Playbook · Personal Auto

Intersection and Left-Turn Collisions

Intersection losses produce conflicting statements, no citation and a quick 50/50 that leaves money behind. The left-turning driver owes a statutory duty to yield, signal phase can be proven from records most adjusters never request, and corner-store video disappears within days. Ishqkala flags disputed-signal and left-turn files early so evidence is preserved and the split reflects the facts, not the volume of the claim queue.

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Average missed recovery

$8,400

Typical adverse parties

Left-turning driver who failed to yield
Driver who entered on a red or late yellow
Employer of an on-the-job driver
Public entity responsible for a malfunctioning signal
Property owner whose overgrown landscaping blocked sight lines

Red-flag phrases

What the adjuster note says when there is a recovery.

IV states OV ran red light
OV turning left, said he never saw IV
IV had green arrow per insd
gas station on corner has cameras
PR: conflicting stmts, no citations
signal was out, officer directing traffic
box truck in turn lane blocked view
OV claims IV was speeding

Loss scenarios

Who pays, and why.

Unprotected left turn across through traffic

Left-turning driver

The adverse driver turns on a solid green into the insured's path. The duty to yield to oncoming traffic usually places primary fault on the turning driver even when speed is alleged.

Disputed signal phase

Driver who entered on red

Both drivers claim a green. Signal timing charts, red-light camera footage and independent witnesses resolve phase disputes that a quick split would bury.

Malfunctioning or obstructed signal

Municipality or property owner

A signal showing conflicting greens or a stop sign hidden by foliage can support a claim against the responsible entity, subject to notice-of-claim deadlines and immunity rules.

Legal theories

The law behind the recovery.

Negligence per se: duty to yield: Left-turn statutes based on Uniform Vehicle Code § 11-402 (for example Cal. Veh. Code § 21801) require a turning driver to yield to oncoming vehicles close enough to be a hazard.
Comparative fault: Speed or inattention by the through driver reduces rather than defeats recovery in most states. Under pure, modified 50 or modified 51 rules, the same facts produce different outcomes.
Public entity liability: Claims for negligent signal maintenance run through state tort claims acts, which often require written notice within a short window and cap damages.

Evidence checklist

Preserve before you pursue.

Police crash report, diagram and officer narrative
Signal timing and phasing charts from the traffic engineering office
Signal maintenance and outage logs
Red-light camera footage where the intersection has cameras
Business and residential camera video, requested within days
EDR speed and braking data from both vehicles
Independent witness statements
Photos of sight lines, signage and lane markings
Estimates showing points of impact

All evidence checklists

Recovery workflow

Step by step.

01
Preserve video fast
Send preservation requests to nearby businesses and the traffic agency at FNOL, before footage is overwritten.
02
Establish phase and path
Combine signal records, impact points and statements to show who had the right of way.
03
Apply the state fault rule
Ishqkala models the likely split under the governing comparative fault rule and scores the file.
04
Track every deadline
Track the property damage SOL and any municipal notice-of-claim deadline on the same file.
05
Demand, negotiate or arbitrate
Present the evidence package to the adverse carrier, and file with Arbitration Forums when both carriers are signatories.

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