Fortuna Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyer

Fortuna is a charming town located near the coast along Highway 101 as it runs through Humboldt County. Its location creates business opportunities for local residents. Fishing is a popular sport with the town’s nearness to the Eel River with its steelhead, shad and winter salmon. The population of 12,191 makes Fortuna large enough to have all the amenities you could need while being small enough to get to know your neighbors.

In this type of rural area, most people don’t think about being injured and facing high medical bills and other expenses. However, accidents can happen anywhere and at any time. As a Fortuna personal injury lawyer, I hope you will keep this in mind if you need advice or legal help.

U.S. Route 101 services Fortuna and provides easy travel to San Francisco, a little over 200 miles away. It is the gateway to the redwood forests. With all the beauty this area offers to visitors and residents alike, accidents still happen. In 2015, the last year for which full data is available, Fortuna had 27 accidents within the city limits. Additional crashes occurred on the nearby highway. Of the 27 accidents:

• 30 percent involved rear-end collisions
• 33 percent were broadside crashes
• 7 percent were head-on incidents
• 18 percent of the accidents involved pedestrians

Most of the accidents happened in the afternoon hours and early evening.

The highest number of accidents (22.2 percent) in Fortuna happened because a driver failed to give another motor vehicle operator the right of way. Speed was a factor in 14.8 percent of crashes. Following too closely, failing to give a pedestrian the right of way and driving on the wrong side of the road occurred 11 percent of the time. Failing to obey traffic signals was responsible for accidents approximately 7 percent of the time. Other reasons for a Fortuna traffic accident are:

• Distracted driving: Driving distracted where a driver’s focus is not on the road ahead of them has become a significant cause of traffic accidents.
• Impaired driving: Driving while impaired by alcohol and drugs, both illicit and prescription, are the cause of many deaths each year.
• Fatigued driving: Drivers who are too tired to drive should not do it. Today’s schedules are demanding, and many people drive when they cannot keep their eyes open. This is true of both car and truck drivers. The latter often have grueling schedules, and keeping up with them means getting inadequate sleep.
• Aggressive driving: Driving while exhibiting signs of anger can lead to car accidents. Sometimes the anger becomes excessive and is classified as road rage. This is an illegal act.

A Fortuna personal injury attorney is one who helps clients who have suffered physical, emotional and psychological injuries. These injuries occur due to someone else’s negligence. This includes both accidental and intentional acts. Some areas our firm handles are:

• Car accidents: This category includes a broad variety of car accidents. By investigating the crash, a Fortuna car accident lawyer can build a strong case to recover damages.
• Motorcycle accidents: Accidents between a motorcycle and a motor vehicle often result in catastrophic injuries to the biker. Because of the nature of the injuries, a motorcycle accident lawyer can use their skills to obtain the compensation the injured party deserves.
• Catastrophic injuries: Catastrophic injuries bring serious injury to a person and usually are valued at over $1 million.  
• Bicycle crashes: Catastrophic injuries are common in bicycle accidents due to the cyclist’s lack of protective barriers.
• Truck accidents: When a passenger vehicle is in a collision with a big truck, the occupants of the smaller vehicle will experience a significant injury. A truck accident lawyer will be able to obtain compensation for damages. He or she will also help the family by filing a lawsuit against the negligent party.
• Defective product liability: All types of products from auto parts to furniture have the potential to be faulty. A product liability lawyer can file a lawsuit against the manufacturer to claim damages.
• Pedestrian accidents: Just as with cyclists, a pedestrian lacks protection. The degree of injury is usually a factor of speed. A pedestrian accident lawyer can help by filing a claim against the other party and bringing the case to civil court.
• Boating accidents: California has many beautiful waterways and beaches. Unfortunately, boating can be dangerous. It is essential to have the help of a personal injury lawyer when this type of accident happens.
• Dog bites: California has many instances of dog bites. Since the law clearly allows an injured party to make a case against a negligent owner, many cases go to court. A dog bite lawyer can help recover the cost of injuries attributable to a dog bite.
• Traumatic brain injury: Brain injuries can have devastating consequences for an injured person. The cost of treatment is high, and the hospital and rehabilitation center stays can be long. A traumatic brain injury lawyer can help.
• Wrongful death cases: When a negligent party causes the death of a loved one, the family not only grieves but also suffers financial loss. A wrongful death lawyer can help them get back on their feet financially.
• Defective medical devices: Today, many devices are implanted surgically. Sometimes,  the recipient suffers an injury if the device is defective. Your Fortuna defective medical device lawyer will help the injured party recover the compensation they deserve.
• Government negligence: The government is responsible for ensuring road safety. If the government entity reneged on their duty, a Fortuna personal injury attorney could take the case to court.

Most accidents happen because of driver error. However, the law demands that responsibility for an accident be proven. While police reports help determine fault, it is essential for someone injured in a crash to pursue his or her own investigation. On many occasions, injured individuals are struggling to heal, and taking on one more obligation would be too much. That is where an injury lawyer comes in. He or she has experience with all types of accidents and their causes and will apply investigative techniques to determine the cause. Once this is done, the lawyer will build a case against the negligent party. If negotiations fail, the lawyer will file a civil lawsuit against them.

Learn more about how to select a personal injury lawyer in the following video:

During my years of practice as a personal injury lawyer, clients often have questions such as:

Q: Who are some recommended mechanics in Fortuna?

A: Some of the highest-rated mechanics on Yelp are:

Busted Knuckle Auto Repair

800 S Fortuna Blvd

Fortuna, CA 95540

Phone: (707) 725-8006

Rocha’s Automotive Repair

1550 Alamar Way

Fortuna, CA 95540

Phone: (707) 725-8777

Hummel Tire and Wheel

260 S Fortuna Blvd

Fortuna, CA 95540

Phone: (707) 725-4120

Q. What are some rental car agencies in the area

A. Some of the most highly rated car rental agencies are:

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

110 5th St

Eureka, CA 95501

Phone: (707) 443-3366

Enterprise Rent-a-Car

350 I St

Arcata, CA 95521

Phone: (707) 826-9090

I’m Ed Smith, a Fortuna personal injury lawyer. When an accident happens, your world can be shattered. Turn to me for free and friendly advice. Call me at (707) 564-1900 or (800) 404-5400. You can also reach out to me online by using the contact form on my website AutoAccident.com.

We are members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the National Association of Distinguished Counsel.

See a list of our past cases on our verdicts and settlements page and our client reviews on Avvo, Yelp, Google.

Photo Attribution: StockSnap

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Editor’s Note: This page has been updated for accuracy and relevancy [cha 12.9.19]