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Car accidents can be terrifying to experience and leave you with injuries and significant monetary losses. Fortunately, there are legal steps you can take after your accident to help you recover your losses through compensation.
Depending on the facts of your accident, you may be eligible to receive financial compensation for the injuries you suffered and the damages your vehicle sustained.
If you’ve been involved in a car accident in the Sacramento area, it’s important to work with a car accident lawyer in Sacramento, CA. Their deep understanding of the area and the laws impacting your case is necessary for a successful lawsuit.
Learn if you’re eligible for compensation and what factors determine the outcome of your car accident case.
Call The Shirvanian Law Firm today at (877) 809-4223.
Every driver is responsible for following all traffic laws and taking actions that don’t harm others. This is called the duty of care you owe another. When drivers fail to do their duty, they are considered to be acting with negligence. Under California law, negligence is defined as the failure to use reasonable care to prevent harm to yourself or another. This includes either the act or the failure to act that results in harm.
Proving negligence is the first step to receiving compensation for your injuries. To prove negligence, four factors must all be proven true:
Damages are the financial and emotional losses you experienced as a result of your injury from your accident. This includes all bills from your medical care, vehicle and property damage, and the emotional trauma you experience.
In California, drivers can be at fault for an accident even if they were not acting negligent or if they were trying to prevent a collision from happening. If injuries result from the accident, the driver is strictly liable. There are many nuances to liability, negligence, and overall fault in accident cases. This is why it’s essential to have an attorney handle your case.
If you’re injured in a car accident in Sacramento and you’re not at fault for the accident, you have the right to file a claim and are eligible for compensation. Your injury must be caused by one of two factors to be eligible. It must either be entirely caused by the car accident, or a previous injury must have been worsened in the accident. This second reason is called exacerbation or aggravation of prior injury and can be harder to prove.
Your eligibility for compensation also depends on the other driver’s liability and the comparative fault laws in California. Comparative fault allows drivers to receive compensation after a car accident, even if they are legally found to be partially at fault.
Any compensation you receive will be reduced in correlation to the amount you were at fault for. For example, if you were found to be 25% at fault for an accident, you are only eligible for 75% of your total compensation.
Working with a Sacramento car accident lawyer can help you determine your eligibility for compensation. Your attorney will build a strong case to maximize your compensation if you are eligible.
While car accidents can happen anywhere, they’re most likely to occur on busy highways and intersections. Sacramento is the capital of California and the state’s sixth-largest city. With over 500,000 residents and a growing metro area, car accidents are common in Sacramento.
Major freeways running through the area see many accidents. This includes Interstate-5, Interstate-80, State Route 99, and other major routes. Additionally, accidents occur on major streets, including:
Fatal car accident reports in Sacramento County indicate that 56 deaths from 49 accidents occurred in 2019, the latest year with data available. It shows that 70 vehicles were involved in fatal accidents and 9 fatal accidents involving a drunk person. This is a slight improvement from the previous two years when drunk people were involved in 15 and 18 accidents.
The average EMS response time within city limits is on par with the rest of Sacramento County at 5.1 and 5.3 minutes. This is faster than the state average, which stands at 7.4 minutes. Faster response times may indicate accident victims are getting medical care quickly, which can help lower accident fatalities.
Recent car accident news in Sacramento County shows that the portion of Interstate-5 in Sacramento is especially deadly. From 2017 to 2019, 13 fatal accidents and 16 deaths happened on I-5 between Del Paso Road and Railyards Blvd. This stretch of interstate is considered one of the top five deadliest roads in California.
Along with driver negligence and distracted driving causing many accidents, other factors such as weather and road conditions may contribute to accidents. Bad weather can cause slick roads or poor visibility, leading to more crashes. Problems with road conditions may cause drivers to swerve unexpectedly into oncoming traffic.
Defective vehicles and traffic signals can also lead to collisions. Your attorney must know all the details surrounding your accident to help build your case.
No matter the initial cause, cars can collide in a number of ways and cause minor to severe injuries. A car accident lawyer represents all types of car accidents, including:
Every car accident is different and has the potential to cause various injuries that range from minor to severe. Injuries from car accidents may mean expensive medical bills or taking time off from work to recover. The most serious injuries have life-changing effects. The type of injury you suffer and its severity level affect the amount of compensation you receive.
Some common injuries from car accidents include:
This injury happens when your head or neck is snapped forward and backward quickly due to the impact of your collision. It can damage the muscles or connective tissues in your neck, leading to lasting pain. Symptoms of whiplash include neck pain or stiffness, shoulder pain, dizziness, and headaches.
Whiplash symptoms may not appear immediately and can take days or weeks to develop. It’s important to receive medical care as soon as you notice the signs of this injury.
Shoulder and arm injuries often happen together. The impact of your crash may cause cuts, sprains, fractures, dislocations, or rotator cuff injuries. These injuries may require surgical treatment or prolonged physical therapy to recover from.
Back and spinal injuries in accidents can leave victims dealing with chronic pain or even paralysis. Sprains and strains of the back muscles are common, as are fractured and disc injuries to the spine and vertebrae.
Injuries to the thoracic and lumbar regions of the spine can affect your mobility in both the short and long term. Injuries involving the severing of the spinal cord that result in permanent paralysis are considered catastrophic injuries and may result in higher compensation.
Injuries to your lower extremities may occur from accidents involving the front and side of your car. They can also result from the body bracing itself against the gas or brake pedals. This area can experience minor bruising, lacerations, sprains, or strains to more serious dislocations, fractures, and ligament injuries.
You should contact an attorney immediately following any type of auto accident. A car accident attorney in Sacramento, CA, can help you understand your rights after an accident. They’ll advise you on what steps to take and what you should and shouldn’t say in any statements to other drivers, passengers, insurance companies, and the police.
Contacting a lawyer as soon as it’s safe and you’re well enough to do so ensures your case gets started as quickly as possible. Personal injury claims from accident cases face a two-year statute of limitations in California. Filing beyond this deadline could lead to your case being dismissed and you losing out on all compensation.
You should contact a lawyer even if you’re already involved in the claim or lawsuit process. Car accident lawyers help you gather evidence for a stronger case and know how to deal with insurance companies. Most car accident cases never go to trial; instead, they’re settled out of court.
Never accept an offer from an insurance company without consulting a car accident attorney first. Having a lawyer on your side can even the playing field and get you better results.
If you’ve been injured in a vehicle accident in Sacramento, hire Shirvanian Law Firm to handle your case. Our Sacramento car accident attorneys are with you every step of the way, from filing your claims to negotiating settlement terms and everything in between. They understand the seriousness of car accident injuries and treat your case with the compassion and care you deserve.
Testimonials from our clients show how dedicated we are to achieving our client’s goals. Henry R. shares, “The Shirvanian law firm was referred to me by another friend who had utilized their services. Oh how grateful I am for that referral. I would highly recommend their services. They are efficient, compassionate, care about your needs, and make sure to garner the best available outcome. You won’t be disappointed!”
Jessica P. was also pleased, telling us, “Thank you so much. The Shirvanian Law Firm help me when I was in an accident. They’re professional and care about their clients.”
Our legal team at The Shirvanian Law Firm works hard to ensure our clients get a satisfying outcome to their cases. Read more about our clients’ experiences on our testimonials page.
The Shirvanian Law Firm won’t charge you a cent until after we win your case, guaranteed. You won’t be responsible for the cost while we work on your case. We invest all the money, resources, and time necessary to meet your goals and pursue justice.
Our free case evaluation, 24/7 services, and personalized legal care set our firm apart from the rest, and our proven results speak for themselves. We will fight hard on your behalf and maintain compassion and communication throughout the legal process.
Our Sacramento office is at 333 University Ave, Suite 200 – #7708, Sacramento, CA 95825. Contact us by phone, online, or in-person today to receive a free case evaluation.
To get the best car accident lawyers working for you, contact The Shirvanian Law Firm at (877) 809-4223