Attorney Michael Rehm — (800) 978-0754

Attorney Michael Rehm represents people injured in accidents throughout Ceres and Stanislaus County. If another person's negligence caused your injury — in a car accident, a motorcycle crash, a pedestrian incident, a speed-related collision, or any other incident on Ceres's roads — Attorney Michael Rehm can evaluate your claim and explain your options at no charge.

Ceres Traffic Accident Data

California's Office of Traffic Safety compiles annual crash data for every city in the state and ranks each against comparable communities after adjusting for population and miles driven. In 2023, the OTS compared Ceres to 93 California cities of similar size. Ceres recorded 241 total crash victims killed or injured, ranking 19th out of 93 comparable cities. That places Ceres in the top fifth of California cities its size for crash severity.

Several individual categories reflect acute risks. Speed-related collisions ranked Ceres 15th out of 93 — 38 of 241 total victims were injured in speed-related crashes, one of the highest rates in the state for a city of Ceres's size. Alcohol-involved crashes produced 34 victims, ranking 17th out of 93. Hit-and-run crashes produced 21 victims, ranking 20th. Pedestrians under 15 years old numbered 3 victims, ranking Ceres 9th out of 93 in that category. Nighttime crashes between 9:00 p.m. and 2:59 a.m. produced 17 victims, ranking 33rd.

Ceres sits directly adjacent to Modesto along State Route 99. Mitchell Road, Service Road, and Hatch Road are primary arterials connecting Ceres neighborhoods to the SR-99 corridor and to industrial and commercial zones that generate significant truck traffic. The proximity to Modesto's freight corridors means that commercial vehicle exposure is part of Ceres's daily traffic environment.

The Legal Basis for a Personal Injury Claim

California Civil Code section 1714(a) establishes the foundational duty of ordinary care: everyone is responsible for injuries caused by their want of ordinary care in the management of their person or property. In a vehicle accident case, the question is whether the at-fault driver exercised the care a reasonably prudent person would exercise under the same circumstances.

When a driver violates a statute enacted to protect against the type of harm that occurred, that violation is negligence per se. Vehicle Code section 22350 prohibits driving at a speed greater than is reasonable or prudent given conditions, regardless of posted limits — directly relevant to Ceres's high speed-related crash ranking. Vehicle Code section 23152 prohibits driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Vehicle Code section 21950(a) requires a driver to yield to pedestrians in any marked or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection. Vehicle Code section 21703 prohibits following another vehicle more closely than is reasonable given speed and traffic conditions.

California follows a pure comparative fault system under Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804. An injured person's recovery is reduced in proportion to their own fault but is not eliminated. The defense may raise comparative fault as an argument, but the jury decides the percentage.

Insurance and Underinsured Motorist Coverage

Vehicle Code section 16056(a)(2), as amended effective January 1, 2025, requires minimum liability coverage of $30,000 per person, $60,000 per occurrence, and $15,000 for property damage. When the at-fault driver carries only minimum coverage and it is insufficient to cover the full extent of damages, Insurance Code section 11580.2 governs UM/UIM claims against the injured person's own insurer.

Damages

Civil Code section 3333 provides that the measure of damages is the amount that will compensate for all detriment proximately caused by the negligent conduct. Compensable damages include past and future medical expenses, past and future lost earnings or earning capacity, and non-economic damages for pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life. The eggshell plaintiff rule applies: a defendant who injures a plaintiff with a pre-existing condition is responsible for the full extent of the harm caused. Civil Code section 3294 permits punitive damages where the defendant's conduct amounts to malice, oppression, or fraud.

Filing Deadlines

California Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1 sets a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims. Missing this deadline can potentially bar a lawsuit. Tolling doctrines may apply depending on the facts. If a government entity was involved, a claim under Government Code section 911.2 must be filed within six months of the incident, and Government Code section 945.6 requires a lawsuit within six months after rejection. Contact Attorney Michael Rehm promptly to assess the timeline in your case.

Stanislaus County Superior Court

Personal injury lawsuits arising from Ceres accidents are filed in the Stanislaus County Superior Court, City Towers Building, 801 10th Street, Modesto, CA 95354. The court has 21 judges and three commissioners. Civil cases are directly assigned to a single judicial officer for all purposes, including trial. Represented parties are subject to mandatory electronic filing. All general civil cases are required to participate in a mandatory settlement conference approximately 15 days before trial. Stanislaus County Superior Court judicial statistics are available through the California Judicial Council court statistics portal. In the most recently available fiscal year (FY 2022–23), the court received approximately 399 vehicular accident civil filings.

Related Pages

• Modesto Personal Injury Attorney
• Modesto Car Accident Attorney
• Turlock Personal Injury Attorney
• Modesto Wrongful Death Attorney
• Modesto Pedestrian Accident Attorney

Representation on a Contingency Fee Basis

Attorney Michael Rehm handles personal injury cases throughout Ceres and Stanislaus County on a contingency fee basis. No fee without a recovery. Call (800) 978-0754 for a free consultation.

The information on this page is general legal information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case turns on its own facts. The law can change — statutes are amended, cases are decided, and regulations are revised; nothing on this page should be relied upon as a statement of current law without verification. Deadlines and legal bars discussed on this page are general guides — whether a particular deadline applies, has run, or is subject to tolling, and whether a particular doctrine bars or limits recovery in your case, requires individual analysis. Contact Attorney Michael Rehm to discuss the specific facts of your situation.