A car accident can change your life in an instant. We understand how stressful it can be trying to recover from your injuries while also worrying about insurance companies, mounting expenses, and lost wages.
At Jacoby & Meyers Injury Lawyers, we have been protecting the rights of California injury victims for more than 50 years. With more than $2 billion in settlements and awards collected, you can trust that we know how to win big for our clients.
We want to help you get your life back on track after a car accident. Let our experienced, dedicated Oakland car accident lawyers handle your legal claim so you can focus on your recovery.
If we represent you, we will immediately begin investigating your accident and gathering evidence to support your claims. We will customize a legal strategy based on the specific facts of your case and aggressively fight to get every dollar you deserve.
Common Causes of Oakland Car Accidents
Oakland car accidents can have numerous causes. Some of the most common include:
- Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of accidents. Texting, eating, adjusting the radio, talking on the phone, or having conversations with your passengers can all distract your attention from the road and cause an accident.
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol impairs judgment, reaction time, and coordination which increases the chances of having an accident.
- Speeding reduces your ability to react to road hazards making crashes more likely and increasing the severity of injuries when an accident happens.
- Reckless drivers engaging in behaviors such as tailgating, running red lights or stop signs, and aggressively weaving in and out of traffic are often the cause of Oakland car accidents.
- An inexperienced driver may not anticipate road hazards or react as quickly to dangerous conditions which may increase the chances of a crash.
- Fatigued driving can impair reaction times and abilities as much as driving under the influence.
- Vehicle defects or failures such as tire blowouts, brake failure, steering malfunctions, and more can cause car accidents.
- Wildlife running into the highway can cause a serious collision, In California there are more than 7,000 collisions involving wildlife each year. One study shows that vehicle collisions with wildlife cost California $1 billion over a 5-year period.
- Poor vehicle maintenance can cause brake, tire, and engine problems that make you more likely to have an accident.
- Dangerous road conditions such as a defective design can lead to car accidents.
Common Injuries in Oakland Car Accidents
Car accidents in Oakland can result in injuries ranging from mild whiplash and bruises to life-altering injuries and even death. Some of the most common Oakland car accident injuries include:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Amputations
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Internal bleeding and organ damage
- Broken and crushed bones
- Bruises, lacerations, and cuts
- Burns
- Disfigurement
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress, anxiety, and depression
Many times car accident victims believe they have suffered only minor injuries only to realize later that those “minor” injuries have a big impact on their mobility and often cause chronic pain.
Oakland Car Accident Statistics
Speeding is the cause of approximately 25% of deadly Oakland car collisions and 75% of severe or fatal injuries in Oakland happen at intersections.
Oakland is known for having a high rate of traffic collisions and 60% of the severe and fatal crashes in Oakland occur in just 6% of its streets. The rate of crashes is disproportionately higher in some of the poorest areas of town.
These high-injury streets are mostly in Oakland’s “Communities of Concern.” Communities of Concern is a term used to describe communities with high rates of poverty, people of color, people with disabilities, zero-car households, and English as a second language.
To address this problem, the Department of Transportation, the City Administrator’s Office, the Oakland Police Department, and the Department of Race and Equity launched the Safe Oakland Street (SOS) initiative in 2021. In addition to the SOS program, the city has recently taken several other aggressive initiatives to address the high rate of traffic collisions in Oakland
Important California Car Accident Laws
California follows a pure comparative negligence rule for personal injury cases. This means that even if you were partially at fault in your car accident, you can still recover damages from the other at-fault parties.
In many states, a car accident victim is barred from recovering damages if their fault in the accident meets a certain standard. For example, in Texas, you can not seek damages for your injuries if you were more than 51% at fault in the accident.
This is not true in California. Here, you could even be 99% at fault in the accident and still recover damages from the party who was only 1% at fault. However, your damages award will be reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to you.
So, if you were found to be 30% at fault in an Oakland car accident and your compensation award was $100,000, you would only receive $70,000. This is because your award was reduced by 30%, which is your percentage of fault in the accident.
Another important law you should be aware of is the statute of limitations for your claim. The statute of limitations sets your deadline for seeking compensation for damages. If you miss your deadline, you will most likely not be able to recover any compensation.
The statute of limitations for most personal injury lawsuits in California is two years. However, there are exceptions to this rule.
When a government entity is named a defendant, you will have a shorter time to file a claim. There are also a few situations where the two-year deadline may be tolled or extended.
You must seek the advice of an experienced Oakland car accident lawyer to understand the relevant deadline for your case.
Contact an Oakland Car Accident Lawyer Today
If you have been injured in a car accident, you need the guidance and representation of an experienced Oakland car accident lawyer. At Jacoby & Meyers, we have been successfully representing California car accident victims for more than 50 years.
We know all the insurance companies’ tactics and how to overcome them. We have a proven track record of recovering maximum compensation for our car accident clients and we want to do the same for you.
Call us at (866) 387-8009 or visit our contact page today to schedule a free consultation. We will evaluate your case, answer your questions, explain your options, a
Call or text 888-522-6291 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
