riding a bicycle can get you there quickly and benefit your health. You get exercise while commuting to school or work or running errands.

It’s important to know the rules of the road though, so you remain safe. Follow these simple guidelines to help prevent cyclist accidents, so you won’t need a San Diego personal injury lawyer.

California Bike Laws

Since many people in the state use their bicycles as commuting tools and many individuals ride on the roadways, CA made laws to govern their integration into motor vehicle traffic. Learning these bike laws and adhering to them provide important safety mechanisms that let them help protect you.

Wear Your Helmet

Helmet laws fall into this category. You must wear a helmet while cycling on the state’s roadways. This helmet must be specifically designed for bicycle riders. That means you can’t legally wear a motorcycle or football helmet, or any helmet designed for other protection. You can learn to properly wear your bicycle helmet on a website the state government created.

The Bicycle Lane

In many areas of the state, cyclists enjoy their own road lane – the bicycle lane. These lanes typically have pylons separating them from the motor vehicle lanes, which helps make the cyclists safer. Sometimes, the cyclists choose not to use these lanes since they need to enter the main traffic lanes to make a turn or a U-turn. They still enjoy the protection of the states’ bike and motor vehicle laws regardless of the lane in which they ride. That doesn’t mean they get to flout state law though. They have as complex of transportation rules as the drivers of motor vehicles and must use hand signals to let others know when they need to slow down, turn left, or turn right.

Reflective Clothing

You can make riding your bicycle at night safer by wearing reflective clothing that makes you easier to spot. You should also put reflectors and reflective tape you’re your bicycle, especially on the pedals and the wheels. Reflective tape on your handlebars is a good idea, too, since it makes it simpler for a driver to see you when you’re cycling towards them. Although they should be in the other lane, their awareness of you keeps you both safer if they need to swerve for some reason or you need to turn in front of their vehicle.

How a San Diego Accident Attorney Helps When Accidents Happen

You can significantly reduce your risks on the road by following the law and taking suitable precautions. An accident may still happen. When it does, you should first go to the hospital or doctor. After your medical treatment, you should contact a bicycle accident attorney in San Diego.

In California, if you become injured in an accident, you have legal options. An attorney can help you obtain legal redress.

Choose a specialty lawyer who has tried or settled many cases like yours. Hiring a San Diego bicycle accident attorney lets you benefit from an attorney with experience in the specific type of situation in which you became involved.

When you need an accident lawyer San Diego trusts, contact the Law Offices Of Keith J. Stone, a San Diego personal injury attorney specializing in bicycle accidents. Mr. Stone handles cases from the perspective of the bicyclist, as well as pedestrian and auto accident injuries. This provides him with experience that helps get you the compensation you deserve. Call Mr. Stone today at 619-531-202.

 

An accident is the furthest thing from our mind as we wave good-bye when the bus they’re on pulls away. However, school bus accidents are more common than one might think. Therefore, we all could use a lesson in San Diego School Bus Safety 101.

School Bus Safety

Bus Accident Attorney San Diego, Keith J. Stone advises to help your kids follow these rules when riding the school bus:

• Maintain a  manner of orderliness when entering or exiting the school bus.
• During the entire bus ride, remain in your seat.
• While in a school bus keep your hands, arms, legs, head, and other objects inside the bus.
• Sit facing forward with your feet flat on the bus floor.
• The aisles of the bus need to remain clear during the bus ride.
• Never do anything to distract the bus driver.

Kids must also adhere to the following rules when getting on a bus:

• Wait until the bus is completely stopped before standing up.
• When waiting at a bus stop, ensure it is a safe place away from oncoming traffic.
• Always use the hand rails when getting on the bus.

When preparing to exit the bus, ensure to follow these rules:

• Walk at least 10 feet from the front of the bus to cross the street.
• When students need to cross the street, the bus driver should signal other drivers by flashing the red light on the bus.
• The bus driver should never allow anyone to cross the street from the rear of the bus.

What are The Rules for Stopping Around a Bus and School Zone

Whenever approaching a school bus with red lights flashing and/or the stop sign out, California Code rules you stop.  San Diego Bus Accident Attorney, Keith J. Stone advises that this means, coming to a complete stop. They also state the lives of the children on the bus are more important than where you have to be.

Tips for Parents

As a San Diego Accident Attorney, I  want to ensure your kids are safe when they leave the house. Therefore, here are some safety tips that should assure their safety:

• Buy your child(ren) a bookbag or backpack to put their belongings in. This ensures they don’t drop something.
• Have them wear bright, contrasting colors. This assures drivers will see them in the early morning hours.
• Get to the bus stop at least 5 minutes early; being early ensures they don’t have to run to catch the bus.
• Walk your child to the bus stop; remember, there is safety in numbers. If you have older kids, make sure they have some other children to walk with.
• Stay on the sidewalks when walking. If there are no sidewalks, then always walk facing traffic. Teach children to walk as close to the side of the street as they can. Stay out of the way of oncoming traffic.
• Do not condone horse play at the bus stop. Tragic accidents happen when kids are pushing and shoving one another into the street.
• Ensure your child stands 10 feet from the side of the road.  Teach them how to measure 10 feet by having them take 5 giant leaps.
• Make sure you tell them to respect others while waiting for the bus.

If all these precautions are taken, and your child is injured in a bus accident. There is a San Diego Accident Lawyer that can help.

How an Attorney Can Help if Your Child has been in a Bus Accident

San Diego Personal Injury Attorney , Keith Stone can help if your child has been injured in a bus-related accident.

Whether the injuries your child sustained were the fault of another driver;  Keith j. Stone, San Diego Bus Accident Lawyer can help. If your child has been in a bus-related accident; call the Law Offices of Keith J. Stone. We are the Bus Accident Lawyer San Diego that you need to fight for you.

Semi-trucks are a blessing to all of us, businesses, and residents. These trucks carry tons of products to go to our local stores. And while it’s great that truck drivers work hard to meet deliveries, it is also very risky to share the road with these trucks. In fact, it can be downright dangerous, even to the point of fatalities. Having said this, the following includes tips for sharing the road with semi-trucks:

1. Pay careful attention to semi trucks on the road.

Semi trucks take up a lot of space. You should always look for them and pay close attention to the actions they take—but many drivers overlook semi trucks until it’s too late.

When you share the road with a semi truck, take note of:

• The truck’s cargo. Pay attention to the type of cargo the truck may contain. Flatbed trucks, for example, may carry heavy, oversized cargo. If the driver or loader does not secure that cargo properly, it can cause a falling load accident, which may cause severe injuries to those in other vehicles. On a traditional 18 wheeler with a closed trailer, make note of the trailer’s doors. If you notice them opening or moving oddly, which could suggest that the loaders did not secure them properly, you may want to signal the driver or get out of the way.
• The driver’s behavior. Does the truck seem to drift from one side to the other? Is the driver behaving erratically in any way? If you spot the signs of distracted or inebriated driving in a truck driver, you may want to maneuver away from that driver as soon as possible to help reduce the risk of an accident.
• The truck’s position and signals. Always pay careful attention to a truck driver’s intended pathway. Many accidents, for example, occur as the truck driver attempts to turn the vehicle. Truck drivers may need to make wide turns, especially right turns. A vehicle that creeps into the space the truck driver needs to occupy during that turn may end up in an accident. If you notice a truck driver signaling his intent to get into your lane, you may need to signal him regarding your presence or, if possible, get out of the way quickly.

2. Give semi trucks plenty of room to maneuver safely.

Because of their larger size and weight, semi trucks need more room to maneuver safely on the road. Truck drivers need more space to stop or turn. As the driver of a smaller passenger vehicle, you can take some of the pressure off the truck driver and reduce the risk of accidents by offering plenty of room for the truck driver to maneuver.

This includes:

• Not pulling over in front of big trucks. Make sure you leave adequate room behind you before pulling over in front of a big truck, especially at a traffic light or stop sign. Truck drivers cannot stop their vehicles quickly, especially when pulling a heavy weight.
• Leaving room for truck drivers to change lanes when needed. If a truck driver signals that he needs to change lanes, do not try to run up further into the lane to prevent him from coming over. Instead, drop back in traffic and flash your lights to let the driver know when he has adequate room.
• Allowing the truck plenty of room to make turns. If you see a big truck signaling the driver’s intent to turn right, for example, make sure you do not pull up directly on the right side of the truck. Many truck drivers need to make wide right turns, and if you pull up alongside a truck, it can make it more difficult for the driver to turn safely.
• Giving the truck driver time and space to maneuver if he gets stuck. On tight city streets, in particular, truckers have little margin for error, and accidents can occur quickly. If you notice that a truck driver has maneuvered into a dangerous position or gotten stuck due to traffic, try to get your vehicle out of the way and leave room for him to maneuver.

3. Know common truck blind spots.

Modern technology has undergone substantial advances, making it easier than ever for truck drivers to see the road around them, but those advances haven’t eliminated the hazard of trucking blind spots. Even trucks with cameras and collision warning may not give the trucker a complete view of the road around them.

If you cannot see the truck driver’s mirrors clearly, he likely cannot see you.

4. Follow all the rules of the road.

At high rates of speed, your risk of involvement in an accident increases substantially. The faster you drive, the harder it becomes to avoid common hazards on the road. You may also increase your risk of an accident if you attempt to rush through a red light or stop sign rather than waiting for your turn.

5. Dim your Brights.

On dark nights, you may turn on your brights to increase your ability to see the road or to make your vehicle more visible to others around you.

6. Pass trucks quickly, if you need to pass.

Don’t assume that the driver of a truck you’re passing knows you’re there. Because of blind spots, the truck driver may not always know that you moved—or even have seen your vehicle in the first place.

7. Use your turn signals.

If you need to slow down, change lanes, or turn, always use your signals to indicate your intent to other drivers. Truck drivers rely on your signals to determine their next moves. Tapping your brakes and putting on your turn signal lets a truck driver behind you know that you plan to turn soon and that the truck needs to slow down, giving you more room.

8. Slow down in bad weather.

Bad weather can prevent you from safely maneuvering your vehicle. Semi trucks have limited move-ability and sudden change reactions can cause a chain reaction.

If you were injured in an accident involving a semi-truck, contact the San Diego accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Keith J. Stone. We can help you get the compensation you deserve.

Be Prepared if You are in a Pedestrian Accident

Those in big cities seem to be the most vulnerable, in San Diego, for example, nearly 1,000 pedestrians and bicyclists are hit and seriously injured each year. Areas like Downtown, Southeastern, City Heights, and local neighborhoods where people walk more are the most likely to incur pedestrian and bicycle accidents.

Safety Tips for Pedestrians and Bicyclists:

Ever since we crossed our first street with our parents, we all heard “look both ways before you cross the street,” but today, there is much more to look out for and way more distractions than there were previously.

Here are some safety tips for those that enjoy a morning or evening stroll:

• Walk on the sidewalk if possible. If there is no sidewalk, walk on the side of the street facing traffic.
• Obey traffic signals.
• Cross the street only at crosswalks when it is safe to do so.
• If there is no crosswalk, move to an area where you can see oncoming traffic.
• Follow your parents’ advice and look left, right, and left again before crossing the street.
• Be alert and not distracted.
• Do not use your cell phone or wear earbuds that can alter your ability to hear oncoming traffic.
• Do not drink or take drugs that can impair you when you are planning a walk.
• Wear bright clothing during the day and reflective clothing at night.
• Wear a hat with a light or bring a flashlight on your walk at night.
• Be careful of cars around driveways where residents can pull in and out.
• Watch for cars backing up in parking lots.
• Make sure young children are with an adult when taking a walk.
• Make sure your pet is on a leash if they are walking with you, many accidents are caused by chasing an animal that may have wandered into the street.

 

What Should You Do If You are in a Pedestrian Accident?

Walking in a big city can be as dangerous as driving in it. Do you know what to do if you are in a pedestrian accident? Many of us are prepared for accidents as auto drivers, but most of us would not know what to do if we were in an accident while walking.

Here is some helpful information for avid walkers:

• Get medical care if you have been hit and injured
• Call the police to start an accident report, it is a legal requirement in many states
• Document the accident to the best of your ability:
  • Details of where you were and where the car was
  • Get information from any witnesses to the accident
  • Document time, date, location, weather, and road conditions
  • Record your version of the accident
  • Get the information for any police officers at the scene
  • If possible, get photos at the scene
• Contact your insurance company
• Do not say too much. This can be a frightening ordeal, but watch what you say at the scene of the accident
• If you are injured, seek the advice of legal counsel

The Best Car Accident Injury Attorney San Diego:

No one plans on being in a pedestrian accident, but if you are, it is wise to be prepared. In San Diego, the Law Office of Keith J. Stone is a good place to start. They are one of the best in the area.

You will need an experienced accident lawyer San Diego and surrounding areas if you are hit while walking. They can explain your rights and make sure you receive proper counsel if you are hit and injured. It is important when you are looking for an attorney to find one that is experienced in this type of legal action.

San Diego Injury Accident Attorney

Keith J. Stone’s law firm is an expert in auto accidents and works hard to make the process as simple as can be. He is a San Diego Pedestrian Accident Attorney dedicated to helping those injured in a car accident. He is also a San Diego Wrongful Death Attorney, in case you know someone involved in any type of accident and lost their life. Having his information handy can help those that do not know what to do next because of shock and bereavement.

If you or someone you know needs an Accident Attorney in San Diego, keep the Law Offices of Keith J. Stone’s phone number handy. They are available to help clients 24/7 at 619-531-2022. Their offices are at 555 W. Beech Street, Suite 210 in San Diego, CA 92101.