Vehicle Accidents
You handle recovering. We handle everything else
After a serious crash the insurance company starts building its file immediately. You should have someone building yours.
About car accidents claims
Most California car accident claims are decided by evidence gathered in the first weeks: the scene, the vehicles, the medical documentation and the statements people give before they understand how they will be used. We take over that process so the record reflects what actually happened and how the injuries actually affect your life.
California is a fault-based state, and it applies pure comparative negligence, so a percentage of fault assigned to you reduces your recovery but does not eliminate it. Insurers know this and often argue partial fault to cut what they pay. We investigate to establish liability accurately rather than accepting an adjuster’s characterization.
We also examine whether the vehicle itself made the injuries worse. Because this firm focuses on product liability, we look at airbag, seatbelt, tire and roof performance in every serious collision, and that can add a claim against a manufacturer alongside the claim against the at-fault driver.
Common injuries
Injuries we see most often in these cases. Every claim is different, and this list is not exhaustive.
- Traumatic brain injury and concussion
- Spinal disc injury, fractures and spinal cord damage
- Whiplash and soft-tissue injuries to the neck and back
- Broken ribs, collarbone and internal organ injury
- Knee, shoulder and joint injuries requiring surgery
- Post-traumatic stress and chronic pain conditions
Who can be held liable
Responsibility often extends well beyond the most obvious company. We look at every party in the chain.
- The at-fault driver and their liability insurer
- An employer, when the driver was working at the time (including delivery drivers)
- The vehicle or component manufacturer where a defect worsened the injuries
- A government entity responsible for a dangerous roadway or signal condition
- A bar or business in limited dram shop circumstances involving service to a minor
Evidence that matters
What we work to preserve and obtain early, because this proof tends to disappear with time.
- The traffic collision report, citations and any 911 audio
- Photographs of the vehicles, scene, skid marks and final rest positions
- Event data recorder downloads and available surveillance or dashcam video
- Complete medical records from the first treatment through release
- Wage, employment and household-service records documenting real losses
Do not wait on the deadline
California generally allows two years to bring a personal injury or product liability claim under Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1, and two years from the date of death in a wrongful death case. Shorter deadlines apply when a government entity is involved, and deadlines can be extended for injured children. Exceptions are fact-specific. Talk to us before you assume anything about your own timeline.
Answers
Car Accidents: common questions
Injured by car accidents? Let us review it at no cost.
A conversation costs you nothing and there is no obligation. No fee unless we recover compensation for you. In some matters a client may still be responsible for case costs and expenses, and we will explain exactly how that works before you decide to hire us.