Left turns at busy intersections in Bakersfield put added pressure on drivers. That pressure often pushes careless motorists to make mistakes that can cause accidents. Drivers can see an opening in oncoming traffic, hit the gas, and end up making a big turn in front of an SUV, a motorcycle, a pedestrian, or a bicyclist they didn’t see at first glance.
It’s the victims of these recklessly made turns who are sometimes left with medical bills, and in some cases, a vehicle that no longer works. Victims of accidents should receive help with their recovery costs from at-fault drivers and their insurers. Unfortunately, insurers don’t like to accept blame for expensive claims and can try to confuse who was to blame.
Maison Law Accident & Injury Lawyers of Bakersfield offer a free, no-obligation consultation to all Kern County accident victims. It’s a chance to learn about their options, what their cases are worth, and how to fight back against unfair insurance adjusters.
The Dangers of Motorists Turning Left
Bakersfield motorists often have to make several high-pressure left turns to get where they need to be in the morning or in the evening rush hours. These turns can occur at the intersections with the biggest delays and the most traffic each day, like California Avenue and Chester Avenue.
It can be a bit stressful, but focused drivers will do okay as they monitor traffic from all directions, crosswalks, and bike lanes for vehicles. They’ll take the time to check oncoming traffic for a car that may have been blocked by other traffic or the smaller profile of motorcyclists they otherwise might’ve missed.
But drivers who are driving aggressively or are checking over their latest texts can make devastating mistakes.
These are just a few of the reasons left-hand turns are more dangerous than most other traffic moves:
- Nervous anticipation waiting for an opening in oncoming traffic. Drivers can get jumpy and go before it’s clear.
- Driver distraction. Motorists looking at their phones can more easily miss a pedestrian in a crosswalk, or an oncoming, dark-colored car that blends in with the surroundings.
- Longer turning times. A left turn takes the longest and puts the side of a vehicle in front of traffic for much longer. A driver or motorcyclist can suddenly have a metal barrier in the form of a long, massive SUV or truck in front of them.
- Quick judgement. Drivers in a hurry can misjudge the speed of approaching cars. They may see a gap in traffic that isn’t there. Once they jump out for a turn, there’s no way to go back.
A study from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that in 756,570 intersection accidents in a single year in the U.S., 44% were caused by inadequate surveillance of surroundings by the driver. For left-turn mistakes, that can mean not monitoring oncoming traffic over two, three, or four lanes properly. It can mean a driver doesn’t check the crosswalks they’ll be passing over for those on foot or for bicyclists.
8.4% were blamed on the driver’s false assumptions about another driver’s actions. Distractions were blamed on 5.7% of those accidents. A misjudgment of another driver’s speed or spacing was blamed for 5.5% of those incidents.
Victims who were struck and injured may have massive hospital bills, and may have no way to pay down those bills when their injuries keep them out of work. A skilled Bakersfield Car Accident Lawyer would make sure these and other hardships were covered. A settlement check must also provide any care needed for
What Kind of Support Can I Expect in a Car Accident Claim?
Your attorney would fully investigate your intersection accident to collect strong evidence. Hiring an accident reconstruction team is often very helpful in showing how a driver made a turn at the wrong time. Witness testimony and photos from the scene can also help.
The evidence allows your attorney to force an insurer to accept blame for the consequences of its policyholder’s mistake. That then makes it easier to demand full compensation for every hardship victims must endure in recovery.
From a strong negotiating position, your lawyer seeks these and other benefits on your behalf:
- Coverage for all medical care for as long as it takes for you to heal
- The cost of long-term care when victims suffer a permanent physical disability
- Money for vehicle repairs or replacement
- Travel costs when visiting doctors and specialists outside of Bakersfield
- Support for the paychecks that victims lose while unable to go to work
- Support for pain and suffering, including emotional trauma caused by a frightening impact and by the challenges that every recovery brings
- Support for the loss of enjoyment of life, including having to avoid their favorite hobbies and being unable to participate in family activities
- Wrongful death support for families if a loved one is tragically killed by a driver’s left-hand turn mistake
We Back Your Case with Powerful Evidence and Fight to Earn You More
If you have a serious injury, and a careless driver caused your accident, contact Maison Law Accident & Injury Lawyers of Bakersfield to schedule a free consultation. It’s a confidential, no-obligation review of your case with a real Bakersfield car accident attorney.
Your full recovery becomes our number one mission. We don’t stop fighting until you are 100% healed and have the money you need to get back to your normal life.
If you end up needing our help to prove a driver made a dangerous turn and caused your accident and injuries, you don’t have to worry about how you’ll afford a great lawyer. We don’t charge anything up front, and we only get paid if we win your case for you. Then our attorney’s fee comes out of the settlement check that an insurance company writes for you.