Automobile Accidents

CAR ACCIDENT LAWYERS

Almost everyone who has been driving for any length of time has been involved in a car accident or fender bender. Though even minor car accidents can be stressful and inconvenient, they are no cause for serious alarm. For too many of us, however, car accidents are much more severe occurrences, resulting in painful injuries, or even prolonged disability or wrongful death. While automobile insurance may cover some concomitant expenses, in many situations victims must be prepared to file civil lawsuits in order to receive appropriate compensation for the misery they have endured.

If you have been seriously injured in a car accident, the first few weeks after the collision are crucially important. It is essential that you contact a competent personal injury attorney as soon as possible to ensure that your car repair estimates are not too low and that the right steps are taken to protect your future settlement. Remember that the attorneys at California Trial Law Group work on contingency, meaning you will not be charged any fee until we win your case.

We are a talented team of personal injury attorneys serving clients throughout California with dedication and individual attention. We have filed lawsuits for clients in the following counties: San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Napa, Solano, San Mateo, Riverside, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and other California counties. We know well the trauma involved in being the victim of a serious car accident and are well-practiced in handling the logistical details so you can concentrate on taking the time you need to heal, physically and emotionally.

HOW WE PROVE NEGLIGENCE IN YOUR CAR ACCIDENT INJURY CLAIM

It is important for you to understand that the insurance adjusters who rush in to “help” settle your claim quickly, are focused primarily on giving you the lowest amount of money possible. They know that you are most likely not experienced in insurance negotiation and that while you are disoriented and in pain they have a distinct advantage. This is where our services are invaluable and why you should not speak with the insurance company until you consult with us. Once we come in and take over your insurance negotiations, you can relax, knowing that you won’t be manipulated into settling your claim too quickly, for too low an amount.

Not only do we have extensive experience in dealing with insurance companies, but we are on your side, always having your best interests at heart. Our team has in-depth knowledge of how California law works and of the intricacies of calculating damages. We know how to arrive at estimates of future, as well as present, costs resulting from your injuries. When you come to California Trial Law Group, you will be working with accomplished professionals committed to getting you the very highest settlement possible. You can count on us to work out a strategy created to work for the unique combination of facts that make up your particular case. You should also remember that since as personal injury attorneys we work on a contingency basis, you will owe us nothing until we get you the compensation you deserve.

At California Trial Law Group we have:

• Excellent investigatory capabilities
• Fine interviewing skills
• Ongoing communication with specialists like doctors and accident reconstructionists
• Ability to have all medical records professionally examined
• Awareness of how to obtain punitive damages for egregious or malicious misconduct
• Means to clarify California law for you in terms of driving regulations and personal injury
• Ability to calculate potential future medical and psychological needs
• Methods to prove liability of other drivers

We will be glad to help you understand the complexities of the justice system, including the fact that California is a pure comparative fault state. This means, on the one hand, that even if you bear some responsibility for the accident, you can still receive compensation for your injuries. On the other hand, it means that the damages you receive will be reduced by the percentage of fault you are assigned by the court. If the court determines that you bear one-tenth of the responsibility for the car accident, for example, your award of damages will be reduced by 10 percent.

CAUSES OF A CAR ACCIDENT IN CALIFORNIA

There are a great number of reasons that car accidents occur, some related to external causes and some to the actions of the drivers themselves.

EXTERNAL REASONS FOR A CAR ACCIDENT

Sometimes car accidents occur for unforeseen reasons, such as:

• Treacherous conditions due to winding mountainous roads or bad weather
• Poor road maintenance resulting in deep potholes or debris on the roadway
• Manufacturing defects in one or another vehicle — e.g. defective steering or brakes
• Sudden blockages in the road, such as an animal, a fallen rock, or a package from a truck

HOW DRIVERS THEMSELVES CAUSE ACCIDENTS

One way or another, driver-caused accidents are the result of thoughtlessness, irresponsibility, or inattention. Most accidents are caused by drivers who are:

• Speeding
• Tailgating
• Changing lanes recklessly
• Drag racing
• Acting out of road rage
• Self-grooming
• Interacting with passengers
• Texting or talking on the phone
• Eating, drinking or adjusting the radio
• Reaching for something in the glove box or under the seat
• Driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Driving while sleepy or physically exhausted

When, as often happens, two or more of these factors combine, the resulting accident may prove fatal. Speeding on icy roads or driving under the influence while talking on the phone are, all too often, lethal combinations. As our roads become more and more congested, there is an increased possibility that two or more drivers in the vicinity are engaging in improper driving behavior. Under such circumstances, the risk of a collision rises to exponentially dangerous proportions.

DAMAGES YOU MAY RECEIVE AFTER A CAR ACCIDENT

As explained, if someone else is (even partially) responsible for the personal injuries you have received in a car accident, or has been responsible for the wrongful death of someone close to you, you are entitled to damages to provide you with both economic and non-economic compensation. Depending on the specific circumstances of the accident, California Trial Law Group can file a lawsuit on your behalf against an individual driver, a government agency assigned to road repair, or the car manufacturer of a defective automobile. Whichever party we file a lawsuit against, we are entitled to sue for economic damages, including property damage, medical and rehabilitative costs, lost wages (present and future), and disability, and non-economic damages which include physical pain and emotional suffering.

When the behavior of another has been particularly egregious, you are entitled to punitive damages as well as compensatory ones. Punitive damages are typically substantial and are designed to punish the defendant for especially offensive, reckless behavior, such as driving while extremely intoxicated, perhaps after repeatedly committing similar offenses, or for acting with intentional malice, as in an incident of road rage. Intentional malice may also be manifest when you have been injured during the commission of a crime. Even if the defendant has been found not-guilty we, as your attorneys, can still file a civil lawsuit, The liability standards for a civil lawsuit are much lower than those for a criminal offense, so we may, in spite of the not-guilty verdict, be able to obtain considerable damages for you and your loved ones. Punitive damages also serve the purpose of discouraging similar misconduct on the part of others.

COME TO CALIFORNIA TRIAL LAW GROUP FOR SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES

Clearly, we can never obtain enough money to pay you back for your trauma and suffering. No one can put a monetary value on severe pain disability, or loss of a loved one. Nonetheless, you can rest assured our practice houses highly skilled attorneys who are as compassionate as they are capable. Adept negotiators as well as sharp litigators, we will not rest until we get justice for you. While you are recovering, you can take comfort by looking at our sterling track record and glowing testimonials. Please get in touch with us by phone or by filling out one of the contact forms on our website.