El Cajon Car Accident Lawyer - Michael Rehm
Free Consultations: Call (619) 787-3456
El Cajon is much more than “the big box” suggested by the city's name. Nestled in a beautiful valley and boxed in by majestic mountains, El Cajon has developed a vibrant downtown, a full-service shopping mall (Parkway Plaza), and unique attractions that encourage visitors from all parts of San Diego County, including the annual Mother Goose Parade and the America on Main Street festival.
Unfortunately, El Cajon's streets are not always safe for drivers, bicycle riders, motorcyclists, or pedestrians. California's Office of Traffic Safety has compared El Cajon to 57 other California cities of comparable size, and after accounting for differences in population and miles driven, the OTS ranked El Cajon as having the third highest rate of injuries or deaths caused by traffic accidents in that group.
The statistics regarding certain categories of traffic accidents are particularly troubling. Of the 57 comparable cities, El Cajon ranks:
- 3rd in pedestrian accidents
- 7th in motorcycle accidents
- 11th in bicycle accidents
- 11th in DUI accidents
El Cajon residents and visitors need an aggressive and professional car accident lawyer when they are injured, or when a loved one is killed, in a collision. The Law Office of Michael Rehm helps accident victims in El Cajon and surrounding communities recover compensation for their losses.
El Cajon Pedestrian Accidents
When two cars collide, the vehicle occupants are protected by airbags, safety harnesses, and crumple zones — not to mention the steel cage that surrounds them. When a car collides with a pedestrian, the pedestrian has no protection at all.
El Cajon launched a “Check Before You Step” program in an attempt to reduce its high pedestrian accident rate. Unfortunately, no amount of checking can help a pedestrian avoid injury when a driver ignores a red light or turns onto a street without noticing pedestrians in a crosswalk.
In one recent El Cajon accident, the driver of an SUV veered off the road and struck a pedestrian who was walking on a Greenfield Drive sidewalk. No amount of “checking” by the pedestrian would have prevented that fatal collision.
Pedestrian accidents usually occur when drivers are not paying attention to the road. They may be reading texts or unwrapping fast food instead of watching for pedestrians. Some pedestrian accidents are caused by drunk or fatigued drivers. California law entitles pedestrians or their surviving family members to pursue compensation from a careless driver who causes an accident, even if the pedestrian was partially at fault.
El Cajon Motorcycle Accidents
The percentage of El Cajon residents who ride motorcycles is higher than the statewide average. So is the number of fatal motorcycle accidents. According to the El Cajon Police Department, both motorcyclists and drivers of passenger vehicles share the blame, but nationwide statistics tell us that passenger vehicle drivers are usually at fault when a traffic accident involves a collision between a car and a motorcycle.
Drivers who make an unsafe left turn in front of an oncoming motorcycle are the primary cause of motorcycle collisions with cars. Unless a driver has a left turn arrow, a driver turning left must always yield to oncoming traffic. Drivers who don't do that usually fail to see an oncoming motorcycle or they misjudge the motorcycle's speed.
The El Cajon Police Department also attributes motorcycle crashes to passenger vehicle drivers who are speeding or who drive while intoxicated. To that list we would add drivers who are paying attention to cell phones instead of the road and drivers who don't check their blind spot before changing lanes. In addition, some drivers do not realize that motorcyclists in El Cajon are entitled to ride in HOV lanes and may enter those lanes without checking to see if they are occupied by motorcycle riders.
El Cajon Bicycle Accidents
Bicyclists are not allowed to ride on sidewalks in El Cajon. That forces them to compete with traffic on city streets. Since most streets in El Cajon do not have a dedicated bicycle lane, it isn't surprising that the rate of bicycle accidents in El Cajon is relatively high.
Drivers rear-end bicycles when they are distracted and not paying attention to the road. They hit bicycles when they turn at an intersection without noticing that a bicyclist ahead of them is crossing the street or that a bicyclist already occupies the lane into which the turn is made. Drivers also sideswipe bicycles when they move into a parking lane in which a bicyclist is riding.
El Cajon Car Accidents
While collisions with pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcycle riders are unusually common in El Cajon, the most frequent accidents involve two or more passenger cars. Rear-end collisions occur regularly. Even a low-speed rear-end collision can produce a painful whiplash injury with lasting consequences.
Other El Cajon car accidents include:
- Intersection (T-bone) collisions
- Head-on collisions
- Sideswipes
- Collisions caused while backing out of a driveway or parking space
Most collisions occur because a driver isn't paying attention to the road or is speeding. Those are negligent acts that make a driver responsible for injuries caused by the accident. Any act of negligence that leads to a traffic accident entitles an injury victim to compensation.
Drunk driving is another form of negligence. Drunk driving reduces reaction times, contributes to distracted driving, impairs decision-making, and causes fatigue. Some of the most serious accidents in El Cajon are caused by drunk drivers.
Compensation for El Cajon Traffic Accident Injuries
Injury victims are entitled to compensation for:
- Broken bones
- Head and brain injuries
- Injuries to hands, wrists, elbows, knees, ankles, and feet
- Spinal injuries
- Organ damage
- Neck and back injuries
- Disfigurement
- Road rash
- Nerve damage
- Injuries to muscles, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage
Compensation covers:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and anxiety
- Lost wages
- Lost earning ability
- Vocational training (if the injury impairs future employment)
- Past and future medical expenses
- Wheelchairs and other medical accessories
- Caretakers, visiting nurses, and cooks or maids (if the injury is disabling)
- Other expenses of coping with a disability
When an accident victim dies, certain family members are entitled to compensation for their losses. A traffic accident lawyer can explain the different kinds of compensation that are available when an accident is fatal.
El Cajon Accident Lawyer
The Law Office of Michael Rehm provides compassionate assistance to injury victims in El Cajon. We help victims of car accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, and pedestrian accidents.
We deal with insurance adjusters to maximize settlements so that accident victims can concentrate on healing. To learn how we can help you, call The Law Office of Michael Rehm at (619) 787-3456 or contact us through our website.
Free Consultations: Call (619) 787-3456
Personal Injury Attorney Michael Rehm provides representation on all auto, car, truck, motorcycle, pedestrian and bicycle accidents and wrongful death cases in El Cajon, and throughout East County, San Diego California. Call (619) 787-3456 for a free consultation.
El Cajon Resources:
San Diego County Court - El Cajon