The San Francisco Bay Area has some of the most historic and beautiful bridges ever built in the country, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Hayward-San Mateo Bridge, San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, and the Dumbarton Bridge. Such bridges might be beautiful and marvels of engineering design, but they are also often the site of accidents that cause serious injuries, even death.
Anyone involved in a bridge-related crash should discuss what happened with an experienced car accident lawyer as soon as possible.
Common Causes of Bridge and Accidents
A car accident occurring on a bridge may be the result of many factors, including the following:
- Speeding drivers
- Drivers who fail to stay within their lanes on bridges
- Improper lane changes
- Tailgating
- Distracted driving
- A poor bridge design leading to a total or partial collapse
- Bad weather conditions, including high winds that cause the bridge to sway the bridge causing drivers to panic and lose control
- Icy bridge conditions
- Poorly marked or improperly marked ramps entering or exiting the bridge, especially if there is construction work ongoing on the bridge
- Inadequate or poor lighting
- Missing or defective guardrails
- Malfunctioning signals
- Signals that malfunction
Any of these causes can lead to serious accidents with serious injuries to victims. At The Cartwright Law Firm, Inc., we have experienced accident attorneys who work with experts when necessary to determine the cause of a bridge accident and who should be responsible for the injuries sustained by victims we represent.
What To Do If You are Involved in a Bridge Accident
If you are involved in a bridge accident, the first thing you want to do, to the extent you can, is to call the police. The police will arrive at the scene quickly to make sure things are safe and to call for structural engineers if the accident was caused by a collapse or other structural issues. The police will also create an accident report, which will be critical in filing your claim against those who are responsible for the bridge accident.
The next thing you need to do is get medical attention, even if you do not see obvious or visible injuries. Some injuries, such as concussions or soft tissue injuries, are overlooked following a crash, but they can worsen without treatment.
If there are witnesses at the scene, try to get their names and contact information, or if possible, have them give you a statement recorded on your phone. If you are too injured, the police will likely take down the witness information for their reports.
Take both video and still photographs of the bridge accident scene that may shed light as to what happened, including any tire marks or cracked or collapsed concrete. If there are other vehicles involved in the accident, take video and photographs of those other vehicles after making sure everyone is okay.
If another vehicle rammed into you at the accident scene, if you can, you want to take the information of the other driver, including their driver’s license and license plate number.
Try not to say anything to anyone about the accident. This is important because anything you say can later be used against you by insurance companies. It is important that you never apologize for anything, even if it seems like the right thing to do at the moment.
How an Accident Attorney Can Help You
When you have been injured in a bridge accident, the next thing you should do after getting medical help is to call an experienced car accident attorney who can do many things to help you, including the following:
Investigations.
To succeed in a personal injury claim, you must show that someone else was negligent in causing the accident and your injuries. In a bridge accident, this can be challenging and may require the services of an expert to establish what caused the accident and, therefore, who should be held responsible for your injuries. Our legal team knows how to conduct bridge accident investigations. If there were structural problems with the bridge that caused the accident, we can obtain and have an expert review bridge maintenance records to determine the cause of the bridge failure.
Claim Preparation
When you retain us, we will be there for you from the beginning to the end. Investigations are just the beginning. Once we have conducted a thorough investigation and reviewed all the documents and information pertaining to your case, the next thing we do is to prepare to file your claim with the insurance company representing the person or company that was at fault for your injuries.
Negotiations with Insurance Company
After a bridge accident, you probably received a phone call from an insurance adjuster. It is important to give them as little information as possible, even if they seem to be supportive. This is because insurance adjusters are trained professionals who want to settle cases at the lowest amount possible, even if they promise they are on your side. If you accept their offer, chances are you are getting the absolute minimum without the option to seek more at a later time.
When you have an experienced attorney handling your negotiations, however, the insurance company knows it cannot trick us into accepting an inadequate offer. We know how to negotiate for the full settlement you need and deserve.
Going to Court
Most personal injury claims are settled with insurance companies. However, if the insurance company does not offer a reasonable settlement amount, we will advise you whether you should take your case to court and have a judge or jury determine the outcome. This includes whether you should get compensation for your injuries – and if so, how much.
Seek Help from a San Francisco, CA Car Accident Attorney
If you have been injured in a bridge accident, the resulting injury claim can be complicated. You want a car accident lawyer on your side who knows how to handle these types of cases in the Bay Area. Please contact us today for a free case review and to learn more about our firm.
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