Anyone in California who has been involved in a car accident, including even a relatively minor collision, likely knows of the literal and figurative headaches an accident can cause. When car accidents cause serious injuries, an injured person might be left trying to prove that his or her injuries were the result of another’s negligence. Fortunately, there are some ways to support claims of negligence.
One of the most important tools to support a claim of negligence is the police report generated as a result of the accident. In most accidents involving injuries, a police officer will issue a report. This report typically contains information about any citations issued as well as an officer’s opinion about the cause of the accident. This may include information about who may have been speeding, based on skid-marks or other evidence.
In some types of accidents, a person’s negligence may seem more obvious. For example, the driver of a car that rear-ends another driver is typically considered at fault. A motorist is required to leave a certain amount of space between his or her car and the car in front of it. Failure to do so could result in a serious collision. Similarly, a driver who takes a left turn in front of another is generally at fault, assuming the second driver was not speeding excessively or failed to obey a traffic light.
Unfortunately, an accident that seems relatively minor could result in long-term consequences. Often, injuries lead to significant medical bills and could prevent a victim from returning to work in the same capacity. In a case such as that, it may be necessary to turn to a civil court to ensure that an injured victim receives all of the financial compensation to which he or she may be entitled to help live as normal of a life as a possible following an injury. An experienced California personal injury attorney can help victims of car accidents make informed decisions about their cases.
Source: FindLaw, “Car Accident Liability: Proving Fault in a Car Crash“, Accessed on May 24, 2015