San Diego Car Accident Attorneys

Compassionate Legal Representation for Car Accident Victims Seeking a Fair Settlement or Jury Award in Southern California

Have you or a loved one been injured in a car crash? Whether your car accident involved a single vehicle or several, you may be able to seek compensation for your injuries and other losses.

In California, you can receive compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, physical impairment, inconvenience, and more if you are injured in a motor vehicle accident. An insurance company representative will not tell you this, but a trusted attorney will fight for you to receive every penny available to you.

You should not be responsible for negotiating with the at-fault driver’s insurance company or with your own insurance company to get the compensation you deserve while you are still recovering from potentially catastrophic injuries. Instead of attempting to navigate the legal system on your own, turn to our trusted personal injury lawyers to represent your case for you. Our Southern California law firm has extensive experience helping car accident victims pursue the maximum compensation for their injuries and all sorts of different types of motor vehicle incidents.

To learn more about how an experienced attorney can assist you with personal injury, pain and suffering, lost wages, and property damage claims, please contact our San Diego office to schedule your initial consultation with our legal team today.

What is the Harsh Reality of Car Accidents and Injuries?

Auto accidents are all too common in Southern California. From minor fender benders to life-changing collisions, our San Diego attorneys are here to assist you with your car accident claim.

According to a report, auto accidents claim more lives than murders in San Diego. Factors such as texting and DUI contribute to these alarming numbers. Our attorneys can guide you in understanding these accidents’ complexities and aftermath.

From 2012 to 2016, traffic deaths surpassed murders in San Diego. Our team is experienced in handling property damage and personal injury claims arising from these tragic incidents.

Need for Medical Treatment

Serious injuries lead to mounting medical bills, missed work, and lifelong pain. Our experienced legal team will help you with personal injury claims to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.

Facing the Insurance Adjusters

Dealing with insurance adjusters and filing a lawsuit can be overwhelming. Our San Diego personal injury law firm fights for your rights against the at-fault driver’s insurance.

How Common Are Car Accidents in California?

The startling statistics for California car accidents include the following:

According to the California Data Exchange Center, certain areas see accident rates almost twice the statewide average. Among these accident corridors are the stretch of road from I-5 through Sacramento, Highway 1 along the Central Coast, and I-15 between San Bernardino and the Nevada border
Although California is not in the top five states for auto accidents in the US, we are in the top five nationwide for fatal accidents
California averages close to 4,000 traffic fatalities annually
In 2021, approximately half of all drivers killed in motor vehicle accidents who were tested were found to be positive for legal or illegal drugs
Looking at data from 2023, there are approximately 1.28 traffic-related deaths per 100 miles traveled by car in California
Most motor vehicle accident fatalities occurred in urban areas
Motor vehicle accident fatalities involving teenage drivers and young passengers have seen dramatic decreases in recent years
Motorcyclists represent a disproportionate amount of motor vehicle accident fatalities. Motorcycle riders who decide not to wear a helmet see a dramatic increase in the risk of catastrophic injuries or death
Seatbelts save lives. Failure to wear restraints increases the chances of fatalities. Thankfully, there has been a notable decrease in unrestrained passenger fatalities in recent years
The total economic cost of car crashes in California exceeds $19 billion annually
While drunk driving fatalities have decreased in recent years, they are still the cause of thousands of fatal accidents and serious injuries

What Should You Do Immediately After an Auto Accident?

The steps you take immediately following an automobile accident can play a big role in determining your injury severity and how easy or difficult it will be to secure a satisfactory car accident settlement.

Firstly, you should attempt to get to safety. If you can, move your vehicle to the side of the road to avoid further damage to yourself or your car caused by oncoming traffic. Once you are safely out of the way, call 911 to summon law enforcement and request an ambulance.

We believe that you should seek medical attention after a car accident, regardless of the apparent severity of your injuries. Some injuries can worsen with time, and failure to get medical care to treat them could devalue your personal injury claim.

Provided that your injuries are not too severe, attempt to collect valuable information and evidence at the accident scene. You want to get the other driver’s insurance company information and the driver’s contact information. If there were any witnesses to the crash, you also want to get their testimonies and contact info so they can be reached later. Additionally, take photographs and videos of the accident scene, paying close attention to visible injuries, property damage, road conditions, weather conditions, and debris.

While you should attempt to remain calm and as polite as possible when speaking with the at-fault driver, never go so far as to make any admissions, such as admitting fault or liability, and never diminish the severity of your injuries. Sometimes we can feel the need to apologize, even when we are not at fault. But now is not the time.

Be sure to stay off social media and avoid discussing the accident or sharing relevant photos on public forums. Social media posts about the car crash could be used against you during settlement negotiations.

When the police arrive, give them a detailed account of what transpired to the best of your abilities. Along with medical records from your health care evaluation, an official police report will be used as valuable evidence by your San Diego car accident lawyer.

If an insurance adjuster arrives at the accident scene, you do not need to speak with them. Insurance adjusters can present themselves as sympathetic to your plight, but they are there to look for ways to devalue personal injury claims and save money. Instead of speaking with representatives of the insurance companies, direct them to talk with your attorney.

If you have not done so already, now would be the time to contact our law firm to discuss your car accident case in more detail. Our firm offers no-obligation case evaluations to prospective new clients. We understand that it can be difficult to choose the right car accident lawyer for your legal matters, and we want to spend the consultation convincing you that we should be trusted with your legal issues.

What Types of Car Accident Cases Do Our San Diego Personal Injury Attorneys Represent?

Our personal injury attorneys have extensive experience representing clients throughout the San Diego area for several decades. We understand that car accidents involve many contributing factors and can unfold in various and unpredictable ways. Whatever sort of car accident case you have, we stand ready to represent your rights in pursuit of fair financial recovery.

Our San Diego attorneys represent clients in car accident claims such as the following:

Accidents involving inexperienced or unlicensed drivers
Acts of intentional vehicular violence
Car accidents caused by defective auto parts or malfunctioning equipment
Commercial vehicle accidents
Defective highway design accidents
Distracted driving accidents, including texting while driving
Drunk driving accidents and crashes caused by driving under the influence of drugs
Head-on collisions
Hit and run accidents
Motorcycle and bicycle accidents
Multiple vehicle pileups
Pedestrian accidents
Road rage incidents
Rollovers
Sideswipe accidents
Single-car accidents
T-bone accidents
Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare accidents
Uninsured and underinsured motorist accidents
Weather-related accidents
Wrong-way driving accidents
And more

Car accidents often result in severe injuries, lost income, and necessary car repairs. As your legal representation, we will explore all potential options to get you the financial compensation you deserve and require.

What Are Common Causes of Car Accidents in San Diego, CA?

Don’t let someone’s negligence affect your life. We can help you file a lawsuit against the responsible parties, including those driving under the influence or distracted by texting.

Some of the most common causes of car accidents in San Diego include the following:

Adverse weather conditions
Aggressive driving and road rage
Debris in the road
Driving under the influence or driving while intoxicated
Drowsy driving and driver fatigue
Failing to signal a turn
Failure to yield the right of way
Ignoring or violating traffic laws
Other drivers disappearing into blind spots
Roadway defects
Speeding, especially driving at excessive speeds, considering the road conditions
Texting while driving or talking on a cell phone while driving
Improper or unsafe turns and lane changes
Tailgating
Various examples of distracted driving
Vehicle defects
And more

If you have been in a traumatic motor vehicle crash and you do nothing to seek compensation from the insurance companies or other parties involved, you may be on the hook for costly medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, and more. That’s not right. As your attorneys, we will explore all possibilities to get you the compensation you deserve from the at-fault party and their insurance company providers. You shouldn’t accept anything less.

What Are Serious Injuries Sometimes Associated with Motor Vehicle Collisions in California?

The injury severity for drivers and passengers harmed in car crashes across the country can range widely between minor aches and pains and far more catastrophic injuries. In some of the most tragic circumstances, car accident victims suffer injuries so severe that they eventually succumb to those injuries either at the accident scene or in a hospital bed.

If you have been seriously injured by a careless driver or other negligent party, you should explore your right to seek compensation.

Common car accident injuries include, but are not limited to, the following:

Airbag injuries
Amputation and loss of limbs
Broken bones and bone fractures, particularly to the chest, ribs, arms, and legs
Chest injuries
Chronic pain and suffering
Concussions, which we now understand can have long-term side effects
Crushing injuries
Deep cuts and lacerations caused by broken glass and other sharp objects
Degloving injuries
Disfiguration
Electric shock
Extensive bruising and contusions
Eye injuries, which sometimes result in permanent vision loss
Internal bleeding
Loss of hearing
Nerve damage
Organ damage
Post-traumatic stress disorders and mental health issues, including depression and anxiety
Seatbelt and restraint injuries
Severe burns to the face and body, which can occasionally be disfiguring or require extensive skin grafts
Soft tissue injuries, including torn ligaments and strains
Spinal cord injuries, including injuries so severe that they cause partial or complete paralysis
Traumatic brain injuries, which can cause lifelong pain and suffering
Whiplash and pain in the back and neck
Wrongful death
And more

In addition to physical injuries, car accidents can also sometimes lead to psychological trauma and mental distress. These injuries are invisible and include instances of anxiety disorders, deep depression, and post-traumatic stress. Though the naked eye cannot see them, they can be just as disruptive to a victim’s life as any physical injury. It can be harder to prove non-physical car accident injuries for victims seeking financial recovery, but with the help of our attorneys, we can build a convincing case to help you seek compensation for both physical and emotional damages.

What Sort of Financial Compensation is Possible with a Successful Car Accident Lawsuit?

Car accident victims in California are entitled to seek financial compensation for their injuries and other losses associated with the crash. Typically, they will be awarded compensation in economic and non-economic damages.

In personal injury cases, economic damages are meant to make you financially whole again after unfortunate accidents caused by negligent parties. Essentially, economic damages are meant to compensate you for actual losses and out-of-pocket expenses related to the auto accident.

Economic damages may include the following:

Lost wages if you miss time at work due to suffering your car accident injuries, and potentially lost income-earning capacity if your injuries rob you of your ability to ever return to your former place of employment
Out-of-pocket expenses related to the aftermath of the car crash
Past medical bills and future medical expenses, including compensation for ambulance rides, hospital visits, necessary surgeries, prescription medications, and long-term medical care
Property damage, including compensation for damaged personal property, car repairs, and vehicle replacements
Rehabilitation and physical therapy financial compensation if you suffered injuries that require rehabilitative care today and into the future
Wrongful death damages, including compensation for medical bills incurred before death, loss of benefits, lost wages, and compensation for funeral, burial, cremation, and memorial expenses

Non-economic damages relate to settlements for injuries that are difficult to assign a financial value to.

Examples of non-economic damages that can be awarded in personal injury cases include the following:

Chronic pain and suffering
Depression
Diminished quality of life or enjoyment of life
Emotional distress, mental anguish, and psychological trauma
Inconvenience
Loss of companionship or consortium
Physical scarring
PTSD
And more

In certain situations, personal injury law also allows for the possibility of punitive damages to be awarded to car accident victims. These extra damages are typically awarded when it is determined that the defendant’s conduct was malicious, fraudulent, especially reckless, or egregious in some way. To secure punitive damages, you must present convincing evidence of the at-fault party’s wrongdoing to the judge or jury. Punitive damages are meant to punish the defendant for their actions and deter others from committing similar acts.

How Much is Your Personal Injury Case Worth?

The value of your car accident case will depend upon several factors. Although we would like to estimate your case’s worth, we simply cannot offer an accurate idea of your case’s value without at least first speaking to you about your personal injury claims in a case evaluation. No two car accident settlements are precisely alike, and what one individual may recover in terms of compensation may not necessarily reflect what you stand to recover.

With that in mind, here are some of the factors that can influence your car accident settlement:

Has the car accident and its associated injuries prevented you from working? Loss of income will be taken into consideration
Were there several at-fault parties?
Did you suffer income-earning capacity changes because of your car accident injuries?
The age of the victims and their life expectancy
Was the accident caused by especially egregious or negligent misconduct behind the wheel of a motor vehicle?
Shared negligence and whether you are partially to blame for the collision
Did you take appropriate steps to mitigate your damages, such as following the doctor’s orders and taking care of yourself in the aftermath of the accident?
Injury severity. Typically, the more severe the injuries, the greater the payout to address costly medical expenses
Was there a loss of life?
The at-fault party’s insurance policy limits can determine how much you stand to recover
Were you forced to sue the at-fault party directly?
Has the auto accident altered your quality of life for the worse?
Was a commercial company, such as Uber, Lyft, or a trucking company, involved in the crash?
Were you injured in a hit-and-run accident, and was the at-fault driver never discovered? If you did not have uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, your potential compensation could be somewhat limited

Even if you were only in a relatively minor car accident, you still have the right to pursue compensation for your losses and any pain and suffering. Contact our San Diego law office for legal assistance.

Why Hire San Diego Car Accident Lawyers After an Automobile Accident?

Insurance Companies and Settlement Offers

Insurance companies often minimize settlement offers. Our attorneys will accurately assess your situation, ensuring fair compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.

Filing a Lawsuit and Dealing with Police Reports

Filing a lawsuit can be daunting. Our team guides you through the process, including handling police reports and other essential documents, to secure your rights.

Contact Our San Diego Personal Injury Law Firm to Discuss Your Case Today

Because of California’s pure comparative negligence rule under personal injury law, car accident victims can be held partially responsible for their accidents. Essentially, if you were deemed to be partially at fault for causing the car crash, your maximum compensation may be affected accordingly. In hopes of securing every potential dime that you are owed, you are strongly encouraged to seek professional representation to assist you throughout the legal process of your personal injury claim.

Our San Diego County law firm has extensive experience representing the community in car accident claims and other personal injury cases. We provide steadfast legal representation to help clients get the financial recovery they deserve and require.

To learn more about the benefits of retaining our professional legal counsel, please call our law office at 619-768-2865 to schedule a no-obligation case evaluation today.

With a focus on personal injury law, our attorneys will stand by your side, offering personalized service to ensure that your car accident claim is handled professionally.