Attorney Michael Rehm — (800) 978-0754

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

Turlock 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 Turlock to 103 California cities of similar size. Turlock recorded 399 total crash victims killed or injured, ranking 19th out of 103 comparable cities. That places Turlock in the top fifth of California cities its size for crash severity.

The data reveals several categories where Turlock's risk profile is particularly acute. Pedestrians under 15 years old numbered 7 victims in 2023, ranking Turlock 2nd out of 103 comparable cities in that category — one of the highest rates of child pedestrian injury in California for a city of its size. Bicycle crash victims numbered 26, ranking 22nd out of 103. Alcohol-involved crashes produced 39 victims, ranking 26th. Hit-and-run crashes produced 27 victims, ranking 33rd. Nighttime crashes between 9:00 p.m. and 2:59 a.m. produced 34 victims, ranking 29th. Speed-related collisions accounted for 44 victims, ranking 43rd.

Turlock's road network includes State Route 99 as its primary north-south corridor, with Monte Vista Avenue, Geer Road, Fulkerth Road, and Lander Avenue as major cross-arterials. The city's combination of agricultural community character, university campus traffic from California State University Stanislaus, and distribution center development produces a varied traffic environment with both high-speed corridor crashes and neighborhood pedestrian and bicycle incidents.

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 21950(a) requires a driver to yield to pedestrians in any marked or unmarked crosswalk — directly relevant to Turlock's exceptionally high child pedestrian injury ranking. Vehicle Code section 21760, the Three Feet for Safety Act, requires drivers to maintain at least three feet of clearance when passing a bicyclist — relevant to Turlock's 22nd-out-of-103 bicycle injury ranking. Vehicle Code section 22350 prohibits driving at a speed greater than is reasonable or prudent given conditions. Vehicle Code section 23152 prohibits driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. 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 Turlock 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
• Ceres 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 Turlock 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.