A car accident can upend your life in a matter of seconds. One moment you’re driving down I-5 or turning onto Watt Avenue, and the next you’re dealing with a totaled car, mounting medical bills, and an insurance adjuster who’s already on the phone. If you’ve been injured in a Sacramento car accident, you don’t have to navigate that alone.
Berg Injury Lawyers has been representing California injury victims for over 45 years. We offer free consultations, and if you don’t win, you pay nothing.
Free Consultation
"*" indicates required fields
If You Don’t Win, You Pay Nothing
Our Recent Results
$5 Million
$1,750,000
$2 Million
$0
$1 Million
$0
What to Do After a Car Accident in Sacramento
The decisions you make in the hours and days after a crash can significantly affect your claim. Here’s what to do:
- Check for injuries. Before anything else, assess yourself and any passengers. Don’t attempt to move anyone who may have a spinal injury.
- Call 911. A police report creates an official record of the accident. Obtain the report number before leaving the scene.
- Document the scene. Photograph damage to all vehicles, road conditions, skid marks, traffic signals, and any visible injuries.
- Exchange information. Get the other driver’s name, license number, insurance carrier, and policy number.
- Seek medical care. Even if you feel fine, see a doctor. Some injuries, including soft tissue damage and traumatic brain injuries, don’t present symptoms immediately. Two major Sacramento trauma centers are UC Davis Medical Center and Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento Medical Center.
- Contact Berg Injury Lawyers before giving a recorded statement. Insurance adjusters often reach out within 24 to 48 hours of a crash. They may frame a recorded statement as routine, but your answers can be used to reduce or deny your claim. Call us first. There’s no cost.
Common Causes of Car Accidents in Sacramento
Sacramento’s road network, from the I-5/US-50 interchange to the heavily traveled corridors along Watt Avenue, Stockton Boulevard, and Florin Road, creates conditions that lead to regular accidents. Understanding what caused a crash helps establish fault.
- Distracted Driving: Phone use, GPS navigation, and eating while driving are leading causes of crashes on Sacramento’s city streets and highways.
- Speeding: I-5 and US-50 see many high-speed incidents, particularly during commute hours and near on-ramp merges.
- Drunk and Impaired Driving: DUI crashes cause some of the most severe injuries in Sacramento County, especially in late-night and weekend hours.
- Aggressive Driving and Tailgating: Busy streets like Watt Ave. and Stockton Blvd. are common sites of rear-end collisions caused by impatient drivers.
- Failure to Yield and Red-Light Running: Intersection crashes are a persistent problem in Sacramento. T-bone collisions from signal violations often result in serious injuries.
Commercial truck accidents on I-5 constitute a distinct category of harm, often involving multiple parties and complex liability. If you were hit by a semi-truck, tractor-trailer, or delivery truck, our truck accident lawyers can help evaluate your options.
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 protect your rights and know your own value.
Common Injuries in Sacramento Car Accidents
Car accidents cause a range of injuries, from those that are immediately obvious to those that surface days or weeks after the crash. Prompt medical evaluation is important for both your health and your legal claim.
Whiplash and Cervical Spine Injuries
Rear-end collisions are among the most common on Sacramento’s roadways, and whiplash is the injury most frequently associated with them. Neck pain, stiffness, headaches, and reduced range of motion can persist for weeks or months without proper treatment.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
A blow to the head or violent jolt can cause a traumatic brain injury, even without a loss of consciousness. Symptoms include cognitive difficulties, memory problems, mood changes, and chronic headaches. TBI is often underdiagnosed immediately after a crash.
Broken Bones and Fractures
The force of a collision commonly fractures arms, legs, ribs, and clavicles. Some fractures require surgery and extended rehabilitation. Compound fractures can involve long-term complications.
Back and Spinal Cord Injuries
Herniated discs, spinal compression, and in severe cases, spinal cord damage can result from high-impact crashes. Spinal cord injuries can lead to partial or complete paralysis, requiring lifetime care.
Internal Bleeding and Organ Damage
Blunt force trauma can damage the liver, spleen, kidneys, or cause internal bleeding. These injuries may not be externally visible and may require imaging for diagnosis. Without treatment, they can be life-threatening.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Muscle strains, ligament sprains, and contusions may not show up on initial X-rays and are sometimes dismissed by insurers as minor. These injuries can be genuinely painful and debilitating. Seeing a doctor promptly creates a record that supports your claim.
How California Car Accident Law Affects Your Claim
California follows a pure comparative fault rule, meaning you can recover compensation even if you were partially at fault for the accident, but your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. For instance, if you were 20% at fault and your damages total $100,000, you can still recover $80,000. This matters because insurance adjusters often try to assign you more fault than is accurate. An experienced attorney can push back on inflated fault assessments and protect your recovery.
California also has high rates of uninsured drivers. Uninsured motorist (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage, which all carriers must offer but you are not legally required to accept, can be critical when the at-fault driver has no insurance or insufficient policy limits. If you carry UM/UIM coverage, your own insurer steps in to compensate you. Many Sacramento drivers don’t know this option exists.
Claims involving government entities, such as a Sacramento Regional Transit bus or a dangerous pothole, have additional requirements. A government claim notice may need to be filed within six months of the accident. Missing this window can bar your claim entirely, regardless of fault.
Rideshare Accidents in Sacramento: Uber & Lyft Claims
Sacramento is an active rideshare market, and Uber and Lyft accidents present a level of insurance complexity that standard car crashes don’t. The applicable coverage depends on what the driver was doing at the time of the crash.
There are three coverage phases:
- App Off: The driver’s personal auto insurance applies. Uber and Lyft coverage does not.
- App On, Waiting for a Ride Request: Uber and Lyft provide limited contingent liability coverage, typically $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident, but only if the driver’s personal policy does not apply.
- Active Ride (Accepted Request Through Drop-Off): Uber and Lyft provide up to $1,000,000 in third-party liability coverage.
Determining which phase was active at the time of your crash requires app records and sometimes litigation. Insurance companies for both the driver and the rideshare platform may dispute responsibility. Our Sacramento rideshare accident lawyers handle these claims and know how to cut through the finger-pointing.
What Compensation Can You Seek After a Sacramento Car Accident?
A car accident claim can include compensation for more than just your car repair and initial medical visit. Depending on the nature and severity of your injuries, you may be able to pursue:
- Medical Expenses: Past and future medical bills, including emergency care, surgery, hospitalization, physical therapy, and ongoing treatment
- Lost Wages: Income you were unable to earn during recovery, as well as reduced earning capacity if your injuries affect your ability to work long-term
- Property Damage: The cost to repair or replace your vehicle and any personal property damaged in the crash
- Pain and Suffering: Compensation for physical pain, discomfort, and the overall impact of your injuries on your daily life
- Emotional Distress: Anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other psychological effects of the accident and its aftermath
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life: Compensation for activities, hobbies, and quality of life that your injuries have affected
The goal is to place you as close as possible to the status quo, in other words, the life you would have had if the accident had never happened.
Insurance Company Tactics to Watch Out For
After a Sacramento car accident, the at-fault driver’s insurance company has one primary objective: to resolve your claim for as little as possible. Their adjusters are trained and experienced at doing exactly that. Here’s what to watch for.
- Early Lowball Settlement Offers: Adjusters often contact crash victims within days, before the full extent of injuries is known. An early offer rarely reflects the true value of a claim, especially when ongoing medical treatment is still needed.
- Recorded Statement Requests: Insurers present recorded statements as a routine step, but your words can be taken out of context or used to minimize your injuries. Speak with a lawyer before agreeing to any recording.
- Social Media Monitoring: Adjusters and their investigators often review claimants’ social media accounts. A single photo or post can be used to dispute the severity of your injuries. Limit what you share publicly.
- Disputing Injury Severity: Insurers may argue that your injuries were pre-existing, minor, or unrelated to the accident. Medical records established close to the time of the crash are your best protection.
- Pressure to Settle Quickly: Time pressure is a common tactic. Once you accept a settlement, you generally cannot pursue additional compensation even if your injuries worsen.
Berg Injury Lawyers serves as the buffer between you and the insurance company. Our team handles all communications, manages the claims process, and works to help ensure you’re not pressured into a settlement that leaves you short.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if the Other Driver Was Uninsured?
If you carry UM/UIM (uninsured motorist or underinsured motorist) coverage, you can file a claim with your own insurer to recover compensation. If you do not carry UM/UIM coverage, recovering from an uninsured driver is more difficult but not always impossible. Assets and other avenues of recovery may exist. A free consultation with us can help you understand what’s available in your situation.
What Should I Do if I Was Injured in a Rideshare Accident?
Start with the standard steps, such as calling the police and seeking medical care. Next, in the Uber or Lyft app, take a screenshot of the driver’s name, vehicle information, and trip details, then report the accident through the app. It’s especially important to contact a lawyer before speaking with any rideshare insurer, as the process moves faster than most people expect.
Do I Need a Lawyer if the Insurance Company Already Offered a Settlement?
Yes, it’s worth having an attorney review any offer before you accept it. Early settlement offers frequently undervalue claims, particularly when treatment is ongoing or long-term complications are possible. Once you sign a release, you give up the right to pursue additional compensation. A free consultation costs you nothing and can help you evaluate whether the offer is fair.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer in Sacramento?
Berg Injury Lawyers works on a contingency fee basis, meaning there are no upfront costs. If you don’t win, you pay nothing.
Talk to a Sacramento Car Accident Lawyer.
After an accident, you’ve got enough to deal with. Berg Injury Lawyers can handle the legal side. For over 45 years, we’ve helped California injury victims navigate the claims process, deal with insurance companies, and pursue the compensation they need to move forward.
Consultations are free. And if you don’t win, you pay nothing.
Contact Berg Injury Lawyers today to speak with an experienced member of our team about your case and your options.
