There is no end to the amount of traffic that’s carried each day on roads like SR 55 in California. They are stretched to virtual breaking point, meaning that they are both fast and congested leaving few gaps to merge safely if joining a major highway from a smaller one.
This is the time when patience is a virtue and good judgment is a necessity.
However, things don’t always work out as they should and a driver while merging into fast traffic may lose concentration for a split second and all of a sudden a crash takes place.
Those who find themselves in the path of this runaway vehicle are unlikely to miss being seriously injured and all of a sudden they are confronted with medical bills that they didn’t expect.
Time off work to recover can lead to financial hardship. Fortunately, if this has happened to you and you have a personal injury lawyer in tow you may be entitled to personal injury compensation to cover your financial needs.
SR 55 in California
State Route 55 (SR 55) is an 18-mile long stretch of north to south highway in the state of California. The part that has been constructed to freeway standards is known called the Costa Mesa Freeway previously known as the Newport Freeway.
SR 55 can be found running between Finley Avenue which is south of SRI the Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach and the SR 91 which is the Riverside Freeway in the north in Anaheim in the north. The freeway transits suburban areas of Orange County.
What to Do If Hit While Merging On SR 55
Often in an accident involving more than one vehicle there is a dispute over who is to blame. Typically in a merging accident the driver who chose to merge with traffic at the wrong time is usually found to be at fault.
However, in California because of the pure comparative negligence ruling it’s possible to recover compensation even if you are found to be partially at fault. Your personal injury compensation will be reduced by the percentage amount that has been calculated to be your portion of the blame.
When it comes to arriving at a decision as to who’s to blame the police officer who was sent to the scene of the merging accident will use his or her powers of observation to determine who or what caused the merging accident.
The report compiled will be used by your personal injury attorney to help to prove that you weren’t to blame and all the evidence will be presented to the at-fault driver’s insurer.
Evidence to Gather If Hit While Merging On SR 55
The police report isn’t always sufficient to prove fault in an accident so insurers draw on witnesses to give their reports too, as well as any photographic evidence of damage at the cash scene.
Other evidence will be in the form of your physician’s report which will provide the detail of the injuries you received in the accident. Further evidence may be presented by the person who inspected the damage done to the vehicles which often offers enough hints to establish who is to blame.
Other documentation may include bills and receipts for payments you have made related to your injuries and evidence from work showing the amount of lost earnings, if any.
Hire a Personal Injury Attorney
The vital part of a personal injury compensation claim is the role of the personal injury attorney you have hired to work on your behalf. It will often be hard convincing an insurer of the severity of your injuries and the negligence involved by their client without the help from your attorney.
