Escondido Personal Injury Attorney – Car Accident Lawyer
Michael Rehm – (619) 787-3456
Free Consultations – No Fee if No Recovery
The bad news from California's Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) is that Escondido is not a safe place to drive a car or to ride a motorcycle. In the most recent year reported by OTS, Escondido had 1,010 traffic accidents causing injury or death. Ranked against 58 California cities of comparable size and adjusting for miles driven, Escondido had the 8th highest rate of injuries and fatalities from motor vehicle accidents.
Escondido's 52 motorcycle accidents that caused an injury or death gave the city the fourth worst ranking. That statistic is concerning both because it is worse than the city's overall ranking but also because motorcycle accidents are more likely than car accidents to cause disabling or fatal injuries.
The city also earned a poor ranking for pedestrian accidents. With 62 pedestrian injuries or deaths, Escondido ranked 18th out of 58 cities. When the statistics focus on pedestrian victims who are under the age of 15, however, Escondido's ranking drops to a troubling 10th out of 58.
Causes of Escondido Traffic Accidents
Why does Escondido have so many traffic accidents? The OTS statistics suggest that drunk driving and speeding contribute to the problem. The city ranked third out of 58 comparable California cities for alcohol-involved car crash injuries.
Escondido also ranked 13th out of the 58 cities in speed-related accidents. Drivers who are impaired by alcohol and who speed through city streets are a hazard to other drivers, motorcycle riders, pedestrians, and bicyclists.
Speeding and drunk driving are acts for which drivers who cause accidents can be held accountable. Other acts of negligence include running red lights, turning in front of an oncoming motorcycle, and distracted driving. Car Accident Attorney Michael Rehm can advise accident victims who are injured by a negligent driver in Escondido.
Escondido Traffic Accident Lawsuits
Most insurance claims against drivers who are responsible for Escondido traffic accidents are settled out of court. When a lawsuit becomes necessary, it will be filed in the Superior Court for San Diego County.
Civil lawsuits relating to Escondido traffic accidents are usually heard in the North County Regional Center on South Melrose Drive in Vista. The County has been assigned about 150 judicial positions, but the number of judges who are assigned to hear civil cases in the Vista courthouse varies, depending on the need for judges in various San Diego County locations.
More than 3,000 car accident lawsuits are filed in San Diego County each year. In the most recent fiscal year for which statistics are available, 2,790 traffic accident lawsuits were resolved. Of those, 40 injury claims were decided by a jury. Most of the rest settled out of court, although a few cases were dismissed for other reasons.
Cases do not move as briskly in San Diego County as they do in less populated California counties, but two-thirds of the county's motor vehicle accident lawsuits are resolved (usually by settlement) within one year after filing. Within 18 months, 77% are resolved, and within two years, 82% are resolved. The remaining 18% are likely to be those that go to trial or that settle just before the trial commences.
Summary
If you have been injured in an accident, especially if you have suffered serious injuries, call Escondido Personal Injury Attorney Michael Rehm to determine how the law will apply to your facts, and to determine the level of compensation you will eligible for and what you should pursue. Free consultations are always available. Call (619) 787-3456.
Escondido Auto Accident Attorney - Wrongful Death Lawyer
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