Were you injured in a car accident in San Diego, California? Car accident victims can face unexpected hardships such as medical bills, vehicle damage, missed work, and other costs of an accident. If the car accident was caused by another driver’s negligence, injured victims have important legal rights – including the right to financial compensation.
Anybody hurt in a car accident will have questions about what happens next. There are several critical steps that an accident victim can take. One step would be talking to an experienced San Diego car accident lawyer about their path to financial recovery. Pines Salomon Personal Injury Lawyers can help answer your questions after a car accident and start your personal injury claim today.
Call (858) 551-2090 or contact our legal team to schedule your free initial consultation with a San Diego car accident attorney. Below, we’ll answer some frequently asked questions drivers have after a car accident in San Diego, CA.
How Can Pines Salomon Personal Injury Lawyers Help After a Car Accident in San Diego?
Whether you are involved in a car insurance claim or plan to file a personal injury lawsuit, a proven San Diego car accident lawyer can help you through every step involved.
When you hire Pines Salomon Personal Injury Lawyers, our San Diego personal injury attorneys will:
- Fully investigate your accident and build your legal strategy
- Get tough with insurance companies during an insurance claim
- Estimate what your claim is worth and fight for what you deserve
- Gather all evidence needed to prove your case
- Hire expert witnesses when needed to support your claim
- Handle every step of a personal injury lawsuit, all the way to trial on your behalf
Our San Diego personal injury attorneys know the challenges a car accident victim faces after a devastating car crash and work on a contingency fee basis – meaning you pay nothing unless you win your case. Our proven legal team has helped secure millions in financial settlements and jury awards for our clients. We can help you, too.
What Should I Do After a Car Crash in San Diego?
A sudden car crash is a stressful and shocking experience. It can be hard to know what to do in that situation. If you are physically able, you should try to take pictures and video of the accident scene. Get details about where the crash happened, who was involved, and any noteworthy features about the scene.
Talk to law enforcement officers when they arrive, and be cooperative. Take down names and contact information for any eyewitnesses to the accident. Also, be sure not to make any admissions of fault and shift blame toward yourself.
Most importantly, seek medical care as soon as possible. Whether you were seriously injured or not, you need to make sure you are evaluated. Many injuries from car accidents might not be known at first.
Injuries such as concussions, back injuries, internal bleeding, and nerve damage might not become clear until hours or days after a crash. Skipping medical treatment is bad for your health and can also damage the personal injury claim you might have.
How Do I Prove the Other Driver Was to Blame for the Car Accident?
Personal injury claims involving car accidents are based on the legal theory of negligence.
Negligence under California law includes four legal elements:
- Duty: Drivers have responsibilities to operate safely, obey traffic laws, follow traffic signals, and do their best to avoid accidents;
- Breach of duty: When drivers don’t act as a reasonable driver should have done in the situation, they breach their duty of care;
- Causation: Plaintiffs in car accident claims need to prove their injuries were caused by someone else’s breach of duty;
- Damages: Medical bills, lost income, out-of-pocket costs, emotional distress, and other losses are among the damages an accident victim can claim.
An experienced San Diego car accident lawyer will use all available evidence to prove negligence and obtain monetary damages.
What Is My Car Accident Claim Worth?
Every accident is different, and the value of a personal injury claim changes with the facts involved and injuries suffered. The total worth of a claim will be based on economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic damages include concrete financial costs such as medical bills, lost income, costs of future medical treatment, and reduced future income due to the accident.
Non-economic damages include the less visible – but sometimes more devastating – costs of an accident. Emotional distress, loss of companionship with a loved one, and reduced quality of life are types of non-economic damages available to those seriously injured in a car accident.
What Is the Deadline to File a Car Accident Lawsuit in California?
California’s statute of limitations sets a two-year deadline for plaintiffs to file a car accident lawsuit in court. The two-year deadline typically starts from the date of the crash. If you don’t file on time, you can permanently lose your right to sue the at-fault driver for monetary damages. A knowledgeable San Diego car accident lawyer will have your case ready to file and make sure all deadlines are met.
Contact a San Diego Car Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
If you or a loved one were injured in a car accident in San Diego, California, you’ll want your questions answered as soon as possible. If the accident was caused by another driver’s negligence, you deserve skilled legal representation. Call Pines Salomon Personal Injury Lawyers today to schedule a free consultation with a San Diego car accident lawyer.
