Lancaster Car Accident Lawyer
After 40 years of declining car crashes, injuries and fatalities, crash rates started climbing in 2012, and they’ve been going up annually every year since, at an ever more alarming rate. According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, traffic fatalities in the state went up an alarming seven percent from 2015 to 2016. Closer to home, Lancaster ranked as the sixth-worst municipality among 58 cities with a similar-sized population. Over 1,760 persons were killed or injured in Lancaster traffic accidents in 2016.
The Lancaster personal injury attorneys at the Kistler Law Firm help car accident victims every day get the medical care they need and recover the compensation they deserve after being injured in a crash. Learn more about Lancaster car accidents below, and call the Kistler Law Firm for help after a crash in the Antelope Valley caused by another’s negligence.
Why are car crashes in Lancaster on the rise?
Cars are being made safer, but unfortunately, driver behavior is getting worse. Not only do drivers continue to speed and drink and drive despite knowing the dangers, but more and more drivers are becoming dangerously distracted by their cell phones and in-vehicle “infotainment” systems, which they increasingly rely on for navigation, news and information, entertainment and social media updates.
Some of the leading causes of car crashes in Lancaster include:
- Speeding
- Distracted Driving
- Following Too Close
- Drunk or Drugged Driving
- Disregarding Traffic Signals and Signs
- Failing to Adjust Driving to Traffic, Road and Weather Conditions
- Aggressive Driving and Road Rage
Failing to give the proper attention and care to the task of driving is negligent behavior that can lead to very real and serious injuries in a crash, and car accident victims can hold those negligent drivers liable for their reckless, negligent or distracted driving. The Lancaster car accident lawyers at the Kistler Law Firm work to prove the other driver’s negligence and fault in causing the accident and prove the nature and extent of the injuries they have caused, recovering a full and fair amount of compensation for our clients.
What if I wasn’t wearing my seatbelt?
Wearing seatbelts is required by California Vehicle Code section 27315 for drivers and passengers in most cases, and failure to wear a seatbelt is an infraction punishable by a fine. Regardless of whether any ticket is issued or not, the fact that a person was not wearing a seatbelt may be used as evidence of the injury victim’s own negligence in causing the injury. Some car accidents can be worse if the victim was not wearing a seatbelt, for instance if the victim was ejected from the vehicle. Injuries can still be severe even if a seatbelt was worn, however, and factors such as the victim’s height and weight, the position of the seatbelt and the position of the seat and seat back, can all factor into whether a seatbelt helped or would have helped prevent serious injury in a wreck.
Any percentage of negligence assigned to you will reduce the amount of compensation you can recover, so it’s important to fight back against unfair attacks that you weren’t a seatbelt or that seatbelt use was linked your injuries. Experienced personal injury attorneys understand how to investigate a car accident and review your medical condition with doctors to determine the effect a seatbelt had or didn’t have in your accident.
If you’ve been in a Lancaster car accident…
At the scene of the accident:
- Call 9-1-1 if there are any injuries.
- Don’t move the cars before the police arrive unless it is necessary for traffic safety.
- Trade information with the other driver, including names, addresses/phone numbers, and insurance company names and policy numbers. Don’t share information on your policy coverage or limits, and don’t admit fault, apologize or discuss the accident itself.
- Take pictures of the damage to your vehicle.
- Take pictures of the scene of the accident, including the positions of the vehicles, skid marks and debris. Take pictures of relevant street signs or traffic lights that can show how the accident happened.
- Talk to any witnesses about what they saw and get their contact information. Take notes on your phone or write down what the witnesses tell you.
After the accident:
- See a doctor as soon as possible. If you don’t need emergency care, follow up with your regular doctor and let them know you were hit in an accident. This is important even if you don’t think you were injured. Some injuries do not show up immediately but still need to be identified early; your doctor will want to look you over and order any tests that may be necessary.
- If you are receiving ongoing treatment, be sure to keep all your appointments, or document in writing the reason why you can’t make an appointment if you have to miss one.
- Keep detailed, accurate records of work days or hours missed, including immediately after the accident and if you need time off for treatment or physical therapy.
- Keep records of any other expenses you sustained due to the accident.
- Call an attorney to discuss how to handle your claim. in Lancaster, call the Kistler Law Firm for a free consultation.
Get Immediate Help after a Lancaster Car Accident
For help getting medical care and compensation after a car accident in Lancaster, call the Kistler Law Firm at 661-206-6990 for a no-cost, no-obligation consultation. You won’t pay any costs out of pocket to hire us or pursue your case, and we only get paid if we recover for you.
