Merging accidents on major highways and interstates are commonplace. They take place primarily when you enter a freeway from another road or when you change lanes while already on the interstate. Injuries are likely to be serious in a merging accident simply because of the speed that the traffic is moving at.
If you believe that your injuries in a merging accident were caused by another driver’s negligent driving you may be able to recover the cost of any medical treatment and lost earnings at least by filing a personal injury lawsuit against that driver. A personal injury attorney can help you with a claim.
Interstate 5 in California
Interstate 5 is one of the longest and busiest highways on the west coast of the United States. It stretches from the Mexican border at San Ysidro, right through California, Oregon and Washington, to the Canadian border at its northern end.
I-5 frequently changes its width in terms of number of lanes and it takes a lot of vigilance to decide when to change lanes and merge with the flow of traffic already on the highway. Much of the traffic already on the highway is traveling at near maximum speed, so it is not surprising that merging accidents happen all the time.
What to Do If Hit While Merging On I-5
If another driver hit your vehicle while merging on I-5 and you were injured and your vehicle damaged, you cannot recover damages unless you can prove who was responsible for the merging incident. Because California has what is called a pure comparative negligence ruling, it is possible to recover compensation even if you were partly to blame.
Basically, it will be decided which of you was to blame and how much your actions contributed to your own injuries. Much of the decision will be made by the police officers who attend the accident site ad make a report based on their version of what has happened. Your own personal injury attorney can also help determine how much the other driver was at fault.
Evidence to Gather If Hit While Merging On I-5
If you do decide to file a personal injury claim after a merging accident, your chances of a successful compensation claim will be improved if you have convincing evidence of who was to blame and what exactly happened as well as how you were injured and how you were treated.
If you are able to do so, take photos of the accident scene and record witness statements, or at least their contact details. If your vehicle is towed to an auto-repairer, get a receipt for repairs. Make sure that medical reports and bills for treatment are retained for presentation along with your claim for compensation.
Hire a Personal Injury Attorney
A personal injury attorney can really help when you decide to file a personal injury claim against someone who you believe hit you when merging on I-5. The attorney will have dealt with many claims like yours and will know how to negotiate with the insurance adjuster who will be trying to minimize the amount you claim or deny it altogether.
