California Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
Los Angeles and most of California have been hit by harsh rain storms for much of January 2023 to date, causing many collisions involving cars, trucks and motorcycles. Clearly, rain and wet streets and pavement greatly increase the risk of car and truck collisions. Many of these rain caused collisions result in bodily injuries and property damage to those involved. When you are involved in an injury accident caused by rain, an inattentive or negligent driver, or anything else, there are several important things to do (set forth in more detail below), including contact an experienced personal injury car accident attorney for a FREE consultation and case evaluation.
The United States Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (DOT/FHA) states that because rain causes pavement and streets to become wet, tire vehicle traction is reduced, reducing vehicle maneuverability. Rain, especially heavy rain and fog, causes visibility to be reduced, further leading to more car and truck accidents. See United States Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (DOT/FHA)/Road Weather Management Program. https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/weather/weather_events/rain_flooding.htm
Another result of rain and fog visibility problems and poor road collisions caused by those factors is that they cause car and truck drivers to drive at lower speeds, thereby causing reduced roadway capacity and greater delays. The DOT/FHA opined that these rain and fog induced speed reductions on roads and streets range from 10 to 25 percent (10%-25%) on wet streets and pavement.
Further, even light rain is reported by the DOT/FHA to reduce speeds on our freeways from 2 to 13 percent (2-13%). And, in heavy rain the DOT/FHA estimates freeway speeds are reduced by 3-17 percent (3-17%).
On average the Department of Transportation estimates that every year over 3400 persons are killed and over 357,000 persons sustain injuries in car, truck and other vehicle collisions while it is raining.
THINGS TO DO WHEN INVOLVED IN AN INJURY ACCIDENT WHEN IT IS RAINING:
- If there are any injuries requiring medical care, immediately call 911 for medical assistance and for the police to come to the scene of the accident collision.
- Be sure you are in a safe location.
- If you need to move your car, truck or any vehicle post collision, take videos and photos showing exact location of each vehicle before moving.
- Obtain the identification of all other drivers, including their names, phone numbers, addresses and email addresses. Take photos of their drivers’ licenses, vehicle license plates, all signs and writings on all involved vehicles, etc. Check the clarity of all photos before leaving. Write down key ID and contact information. Then also email or text the information to you so you reduce the chance that it will be lost or accidentally deleted.
- Obtain the names and contact information for all helpful witnesses.
- Contact our personal injury & wrongful death law offices for an immediate FREE consultation, including help with what to say and do AND what not to say and not do.
- Obtain needed medical care ASAP. Our injury accident lawyers can help you find needed medical care, often without any payment due by you until after your injury claim is resolved.
- If your car or other vehicle is not a total loss and can be repaired take it to a reputable body shop. Often it is best to avoid a shop recommended by insurance companies since their primary goal often seems to be to make a profit (e.g., not use new replacement parts, etc. that cost more), and not get you new parts or the best parts to save them money.
- Ask us about how to prove and make a claim for Diminished Value. That is the reduced or diminished value of your car or other vehicle after it is repaired but just not the same post collision repairs and, therefore, worth less!
There are many other things to do and procedures to follow. Click here for car accident advice.
Please contact us now if you had any injury accident – Our initial consultation and case evaluation are FREE; and if we take your case we do it on a contingency fee, which simply means you pay NO fee unless and until you win and it comes out of the recovery – not your own pocket.
We have won thousands of injury accident cases and have been in business for over 45 years!
Please call us now – You will be glad that you did!