San Diego Car Accident Lawyer

Car Accident Lawyer San Diego

Why you need an experienced auto accident attorney

If you have been in a car accident, you may wonder if you need to hire an attorney.

Here are four reasons why you should consider hiring an experienced auto accident lawyer in San Diego:

1. You suffered injuries.

If you were involved in a car accident that resulted in serious injuries, you would likely face significant medical bills and lost wages. An experienced attorney can help you recover the compensation you deserve from the responsible party.

2. The other driver was at fault.

If the other driver was at fault for the accident, you might be able to file a claim against their insurance company. An experienced personal injury attorney can help you navigate the claims process and ensure you receive the maximum compensation. Even if you were at some fault, you could receive a portion of compensation equal to the other driver’s fault.

3. The other driver was uninsured or underinsured.

If the other driver was uninsured or underinsured, you might still be able to recover compensation through your insurance policy. An experienced attorney can help you understand your options and ensure you receive the total amount of coverage you are entitled to.

4. You are not sure what to do next.

After a car accident, it can be challenging to know what to do next. An experienced attorney can guide you through the legal process and help you make informed decisions about your case.

Hire an experienced car accident lawyer in San Diego.

How Much Does It Cost To Hire An Experienced Car Accident Lawyer?

At this point, you may wonder if your already strained budget can handle the expense of hiring a lawyer. This is why contingency fees exist.

In a contingency fee arrangement, you do not pay anything until the successful settlement or verdict.

How Do Contingency Fees Work?

A contingency fee agreement safeguards you against going deeper into debt after an accident.

In essence, the lawyer agrees to accept their fees only once the case has been resolved. If your lawsuit fails, you’ll be protected, and the attorneys will have a financial incentive to ensure that it is filed correctly. Typically, contingency fees work best in personal injury cases.

Before working with an attorney, clarify if they are working on your case on a contingency fee basis.

California Comparative Negligence Law

When two or more people are involved in an accident, the question of who is at fault can be complicated. In some cases, each person may be partially to blame. This is known as comparative negligence.

Under California’s comparative negligence law, people injured in an accident can still recover damages from other at-fault parties, even if they are partly to blame for the accident. 

However, their damages will be reduced by their degree of fault.

Should I get a lawyer for a car accident that was my fault?

For example, let’s say you are involved in a car accident with another driver. The other driver ran a red light and hit your car. However, you were also speeding at the time of the accident. 

Under California’s comparative negligence law, you would still be able to recover damages from the other driver, but your percentage of fault would reduce your damages.

Suppose you have been involved in an accident. In that case, speaking with an experienced personal injury attorney who can help you understand your rights and options under California’s comparative negligence law is essential.

California Insurance Laws for Automobiles

California has a set of minimum liability insurance requirements. Liability insurance covers you if you are harmed or damaged due to someone else’s negligence. You must have the following coverage from your insurance provider:

  • $15,000 for bodily injury or death to one person
  • $30,000 for bodily injury or death to more than one person
  • $5,000 for damage to property

California does not require you to have uninsured/underinsured motorist or hit-and-run coverage. 

This insurance protects you if there is another at-fault driver in a vehicle accident.

Compensation You Can Seek In An Injury Claim

You should be compensated financially for every dollar you paid due to your accident. Your car accident claim can help pay for medical expenditures, vehicle damage, and other financial losses.

You can also be paid for your non-financial losses, such as pain, suffering, and mental anguish.

Your San Diego auto injury attorney’s job is to calculate your total losses and work to secure a fair settlement.

The most common damages in car crash cases are.

  • Pain and suffering damages
  • Lost work wages and loss of future wages
  • Permanent injury/scarring
  • Lost life enjoyment
  • All related medical expenses
  • Mental trauma and treatment
  • Transportation expenses

Car accident victims may collect damages for physical, emotional, or psychological injuries due to another person’s negligence. 

Car accident claims are handled on a case-by-case basis, meaning there’s no specific amount in compensation that a victim should expect to collect.

What is the average settlement for a car accident in California?

Under California law, accident victims can pursue compensation for their damages. However, there’s no actual standard settlement amount.

 All car accident claims must be processed on an individual basis. 

The compensation an accident victim is eligible to receive can depend on the amount and severity of the damage they suffered.

How Does a Car Accident Claim Work?

When a person is injured in a car accident due to another driver’s negligence, it’s their legal right to file a car accident claim. 

A car accident claim allows victims to pursue the financial compensation they are owed for any losses they may have suffered after the accident.

To get started with your car accident claim, you’ll typically need to contact a Los Angeles car accident attorney with the following information:

  • The name, contact, and insurance information of the driver who hit you
  • The date, time, and location of the car accident occurred
  • Photos and videos of any property damage, the accident scene, and any visible injuries
  • A copy of the official accident report from the police

You should contact a knowledgeable vehicle accident lawyer when you’ve gathered all of this information. 

Your car accident lawyer will assist you in keeping to important claim filing deadlines.

They’ll also handle all communications with the at-fault driver’s insurance company. 

With their assistance, they may be able to bargain and receive you the most significant compensation possible.

How long does resolving a car accident case in San Diego take?

It can take a few months to a few years for an injury claim to be resolved.

While there is no precise length of time for determining a vehicle accident case, several factors can speed up or slow down the process.

  •  The more extensive the medical treatment is for the personal injuries sustained in a car accident or slip and fall claim, the more likely settlement and compensation will be delayed.
  • If you are injured, the severity of your injuries will determine how long it takes to resolve your personal injury claim. Most insurance adjusters will not discuss settlements or resolutions of personal injury claims until they are sure of the extent of the injuries.
  • The insurance coverage of the people at fault and their insurance company’s cooperation will significantly impact how long a case takes for the claim to resolve. If the insurance coverage is low and there are traumatic damages with no dispute about who is responsible, the personal injury case will likely settle more quickly.
  • If you have to file a complaint and go to court, the case will take a long time to resolve. Often, it will take two or three years for the court case to reach a verdict. This is because the parties involved in the case are trying to figure out who is responsible and how much money they should pay.

Most common types of car accidents

Hit and Run Collisions

The San Diego Police Department offers online reporting for Hit and Run collisions where there are no injuries, no suspect information, and no leads. The report is only needed for insurance purposes. 

If you need to provide further information about a hit-and-run collision you’ve already reported, call 858-495-7842. 

Please have your case number ready.

How do I report a car accident in San Diego?

Report a Traffic Collision or Accident

SDPD responds only to injury accidents and hit-and-run collisions where there are injuries, potential suspects, or lead information on who may have committed it.

If your accident involves an injury or a hit and run, call 9-1-1.

Depending on the information provided to the dispatcher, you may be directed to the nearest police station to complete a report.

Freeway Incidents: Accidents, road rage, road hazards, or other issues occurring on a California freeway can be reported to California Highway Patrol at 800-835-5247.

Common dangers that increase the risk for San Diego drivers

Weather

Poor visibility from fog, Wild Fire smoke and other weather conditions can lead to accidents.

Tourists

Many visitors find the streets and highway systems intimidating. Many drivers use a phone GPS or an in-car navigation system, which might distract them at a critical moment on the road.

Busy Areas

The more people who are trying to go to or leave work at the same time, the more accidents there will be.

Common injuries associated with car accidents

Head Injuries

Car accident injuries can be severe. One type of injury is a head injury. In a high-speed collision, you can hit your head against things like the steering wheel, the dashboard, or the window.

This can cause a traumatic brain injury ranging from mild concussions to comas and cause lasting cognitive problems.

Often extensive medical treatment and long-term medical care are required after such injuries.

Other Head Injuries

  • skull fractures
  • hearing loss
  • vision problems

Back Injuries

Any damage to the spinal cord can cause significant nerve damage. Patients may experience reduced sensation in and control over their arms, hands, legs, feet, and other body parts, while more severe forms of spinal damage can leave patients permanently paralyzed.

  • Paraplegia is a form of paralysis that affects the lower half of your body’s movements. It occurs when an illness or accident damages the part of your nervous system that controls the lower half of your body. You might have trouble moving your legs, feet, and stomach muscles.
  • Quadriplegia, also known as tetraplegia, Quadriplegia is a form of paralysis that affects all four limbs and the torso. Most people with tetraplegia have significant paralysis below the neck, and many cannot move. C1 to C7 is most common, caused by damage to the spinal cord somewhere in the cervical region.

Another common car accident injury is a herniated disk. 

A herniated disc is less severe than spinal damage or head injuries but can cause significant problems. 

Patients often experience numb or tingling sensations, muscle weakness, and arm or leg pain.

Neck and Chest Injuries

One of the most common car accident injuries is whiplash. Whiplash happens when the head and neck move suddenly, often from a rear-end collision. 

Whiplash can cause damage to the muscles and ligaments in the neck, and this injury can vary from person to person depending on the accident and their health.

Neck pain and edema are also prevalent. It is not uncommon for patients to experience temporary voice cord paralysis due to a vehicle accident.

Chest Injuries

Trauma that affects the chest can result in a variety of serious injuries. Blunt force trauma from automobile accidents might produce broken ribs and collapsed lungs. 

A heart attack may be induced during a car accident in people with cardiac issues.

Following a collision, there is a risk of internal bleeding in the chest region. Internal organs, the pelvis, and the tummy can all be injured. 

These types of injuries necessitate immediate medical care.

Other Car Accident Injuries

Arm, limb, hand, and foot injuries are pretty prevalent. Injuries to pedestrians’ legs and feet can result from car accidents.

Motorcyclists involved in automobile accidents can suffer more severe and numerous injuries. 

These might include fractured bones, ligament strain – such as a torn ACL – and even amputation. 

Motorcyclists’ fatality rate is also considerably higher than that of car drivers and passengers.

PTSD

Emotional devastation is another typical accident-related injury. People most frequently drive or travel in a car with their friends and relatives. Those who have suffered significant injuries and those who have witnessed major accidents can suffer emotional scars.

PTSD and other mental ailments are quite prevalent after severe vehicle collisions.

Car Accident Statistics for San Diego

According to data from the California Office of Traffic Safety, 19,938 automobile accidents in San Diego County in 2019 resulted in injury or death.

The total number of crashes for 2021 is not yet available, but we know that fatalities rose drastically over the past two years nationwide.

In 2021, there was a record number of DUI deaths in San Diego County. 

On average, about 12% of crashes in San Diego are alcohol-related.

The city of San Diego has acknowledged that its streets are hazardous. It has committed to addressing the issue and finding methods to make city roads safer for residents, tourists, and commuters.

Citations: NBC San Diego, San Diego Gov, NHTSA, 2018 CalTrans, 2019 Caltrans CHP Traffic Incident,

San Diego Traffic Resources

California Car Accident Statistics

Data gathered by the California Office of Traffic Safety:

  • 3,606 fatal car crashes in 2019 marked a 5.1% decrease from 2018’s 3,798 crashes.
  • There was an average of 1.06 fatalities for every 100 million miles travelled in 2019.
  • There was also a decrease in alcohol-impaired fatalities in 2019, with 1,066 fatalities, from 1,116 deaths in 2018.
  • Fatalities from motorcycle accidents also decreased to 474 deaths in 2019 from 523 deaths in 2018.

On a lighter note, the number of fatalities all across the board is on a downward trend. However, the total number of car crashes in California is difficult to quantify because many car accidents go unreported. 

Hire A Car Accident Lawyer in San Diego

Even minor traffic accidents require the services of an experienced lawyer.

If you feel like the negligent driver and their insurance company are too pushy, you can get help from an experienced car accident lawyer.

They will be able to help you get what you deserve.

Remember that insurance companies will try to take advantage of you when you are vulnerable.

They might offer you a lower amount than you need, hoping you are desperate enough to take it. You should not have to worry about medical costs on top of this.

Get a No-Obligation Free Case Evaluation Today

 

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