No matter how safely you drive, you can get into an accident because other drivers may be negligent. The impact of a car crash is downright scary. You may feel disoriented and not know what to do. You may be even more worried when you find out that the person who caused the accident left the scene. How will you ever find the person responsible for your serious bodily injuries in the hit-and-run accident and how much time do you have to take civil action in a hit-and-run case?

Hit and Run Accident

A hit-and-run accident is when someone is involved in a car accident with another car, pedestrian, parked vehicle, or bicycle and leaves the scene without providing reasonable assistance to an injured person or the following information:

Many people will bypass air travel and opt for driving home for the holidays. Unfortunately, it is estimated that nearly 350 people will die on U.S. roads this Christmas holiday weekend alone. Choosing a car may seem more practical given all of the security checks at airports, but traveling by car increases your chances of getting in a car accident compared to other modes of transportation.

What Causes Holiday Accidents?

The work involved with coordinating holiday events, shopping, and travel can amount to high stress. Driving into unfamiliar areas when there is snow or rain increases the risks. Some of the reasons car accidents occur during the holidays include the following:

• Vehicle maintenance – You may need new brakes but would rather use that money to buy gifts. Before you hit the road this holiday, make sure you make the necessary car repairs so that your car is properly maintained.

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A deadly car accident can be traumatizing for the entire family. You might wonder how you will ever recover from such a loss. Unfortunately, deadly car crashes continue to soar in Los Angeles County; in the first months of this year, there was a seven percent increase in deadly car crashes compared to the previous year, which was already at a 15-year high.  If people continue driving recklessly, this trend is likely to continue into the holiday season. If you have lost a loved one in a vehicle collision through no fault of their own, Tahmazian Law Firm, P.C. can try to help you seek compensation for wrongful death.

Driving Risks that Lead to Fatal Accidents

Everything from careless to reckless driving can lead to fatal car accidents. In 2020, AAA surveyed drivers and found that many people were more likely to engage in risky behavior by consuming alcohol, intentionally running a red light, and speeding. Car accidents can also be caused by various forms of negligence. Sometimes other parties may also be at fault due to dangerous road conditions or defective auto parts. If you believe your family member was killed in a car crash due to someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation.

Who Can File a Legal Claim?

The purpose of a wrongful death claim is to compensate the family for their loss. For wrongful death lawsuits, the statute of limitations is usually two years from the date your loved one died. The following persons can file a wrongful death claim:

Using a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft can be a great way to get around. It is easier and less expensive than a cab and safer than walking alone or driving drunk. However, rideshare drivers can and do cause accidents just like any other driver on the road. Uber and Lyft drivers are not professional drivers and they do not have any additional training or hold any special licenses. It can be particularly frustrating to get hurt in a rideshare accident, as there is nothing you can do to avoid the crash from the back seat. People often use rideshare services for safety reasons and certainly do not expect rideshare drivers to put them in harm’s way by driving carelessly. If you were injured due to your rideshare driver’s carelessness, you may be entitled to compensation. Our law office can help you take the next steps. 

Careless Mistakes That Cause Rideshare Accidents

There are a number of reasons that rideshare drivers may get into accidents. Common mistakes Uber and Lyft drivers may make include: 

• Navigation errors - Everyone has missed a turn or made a wrong turn at some point. The important thing is how they handle a mistake. Drivers may realize that they are about to miss a turn or an exit and choose to swerve abruptly rather than backtracking. This is a mistake and may lead to them striking another vehicle or losing control of the car. 

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Serious car accidents are typically associated with high speeds. When cars are driving at normal highway speeds, it is easy to see how crashing could result in serious harm. Of course, everyone who has spent any time in L.A. traffic knows that “normal highway speeds” are about one mile per hour most of the time. However, even in bumper-to-bumper traffic, car accidents can still lead to serious injuries. Injuries in this type of traffic can be dangerous - ambulances cannot always get through as quickly as they could if traffic was less congested. If you were injured in a car accident that occurred in heavy traffic, a lawyer may be able to help you recover compensation. 

What Types of Serious Accidents Occur in Congested Traffic?

Cars do not need to be moving very fast at all to cause serious harm to a person. Common types of dangerous crashes that occur in heavy, slow-moving, traffic include: 

• Pile-ups - All it takes is for one driver to make a big enough mistake and suddenly, there are eight damaged vehicles and multiple injuries. The people at the back of the pile-up and the people at the front are less likely to sustain major injuries because they generally experience only a single collision - although they are still at risk. People in the center of the pile-up typically experience multiple collisions. When they are struck from behind, or even from the side, they are likely to be pushed into another vehicle. This can effectively crush their car, making them more likely to sustain injuries. 
• Rear-end collisions - When traffic starts moving after being at a standstill, some drivers will rapidly speed up, assuming that the cars ahead of them are going to continue accelerating. However, more than likely, there will be another slowdown very soon. Drivers who fail to anticipate this may not be able to stop in time to avoid rear-ending someone at a high speed. This can also cause a pile-up. 
• Secondary injuries - Even if a crash victim makes it out of their vehicle unharmed, there is a substantial risk that they could be struck again while on foot near the crash. Quite a few drivers are lulled into a false sense of security by the slow speed at which they are moving and allow themselves to become distracted. Distracted drivers can easily fail to notice a stranded motorist standing alongside the highway. 

Even slow-moving or stop-and-go traffic can become deadly very quickly when drivers fail to use appropriate care.