Torrance Car Accident Lawyer

If you’ve been in a car crash in Torrance, you need help from a skilled lawyer. At Text Kevin Accident Attorneys, we know the challenges you’re facing. We’re here to help you get money for your losses, like medical bills, missed work, and pain. Call us today for a free talk with a Torrance car accident lawyer.

Car Accident Statistics

Total Injuries & Fatalities

• 2019: 536
• 2020: 386
• 2021: 438
• 2022: 457
• 2023: 439

Statistics on Fatal and Injury Causing Collisions in Torrance

Statistics on fatal and injury-causing collisions in Torrance reveal a fluctuating trend over the last five years. In 2019, there were 536 reported incidents, while in 2023, the number slightly dropped to 439, reflecting an 18% decrease. Despite this decline, it’s crucial to continue efforts in enhancing road safety measures and awareness campaigns to further reduce such incidents in the future.

Primary Collision Factor

• Right-of-Way: 164
• Unsafe Speed: 67
• Traffic Signals/Signs: 51
• Improper Turning: 47
• DUI: 20
• All Other Factors: 90

Statistics on Common Causes of Collisions in Torrance

Last year, the primary collision factor in Torrance was drivers failing to yield the right of way. This violation emerged as a significant contributor to accidents, highlighting the importance of educating drivers about traffic rules and safe driving practices. Addressing this issue through targeted enforcement and public awareness campaigns could potentially mitigate the number of collisions caused by this factor, thus fostering safer road conditions for all motorists and pedestrians alike.

Which Roads and Intersections in Torrance Are the Most Dangerous?

Car accidents in Torrance can happen anywhere, but some areas are more likely to have crashes:

Hawthorne Boulevard

Hawthorne Boulevard has a lot of stores, restaurants, and businesses. You can find places like Red Car Brewery, Chipotle, and Little Company of Mary Hospital along this street. It gets very busy throughout the day with both local traffic and visitors. The busy traffic, along with intersections and stoplights, often causes jams, especially during rush hour. This makes Hawthorne Boulevard a common spot for car accidents.

Interstate 405

Interstate 405, also known as the San Diego Freeway, is a big highway connecting Torrance to many other cities in Southern California. A lot of cars use this freeway every day, including people going to work. The high speeds on I-405, plus all the traffic, make it more likely to have bad accidents. The areas near other freeways joining in, like where it meets the Harbor Freeway (I-110) in Torrance, often get very crowded and have more crashes.

Pacific Coast Highway

Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) is a famous road in Torrance that goes along the ocean. You can find lots of businesses and fun things to do, like King’s Hawaiian Bakery & Restaurant, Perry’s Café and Beach Rentals, and Miramar Park. PCH is popular with both locals and tourists who want to enjoy the beach views. But because it’s so busy, accidents can happen, especially where there are intersections and people crossing the street.

Torrance Boulevard

Torrance Boulevard is a main street that runs through the heart of Torrance. Along this road, you’ll find Wilson Park, Torrance Historical Society & Museum, and Torrance Crossroads Shopping Center. Every day, many cars and people use Torrance Boulevard to get to different places. With so many cars and people interacting at intersections and crosswalks, the chances of an accident go up, particularly in busy areas like the Del Amo Fashion Center.

What Should I Do After a Car Accident in Torrance?

The things you do after a car accident can make a big difference in your case:

Document the Accident

Writing down what happened means gathering as much info as you can from the accident scene. This includes noting the exact time and place it happened, what the weather was like, and any important road signs or lights. If it’s safe, take pictures or videos of the scene. Get shots of where the cars ended up, any damage you can see, tire marks on the road, and the road conditions. Also, get the names, addresses, phone numbers, and insurance info from everyone involved, including any witnesses. All of this info is important for insurance claims and any legal stuff later. It shows exactly what occurred.

Keep Good Records

Keep detailed records after a car accident. Gather and organize all papers related to the crash and your medical care afterward. Make sure to get copies of the police report, your medical records about your injuries, and receipts for any costs from the accident (like doctor bills, medicine, and trips to appointments). Also, keep track of any missed work and lost wages. These records are important for your insurance claim and any legal case. They can prove how the accident affected your life.

Follow Medical Advice

Listening to your doctor after a car accident is crucial for getting better and for any legal case. Go to all your appointments, follow your treatment plan, take your medications, and do any suggested therapy or rehab. Doing what your doctor says shows that your injuries are serious and that you’re trying to get better. This matters a lot for insurance and legal stuff. Skipping appointments or ignoring advice can hurt your insurance claim and how much money you might get.

Notify Your Insurance

After a car accident, you need to let your insurance company know. But be careful what you say. Stick to just the facts about what happened. Don’t guess who was at fault or give lots of details about your injuries. Insurance adjusters might use what you say against you to pay you less. It’s usually a good idea to talk to a lawyer before giving a full statement to your insurance.

Preserve Evidence

Keeping evidence after a car accident means not fixing your car until an insurance person has looked at the damage. Repairs can erase signs of how bad the crash was. Hold onto any damaged personal items from the accident, like clothes, and take pictures of your injuries. This physical proof can be very convincing in showing how serious the accident was and connecting it to your injuries. That’s important for insurance claims and possible legal cases.

Call a Lawyer

The next step is to talk to an experienced car accident lawyer. A Torrance car accident lawyer can guide you through the insurance claim process and any legal proceedings. A lawyer can also tell you how strong your case is, your chances of winning, and what you should do next, whether that’s settling or going to court. You definitely want a lawyer if there are any disagreements about who was at fault or if the insurance company fights your claim.

We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Car Accident Injuries

Injuries from car accidents in Torrance can be minor or life-changing:

Whiplash and Neck Injuries

Whiplash and neck injuries happen a lot in rear-end car crashes. They occur when the force of the crash makes your head snap back and forth really fast, hurting the muscles and ligaments in your neck. Signs of whiplash include neck pain and stiffness, headaches, dizziness, and sometimes blurred vision or feeling tired. While some people feel better in a few weeks, others may have long-term neck pain and other issues. It’s best to see a doctor after a car accident, even if you don’t think it’s too bad at first. Whiplash can get worse over time if not treated right. Treatment often involves managing pain, physical therapy, and sometimes wearing a special neck brace for support while healing.

Concussions and Traumatic Brain Injuries

Concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can happen in both big and small car accidents. They occur when your brain gets shaken or jolted inside your skull. This can happen even if you don’t hit your head directly. Symptoms can range from headaches, confusion, and memory loss to more severe problems like passing out, seizures, or ongoing thinking difficulties. The effects of a concussion or TBI may be temporary, or they could lead to long-term issues with memory, focus, and even personality changes. Get checked by a doctor as soon as possible, as these injuries aren’t always obvious right away. Treatment might include rest, medication, and rehab therapies. In serious cases, surgery may be needed to relieve pressure or stop bleeding in the brain.

Broken Bones and Fractures

Car accidents often cause broken bones due to the sudden, strong impact. Arms, legs, and ribs are especially at risk. These injuries can range from simple fractures, where the bone cracks but doesn’t go through the skin, to more severe compound fractures, where the bone breaks into pieces or sticks out through the skin. Symptoms usually include immediate pain, swelling, and not being able to move the injured body part. Treatment depends on how bad the break is and where it is. It may involve a cast, splint, or surgery to realign and stabilize the broken bones. Recovery times vary. Some fractures heal in weeks, while others may take months and require physical therapy to get back to normal.

Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries are some of the worst things that can happen in a car accident. They can cause lifelong disability. These injuries happen when part of the spine gets damaged, often leading to loss of function or feeling below where the injury occurred. The impact of a car crash can fracture or dislocate the spine’s bones, which can bruise, squeeze, or tear the spinal cord. Symptoms can range from pain, weakness, or trouble coordinating movement to paralysis (not being able to move). Paralysis can be partial or total. How bad the effects are depends on where the injury is on the spine and how severe it is. Treatment for spinal cord injuries usually involves stabilizing the spine, taking medicine to reduce swelling, and intense rehabilitation. While some recovery is possible, many spinal cord injuries result in permanent disability. This means big changes in lifestyle and needing long-term care.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?

After an accident, you might wonder how much it will cost to hire a car accident lawyer in Torrance. It makes sense to worry, as car accidents often leave people with big losses. You may be dealing with costly car repairs, missing work, losing income, and medical bills. The good news is, at Text Kevin Accident Attorneys, we handle all cases on a contingency basis. This means you can hire a lawyer without paying anything upfront. We only collect a fee if we win your case. If we don’t get you a settlement or award, you won’t owe us anything.

Further Reading

• What Are Special Damages in a Personal Injury Lawsuit?
• When Can You Seek Punitive Damages in a Personal Injury Lawsuit in California?

Can I Recover Compensation if I Share Some of the Blame for a Car Accident in Torrance?

Many people wonder if they can still get compensation if they were partly at fault for their accident. This happens more often than you might think. For example, if a driver hit you while driving on the wrong side of the road, but you didn’t have your headlights on at night, you may share some blame for the crash. Under California law, even if you are partially responsible for your accident, you can still get money. However, the amount you get will be reduced by your percentage of fault. So, if you were found to be 20% at fault for the accident, you would be able to recover 80% of your total damages.

What Causes Car Accidents in Torrance, CA?

California law lets people hurt in car accidents due to someone else’s negligence seek compensation. Negligence is when someone fails to be reasonably careful, like driving while distracted, speeding, or not yielding when they should.

Distracted Driving

In California, distracted driving is a big problem and a common type of negligence that leads to car accidents. Distracted driving is anything that takes your attention away from the road. This includes things like talking or texting on your phone, eating, chatting with passengers, or messing with the radio, GPS, or other devices. California has laws specifically about this. For instance, California Vehicle Code Section 23123 says drivers can’t use handheld phones while driving. Texting is also not allowed under California Vehicle Code Section 23123.5. These laws exist because it’s known to be dangerous to not fully pay attention while driving. If an accident happens because a driver broke these laws, they may be considered negligent and held responsible for any damage they caused.

Speeding

Speeding is a top cause of car accidents in California and a clear example of negligent driving. California Vehicle Code Section 22350 states that no one should drive faster than is safe for the conditions, even if that means going slower than the posted speed limit. This law means that even if you’re driving at the speed limit, it could still be considered too fast if there’s heavy traffic, bad weather, or you’re in a construction zone. If a driver is speeding and causes an accident, they can be held liable for any resulting harm. This is because they didn’t exercise the level of care required by law and put others at risk.

Failure to Yield

Not yielding the right of way when you should is another common form of negligent driving in California. California Vehicle Code Section 21801 says drivers must yield to all vehicles that are already in an intersection or so close that they are an immediate hazard. This applies when making left turns in front of oncoming vehicles and when pedestrians are in crosswalks. Accidents often happen when drivers ignore these rules and go without yielding, especially at intersections. When this occurs, the driver who didn’t yield is usually found to be at fault and may have to pay for any injuries and losses of the victims. This is based on the legal idea that the driver was negligent by not following traffic laws meant to prevent accidents and keep everyone on the road safe.

Torrance Car Accident FAQs

Contact Our Torrance Car Accident Attorneys Today for Legal Help

If you’ve been in a car accident in Torrance, don’t wait to contact Text Kevin Accident Attorneys. We’ve helped accident victims get millions of dollars in compensation. We’re ready to look at your case for free. Plus, we work on contingency, so you don’t pay unless we win. To set up a free consultation with a Torrance car accident lawyer, call our office or contact us online today.

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