Escondido Car Accident Attorney

Getting in a car accident can be terrifying. You might find that the legal process afterward is confusing. It is important to understand your rights so that you can pursue justice. When you reach out to an Escondido car accident lawyer, they can explain the legal process ahead and stand up for you every step of the way.

If you have been through a car accident in Escondido, Perry Personal Injury Lawyers can help you explore your legal options. Former insurance litigator Liam Perry has an in-depth understanding of the personal injury process and knows how tough it can be to secure the settlement you deserve. When you hire him to represent you, you can be sure that an efficient negotiator is fighting for your rights. He has a proven record of helping California drivers maximize their financial settlements after car accidents.

What Causes Car Accidents in CA?

There are many ways that car accidents can happen on California roads. Unfortunately, many accidents are the result of a driver being negligent or reckless, thus endangering others. For instance, common causes of car accidents include:

• Drunk Driving: It is illegal to operate a vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, but, unfortunately, many drivers still do. When your mind is altered by substances like these, you are unable to make clear decisions on the road, drive straight and on the correct path, and react to sudden obstacles, like pedestrians or other vehicles, in the same way that you would if you were sober.
• Distracted Driving: It can only take a second to cause an accident. If you look away from the road to check your phone, talk to someone behind you in your car, or adjust something in your vehicle, you can cause an accident. For instance, distracted drivers often fail to slow down in time for other vehicles or pedestrians crossing at intersections.
• Speeding: If you are going too fast, it can be tough for you to slow down in time for sudden changes. For instance, if you are going too fast and come up to a stop sign, you might not slow down in time to stop for a vehicle that is coming from another direction. When you are in a collision at a fast speed, you can also endure brutal force that causes intense damage.
• Inclement Weather: When you drive in bad weather, like severe rain or snow, you need to be extra careful and be as attentive as you can be. You should also drive more slowly in these circumstances. Poor weather conditions can make the roads slippery and cause your vision to become blurry, which can result in you making mistakes, like missing a red light or stop sign, and colliding with another vehicle.

What Are Common Types of Car Accidents in CA?

There are many types of collisions that you can find yourself in on the road of Escondido, California. Many accidents occur at intersections because there are vehicles coming from many directions and, often, pedestrians who are trying to cross to the other side of the road. Common types of collisions include T-bones, rear-enders, jackknifes, head-on collisions, and rollovers. All of these accidents can cause severe physical harm to those involved, so it is vital that you get medical attention and call the police as soon as you can.

What Should I Do After a Car Crash in CA?

• Call the Police: If you are in a car accident anywhere in California, you should immediately call the police. If you drive away from the scene without calling law enforcement officers, you can face criminal penalties, like fines or jail time.
• See a Doctor: You should also make sure that you get medical attention right away. Getting in any kind of vehicle crash can result in catastrophic injuries, so the sooner you get a medical professional to examine your injuries, the better.
• Collect Evidence: If you are able to do so without hurting yourself or risking your safety, you should try to get some evidence at the scene of the accident. For example, you can take pictures or videos of the damage to your car with your phone, document the license plate of the at-fault driver, and more. You can also communicate with any witnesses at the scene to get details on what they saw.
• Inform Your Auto Insurance: If you operate a vehicle in Escondido, CA, you are required to have auto insurance. If you are ever in a vehicle accident, you have to tell your insurance company about it.
• Contact a Personal Injury Attorney: You might believe that you can secure compensation after an accident alone without legal support, but this is not the most effective or efficient way to proceed. To make your legal process easier to navigate, you should get in touch with a personal injury attorney. Your lawyer can review the facts of your case and provide legal advice that is tailored to your unique situation and needs.
• File a Personal Injury Claim: If you were hurt in a car accident and want to seek compensation to aid in paying your resulting bills, you have to file a personal injury claim. Your attorney can assist you in collecting and compiling evidence for this claim, such as your medical records and the police report from the scene of the accident.

Once you submit your personal injury claim, investigators from the involved auto insurance companies will review it, determine who was at fault, and then decide how much compensation you are entitled to receive.

How Is Fault Determined in a Car Crash in CA?

If you are in an accident in California in any vehicle, you are in an at-fault state. This means that the person who is found to bear the most responsibility for the accident is liable for paying any damages that result from the incident.

Car accidents are complicated, and there is a chance that it was not just one person who contributed to your accident. For instance, if you were driving slightly over the speed limit and the other driver who was involved was intoxicated, then you are both at fault, just to different degrees. The state uses what is called comparative negligence to determine who was at fault, to what extent, and how much compensation you are entitled to as a result.

For example, if you were found to be 30% responsible for what happened to you, then you can only receive compensation for 70% of the cost that you had to pay because of the accident. In other words, if you owe $200,000, you can only recover up to $140,000.

Unfortunately, securing compensation after your car accident is not always a simple process. Since auto insurance companies focus on profit, they might try to assign you more blame than you deserve so that they do not have to pay you as much money as you need after your accident. This is when your car accident lawyer can fiercely fight for you to make sure that you get everything that you deserve.

How Can a Personal Injury Lawyer Help You After a Car Accident?

If you were in a car accident, you might be dealing with painful physical injuries and new levels of emotional distress. Under such conditions, it can be difficult to understand how to effectively negotiate with profit-hungry insurance companies for the compensation you need. When you put your trust in a capable, experienced personal injury attorney, you do not have to worry about these things yourself.

Your car accident lawyer can schedule an initial consultation with you to hear about your case. In this meeting, you can share all the details about what you went through during the incident and after. You can share the evidence you collected, like the pictures and videos from the scene, and your medical reports. You will also have the opportunity to ask the personal injury attorney questions about their services, their pricing structure, and how they think you should proceed to get the outcome that you want.

Once your car accident lawyer begins working on your case, you can be sure that you have a hard-working, knowledgeable professional representing your interests. Some of the services that your car accident attorney can provide for you include the following:

• Collecting Evidence: If you need assistance with backing your personal injury claim, your attorney can work on gathering strong evidence for you. For example, the police report from your accident, your medical records, witness statements about your accident, and more can all help the strength of your claim.
• Negotiating With Insurance Companies: After you submit your personal injury claim, the involved auto insurance company has about forty days to respond to your claim. As frustrating as it is, they do not always provide the clear answer that you are looking for. If you need assistance negotiating with the insurance companies, your attorney can help. A lawyer with a background working in insurance can provide unique insight into this situation.
• Handling Denials: In some cases, you might find that your insurance company denies your personal injury claim. With the right attorney on your side, this is not the end of hope for your case. Your attorney can review the reasoning behind the denial and determine if or how to appeal this decision. This can give you another shot at securing the financial support you need.
• Going to Court: You might not have to go to court after you are in a car accident. However, cases can sometimes get complicated, and you will find that you will need to go to court to fight for your rights. This can take a toll on both your mental and physical health, especially after you have been in a harmful car accident. When you have a lawyer who is already familiar with your case working for you, you can rest assured that you can have someone convincingly representing your case in court.
• Providing Advice: After an accident, you might not be sure about how to proceed with securing compensation and pursuing justice. When you consult with a seasoned personal injury attorney, they can review your case and give you personalized advice. This can help you understand the most effective course of action for you to take in the context of your accident.

How Much Does a Lawyer Get From a Car Accident Settlement in CA?

In some situations, personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee. This means that your attorney will take a percentage of the compensation that you secure in your settlement to pay their legal fees. The amount of money that your lawyer will get from your car accident settlement in CA will depend on a lot of factors. For instance, the amount of money that you are awarded in your settlement will impact how much your attorney receives for their services.

Your personal injury attorney’s pricing structure will also impact the amount of money that they get after your car accident settlement in California. For example, many car accident attorneys charge a 30% contingency fee. Others sometimes charge 40% or 50%. The exact percentage depends on their background in the industry, their reputation, and more. The most effective way to understand the exact percentage or amount of money that your attorney will receive from your settlement is to meet with your attorney about your case.

How Much Does an Injury Attorney Charge for a Car Accident in CA?

Different personal injury attorneys charge different amounts for car accidents in California. A lot of different facts inform how much they charge and what their pricing structure is. For instance, all of the following factors can impact the total amount of your attorney’s fees:

• Their Pricing Structure: Your personal injury attorney will have a unique pricing structure. For instance, lots of personal injury attorneys operate on a contingency fee, which means that they will get paid by taking a percentage of your settlement. Consulting with your attorney about the percentage they usually take can help you understand how much they might charge.
• The Amount of Work They Do: Some car accident attorneys charge you by the hour. This means that the amount of hours that they work on your case will determine how much they will end up charging you.
• Their Experience: If a personal injury lawyer has a long record of securing positive outcomes for their clients, they will have a good reputation in your community. As a result, you might see a higher price for their services than other personal injury lawyers.

What Can I Get Compensated for After a Car Accident in CA?

After you are in a motor vehicle accident, you are likely going to look at a long list of costs that you should not have to pay all on your own. When you seek a financial settlement from a personal injury claim, you can seek payment for all kinds of costs. For instance, many people seek compensation for medical expenses. Visiting a doctor is not always cheap, even if you have health insurance. Furthermore, after you are in a car accident, you might have to go to a hospital for expensive tests, treatments, and long-term physical care.

In the unfortunate event that you endured a catastrophic injury in your car crash that left permanent or long-term damage, you can seek additional compensation for this. For example, if your spine was injured or you suffered a traumatic brain injury, you will need ongoing, expensive medical care.

When you are in an accident, you also might be bearing an emotional impact. For instance, these situations can lead to anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While no amount of money can fix such struggles, you can seek competition that aids with securing treatment for your emotional distress.

You are also entitled to financial compensation if you lost someone you love in a car accident that was not their fault. Of course, there are no settlements that can replace them, but filing a wrongful death claim can assist you with paying the expenses related to their loss, like having a funeral. It can also help you hold those involved in this loss responsible for their actions.

Contact an Escondido Personal Injury Lawyer

When you hire a car accident lawyer to represent you after your accident, you can make your life easier. Your attorney can work tirelessly to make sure that your case has a positive outcome, so you do not have to advocate for yourself alone. At Perry Personal Injury Lawyers, we understand how tough it can be to secure the outcome you want by yourself.

With his background working in insurance, our lead attorney is intimately familiar with the auto insurance industry. We can draw on his knowledge to carefully review your case and communicate with insurance companies so you do not have to. If you want to find out more about how our firm can support you after a vehicle collision, contact Perry Personal Injury Lawyers today. We are happy to provide you with a case review to get you started.