When you’re hurt in an auto accident, there are many things you’ll need. For one thing, you’ll need time to heal, emotionally and physically. After that, though, it’s quite likely you’ll need to file an action in civil court to get compensation for the harm you suffered. To get everything you should from that lawsuit, you’ll need representation from the right San Mateo injury attorney. The right attorney can offer you and your case the right knowledge, the right experience and the right resources to ensure your case will achieve what it should.
One of the big things that the right attorney can provide is the right resources to do all the necessary investigatory work. Don’t overlook how important this is winning your case and getting the full recovery you deserve.
Some cases may be clear-cut in all the essential areas (such as an obviously distracted driver who admittedly ran a stop sign and T-boned your car.) Many though, are not. They are complex and require careful investigation to know what the true nature of the case really is. A tragically fatal accident from outside Vacaville, which was reported by KRON, is an example.
The driver of a BMW and the driver of an Audi were “stopped on the highway after” being involved in a crash on Interstate 80. As those two drivers exchanged information, a Toyota crashed into the BMW. That impact pinned the BMW’s driver between his vehicle and the interstate’s center divider, killing him. All other drivers suffered minor injuries, according to the report.
An in-depth and proper investigation can be vital to your case
Now, based on those facts, it might seem pretty clear that the driver of the Toyota is 100% to blame for all the harm. Again, this is where having the right legal team to do the necessary investigation and consult the right experts helps. For example, was the driver of the Toyota cited for any violations? Was he/she speeding, distracted or intoxicated at the time of the crash? If you were injured in such an accident, having answers to these questions may help your case.
Proper investigation may also point to additional sources of liability. For example, who was at fault for the initial accident between the Audi and the BMW? The driver who caused that crash may have potential liability as a “but for” cause of the subsequent damage. (This means that, but for the first crash caused by the at-fault driver, neither driver would have been stopped in the center median and nobody would have been struck by the Toyota.)
Additionally, how were the vehicles parked after that first crash? A report from CBS Sacramento indicated that the Audi and the BMW were parked mostly in the center median, but were partially in the left travel lane of the interstate. That, of course, could point to the possibility that others, in addition to the Toyota driver, were potentially liable for the damages caused.
Always keep in mind that, even if you were partly to blame for the injuries you ultimately sustained, you can still sue and win. California is a “pure comparative” negligence state, which means that you recover whatever amount for which you can prove someone was legally responsible and for which you suffered harm. If you had $100,000 in damages and were 20% at fault, you can still recover $80,000. Even if you were 80% to blame, you still have a chance to recover an award of $20,000.
When you’re hurt in an auto accident, you need someone on your side with experience. Experience in doing the investigation necessary to find out who was at fault, and to what degree. Experience to find out just how “bad” the accident was and how severe your harm was. In short, you need the experienced San Mateo injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos. Our attorneys have many years of helping people get what they deserve after an auto accident. To set up a free consultation with one of our helpful attorneys, contact us at 650-345-8484 or through our website.
A Crash Along the Center Median of Interstate 80 Kills Person in California
