Most drivers make at least one left-hand turn on their daily commute without thinking about it. But turning left is actually one of the more hazardous parts of driving. In cities like Los Angeles, a left turn is considerably more dangerous than in other places.
Were you injured in a left-turn accident in Los Angeles, CA? Our Los Angeles left-turn accident lawyers at M&Y Personal Injury Lawyers can help you pursue compensation from the negligent parties who caused your accident. Working with a personal injury attorney following an accident can help you determine who was at fault and learn what type of legal options are available.
Contact our Los Angeles, California, law offices or give us a call today at (877) 300-4535 to find out more about our firm and our award-winning lawyers. We’ll discuss your case and lay out your legal options. This first consultation is absolutely free, so you have nothing to lose by giving us a call.
How Can M&Y Personal Injury Lawyers Help Me After an Auto Accident in Los Angeles, California?
At M&Y Personal Injury Lawyers, we handle all the legal issues, so you don’t have to worry about anything. You need to focus on your health, and that’s understandably your main concern. We can handle your insurance claim and pursue damages for you while you recover. Our attorneys have over 100 years of combined experience, and we’ve collected more than $400 million for our clients.
Here are just a few things you should know when you choose to pursue damages:
- You will only have two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. Once that time has passed, you will lose the opportunity to file a lawsuit.
- Any insurance company involved with the accident will undervalue your claim and pay as little as possible. This is true for both your insurer as well as the other party’s insurer.
- Determining who was liable and what percentage of the blame you may bear is important in calculating damages.
Our experienced auto accident lawyers in Los Angeles understand the process and can refute the insurer’s stalling tactics to recover damages that you’re entitled to receive. We’ll also help by:
- Independently investigating the accident
- Reviewing evidence
- Engaging leading Los Angeles experts
- Filing all paperwork
- Handling all negotiations
Letting a Los Angeles left-turn accident attorney handle the difficult job of dealing with the legal side of your claim means you can rest easy while you recuperate from your injuries.
What Causes Left-Turn Accidents?
A left turn requires more awareness and driving skills, so making the turn at the wrong time can lead to an accident with injuries for drivers, passengers, and even pedestrians. Even from a turn lane with a protected light, left turns require the driver to quickly assess the situation and make judgments, such as:
- Traffic light timing: is there enough time before the light turns red again?
- The speed of oncoming traffic
- If other drivers are driving safely
Left-hand turns need a stronger attention span so the driver can make the above assessments accurately.
Left turns can also be dangerous because:
- Left turns need a much wider turning radius
- There may not be a designated left turn lane and arrow signal
- Drivers must cross in front of oncoming traffic
- Left turns disrupt traffic flow
- View of traffic lanes may be limited or blocked
- Drivers don’t always use turn signals
- Drivers must be aware of traffic from three directions
- Drivers may accelerate while making a left turn
- Red-light runners who ignore signals can also cause a left-turn accident
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reports that larger vehicles are more likely to hit pedestrians when making turns. This is primarily because of their size, as well as the amount of visibility they have at intersections.
Who Is Liable in a Left-Turn Accident in Los Angeles, CA?
That’s a good question, and the answer isn’t always the person who made the left turn. Accidents can be complicated, which is another reason it helps to have a Los Angeles car accident attorney in your corner.
If you’re turning left, you must make sure there isn’t any oncoming traffic and that the path is clear to make the turn. If there is traffic, you must wait until all traffic has passed before turning. If you make the turn into the path of oncoming traffic and cause an accident, you will likely be held responsible.
However, there are some situations when the driver making the left turn isn’t responsible. These situations include:
- Another driver runs a stop sign or red and yellow light
- Another driver is speeding or engaged in dangerous driving
- Unforeseen circumstances, such as an unexpected obstacle like dangerous roads or road defects that required the turning driver to slow down while the oncoming driver did not
Our Los Angeles car accident attorneys at M&Y Personal Injury Lawyers can advise you on who might be at fault if it’s not immediately clear.
How To Make Safer Left Turns
Driving in Los Angeles can be difficult, but there are ways to make your left-hand turns a little safer:
- Always signal your turns, even in a dedicated left-turn lane
- Put on your signal light 100 feet ahead of the stop, and stop behind the line
- Check for “no left turn” signs
- Check other traffic:
- Left
- Straight
- Right
- Left again
- At an unprotected left (a solid green light), yield to oncoming traffic
- At a protected left, wait for the green arrow
- Don’t try to “cut the corner” of ongoing traffic; make a “squared turn,” not a 45-degree turn
- Stay in the same lane from the left turn
- Maintain your turning speed using light pressure on your vehicle’s accelerator, then accelerate when the turn is complete
While there’s no guarantee that you’ll never have an accident, practicing safer turning can greatly reduce your chances of having one.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Auto Accident Lawyers in Los Angeles at M&Y Personal Injury Lawyers Today
A car accident can leave you with serious injuries, medical bills, and lost wages. The aftermath can lead to challenges that impact your work, career, family, and future. There’s so much at stake after a left-turn accident in Los Angeles.
We handle all car accident cases including:
You may be eligible to recover damages to cover your losses so you can move on from the accident. At M&Y Personal Injury Lawyers, we’re ready to help you navigate this difficult time.
Contact our team today to schedule your free consultation.
