LANCASTER, CA CAR ACCIDENT LAWYER

California Auto Accident Lawyer Assisting Clients in Lancaster

More than 3,000 traffic fatalities occur every year in California, according to the California Office of Traffic Safety. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that traffic deaths declined between 2008-2011, but that the total number of fatal collisions began rising again soon afterward. By 2016, California reported more than 3,600 traffic deaths. That number is the highest since 2007. Serious and fatal traffic collisions occur almost equally in rural and urban areas in the state, with only a slightly higher percentage of crashes happening in urban regions of California. While residents of Lancaster may not realize it, they could be at risk of a deadly collision when traveling on neighborhood roads near their homes or while commuting on the I-5.

If you or someone you love recently sustained injuries in a motor vehicle collision in or around Lancaster, California, you should discuss your case with an experienced car accident lawyer in Lancaster, CA as soon as possible. The personal injury team at Fisher & Talwar can begin working on your case today.

Steps to Take After a Lancaster Car Accident

Car crashes in Lancaster can be extremely severe, resulting in debilitating and life-threatening injuries. In these cases, it may be impossible to gather evidence at the scene of the accident or to even think about anything but your own physical well-being. When you are able to take steps to gather evidence and to support your case after the accident, however, it is important to do so. If you are involved in a motor vehicle collision, you should take the following steps after the crash:

  • Take photographs at the scene: If you are able to access your smartphone, take as many photos as you can. You should take pictures of your vehicle and the vehicles belonging to any other drivers involved in the crash. In addition, you should take photos that depict the entire area where the accident occurred. Be certain that you take close-up photos of any property damage, as well as pictures of anything else at the scene could be helpful to an accident reconstruction expert who is working to prove your version of the events that led to the crash.
  • Collect names and contact information: You should collect the names and contact information of anyone at the scene of the crash—including other drivers as well as possible witnesses. You should also obtain contact information from any other drivers involved in the collision.
  • Seek medical attention: You might think that you can wait to seek medical attention after being involved in a car crash in Lancaster, but there are many types of injuries that do not have immediate signs and symptoms. By waiting to seek medical attention, those injuries can worsen significantly, and the defense can attempt to argue that you are partially responsible for the severity of your own injuries. You do not want to put yourself in this situation. As soon as you are able to do so, you should get checked out by a medical professional.
  • Contact your insurance company: You will need to contact your insurer as soon as possible after the collision to let them know that you have been involved in an accident. When you speak to your insurance company, it is important to remember that the insurance company is not on your side. As such, you should give the factual information that is required, but do not offer your opinion, and do not agree to give a recorded statement until you have spoken with a Lancaster car accident attorney.
  • Hire an auto accident lawyer: Filing a car accident claim can be frustrating and complicated. You deserve to have an aggressive advocate on your side throughout this process. Your lawyer can negotiate with insurers on your behalf, and can take your case to court if necessary.
auto accident handbook

How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Lawsuit?

Sometimes car accident claims can lead to a favorable settlement with the insurance company. However, in many cases, injury victims need to file car accident lawsuits in order to seek compensation for their losses. To be eligible to obtain compensation, a plaintiff needs to make sure that she files her lawsuit within the California statute of limitations for personal injury cases.

In California, the statute of limitations is the time period for filing a claim in court. It is a strict deadline, and if a plaintiff waits beyond the statutory time period, she is typically barred from filing her lawsuit. The statute of limitations in almost all car accident lawsuits is two years from the date of the injury (or, the date of the accident). To be clear, a plaintiff has two years from the date of the crash to file her personal injury lawsuit.

Damages in Your Lancaster Car Accident Case

A plaintiff in a Lancaster, CA car accident lawsuit can be eligible for two types of compensatory damages, both of which are designed to compensate a plaintiff for losses:

  • Economic damages: these are objective, monetary losses; and
  • Noneconomic damages: these are subjective, nonmonetary losses.

Examples of economic damages can include hospital bills, prescription medicine costs, doctor’s office visit bills, rehabilitative therapy, and lost wages. Examples of noneconomic damages might include pain and suffering, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life. As you can see, economic damages can be objectively quantified, while noneconomic damages cannot.

Even if the defendant argues that you are partially to blame for the accident and the jury agrees, you can still recover damages as long as you are not 100 percent responsible. Under California’s comparative fault law, a plaintiff’s damages award is reduced by her percentage of fault, and she is permitted to recover the remaining amount.

No Attorney’s Fee Unless We Get You Money

You pay nothing upfront when we take on your case. Since we work on contingency basis, you only pay if you get money. This allows you to focus on treatment and recovery from your accident, while we focus on what we do best.

If you are worried that the attorney fee might not be worth it, then consider the following:

In most situations, the settlement amount negotiated by your attorney is two to three times higher than any money received by an injured person who is not represented by an attorney.

If you are not sure whether or not your claim is worth hiring an attorney for, please give us a call and we will give you free consultation and assist you in evaluating your case.

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Learn More from a Lancaster Car Accident Attorney

If you or someone you love suffered serious injuries in a motor vehicle crash in Lancaster, you should learn more about filing a claim for financial compensation. An experienced Lancaster auto accident lawyer can speak with you today about your options for filing a claim. Contact Fisher & Talwar for more information about how we can assist with your case.