Los Angeles, California Intersection Car Accident Lawyers

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Los Angeles, California Intersection Car Accident Lawyers

Car accidents in the Los Angeles-area are a frequent occurrence impacting thousands annually. According to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), last year 289 people were killed in traffic collisions through December 25 of 2021. That figure represents a 21% increase through the same period in 2020 and a 19% increase during the same period in 2019.

Los Angeles, California Intersection Car Accident Lawyers

Intersection Car Accidents

In addition to the 289 car accident fatalities recorded by the LAPD last year, 1,465 people were seriously injured in Los Angeles traffic accidents through December 25, 2021. That figure represents a marked 30% increase over the same period in 2020 (and the LAPD defines a ‘severe injury’ as one requiring transport from an accident scene).

One of the most common car accident scenarios leading to injuries involves crashes occurring at busy Los Angeles and Southern California-area intersections. If you’ve been injured in an intersection car accident, you may be facing considerable medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Accordingly, a civil claim (lawsuit) may be an opportunity to recover much-needed financial compensation which will allow for your complete recovery – physically, emotionally, and financially.

In the following page, we will look at intersection accident statistics, review why so many car accidents occur at intersections, discuss how much your intersection crash injury case may be worth, and provide information on how to file a claim with Dordulian Law Group’s proven Los Angeles, California, car accident attorneys.

Why Do So Many Car Accidents Occur at Intersections?

According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), intersecting roadways are necessary to connect people from one route to another when driving, walking, and bicycling. However, where roads intersect and paths cross, the resulting conflict points create circumstances where crashes can frequently occur.

In fact, each year roughly 25% of traffic fatalities and about 50% of all traffic injuries in the United States are attributed to intersections, according to the FHWA. Accordingly, the FHWA refers to intersection-related car accidents as a national, state, and local road safety priority, as well as a program focus area for the organization.

As the FHWA notes, unsignalized intersections are the most common type in the United States. Examples of unsignalized intersections include:

  • Stop sign-controlled: at least one approach to the intersection is controlled by a stop sign.
  • Yield sign-controlled: at least one approach to the intersection is controlled by a yield sign.
  • Uncontrolled: none of the approaches to the intersection are controlled by a regulatory sign or traffic signal; typically found on very low-volume roads in rural or residential areas.

Intersection Car Accident Statistics

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), for about 36% of motor vehicle collisions, the critical pre-crash events involved turning or crossing at intersections. In other words, nearly 40% of all car accidents in the U.S. occur at intersections.

Additionally, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) confirmed the following intersection accident statistics:

  • In 2007, approximately 2.4 million intersection-related crashes occurred.
  • At the time, that figure represented 40% of all reported crashes and 21.5% of traffic fatalities.
  • Furthermore, intersections represent a “disproportionate share” of the traffic safety issue and are a national, state, and local priority, according to USDOT data.
  • 41% of pedestrian and bicycle crashes occur at roadway intersections.
  • Of the 787,236 intersection-related crashes, about 96% (756,570) had critical reasons contributing to driver behavior.
  • Vehicle or environment-attributed critical reasons were assigned in less than 3% of intersection crashes.
  • The most frequent critical reasons for intersection-related crashes were inadequate surveillance (44.1%), followed by false assumption of other’s action (8.4%), turned with obstructed view (7.8%), illegal maneuver (6.8%), internal distraction (5.7%), and misjudgment of gap or other’s speed (5.5%).
  • Approximately 31% of intersection-related fatalities occur at intersections controlled by traffic signals.
  • Approximately 38% of intersection-related fatalities occur at intersections with stop signs.

Furthermore, the FHWA offers the following year-over-year statistics related to fatalities at unsignalized and signalized intersections.

Unsignalized Intersections:

Unsignalized Intersections

Signalized Intersections:
Signalized Intersections

What Percentage of Traffic Accidents Occur at Intersections?

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, over 50% of the combined total of fatal and injury crashes occur at or near intersections. The Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA’s) intersection safety and design research facilitates the implementation of short-term safety improvements, and defines and evaluates long-term, higher payoff strategies to improve intersection safety.

What are Common Types of Accidents that Occur at Intersections?

The most common type of intersection-related car accident involves a driver making a left turn. However, there are a number of scenarios that can qualify as an intersection-related car accident, such as:

  • A crash involving head-on impact, where one vehicle unsuccessfully merges into an opposing lane of traffic while attempting to make a turn at an intersection.
  • A crash involving side impact, where a vehicle enters the path of another vehicle.
  • A crash involving dual head-on and side impacts (often where a driver passes through a red light at an intersection).
  • A crash where a driver speeds or fails to yield when passing through a yellow light.
  • Rear-end collisions where drivers are struck by aggressive motorists.

Which Dangerous Los Angeles Intersections Have the Most Accidents?

A recent Los Angeles Times report noted that residents of L.A.’s underserved communities are disproportionately killed in traffic crashes.

As of December 25, 2021, LAPD data indicated that the “greatest risk intersections” throughout the city included:

  • San Pedro Street and Washington Boulevard in South L.A.
  • Florence Avenue and Vermont Avenue in South L.A.
  • Oxnard Street and Van Nuys Boulevard in Van Nuys
  • Highland Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood

Additionally, Colin Sweeney, a Department of Transportation (DOT) spokesperson, told the Los Angeles Times that 2021 traffic crash statistics point to “speeding and reckless driving, coupled with design trends that make cars deadlier than ever before, with heavier frames and the addition of distracting features.”

We’ve seen these dramatic increases,” LAPD Chief Michael Moore stated at a police commission meeting last month. Moore specifically referenced the pedestrian accident death of Arian Rahbar, a 21-year-old USC student who was struck at an intersection crosswalk by a street racing vehicle near the school’s campus late last year.

The Los Angeles Times noted that Moore urged the public to “obey speed laws,” citing the rising number of motor vehicle collisions.

Moreover, a February 2020 report by Crosstown L.A. found that the Top 10 Most Dangerous Intersections in Los Angeles include:

  1. Sherman Way and Sepulveda Boulevard (Van Nuys)
  2. Manchester Avenue and Figueroa Street (Vermont Knolls)
  3. Burbank and Sepulveda Boulevards (Van Nuys)
  4. Van Nuys and Roscoe Boulevards (Panorama City)
  5. Western Avenue and Slauson Avenue (Harvard Park)
  6. Nordhoff Street and Sepulveda Boulevard (North Hills)
  7. Tampa Avenue and Nordhoff Street (Northridge)
  8. Sherman Way and Woodman Avenue (Van Nuys)
  9. Victory Boulevard and Coldwater Canyon Avenue (Valley Glen)
  10. Sherman Way and Van Nuys Boulevard (Van Nuys)

To read the complete list of Most Dangerous Intersections in Los Angeles, please click here.

Intersection Accident Prevention Safety Tips

It’s widely understood that, when traveling through an intersection, drivers should maintain the highest level of vigilance. Some additional intersection safety tips for drivers include:

  • Be vigilant of cross-traffic when your light is green – countless intersection crashes occur when a driver runs a red light.
  • Do not assume that you are visible to pedestrians or bicyclists – two types of people who are regularly found at intersections.
  • Accordingly, it’s important to always yield to pedestrians and bicyclists, maintaining a safe speed and distance in heavy-traffic areas.
  • When making a left turn, remember that all oncoming vehicles – cars, motorcycles, bicycles, and even scooters – might be traveling faster than they appear.
  • Remember to always come to a complete stop at stop signs.
  • Make sure to wait your turn at four-way stops and yield to vehicles/pedestrians who have the right of way.
  • When making a right turn at a red light, it’s important to confirm that the vehicle in front of you has turned safely before you begin to accelerate. This is a key safety tip that can help drivers avoid rear-end collisions – many of which can lead to serious injuries, such as whiplash.

What are Some Common Types of Intersection-Related Car Accident Injuries?

Car accidents occurring at intersections can lead to a range of injuries that vary in type and severity. Some of the more common types of intersection-related car accident injuries we encounter at DLG include:

  • Whiplash (due to rear-end intersection collisions)
  • Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
  • Spinal cord injury
  • Broken or fractured bones
  • Road rash
  • Scarring or disfigurement
  • Concussion (MTBI)
  • Torn ligaments
  • Catastrophic injury
  • Paralysis
  • Death

The extent of one’s intersection car accident injuries may impact the total amount of financial compensation recovered. For example, more serious injuries requiring substantial medical care and recovery time may warrant significant cash settlement awards. To learn more about how much your Los Angeles, California, intersection car accident injury claim may be worth, contact a lawyer from DLG’s Personal Injury Division today at 818-322-4056. When you sit down with a DLG car accident lawyer for a free consultation, we’ll review the facts of your case, provide an estimate for how long your claim may take to settle, and provide an estimate for how much your financial damages award may be worth.

Who is At Fault in a California Intersection Car Accident?

One of the reasons why it’s so important that injured car accident victims choose an experienced and skilled attorney is the issue of fault. Proving fault in an intersection-related car accident can be challenging, especially when seeking to recover compensation for the injuries you’ve sustained.

The vast majority of intersection traffic accidents occur when a car is attempting to make a left hand turn. Under California state traffic laws, the car making the left hand turn is almost always required to wait (and complete the turn when it is safe and the roadway is clear). Although California is a comparative fault law state, negligence in an intersection car crash is frequently applied to the driver making the left turn.

However, even if you were making a left hand turn at an intersection and suffered an injury in an accident, you still may be able to recover financial compensation for various types of losses. California’s comparative negligence law ensures that an injured victim (the complainant) can still recover financial compensation or damages even if he or she happened to be partially liable (to blame) for an incident.

In other words, in virtually any personal injury case, the courts will assign a percentage of liability to each involved party. Accordingly, unless one person/entity is 100% responsible for the intersection-related car accident incident, the involved parties will share a portion of the overall liability.

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What To Do After an Intersection Car Accident Injury

If you’ve been injured in an intersection car accident, it’s recommended that you take certain steps to ensure your opportunity at justice and due financial compensation is not jeopardized.

Dordulian Law Group’s (DLG) Top 10 Steps to Take After an Intersection Car Accident Injury include:

  1. Address any injuries
  2. Call the police
  3. Gather contact info of involved parties
  4. Gather vehicle info
  5. Gather witness info
  6. Take photos and videos
  7. If required, leave a note
  8. Contact a proven car accident lawyer
  9. Contact the insurance company (with your lawyer’s assistance)
  10. Report the incident to the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicle)

The most important step you can take after an intersection car accident is to seek medical treatment for any injuries (and keep in mind, many victims may not experience immediate symptoms, whether due to shock or latency).

Additionally, a medical exam after an intersection car accident can help diagnose serious injuries like whiplash, concussion, or even traumatic brain injury/TBI. In many instances, such injuries don’t lead to immediate symptoms. But by not seeking medical care, you could be putting your health at risk. Furthermore, seeking medical treatment establishes a record of your injury, which can be invaluable when pursuing financial compensation in a civil claim.

Finally, medical records can help prove how your injury progressed. Insurance companies or at-fault parties will often try to minimize their liability, and if you don’t have medical documentation to support your claim, your damages award could be reduced.

Once your health and well-being is attended to, the next and most important step you can take is to contact the very best Los Angeles car accident lawyers available to protect your right to maximum financial compensation.

What Damages Can be Recovered in an Intersection Car Accident Lawsuit?

If you suffered an intersection car accident injury that was a result of negligence, you may be eligible to recover significant financial compensation for various losses. When negligence or carelessness leads to an intersection car accident injury, it’s important that the at-fault party be held responsible for covering the ensuing expenses, such as medical care costs, lost wages, and more.

Examples of common damages that may be recovered through an intersection car accident injury civil claim include:

  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity
  • Emotional trauma
  • Medical care expenses
  • Hospital bills
  • Physical therapy or rehabilitation expenses
  • Diminished quality of life
  • Pain and suffering
  • Punitive damages

Hiring a DLG intersection car accident lawyer can help ensure your civil claim is maximized, and that you recover all applicable damages after an incident due to negligence. Our Car Accident Division is led by Sam Dordulian, a former Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles County with more than 25 years of experience helping injured victims secure the maximum financial compensation they deserve.

To learn more about how important it can be to have an experienced DLG Los Angeles, California, intersection car accident injury lawyer handling your case, please visit our recent blog on how pain and suffering damages are calculated in personal injury civil claims.

Contact a Los Angeles, California, Intersection Car Accident Lawyer

Hiring a DLG intersection car accident lawyer to handle your injury claim can be a financially prudent decision. In fact, data indicates that injured traffic accident victims who hire private attorneys often secure greater financial compensation for their claims.

For example, the Insurance Research Council (IRC) recently conducted a study which confirmed the following:

  • Settlements for injured claimants were 40% higher when they had secured private legal representation.
  • The average insurance payout was 3.5 times higher for injured victims who hired private attorneys (when compared to those representing themselves).
  • 85% of all money paid by insurance companies for bodily injuries is received by victims who have secured representation from a private personal injury attorney.

California intersection car accident victims are encouraged to always consult with an experienced, trusted, and proven personal injury attorney before:

  • Speaking to the at-fault party or his/her insurance carrier
  • Making any official statement regarding your intersection car accident injury
  • Signing any official or legal documents
  • Accepting any type of settlement offer from an at-fault party or representative

If you believe you have a personal injury case and wish to pursue a claim, don’t hesitate to contact our award-winning expert attorneys online or by phone today.

With DLG, your intersection car accident injury consultation is always free, confidential, and without any obligation. We’ll review the facts of your case and provide you with all available legal options to ensure your rights are protected and the maximum financial damages award you deserve is pursued. We serve intersection car accident injury clients throughout California as well as the United States.

Some of the local areas we serve include:

  • Los Angeles
  • Glendale
  • Santa Monica
  • Torrance
  • North Hollywood
  • Burbank
  • Pasadena
  • San Diego
  • Long Beach
  • Bakersfield
  • Sacramento
  • Fresno
  • Riverside
  • San Francisco
  • Granada Hills
  • Simi Valley
  • San Fernando Valley
  • Antelope Valley

Contact DLG today at 866-GO-SEE-SAM for a free case evaluation. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by ensuring that the insurance company or at-fault party does not take advantage of your rights after an intersection car accident injury – whether due to distracted driving, aggressive driving, intoxicated driving, or another type of negligence.

DLG’s intersection car accident injury lawyers have helped victims like you recover more than $200 million in settlements and verdicts while maintaining a 98% success record. Our dedicated team offers injured victims peace of mind through our unparalleled experience and proven results.

You owe it to yourself to take every step towards avoiding financial loss after an unfortunate intersection car accident injury that occurred through no fault of your own. With DLG’s experienced car accident lawyers, our No Win/No Fee Guarantee means there is never any obligation or upfront fee, and we are here to answer any questions you may have 24/7.

Client Review

“My son was in a car accident a few years ago and he needed legal advice regarding his injury. We reached out to Samuel Dordulian’s office. His entire office is very professional and caring. Case Manager Rafi is very kind, friendly, professional and understanding. He provided excellent legal advice and whenever my son needed to speak with Sam, he was always available. He returned his calls in a timely manner and he didn’t hesitate to answer any questions. I highly recommend Atty Sam Dordulian to anyone who needs legal assistance with any type of injury! He is really dependable!”
William D
Client Review

spanish version: Abogados de accidentes automovilísticos en intersecciones de Los Ángeles

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