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As a Temecula car accident lawyer, Ryan Sargent and the team at Sargent Firm Injury Lawyers have seen firsthand the impact a sudden accident can have on the lives of those involved.
The dedicated Temecula personal injury lawyers at Sargent Law Firm Injury Lawyers are well-versed in California car accident cases. We show up every day with passion, empathy, and dedication to pursue the best possible solutions for our injury clients.
If you suffered injuries in a car accident, our Temecula car accident lawyers can work with you to pursue fair compensation. Call us at (844) SARGENT to find out more.
Types of Damages You Could Recover Following a Car Crash in Temecula
If you suffered injuries in a car accident and another driver was at fault, you could recover compensation for the damages you suffered, including:
- Medical expenses
- Property damage, including replacing your vehicle
- Lost income
- Reduced income-earning potential
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of consortium
Losses in a car accident case are not limited to physical injuries. You can also recover compensation for the difficulties you face because of your injuries. Our car accident attorneys in Temecula can help you determine which damages you can claim and guide you throughout the legal process.
How Our Temecula Car Accident Lawyers Can Help You
Our personal injury lawyer can help you pursue the compensation you deserve. While no law firm can guarantee a specific outcome, a skilled injury attorney knows how to maximize the compensation available to you so you do not leave any on the table.
Our automobile accident lawyers in Temecula can help with:
- Making a claim through the liable driver’s insurance policy
- Filing a personal injury claim in court against the liable driver
- Filing a claim under your insurance policy, depending on your coverage
- Handling calls and correspondence about your personal injury claim
When we are on the case, we handle all the legal footwork, so you can focus on recovery.
We Gather Evidence to Prove Your Claim
The Temecula car accident lawyers at Sargent Law Firm Injury Lawyers do more than represent you during settlement negotiations or in court. We gather the evidence necessary to prove fault, verify the extent of your injuries, and calculate a fair value for the damages you suffered.
The evidence we may use to support your case includes:
- Medical records, including diagnostics and treatment plans
- Witness statements from individuals who observed the accident
- Police reports and crash reports for your accident
- Photos of the accident scene
- Videos from dashcams, traffic cameras, and CCTV
- Testimony from medical and economic experts
- Property repair and replacement estimates
- Invoices, receipts, bills, pay stubs, and financial statements
We may also request evidence specific to your case. For example, if your accident was due to a drunk driver, we may request blood alcohol content (BAC) results. Similarly, if you were struck by a commercial truck driver who was fatigued, we may request the operator’s driving log.
Our legal team has extensive experience investigating car accidents in Temecula and throughout California. Let us use our knowledge and experience to help you seek compensation for the losses you suffered.
We Handle Car Accident Cases on a Contingency-Fee Basis
When you sustain serious injuries in a car accident, you may face unprecedented financial difficulties. Although hiring a lawyer may seem outside your financial means, Sargent Law Firm Injury Lawyers can take your case at no upfront cost to you.
Rather than charging an hourly fee or holding a retainer, we wait to collect payment until we achieve a settlement or verdict. If we don’t win your case, we don’t get paid.
With that in mind, you can rest assured that we won’t take on a case if we don’t think it provides a sufficient monetary return to cover all your losses.
We Ensure Your Case Is Filed Within the Statute of Limitations
CCP § 335.1 only allows you two years from the date of the accident to file a car accident injury lawsuit. This statute of limitations may vary depending on the circumstances of your car accident. If you miss legal deadlines, you could lose your chances for financial recovery.
Fortunately, our car accident lawyers in Temecula are aware of the time limits that apply to car accident claims. As we investigate your case and gather evidence, we keep your case on track by meeting all legal deadlines.
While we may file a lawsuit to avoid missing the statute of limitations, this does not necessarily mean your case will go to trial. Filing a timely lawsuit can, however, encourage insurance companies to settle rather than spend money on court fees and costs associated with a lawsuit.
We Aggressively Negotiate for an Appropriate Settlement
In many cases, we help our clients negotiate a fair settlement with the insurance company without having to go court. By presenting a strong case and aggressively advocating for your legal rights, we can often convince insurance carriers to provide a fair settlement.
Many personal injury cases settle out of court because insurance companies and corporations don’t want to spend money defending themselves during litigation. While we aim to settle out of court, our trial attorneys are always prepared to take your case before a judge and jury if it means obtaining a better settlement.
A Temecula Car Accident Can Create Serious Long-Term Difficulties
California is one of the most dangerous states in the country if you travel by car. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) reports that more than 200,000 people experience car crash injuries annually in California. Approximately 4,000 of those crashes result in fatalities.
Severe car accident injuries can cause lifelong challenges for accident victims and their families. Whether you were a driver or a passenger in a Temecula motor vehicle accident, you could suffer any of the following types of injuries:
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Full or partial paralysis
- Whiplash
- Broken bones
- Muscle sprains and strains
- Soft tissue injuries
- Internal bleeding and organ damage
- Loss of limb or amputation
Long-term effects from these injuries can create significant challenges in your daily life. You may lose crucial income while you recover, or you might be unable to return to the position you once held. Financial stress, in addition to physical injuries, can seem insurmountable. Rehabilitation costs alone can reach thousands of dollars.
You don’t have to face these challenges alone. Sargent Law Firm Injury Lawyers’ personal injury team can help you pursue justice and fair compensation for your losses. our team has successfully obtained more than $40 million in settlements, judgments, and verdicts for our clients in Temecula and across California.
Establishing Liability in a Temecula Car Accident Case
To receive a driver’s license, California drivers agree to exercise reasonable care anytime they get behind the wheel. This means avoiding violations of the California Vehicle Code, and not putting others at risk. As a result, drivers may be legally and financially responsible if they fail to exercise reasonable care and that failure causes an auto accident.
California is a “fault state” when it comes to car accident liability. This means that the party responsible for causing the accident carries liability for financial damages. In many cases, the liable party for a car accident is another driver.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), human error causes the majority of motor vehicle collisions. In California, these errors may include:
- Distracted driving
- Impaired driving
- Aggressive driving
- Fatigued driving
- Speeding
- Failure to yield the right of way
- Failure to obey traffic signals and signs
If we take your case, our Temecula car accident attorneys can conduct a full investigation into the cause of your accident. By determining how the accident occurred, we establish who was at fault so we can pursue compensation from the responsible party.
Steps to Safeguard Your Legal Rights After a Car Crash in Temecula
After a car accident, your first consideration should be safety. Ensure everyone is out of harm’s way. Then, follow these steps to protect your safety and legal rights:
Call Emergency Services
Your safety and the safety of other accident victims is paramount following an accident on a Temecula roadway. If possible, pull off the road and remove yourself from the flow of traffic. Call 911 to request emergency medical assistance and report the accident.
The attending officer may take statements, contact details, and witness information when they arrive. Avoid leaving the scene of the accident until you have spoken with the responding authorities.
Document the Accident Scene
While you are at the scene of the accident, take photos or videos with your phone to document the site. Accidents on Temecula’s busy roadways may be cleared quickly to avoid traffic congestion. This can compromise your evidence gathering, as the vehicles involved are moved and cleanup crews clear debris.
Be sure to take photos of the vehicles involved, including license plates, make and model, and final resting places. Document the damage to all vehicles involved, as well as any surrounding objects, like traffic signs, posts, and guardrails. Take special note of skid marks and orient your photos with cross-streets, crosswalks, buildings, and other stationary landmarks.
If the responding officer doesn’t do so, take the names, driver’s license numbers, and contact information of the other drivers involved. Request the names and contact details of any witnesses who observed the accident. You don’t need to take their statements — your lawyer can handle that later.
Report the Accident to Authorities
VEH § 16000 requires that all accidents involving injury, death, or property damage over $1,000 be reported to the appropriate authorities. When you call 911, an officer should attend the scene to document the accident. It is important to remain at the accident site to speak with the responding officer if you can.
If your injuries require immediate transport to the hospital or prevent you from submitting a report at the accident scene, another passenger in your vehicle can report the accident for you. If no officer responds to the accident, you must still report it within 10 days. A car accident attorney can help you ensure your report is filed promptly.
Seek Medical Attention
If you are not transported to the hospital by ambulance, go to the nearest emergency room or visit your primary care physician as soon as possible. The adrenaline from your accident can mask serious injuries, so it is not safe to assume you are uninjured, even if you feel fine.
Seeking medical attention ensures you receive critical medical treatment right away. Your attending physician can conduct imaging and diagnostics to determine whether you are injured and establish a treatment plan. Your doctor’s visits also create critical medical records to support your car accident claim. Be sure to follow your doctor’s orders, attend all follow-up visits, and complete your treatment plan, even if you start to feel better.
Contact Your Insurance Company
You must inform your insurance company about the accident as soon as it happens. However, you should be wary of providing too much information. Insurance companies, even your own carrier, are motivated to reduce payouts and maximize their own profits.
Before providing a formal statement, it may be best to speak with your car accident attorney. They can help you avoid pitfalls that could reduce your settlement value. If you must speak with an insurance adjuster before consulting with your lawyer, keep your statement strictly factual. Avoid discussing who was at fault, and don’t make any statements about your physical health.
Hire a Temecula Car Accident Lawyer
While you recover from your car accident injuries, it is normal to feel overwhelmed. A personal injury attorney specializing in car accidents can handle the legal work so you can take the time you need to focus on your health.
Sargent Law Firm Injury Lawyers boasts a team of passionate personal injury lawyers dedicated to pursuing justice and fair compensation on behalf of injury clients.
Call for a Free Consultation With Our Temecula Car Accident Team
At Sargent Firm Injury Lawyers, we are dedicated to holding the responsible parties accountable for their actions so you can obtain the money you deserve.
When you hire our car accident law firm in Temecula, we work tirelessly to recover fair compensation for your medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering.
Don’t hesitate to contact us today at (844) SARGENT to learn how we can assist you during a free case review. Our Temecula car accident attorneys are here to guide you through the legal process, from your initial consultation through the final settlement or verdict.
