When you’ve been hurt in a car accident, you have big challenges ahead of you. You face expensive medical bills, difficulty working, and tremendous pain and suffering, all while trying to recover from your injuries. To make life easier, you need an experienced California car accident attorney who knows what it takes to win compensation claims.
At Berg Injury Lawyers, we understand what you’re going through. You have questions about the value of your insurance claim and how long it will take to get a fair settlement, and we have answers.
A car accident lawyer from our firm can give you straight, simple answers about all aspects of your claim, including medical payments coverage, property damage, lost wages, and more. We can also help you find the care you need, so you can get your life back to the way it was before the crash.
Whether you need help getting money for medical bills and car repairs, or you need someone to step in and deal with the insurance company, we’re here to help get you back on your feet. We represent clients in San Francisco, Sacramento, Fresno, Modesto, and across all of Northern California.
Get in touch with us by giving us a call or completing an online form today. Our consultations are free and confidential.
OUR NO FEE GUARANTEE®
You might be worried about hiring an attorney because of the potential cost, but at Berg Injury Lawyers, if you don’t win, you pay nothing. There’s also no cost or obligation to hire simply to speak to one of our lawyers. We call that our No Fee Guarantee®.
What Are the Common Causes of Car Accidents?
Although car accidents can be caused by many different variables, there are a few factors that tend to show up time and time again in our accident investigations. In Northern California, most car accidents are caused by:
Distracted Driving
Drivers who use cell phones, read, watch videos or take pictures, eat, or hold extended conversations with passengers while driving aren’t focusing on staying in their own lanes and being vigilant for the presence of other vehicles.
Speeding
Speed is one of leading causes of crashes in California. In 2021, it contributed to more than 1,500 fatal crashes in our state. Not only does speeding reduce reaction times—making accidents more likely to occur—crashes at higher speeds are more likely to cause severe injuries and fatalities.
Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs (DUI)
Between 2009 and 2018, 9,288 people died in crashes involving an impaired driver in California.
Car accidents caused by impaired driving are preventable and easily avoided by using alternate forms of transportation.
Failing to Obey Traffic Laws
Following too closely and making illegal U-turns are just some examples of dangerous behaviors that can cause serious auto accidents.
Defective Auto Parts
Car manufacturers are held to high standards for every vehicle they make. That’s because when parts fail, vehicles may crash and drivers and passengers can suffer serious injuries.
Berg Wins 60x Insurance Company’s Offer in Auto Accident Case
Berg Injury Lawyers obtained a recovery worth SIXTY TIMES the insurance company’s original settlement offer in an auto accident case.
Our client suffered a significant neck injury in a crash caused by another driver who made an illegal U-turn in front of him. He required two cervical fusions because the hardware used in the first procedure failed. Our client was offered a settlement by the insurance company prior to hiring Berg Injury Lawyers which he did not accept. The representation by Berg Injury Lawyers helped him settle for 60x what he was offered prior to hiring our law firm.
Insurance companies are in the business of making money, not giving it away—which means they will offer you as little compensation as they think they can get away with, even when you have a rock-solid claim with the other party obviously at fault. When you hire a lawyer, you are protecting your rights and knowing your own value.
Do You Have a Claim?
After a car accident, you may be confused about whether you have a claim for compensation if fault is disputed. To be eligible to collect damages, your accident must meet two criteria:
- The accident was at least partially caused by another party’s negligence.
- The accident caused you or a family member to suffer severe physical injuries.
Our California car accident attorneys can answer any questions you have about what constitutes negligence and what it means for an injury to be “severe.” If your attorney determines that your accident meets both of these criteria, we will immediately begin building your claim.
If your claim involves damage to your vehicle in addition to your injuries, we will help you work on resolving your vehicle-related claim AT NO COST.
What Are California’s Car Accident Laws?
California’s laws for handling car accidents and car accident claims include several key principles:
- Remain at the Scene: California law requires drivers to stay at the scene after a crash, especially if the accident involves injury, death, or significant property damage.
- Moving Vehicles After a Crash: California law allows drivers to move their vehicles after crashes, particularly in situations where the vehicles are causing a hazard or obstructing traffic.
- Comparative Negligence: California follows a “pure comparative negligence” rule. If an injured party is partly at fault, their compensation is reduced by their percentage of fault. For instance, if you’re 30% at fault for a crash, you can only recover 70% of your damages.
- Minimum Insurance Requirements: California law requires drivers to carry a minimum of $15,000 in liability insurance coverage for injury/death to one person, $30,000 for injury/death to more than one person, and $5,000 for property damage.
- Reporting Requirements: In accidents where there is injury, death, or property damage exceeding $1,000, drivers must report the accident to the California DMV within 10 days using an SR-1 report.
These laws dictate how car accident claims are processed, the responsibilities of involved parties, and the legal framework for recovering damages in California.
What To Do When the Insurance Company Calls You
Once the insurance companies are notified of your accident, representatives from your insurer and the at-fault party’s insurer may contact you. Though you want to notify your insurance company of the crash as soon as possible, you DO NOT want to speak to a representative of the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
Innocent comments can be manipulated to make it look like the accident was your fault or that your injuries aren’t severe. They may also try to pressure you into quickly signing a settlement worth far less than you actually need.
It’s common for insurance adjusters to mislead victims about the money they may be eligible to receive, and that’s why having a lawyer on your side can help you understand exactly how much your claim is worth.
An experienced California auto accident attorney will take into account your current and future medical bills related to your injury, lost wages resulting from your injury, and other expenses, so you get a clear picture of the compensation you need to cover the true costs of your accident.
We know insurance companies’ tactics, so when they call, hang up and contact us instead. We’ll help you determine whether a settlement offer is fair, and we’ll talk to the insurance company for you.
If you have questions about your car accident, we have answers. Visit our FAQ page to get answers to questions our clients frequently ask about car accident claims, or contact us today to get a free initial consultation.
Is It Worth Hiring a Lawyer for A Car Accident?
If you’re debating whether to hire an attorney after a car accident, you should at least speak to one and explore your options. With the right lawyer handling your case, you could get far more compensation than you would by accepting the first offer an insurance company makes.
When Should You Sue After a Car Accident?
You should take legal action after a car accident if an insurance company is denying the compensation you deserve. Remember, you have the right to refuse a settlement offer if it is not enough to cover all your accident-related expenses. Don’t allow the insurance company to mislead you into believing that rejecting an offer means losing all chances of getting compensation.
Filing a lawsuit is often a last resort for an injured person, but it’s a powerful way to demand the payment you need to cover medical bills, lost income, and any other damages you face.
What Is the Average Settlement for A Car Accident in California?
Settlements for car accident injuries can range from thousands to millions of dollars. When we take on a claim, we consider many factors to determine how much our clients should be paid. We not only factor in medical bills, property damage, lost income, and other costs, but we’ll also look at how much these costs may be in the years to come.
We use these numbers to determine a fair amount of compensation, and then demand appropriate payment from the insurance company.
Will You Need to Go to Court for A Car Accident Claim in California?
Most injury claims are settled before reaching the litigation stage, but experienced car accident attorneys know it’s always best to be prepared to go to trial, whether you end up needing to or not.
At Berg Injury Lawyers, we’ve built a reputation as tough negotiators. Insurance companies know that we are prepared to take cases as far as they need to go to get our clients the payment they deserve.
Tips For Hiring the Best Car Accident Attorney for Your Case
You’ll find several attorneys in California who are more than happy to take your case, but they won’t all get you the same result. Consider these tips for hiring the best car accident attorney for your case.
- Car accident attorneys in California usually offer free consultations. Take advantage of the opportunity to tell an attorney about your case and get their feedback.
- Ask the attorney about their track record with your case type. If they have achieved real results for clients, they should be able to tell you about those achievements.
- Ask the attorney about their approach to these cases. Do they prepare cases to go to trial or do they aim solely for a settlement? Why do they take that approach?
- Make a list of qualities that you want most in your car accident attorney. We suggest you look for an attorney you believe to be:
- Experienced
- Reputable
- Assertive with insurance companies
- Responsive to your calls and questions
- Willing to meet you on your terms, including at your home or in the hospital
- Able to get you the care and help you need
- Compassionate and empathetic
Free consultations give you the chance to see if you feel comfortable with a law firm. When you hire a car accident attorney, you should be able to trust them. Don’t be afraid to ask them any question you’d like in order get to know them and their process enough to feel comfortable.
At Berg Injury Lawyers, we want to meet with you in person. Let our attorneys hear the details of your case, so we can give you a free case evaluation.
9 Steps to Take After a Car Accident in California
Taking these nine steps after your car accident can help protect your health and rights to compensation:
- Call 911. If anyone is injured or there is serious damage to vehicles or property, call 911 right away. The police will compile an accident report which serves as a record of your accident, and emergency responders can begin treating injured victims at the accident scene.
- Get medical attention. Victims with serious injuries should get emergency medical attention. But even if you think your injuries are relatively minor, it’s still important to get examined by a doctor as soon as possible. Internal injuries, soft tissue injuries, stiffness, and other types of injuries can develop slowly after the accident, and seemingly minor injuries can get worse without treatment. If you file a car accident claim, this initial medical report can serve as valuable evidence of the seriousness of your injuries and tie them to the accident.
- Take pictures. A picture is worth a thousand words, and photos of your vehicle, your injuries, the accident scene, and anything else you think may be relevant can serve as valuable evidence when pursuing a personal injury claim.
- Don’t admit fault or apologize. Whether it’s to the police, witnesses, or the other driver, it’s important that you never admit fault for the accident. Accidents happen quickly and can be confusing. While it’s human nature to express concern for the other driver, admitting fault or apologizing may jeopardize your rights to compensation, even if it’s later proven you weren’t at fault or were only partially at fault for causing the accident.
- Gather information. You should get the full name, contact information, license plate number, and insurance policy number of the other driver. If there are any witnesses, be sure to get their contact information as well, so your lawyer can get in touch with them.
- Write down what happened. As soon as you’re able, write down everything you can remember about the accident. The more detail you can provide about what happened, the better your chances of receiving compensation.
- Don’t talk to the insurance company. The insurance company may contact you in the days following the accident and ask you to sign a contract for a settlement. Don’t sign, and don’t answer the phone if you can help it. Signing any settlements may nullify your rights to full compensation for the accident.
- Keep copies of records and receipts. Keep a receipt for every expense related to your accident. With documentation, the costs of medical treatment, rental cars, vehicle repairs, medications, transportation to and from the doctor, and more may be recovered.
- Call a lawyer. An experienced California auto accident attorney can protect you from the insurance company, compile and submit all accident-related evidence on your behalf, and help you get maximum damages for your medical bills and lost wages.
Hiring an attorney early in the process can be beneficial for several reasons. A lawyer can help you avoid mistakes that hurt the value of your claim. They will deal with the insurance company on your behalf. With an experienced advocate handling your claim, you can focus on your health and let them deal with everything else.
At Berg Injury Lawyers, we’re used to dealing with insurance company tactics. And we offer the No Fee Guarantee® with our services, which means if you don’t win, you pay nothing.
After your accident, the more time we have to build the strongest possible case for you, the better. So don’t wait another day to get the help you need—contact us today.
Common Car Accident Injuries
No matter what caused your auto accident, your injuries are your biggest concern. As car accident attorneys, some of the most common injuries our clients suffer in highway accidents include:
- Broken bones
- Cuts and lacerations
- Head, neck, and spinal injuries
- Internal bleeding and organ damage
- Paralysis and nerve damage
The injuries caused by vehicle crashes are often devastating, as they may lead to temporary or even permanent disability or death. In addition, the costs of these injuries may too be much for you and your family to bear. The types of compensation you can seek in a car accident injury claim may cover many of these costs, including wages lost because of your injuries, the costs of medical treatment, and the intangible costs of the pain and suffering caused by your accident.
Contact Us for A Free Initial Consultation
Berg Injury Lawyers has been helping car accident victims in San Francisco, Sacramento, Modesto, and throughout Northern California since 1981. And thanks to our No Fee Guarantee®, if you don’t win, you pay nothing.
If you’re the victim of a car accident, don’t try to take on the insurance company alone. You have rights that protect your best interests, and you may be entitled to more money than the insurance company wants to admit. But you may not know unless you contact Berg Injury Lawyers.
Don’t let an insurance company decide what your claim is worth. Get a free initial consultation from Berg Injury Lawyers today.
