Accident Along SR 44 Reported After Driver’s Pickup Strikes Tree
A major injury accident occurred northwest of Susanville when the driver of a pickup struck a tree. The collision was reported by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) around 9:20 a.m. along State Route 44 and involved a crew cab pickup. Emergency responders with the fire department were called to the scene to assess a person who complained of pain in their head and chest. It was determined the driver had suffered a major injury. The tow truck sent to retrieve the pickup could not handle the job, so another wrecker was sent.
Major Injury Single-Vehicle Accidents
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, approximately 50 percent of all traffic collisions are due to a single-vehicle crash. The majority hit a tree or a guardrail. In many cases, a major injury or fatality results. Some of the reasons for a single-vehicle crash with a major injury are:
- Drunk driving: Operating a motor vehicle while inebriated results in many accidents due to the driver’s cognitive loss and slowed reaction time. Drunk drivers have a 30-percent higher incidence of major injury accidents since they often lose control of their vehicles.
- Speeding; Driving at a speed over the traffic limit makes it more likely an accident will occur. This happens because the driver loses control of their vehicle more often when speeding. Rollovers are also more likely. The National Highway Safety Administration reports a rollover occurs 85 percent more often when speeding is involved, especially when exceeding the speed limit around a curve. Remember, this means not only exceeding the speed limit but also driving too fast for weather conditions.
- Defective parts: Some collisions are due to defective auto parts. This includes the brakes and tires. Defect claims against the part manufacturer are called product liability claims. Not all malfunctioning parts are due to defects and can be due to disreputable mechanics. A lawsuit can be filed against the garage or mechanic.
- Debris on the road: Many times, a driver swerves to avoid hitting debris left on the road. The type of debris varies from articles dropped off a truck to gravel. When this happens, a lawsuit can be filed against the party responsible for the debris or the city agency in charge of keeping the roads clean. A claim against a government agency has a different time limit within which the case must be filed. An experienced personal injury lawyer can ensure that all documents are filed properly and in a timely fashion.
How an Injury Lawyer Can Help
After a major injury accident, it is crucial that evidence capable of proving liability by a negligent driver, road maintenance crew, or others is unearthed. To do this, we dispatch our investigators to the scene of the crash. There, they look for proof that a government agency or another party was responsible for the accident.
In a single-vehicle crash, liability can be challenging, especially if a hit-and-run driver caused the accident and then left the scene. Otherwise, the focus is on witnesses who saw the accident happen and government agencies in charge of road conditions and guardrails. In addition, the investigators at AutoAccident.com perform accident reconstruction techniques to determine liability and look for surveillance traffic cam videos that captured the accident in real-time.
Susanville Personal Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Susanville personal injury lawyer. When negligence by another individual or entity results in your injuries in an accident, you might want to find out if you can file a compensation claim. We are here to offer you free and friendly advice when you call us at (530) 392-9400 or (800) 404-5400. You can also reach us online. By scheduling your free, no-obligation consultation virtually, we can review your case, tell you about options to recover damages and answer any questions you might have.
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Since 1982, our legal team has helped many Lassen County residents in obtaining fair compensation for all types of car accidents.
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Photo attribution: Image by Vladyslav Topyekha from Pixabay
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