Over the years, we have learned there is no such thing as a generic vehicle or pedestrian collision, as every type of vehicle crash or pedestrian injury may have unique rules of fault and mechanics of injury. If the collision involved a big-rig or bus, there are federal laws, in addition to state laws, which must be considered, so it is important to find a road and highway injury attorney familiar with each type of claim. Also, almost every vehicle accident involves one or more insurance companies: car insurance, health insurance and possibly third party liability insurance. Coverage issues and exclusions can be very important in road and highway litigation.

Car Accident Injury Lawyer

At the Phillips Law Offices, Michael Phillips is an experienced trial attorney handling car and auto accident personal injury claims. Over the years, we have learned that there is no such thing as a generic vehicle collision, since every type of vehicle crash may have unique rules of fault and mechanics of injury. If the collision involved a big-rig or bus, there are federal laws in addition to state laws which must be considered, so it is important to find a road and highway injury attorney familiar with each type of claim. For example, an accident involving a city bus is different from an accident involving a semi-truck or a "hit and run" or a drunk driver. In addition, the kinds of injuries sustained in a rear-end low-impact collision are often different from those caused by a side-impact accident. 

Injured by a Drunk Driver

According to the National Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 2009 report on traffic safety, "...32% of all fatal crashes involved alcohol impaired driving...". In the deadly times of midnight to three a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, "...66% involved alcohol impaired driving." (To see the full study, click on the following link for a PDF version: NTSA Traffic Safety Facts 2009.) This study also reviewed alcohol-impaired driving crashes and children. In the age group of 14 and under, 14% were killed in alcohol-impaired crashes. Even more tragically, about half of those killed were passengers in a vehicle driven by a driver with a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher. Not surprisingly, California tops the nation in traffic fatalities of children under age 14, with only Texas higher. About one-third of all California fatalities involved a driver with some alcohol in his/her system.

Truck and Big-rig Accident Injury

Commercial trucks, known as "commercial motor vehicles", weigh more than 10,001 pounds. With this kind of weight behind it, even a small driving error can have huge consequences. Even though any vehicle crash can have disastrous outcomes, truck collisions are among the worst kind of motor vehicle crashes.

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Motorcycle Accident Injury

Motorcyclists are at particular risk on roads and highways because drivers of other vehicles oftentimes fail to see motorcycles, yield the right-of-way to them, or share the road through aggressive driving, distracted driving, inattention, fatigue, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol or even lack of experience. If any of these factors are proved to be the cause of a crash that results in property damage or injury, the motorcyclist may be entitled to compensation.

Pedestrian Injury

In California, drivers of motor vehicles are required to yield to pedestrians crossing the street, whether they are in a marked crosswalk or not. The injuries sustained from a pedestrian/automobile collision are usually serious given the weight differential. 

Bicycle Accident with Injury

In 2015, 818 people lost their lives while bicycling. The vast majority of these incidents were collisions with autos. This statistic represents a 12.2% increase in fatalities over the previous year. Bicycle trips represent just one percent of all trips made in the United States, but account for two percent of all traffic fatalities.

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