Major Injuries Occur in State Route 51 Multiple-Vehicle Highway Crash
A multiple-vehicle highway crash in Sacramento on southbound State Route 51 resulted in a major injury on May 26. The crash happened just north of the H Street on-ramp around 7:14 p.m., according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP). The incident report stated that a Jeep had overturned on its driver’s side, blocking the fast lane, and other vehicles had stopped to help get someone out.
One Person Hospitalized Following Highway Crash
The other vehicles involved in the accident were a Suburban and an older Honda. An individual in the Honda was reported as unresponsive, and that patient was transported to Mercy San Juan Medical Center with major injuries. At least two of the vehicles were towed as evidence.
Traffic Affected by Multiple-Vehicle Injury Crash
Following the collision, a SigAlert was issued for the Cap City Freeway near E Street. Motorists were advised to slow down and move over for emergency crews and either expect delays or use an alternate route. The cause of the collision and fault is being determined by CHP traffic crash investigators.
How a Lawyer Determines Fault in a Multiple-Vehicle Highway Accident
After the police have completed their investigation, the lawyer may begin building a case for liability. Depending on the facts of the case, this could involve:
- Interviewing witnesses to determine who was at fault in causing the crash
- Gathering evidence such as photos of vehicle damage, skid marks and other indications that corroborate which driver/drivers caused the collision
- Reviewing any surveillance footage that may be available from nearby businesses or traffic cameras
- Conducting accident reconstruction, which indicates the positioning of the vehicles before and after the highway crash
- Reviewing the police report to look for errors because mistakes can potentially affect the client’s claim
Assessing Liability
Once the lawyer has collected all of the evidence, they can begin to assess who is liable for the crash. In most cases, there is typically more than one party at fault in a multiple-vehicle highway crash, and the lawyer must determine how much fault each party bears. When this determination is made, they can begin seeking compensation from those liable parties on behalf of their client and negotiating a settlement with the insurance companies. Recovery of damages typically includes:
- Medical expenses caused by the highway collision, such as hospital bills, physicians’ fees, surgeries, medications, and rehabilitation are recoverable.
- Wages lost because the injured party cannot work can be recovered. If disability precludes the ability to work, wages can be recovered until retirement age.
- Pain and suffering include the physical as well as psychological and emotional trauma of the accident. In many instances, the injured party develops post-traumatic stress disorder, which can require professional treatment. The cost can be recovered.
Sacramento Attorney Ed Smith recommends the following tips if you want to hire a lawyer for your injury case:
Sacramento Car Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, and I’m a Sacramento car accident lawyer. Car accident injuries are often serious, causing hospitalization and lost wage. The party or parties at fault may have to pay compensation if their negligence caused your injuries. We welcome you to contact us for free and friendly advice at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400. Additionally, we can be reached online.
Here are some of our cases and comments from the years that we have represented injured parties:
Following are groups in which our injury lawyers are proud members, showing you how hard they work to help our clients:
Photo attribution: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLQ8I1W1gR8&t=10s; Image by Netto Figueiredo from Pixabay
:cd llo [627]