Causes of Car Accidents in Santa Maria

Known for its wineries and beautiful parks, car accidents are not something people normally associate with Santa Maria, California. However, auto accidents are common incidents in Santa Maria due to circumstances such as:

• Not paying attention to the road (distracted driving)
• Driving while fatigued
• Speeding
• Running red lights
• Driving under the influence
• Tailgating
• Ignoring the right of way
• Ignoring No Right on Red signs
• Not seeing or failing to yield to a pedestrian
• Defects with the roadways (inadequate lighting, unclear signs, potholes, etc.)
• Improper vehicle maintenance
• Car parts that fail to meet required safety standards

It’s essential that you identify the correct party to go after, i.e., who is responsible for the accident? With some accidents, multiple parties may be at fault, and this will affect your legal strategy when it comes to a car accident claim. Regardless of who is to blame, you can count on our attorneys to build a solid case and bring you maximum compensation based on your harm and suffering.

Car Accident Injuries and Health Complications

Car accident lawsuits are based on the premise that you suffered bodily harm and or property damage because of someone else’s negligence. These incidents can cause catastrophic injuries with permanent complications, which include, but are not limited to:

• Traumatic brain injury
• Damage to the internal organs
• Injury to the neck or spinal cord
• Joint dislocations
• Broken bones
• First to third degree burns
• Deep cuts
• Back injuries, like herniated disc
• Retinal detachment and other eye injuries
• Tearing of tendons and ligaments
• Permanent nerve damage
• Damage to the ear canal, resulting in hearing loss
• Lost or damaged teeth
• Chronic pain in one or more limbs

Filing a Car Accident Lawsuit in Santa Maria

Before you can move forward with a legal action, you must establish that the other party’s actions meet the legal standard for negligence, which is proven by four elements:

• The other party owed you a duty of care
• The duty of care was breached by a negligent or malicious act
• The defendant’s breach in duty caused bodily harm and/or damage to your property
• Because of the harm you sustained, you are owed damages from the defendant.

Please note that in California, you are allowed to sue even if you are partially at fault for the incident. This is based on the comparative negligence system, where each person / entity involved in an accident is assigned a percentage of blame ranging from 0 to 100. The problem here is that insurance companies will try to blame as much of the accident on you in order to justify paying you as little as possible. By working with a car accident lawyer in Santa Maria, you can ensure an accurate outcome, based on facts and evidence.

Recovering Your Monetary Losses

You may be under the impression that you can only ask for immediate medical expenses and repairs to your vehicle if you were hurt in a car accident. This is not true, however, depending on the level of injury and property damage. Many factors are involved when we set out to determine what a car accident claim is worth, and what you can receive in damages. Take a look at the categories of compensation that may be available to you:

• Current and future medical expenses
• Lost income, like your wages and job benefits
• Cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle and other belongings
• Pain and suffering
• Punitive damages
• Wrongful death benefits for the loss of a family member or spouse that died in a car accident

Suing for a Car Accident – How Much Time Do I have?

Car accident victims in Santa Maria and other cities in California have 2 years to file a lawsuit from the date of the incident. The statute of limitations can change, however, if there are special circumstances, like the victim being a minor at the time. Those who are younger than 18 have 2 years from when they are legally an adult to file a car accident lawsuit. On the other hand, the time allowed for a personal injury claim may be shorter, depending on who is at fault for the accident. Let’s say you are injured in a car crash involving negligence by a police officer that was operating a city vehicle. In this scenario, you would have to file a claim for compensation no later than 6 months from the accident date.

If you fail to file a lawsuit within the statute of limitations, you will lose the right to seek payment for your medical bills, lost wages, and other financial losses. With that in mind, make sure to verify how long you have for a car accident claim by giving us a call as soon as possible.

Contingency Fee Arrangement for All Car Accident Victims

All injury victims deserve high quality legal services without having to exhaust their savings. Our law firm has always operated on contingency, meaning we will not ask you to pay a retainer or on-going fees throughout your case. As part of your settlement from an auto accident claim, the other party pays for all legal expenses, including attorneys’ fees. What happens if we fail to negotiate a settlement or win your case in court? There is a Contingency Fee Arrangement from day one, so you owe us $0, and we eat the costs of representing you.

For more information on your rights and legal options, contact the Santa Maria car accident attorneys of DTLA Law Group.

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