Roseville Car Accident Lawyer

Roseville Car Accident Attorney

Car accidents happen every day in California for many reasons, most entirely unpredictable. Others happen for preventable and foreseeable causes due to the negligence, inattention, or intentional misconduct of specific individuals. When one party’s actions result in a car accident that injures another party, California law dictates that the party responsible for the crash is also responsible for the resulting damages.

Legal Counsel for Victims of Car Accidents in Roseville, CA

If you or a relative recently sustained injuries in a car accident caused by another driver in Roseville, CA, it’s vital to know your rights, how to recover your losses, and what you can expect from an experienced Roseville car accident attorney. The sooner you speak with an attorney after your accident, the better your chances will be of maximizing your recovery from your losses.

The Ward Firm offers comprehensive and compassionate legal representation to the victims of negligent drivers in the Roseville area. Our team has successfully represented many past clients injured by careless, inattentive, and even criminally negligent drivers, helping them secure expansive compensation for their losses. In addition, we can provide the meticulous legal support and responsive guidance you need to better understand your recovery options after a car accident.

Why Do I Need a Roseville Car Accident Lawyer?

Technically, there is no legal requirement to hire an attorney to represent you in the legal proceedings that will follow a car accident. This is because California requires all drivers to carry auto insurance, and a claim against an at-fault driver’s policy could be enough to resolve a minor accident. However, if you have sustained any injuries or if you are unsure of the full range of damages you can claim from the at-fault driver, it’s important to seek legal counsel from a trustworthy attorney as soon as possible.

A good Roseville car accident attorney can handle their client’s case proceedings on their behalf so the client can recover from their injuries with peace of mind. Securing an auto insurance claim payout can be difficult enough, but when insurance can’t fully compensate an injured driver, they must pursue a personal injury claim against the driver who hit them. Working with an experienced Roseville car accident attorney can not only help you maximize the compensation you secure through insurance after your accident, but they can also assist you in enhancing your recovery through a civil action against the at-fault driver.

Most Common Causes of Car Accident Injuries in California

Whether you expect to face a difficult insurance claim, a personal injury suit, or both following your recent accident, determining fault will be crucial in your efforts to secure compensation for your damages. California enforces a fault-based system for resolving car accidents, meaning whoever causes an accident absorbs responsibility for the resulting damages. Some of the most commonly reported causes of car accidents in the Roseville, CA, area that lead to complex legal disputes include:

• Distracted driving, which is the leading cause of vehicle crashes throughout the United States each year. Cell phone use, eating behind the wheel, and anything else distracting the driver’s eyes, hands, or attention away from safely handling their vehicle can cause an accident.
• Driving under the influence (DUI) of drugs or alcohol, which will lead to criminal charges against the at-fault driver in addition to liability for any civil damages they caused. In addition, if a DUI driver hurts or kills anyone while intoxicated, their criminal penalties will escalate dramatically.
• Speeding, reckless driving, and moving violations. Drivers who refuse to respect the rules of the road put themselves and others at grave risk. Accidents at high speeds are most likely to result in catastrophic or fatal injuries.
• Aggressive driving and intentional misconduct behind the wheel. Unfortunately, some drivers intentionally engage in dangerous conduct behind the wheel, endangering themselves and others. If any intentional action results in a car accident, the at-fault driver will likely face criminal charges in addition to civil claims from the other drivers they harm.

No matter how your accident happened, you will need to prove another driver caused the incident to secure an insurance claim payout from their auto insurance carrier and to hold them accountable through a personal injury claim.

There are many possible ways to establish liability for a car accident, and the evidence you will require depends on how and where your accident occurred. To support their client’s case, a good attorney will look for traffic camera footage, vehicle computer data, cell phone records, and eyewitness testimony. But, again, the Ward Firm can leverage our professional resources to help you build a solid case against the driver who caused your recent accident.

Filing an Auto Insurance Claim After a Car Accident

Auto insurance is usually the first option for recovering from a car accident. California law requires all drivers to carry auto insurance, and an injured driver has the right to file a claim against an at-fault driver’s policy. Therefore, it’s typically necessary to notify an insurer of your intent to file a claim as soon as possible so there are no disputes regarding the timeliness and validity of your claim.

An experienced Roseville car accident attorney can help you gather the evidence to establish liability for your accident. In addition, a good legal team can streamline your interactions with insurers and secure a fair settlement as soon as possible after your accident. Every insurance company has a legal obligation to process claims for coverage in good faith, but insurance company representatives typically look for any reasons they can find to reduce a settlement offer or deny a claim.

The Ward Firm has experience dealing with the major auto insurance carriers in California, and we know the tactics they often use to justify lowball settlement offers or claim denials. Having an attorney draft your demand letter for coverage will significantly reduce the chances of the insurer mishandling your claim.

When Should I File a Personal Injury Claim?

If you exhaust your recovery options through auto insurance after an accident and still face outstanding damages, a personal injury claim is your best option for maximizing your recovery. Similar to your auto insurance claim, success with a civil claim for personal injury hinges on your ability to identify the party responsible for causing your damages and prove they were negligent in a way that directly resulted in those damages. In other words, you must be able to prove that your claimed losses are solely the result of the defendant’s actions and not some other cause.

Time is a critical issue for any personal injury case, and you must begin building your case as soon as possible after your accident. The initial aftermath of a car accident can be very difficult to traverse. You could face many different problems all at once due to your injuries, the medical care they require, and your inability to work and take care of your household. Working with an experienced Roseville car accident attorney can make this situation much more bearable.

Damages and Compensation for Your Personal Injury in California

California’s personal injury laws allow plaintiffs in civil cases to seek full repayment of all economic losses suffered because of the actions of the defendants named in their claims. Your Roseville car accident attorney should guide you through the auto insurance claim process to secure as much compensation as possible through insurance before proceeding with a personal injury claim. A successful personal injury case can yield compensation for damages that auto insurance does not cover.

California’s standard auto insurance policy will include liability coverage for bodily injury and property damage. An expansive policy could cover some or all of the victim’s losses. However, insurance often falls short of fully compensating for the damages a severe accident can cause. The economic damages you can claim in your personal injury action for a car accident include:

• Vehicle repair or replacement costs not covered by insurance. Most auto insurance policies typically limit property damage coverage, so any remaining property losses can be included in your personal injury suit.
• Medical expenses. California’s auto insurance requirements include a minimum of $15,000 in bodily injury liability coverage for a single person and at least $30,000 in total accident bodily injury liability coverage. If you sustain severe injuries, the cost of the medical care you require is likely to exceed these coverage amounts. Therefore, you can include the remainder of your medical expenses in your personal injury claim. Additionally, you could seek compensation for your future medical expenses if the accident caused any long-term or permanent damage.
• Lost income. Injuries from a severe car accident can leave a victim unable to work for an extended period. Unfortunately, the at-fault driver’s insurance is unlikely to provide much in the way of compensation for lost income, so the injured driver can seek compensation for their lost wages and lost future earning potential in their personal injury suit.

Once you’ve depleted the insurance coverage available after an accident, a personal injury suit is the best way to recover your outstanding economic losses. Additionally, California law allows you to seek compensation for your pain and suffering. A car accident is a traumatic event capable of causing tremendous injuries. You have the right to seek compensation for the physical pain and psychological distress you experienced because of the defendant’s actions. When you choose the Ward Firm to represent you in a Roseville car accident case, we’ll carefully review the details of how your accident happened and its effects on your life to help you determine a suitable amount of pain and suffering compensation to include in your claim.

Important California Statutes to Remember

If you plan to pursue a personal injury claim against the driver who caused your recent accident, you must be prepared to meet a few statutory requirements, and various state laws could come into play in your case. First is the statute of limitation or time limit in which you must file your claim. California law allows a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury actions, starting when an injury occurs. You must file your civil claim within this window or risk losing your right to claim compensation for your damages.

California also upholds a pure comparative negligence law,and it is common for disputes regarding liability to arise from car accidents that occur in states with fault-based accident laws. The pure comparative negligence statute upholds that plaintiffs found partially at fault for causing their claimed injuries still have the right to secure compensation for their damages. However, they lose a portion of their case award that reflects their percentage of fault in causing the incident in question.

Whether you are concerned about meeting court filing deadlines or submitting your complaint to the civil court within the applicable statute of limitations, the Ward Firm can help. Our team can provide responsive legal representation, ensuring your case meets all statutory requirements, and there is no administrative red tape between you and your recovery.

Contact Our Roseville Auto Accidents Attorneys About Your Case

Time is a critical factor after any car accident. You face strict deadlines when it comes to filing your insurance claim and building a personal injury case against the driver who hit you. Meeting these requirements promptly and efficiently is easiest when you have legal counsel you can trust advising you. If you do not have legal representation, you would be compelled to endure a protracted insurance claim process followed by tedious civil court proceedings while managing the aftermath of your accident and recovery from your injuries.

Do not make an already difficult situation worse by attempting to handle everything on your own. Securing legal representation from a Roseville car accident attorney you can trust will allow you to recover with peace of mind knowing you have a legal team ready to guide you through the legal proceedings. The Ward Firm has the experience, skill, and professional resources to handle the toughest car accident claims. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with our team and learn more about the legal services we can provide after a car accident in Roseville, CA.