[profileleft]
[/profileleft]Orange County is an area of Southern California that has exploded in growth over the past 30 years. At this point, more than 3 million people call Orange County home. While this growth has led to a lot of development and other positive changes, it has also led to increased congestion on the freeways in particular. Orange County is now nearly as notorious for its difficult traffic conditions as Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and other large metropolitan areas across the state. Unfortunately, that also means that the number of Orange County car accidents is extremely high. Gomez Trial Attorneys has opened an office in Orange County. We’d like to begin what will be regular publishing of information for motorists in the area in hopes of keeping them safer by providing a close look at the overall statistics in the area regarding motor vehicle accidents.
Orange County Car Accidents – An Overview
On average, more than 30,000 Orange County car accidents occur every year. These crashes include car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents and crashes involving pedestrians. Those accidents lead to more than 14,000 people being either injured or killed. Nearly 1,500 people are injured or killed in Orange County car accidents in which alcohol is a factor on an annual basis. In addition, the following number of people are either injured or killed in these different types of collisions:
- Motorcycle accidents – 629
- Pedestrians – 841
- Pedestrians under the age of 15 – 155
- Pedestrians older than 65 – 103
- Bicyclists – 1,286
This information comes from the California Office of Transportation Safety, or OTS. The OTS is charged with collecting and reporting on several different types of data including car accidents. A link to a full breakdown of the statistics relating to Orange County car accidents can be found here.
Orange County Car Accidents – The Aftermath
If you or someone you love has been injured or worse in one of these Orange County car accidents, there are several ideas you should keep in mind as you work your way through the aftermath of one of these incidents.
- Seek Medical Attention – Even if you do not feel as though you are seriously injured, you should still be evaluated for several different reasons.
- File the Appropriate Insurance Claims – The sooner you file your insurance claim or claims, the sooner that process gets started. File your claims promptly and make sure you are as accurate as possible.
- Avoid Discussion – If the other party or parties involved in the crash want to discuss what happened with you, avoid that temptation. Simply and respectfully state you would not like to discuss the issue.
- Avoid Negotiation – It’s likely that you will be contacted by at least one insurance company to negotiate a settlement. Do not engage in those discussions without first obtaining the proper help.
- Seek Legal Advice – The best initial step you can take is to obtain legal advice regarding your situation so that your rights and options can be protected.
If you find yourself in this difficult situation, contact the Orange County car accident lawyers at Gomez Trial Attorneys to schedule a free initial consultation.
