It probably doesn’t come as a surprise that intersections are one of the most dangerous areas for drivers. Any time you have a situation where vehicles cross paths, drivers must enter from a side road onto another road or turn off of one road onto another, you add complications to the driving process that can make driving more complex and crashes more likely. Then add to that things like multiple traffic lanes, pedestrian crossings, bike lanes, traffic signals, and directional signs, and you increase significantly the amount of information that drivers need to take in to navigate an intersection safely.
The situation is complicated further by distractions that can occur inside vehicles. Large dashboard displays with multiple levels of information, mobile phones that drivers often insist on handling while they drive, food and drink being consumed while driving, conversations taking place with other passengers, music or podcasts or audiobooks playing through multi-channel speaker systems – all are distractions that take driver attention away from the primary task of safely navigating an intersection.
Intersection Statistics Show the Danger
The US Department of Transportation reports that of the 38,824 reported traffic fatalities in 2020, more than 27% of them – 10,626 – occurred at an intersection. Many of these fatalities were the result of a driver running a red light; the DOT says that drivers and passengers are more likely to be injured due to someone running a red light than by any other type of crash.
When you add intersection crashes that resulted in injuries to those that resulted in fatalities, the results are even more revealing: the DOT reports that “more than 50 percent of the combined total of fatal and injury crashes occur at or near intersections.”
What to Do if You’re Injured in a Crash at an Intersection
You can do several things to help yourself if you’re involved in a crash at an intersection. These include the following:
- Don’t refuse medical treatment. If the EMTs want to give you first aid or take you to the local ER or trauma center, let them. Aside from being the best way to make sure you’re not injured and don’t realize it, if you refuse medical treatment and later find out that you’re injured, you may face an argument that you and not the crash are to blame for those injuries.
- Write down as much as you remember as soon as you can. Memories fade quickly, even of a traumatic event such as a vehicle crash. It can be very helpful to write down what happened, where and when it happened, and who was with you as soon as you are able to do so. If you have injuries that affect your daily routine, write down how they are doing so. This can help you if you need to claim that someone else’s negligence is to blame for your injuries.
- Contact witnesses. If you can identify people who witnessed the crash, get their names and contact information and, if possible, get their statements about what happened. Again, the sooner you gather this information, the more likely it is to be accurate and helpful. If you’re working with one of the experienced attorneys from Cullotta Bravo Law, we can help you with this.
- Make sure you have copies of all of your medical records. Again, if Cullotta Bravo Law is representing you, we will make sure this is done, but it makes sense for you to remember that your medical records may be needed to support your claim for damages.
Damages You May Be Able to Recover After an Intersection Accident
Our experienced personal injury attorneys regularly help our clients recover the following:
- The costs of their medical care include ambulance charges, ER fees, hospital expenses, doctors’ bills, surgical costs, medication expenses, and rehab costs.
- Compensation for pain and suffering, both physical and emotional, short-term and long-term.
- Amounts to compensate for damage to property, including vehicle damage and damage to personal items such as clothing, phones, and items being carried in the vehicle at the time of the crash.
- Lost income, including compensation for any diminished ability to earn a living as a result of the injuries suffered in the crash.
- Costs associated with any permanent disability, such as necessary medical equipment, caregiver service fees, modifications to your home or vehicle, and other things necessary to help you deal with long-term problems caused by the crash.
- Where you are the surviving family member of a victim of a fatal intersection crash, we may be able to recover compensation for funeral costs, pain and suffering, and other losses related to the death of your loved one.
Contact Cullotta Bravo Law if You or a Loved One Has Been Involved in an Accident at an Intersection
At Cullotta Bravo Law, we understand personal injury law in Illinois; our attorneys know how to submit and negotiate claims with insurers and, more importantly, how to take cases to trial where insurers aren’t willing to provide the compensation you’re entitled to as a result of your injuries.
Our experienced attorneys can help you recover the compensation you are entitled to due to being involved in a vehicle accident. We’ll make sure every detail of your case is handled with the utmost professional care, so you can focus on recovering while we focus on getting you the money you’re entitled to as a result of the accident.
If you’ve been injured in an accident, don’t delay – call Cullotta Bravo Law today at 630-898-7800, or contact us online, and we’ll reach out to you.
