Do Not Accept a Settlement for Your Car Accident Case Until You Have Talked to a Personal Injury Attorney
Anyone who’s been injured in an auto accident knows how difficult it can be to heal and move on with their life. In some cases, people so want to put the situation behind them that they accept the first settlement to simply be done with the case.
In other instances, we have seen people accept the first settlement because they think it seems fair. It might seem fair on the surface to accept a settlement that covers all your property damage and medical bills, but what about your future medical bills? What about your lost wages? What about your pain and suffering?
The truth is that your focus after an auto accident should be healing. Let DLC Law take care of the legal stuff. Call us now at (626) 285-8815 to get started.
Car accidents can involve nearly any type of injury
Victims of car accidents in California frequently suffer significant, catastrophic, and life-altering injuries. We know how these injuries affect people and how to best assist them in obtaining just compensation. During automobile accident cases, we can assist clients with all sorts of personal injuries. Some of the most common auto accident injuries include:
- Spinal cord injury
- Permanent disability
- Back injury
- Neck injury
- Scarring and deformity
- Broken bones
- Cuts and lacerations
- Soft tissue injuries such as whiplash
- Burns
- Wrongful death
In addition, we assist customers in obtaining compensation for non-physical injuries. Plaintiffs can seek compensation for their emotional, mental, and psychological distress, as well as their bodily pain and economic damages, under California law.
After a severe car accident, our firm may be able to assist you in recovering a reasonable sum for your pain and suffering, emotional damages, sorrow, grief, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Understanding California auto accident laws
As a victim, it’s critical to grasp California’s complicated automobile accident regulations. Otherwise, you risk making an error that results in you receiving less – or no – compensation for your losses. If you’ve been in a major automobile accident you should call a lawyer as soon as possible to learn more about your case. We can help you navigate the laws that apply to your situation.
The Statute of Limitations for California Auto Accidents
The statute of limitations is a legal term that refers to the period of time, or deadline, for making a claim, and is one of the most important statutes to understand. Most automobile accident victims in California have two years from the date of the accident to submit injury claims, and three years for property damage only claims. In the event that the government is a defendant, you have just six months.
Exceptions to this norm are rarely granted by the courts. If the date of discovery is after the date of the accident, the clock may not start ticking until that date.
Fault-based auto insurance
California has vehicle insurance rules that are based on fault. All drivers are required to have appropriate auto insurance, which includes bodily injury coverage ($15,000 per person, $30,000 per accident) and property damage liability coverage ($5,000).
Following an accident, affected parties will submit damage claims with the at-fault party’s insurance company. Depending on the circumstances, injured people may be able to file lawsuits instead of filing insurance claims.
You might be able to recover damages even if you were partially at fault
The state of California does not prevent a victim from receiving financial compensation if they were partially to blame for the tragedy. Instead, the victim’s compensation amount will be reduced by his or her degree of culpability under the criteria of pure comparative negligence.
Even if the victim was 99 percent to blame for the accident, he or she might still be awarded 1 percent of the total compensation award. Our company can assist you in defending yourself against a comparative negligence defense.
If you are ready to find out how an experienced auto accident attorney can help you, reach out to DLC Law for a free legal consultation.