Hiring a trusted car accident lawyer will hardly be a challenge with so many law offices providing high-quality services. On the other hand, the accident may result in minor or severe injuries that will require proper medication and recovery. While you focus on getting back to normal life, personal injury attorneys will do their best to gain the maximum possible settlement.
The problem with insurance adjusters is in the fact they will use every small thing to reduce the settlement. They hire insurance lawyers and pay them millions of dollars to confuse you and make a mistake that will eventually result in lost financial opportunities. Car accident lawyers will stand up for your rights and never let it happen. They will prepare a powerful background along with a winning strategy to represent clients either at a pretrial level or in the courtroom.
We have conducted the list of 20 car accident lawyers in San Bernardino featuring some of the most reputable, well-known, and experienced specialists with a perfect reputation across the state.
1. The JLF Firm – A-Z Legal Expertise
The JLF Firm is a recognizable duo of car accident lawyers including the founder Jeff Fayngor and his colleague and teammate Gavril “Gav” Gabriel. Together, they boast several decades of combined experience in addition to thousands of cases one and millions recovered for their clients. They serve victims of car accidents and personal injuries in San Bernardino, El Monte, Riverside, and some other locations across the state.
Address: 560 N Arrowhead Ave # 5B, San Bernardino, CA 92401
More Information on JLFFirm.com
The founder of the firm Mr. Fayngor has always dreamt to protect people’s lives from the start of his legal career. He knows how challenging it can be to handle medical and repair bills, especially when the insurance company is trying to take advantage of you. With his dedicated legal team. Jeff is ready to stand up for clients’ rights and fight insurance companies back in case of auto accidents, all kinds of personal injuries, animal attacks, slip and fall accidents, wrongful death, and many other practice areas.
Jess studied law at Whittier Law School and made a name for himself as an aggressive and passionate attorney when working as a personal injury lawyer for some well-established law firms. The office in San Bernardino boasts a convenient location for those who want to schedule a personal consultation. If you do not want to leave your home, Jeff and Gavril are ready to consult you online. No matter what you choose, case evaluation is free. What’s more, you do not need to pay unless they win the case.
Pros:
- Offices in 4 locations including San Bernardino;
- Decades of collective experience;
- Broad legal expertise.
Additional benefits:
- Real clients’ testimonials and reviews.
2. Krasney Law – Established in 1987
Krasney Law is a well-established personal injury law firm with decades in business. It provides legal services to clients from San Bernardino and Rancho Cucamonga. Established in 1987, the company has been helping victims of others’ negligence for more than 30 years. Here we have an example of a full-cycle legal office, which means local experts will guide you through every stage of the legal process and help in case of car accidents, dog bites, slip and falls, brain injuries, motorcycle accidents, wrongful death, and other legal matters. With Krasney Law attorneys, you put decades of experience on your side.
Address: 362 W 6th St, San Bernardino, CA 92401
More Information on KrasneyLaw.net
While the main office is located in San Bernardino, the law firm has representations in Riverside and Ontario. Local experts are always ready to handle all kinds of personal injuries. What’s more, they are not afraid to take your case to the jury. The founder and the managing attorney Robert A. Krasney started legal practice back in 1987. Today, he boasts more than 32 years of working as a car accident lawyer in addition to thousands of cases won.
All services are delivered on a contingency basis. It means no fees unless Robert wins the case. He has a small but experienced legal team that helps to cope with medical bills, health, and emotional problems. Clients are free to schedule no-obligation consultations and find out how much they may recover from insurance companies in settlements and compensations.
Pros:
- Established in 1987;
- More than 32 years in business;
- Convenient headquarters in San Bernardino.
Additional benefits:
- A comprehensive knowledgebase of lawsuits, steps to oppose insurance companies, personal injury FAQs, and more.
3. Avrek Law Firm – $750 Million Recovered
Avrek Law Firm introduces a team of nine experienced personal injury attorneys who have been in business for years. They boast decades of combined experience and more than $750 million recovered in settlements and judgments. Each car accident lawyer has a flawless reputation in addition to an enormous legal background to handle the most complex cases that refer to such practice areas as bicycle and auto accidents, dog bites, burn injuries, premises liability, workplace accidents, wrongful death, and many others.
Address: 1255 W Colton Ave #540, Redlands, CA 92374
Local experts will handle every stage of the legal process. They will investigate the case to put all facts together and work out a winning strategy. They guarantee maximum possible compensation and an aggressive manner when opposing insurance companies. The founder and the managing lawyer Maryam Parman started her legal career back in 1994. She boasts hundreds of successful cases in addition to millions of dollars collected on her clients’ behalf.
Apart from San Bernardino, the law firm has offices across California, Nevada, and Arizona. Legal services are delivered in English and Spanish. Clients are not supposed to pay anything right at once. The fees are charged only if Maryam and her team win the case. The track record includes some multi-million verdicts including a 6-million settlement after a motor vehicle accident.
Pros:
- More than $750 million was collected;
- Representation across the country;
- Nine experienced personal injury attorneys at your service.
Latest achievements:
- $6,000,000 auto vs bus accident;
- $2,250,000 auto vs auto collision;
- $19,000,000 rear-end collision.
4. iAccident Lawyer
If you look for a trusted and reputable lawyer to protect your rights in case of legal injustice, iAccident Lawyer is the law firm you should choose. It represents a team of car accident lawyers who help clients not only in San Bernardino but also across the state with offices in Los Angeles, San Diego, and other cities. The main benefits include more than three decades of legal experience in addition to over $150 million in judgments and settlements.
Address: 255 N D St #212, San Bernardino, CA 92401
More Information on iAccidentLawyer.com
Donald Stevenson is the founder and the leading lawyer in his firm. Donald alone managed to collect almost $120 million for his clients. Today, he has a professional legal staff to deliver round-the-clock support. It means that victims may schedule free consultations 24/7. The list of practice areas to handle includes different kinds of motor vehicle accidents such as car crashes, boat and train accidents, and so on. Mr. Stevens also deals with personal injuries, workplace accidents, and tort law. Various rewards and 5-star ratings prove that the company has a tea of dedicated legal professionals.
Pros:
- 30 years of a flawless reputation;
- More than $150 million was collected;
- Broad legal experience.
Latest achievements:
- $8,000,000 a T-bone motorcyclist injury;
- $12,650,000 head injury after a car crash;
- $700,000 buttocks injury.
5. Sanford A. Kassel
Sanford A.Kassel law firm establishes itself as a professional law corporation with a team of car accident lawyers, who have been delivering high-scale legal assistance for almost four decades. The company has been in business for more than 38 years. With the main office conveniently located in San Bernardino, local attorneys are ready to handle the most complex case related to a variety of practice areas. They generally include auto accidents, medical malpractice, personal injuries, wrongful, death, employment law, and other law fields.
Address: 334 W 3rd St #207, San Bernardino, CA 92401
More Information on SKasselLaw.com
Current managing attorneys Sanford and Gavin Kassel represent the second and third generations of the family law team that started defending people more than 50 years ago. It is one of the most trusted and well-established companies in San Bernardino. What’s more, they deliver legal assistance to clients across Southern California. The father and son boast thousands of cases won in addition to hundreds of trial verdicts in favor of their clients.
Pros:
- More than 38 years of legal experience;
- A convenient head office in San Bernardino;
- A family-owned law firm.
Additional benefits:
- A flawless reputation and trusted legal services since 1981.
6. West Coast Trial Lawyers
West Coast Trial Lawyers introduces a pool of dedicated and experienced car accident lawyers with representations across the state including San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Bakersfield, and other cities across the state. On the whole, the law firm has offices in 10 different locations across California. Local experts deliver 5-star legal services, which made it possible for them to recover more than $1.5 billion in settlements and verdicts. If you hire these personal injury attorneys, you will put more than 100 years of combined experience on your side.
Address: 1762 N Waterman Ave suite a, San Bernardino, CA 92404
More Information on WestCoastTrialLawyers.com
Allen Patatanyan and Meet Neama Rahmani are the co-founders and leading attorneys. They are in charge of a high-volume professional team of specialists, who obtained higher education. Some of them are former prosecutors and state, department lawyers. It means enormous real-life experience when handling cases related to car accidents, brain injuries, wrongful death, dog bites, scooter accidents, spinal cord injuries, and many other practice areas.
Pros:
- 100 years of collective practice;
- More than $1.5 billion was collected;
- Offices in 10 cities across California including San Bernardino.
Latest achievements:
- $2,600,000 brain injury;
- $2,500,000 motorcycle accident;
- $1,700,000 auto accident.
7. AA Accident Attorneys
The founder of the AA Accident Attorneys firm Paul Lee is a former police officer. After working in the street, he dedicated his life to helping victims of others’ negligence and legal injustice. For more than 20 years, Paul and his team have been delivering legal assistance in English and Spanish in San Bernardino, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Jose, and many other cities across the state. The pool of experts boasts more than 40 years of combined experience. With Mr. Lee in charge, they have collected more than $150 million in judgments and compensations.
Address: 225 W Hospitality Ln # 201O, San Bernardino, CA 92408
More Information on AA-AccidentAttorneys.com
The website has a comprehensive car accident FAQ with all major issues explained. There you will find some handy tips on how to behave after the accidents and what steps to take in order to prevent the insurance company from taking advantage of you. The variety of practice areas local lawyers will handle ranges from an airplane, amusement park, and car accidents to slip and fall, personal injuries, and Big Rig accidents.
Pros:
- More than four decades of combined experience;
- Over $150 million in verdicts;
- The founder is a former police officer.
Additional benefits:
- Free consultations in English and Spanish round-the-clock.
8. LA Century Law
LA Century Law is one of the most recognizable premier law offices delivering legal services in multiple locations across the state including San Bernardino. Unlike many other top-rated firms, local attorneys do not rush to get a quick paycheck and handle as many cases as possible. They deliver a personalized approach with attention to every detail. This fact ensures effective strategies to oppose insurance companies and huge corporations. With years of experience and millions of dollars recovered, Ryan J. Daneshrad and his team will handle any case despite the complexity.
Address: 473 E Carnegie Dr Suite 200, San Bernardino, CA 92408
More Information on LACenturyLaw.com
Ryan J. Daneshrad founded the law firm to fight for people’s rights. He will defend clients and claim compensation they deserve either at the pretrial stage or in the courtroom. Ryan boasts a long list of prestigious awards and 3 Super Lawyer Rising Star titles in a row. The range of practice areas he serves includes car accidents, dog bites, employment law, wrongful death, civil litigations, slip and fall, and many other cases.
Pros:
- Premier Californian law firm;
- An experienced legal staff;
- Multiple awards and prestigious titles.
Latest achievements:
- $250,000 auto accident;
- $150,000 mold exposure;
- $105,000 for employee discrimination.
9. Shouse Law
Shouse Law introduces a pool of experienced trial attorneys with more than 100 years of collective experience. They specialize in a variety of law fields including car accidents, personal injuries, employment law, criminal defense, and immigration law. With the funder and the managing attorney Neil Shouse in charge, the legal team consists of 6 more lawyers who are proven experts in a variety of practice areas. They are not afraid to introduce your case to the jury and gain the settlement you deserve.
Address: 432 N Arrowhead Ave, San Bernardino, CA 92408
More Information on ShouseLaw.com
The company has representation in different cities across the state with an office conveniently located in San Bernardino. Neil Shouse is a proven legal expert and a trusted trial lawyer with decades of flawless reputation. His track record includes more than 40 jury verdicts and endless settlements. Neil boasts regular appearances and consultations on major TV channels such as NBC, CNN, and many others.
Pros:
- More than 100 years of combined experience;
- 40 trial cases won;
- Millions in settlements and judgments.
Additional benefits:
- A legal expert on major TV channels such as CBS, FOX NEWS, and others.
10. The Law Offices of Vetchtein & Associates
The Law Offices of Vetchtein & Associates is a San Bernardino local-based team of car accident lawyers, who specialize in a variety of practice areas. They include catastrophic injuries, dog bites, car accidents, slip and fall, wrongful death, and any others. The firm offers legal representation not only in San Bernardino but also across Southern California. Clients will get round-the-clock support in addition to free consultations and high-quality legal assistance delivered on a contingency basis.
Address: 198 N Arrowhead Ave #200, San Bernardino, CA 92408
More Information on SanBernardinoPersonalInjuryFirm.com
The website offers some real testimonials that prove the level of local lawyers’ expertise. 5-star ratings and reviews come as another benefit in favor of the company. Free consultations can be scheduled via phone, in person, or online with the help of an intuitive contact form. The website additionally features a detailed FAQ section with all major issues described and questions answered.
Pros:
- Local-based law firm;
- Years of experience;
- Detailed FAQ and legal guides.
Cons:
- No lawyers’ profiles or case results.
11. Southwest Legal Group
Southwest Legal Group delivers high-quality legal services for clients across California and Southwest. It has offices located in San Bernardino, Oakland, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Jose, and many other cities across the state. The firm introduces a team of trusted and tested trial attorneys who are ready to handle the most complicated case and present it to the jury when needed. Local car accident lawyers are proven experts in handling all possible types of motor vehicle crashes in addition to such practice areas as slip and fall, catastrophic injuries, animal attacks, and wrongful death.
Address: 202 E Airport Dr Suite 145, San Bernardino, CA 92408
More Information on SWLegalGrp.com
The company boasts one of the most experienced personal injury attorneys that can be found in the region. Together, they will out more than 100 years of legal practice on your side. Each lawyer has an award-winning track record with hundreds of cases won. It made it possible for the legal team to recover more than $300 million in judgments and settlements. Additional benefits include a perfect AVVO rating and expertise in other law fields. Local attorneys will help in case you need to settle financial issues.
Pros:
- More than 100 years of combined experience;
- A broad state-wide representation;
- More than $300 million recovered.
Latest achievements:
- $6,250,000 personal injury;
- $5,000,000 car accident;
- $1,300,000 wrongful death.
12. McCune & Wright & Arevalo
McCune & Wright & Arevalo is a premier law firm with headquarters located in Ontario. However, thanks to five more offices located in San Bernardino, Orange County, and other places, local car accident lawyers are able to deliver high-quality legal assistance to clients in California as well. The legal team introduces 25 experienced attorneys with the founder and the managing partner Richard D. McCune. Together with his colleagues and teammates Kristy M. Arevalo and David C. Wright, they helped thousands of people to recover more than $1 billion in verdicts and compensations.
Address: 164 W Hospitality Ln Suite 109, San Bernardino, CA 92408
More Information on McCuneWright.com
The company has been in business for more than three decades, while local lawyers have more than 100 years of collective legal practice. They establish a dedicated approach to every case and try to work out an effective strategy to ensure the most favorable outcome. This is why their track record includes lots of multi-million dollar settlements collected both in the courtroom and pretrial level. Clients may benefit from free consultations and case evaluation with no obligations.
Pros:
- More than years in business;
- 25 dedicated car accident lawyers at your service;
- More than $1 billion was collected.
Latest achievements:
- $203,000,000 unfair bank fees;
- $11,000,000 car accident;
- $8,000,000 product liability.
13. Westphal Law Group
Personal injury attorneys at Westphal Law Group will do their best to recover the compensation you deserve. They establish an individual approach and pay attention to every detail in your case to oppose insurance companies that try to take advantage of their clients. The company’s founder and managing lawyer Wesley Westphal is a proven expert in different law fields with almost three decades of legal practice. He provides free consultations and boasts a 100% success rate.
Address: 1881 Commercenter Dr E #210, San Bernardino, CA 92408
More Information on WestphalLawGroup.com
Wesley used to work as a lawyer for oil wells and crane factories in both Georgia and California. Later, he decided to settle down and open his own law firm to fight for people’s rights when they suffer from others’ negligence and legal injustice. For 27 years, he has been handling different cases that refer to such practice areas as personal injuries, auto accidents, assaults, dog bites, construction accidents, wrongful death, and more.
Pros:
- Millions of dollars recovered;
- Almost 30 years of legal practice;
- 100% success rate.
Cons:
- No case results and stats are displayed.
14. Milligan Beswick Levine & Knox
Milligan Beswick Levine & Knox is a team of six trusted and experienced attorneys that provide legal services in Redland and San Bernardino. They have broad legal expertise to handle different types of cases and law fields ranging from criminal defense, car accidents, and personal injuries to family and business law, DMV, and other niches. The legal staff boasts decades of combined experience. The founder and the managing partner C. Patrick Milligan alone boasts top AVVO reviews and deep expertise defending his clients in the courtroom.
Address: 255 N D St #201, San Bernardino, CA 92401
More Information on MBLKLawFirm.com
As stated earlier, the team consists of six dedicated specialists with Mr. Milligan in charge. His colleagues and teammates Stephen P. Levine, James L. Knox, Jon Timothy Hegness, James F. Penman, and Michael Reiter specialize in different practice areas. They help clients who were injured in a car accident or injured because of someone else’s negligence. Together, they boast millions of dollars recovered and thousands of satisfied customers with their real reviews on Google.
Pros:
- Decades of combined experience;
- Experienced trial attorneys;
- A satellite office in San Bernardino.
Additional benefits:
- A top AVVO rating and endless positive reviews on Google.
15. Albert E. Hirst
The Albert E. Hirst law firm introduces a small but professional team of lawyers. With the main office conveniently located in San Bernardino, it also has representations in seven other locations across the state. They include Benning, Fontana, Redlands, Perris, and some others. With Albert E. Hirst, local lawyers have spent 30 years protecting people’s rights. They mainly specialize in worker compensations and personal injuries that include car accidents, premises liability, and some other related practice areas.
Address: 1550 N D St suite a, San Bernardino, CA 92405
More Information on SocalWorkersCompensation.com
Although worker compensation appears to be the main specialization for Mr. Hirst and his team, they are also proven experts in such fields as motor vehicle accidents, defective products, premises liability, and so on. The main mission is to put ease on the legal process and make it as clear and simple for the client as possible. For customers, it means no paperwork or hours spent on reparations to pursue the claim. Let professionals handle every stage and bring the settlement you expect.
Pros:
- More than three decades of practice;
- Main office in San Bernardino;
- Thousands of cases won.
Additional benefits:
- Statewide representation with offices in San Bernardino and Florida.
16. Law Offices of Marty V. Miller
The Law Offices of Marty V. Miller boasts almost two decades in business, which resulted in recognition among clients and other car accident lawyers. The company has three offices in different locations across the state including San Bernardino, San Diego, and Riverside. Unlike numerous high-volume firms, the legal team consists of the funder and managing lawyer Marty V. Miller as well as his professional staff to help him deliver individual approach and attention to every case.
Address: Our Virtual Office is located at, 473 E Carnegie Dr #200, San Bernardino, CA 92408
More Information on MVMillerLaw.com
Mr. Miller started his legal practice two decades ago. He made a name for himself as an experienced and trusted trial attorney with hundreds of verdicts and settlements for his clients. Marty started practicing in federal and state courts back in 2003. It resulted in extensive experience in such practice areas as criminal defense and civil litigation. He is good at helping victims of car accidents, personal injuries, or police misconduct.
Pros:
- Practice and federal and state courts since 2003;
- Decades of legal practice;
- Offices in three locations across the state.
Latest achievements:
- Robbery case dismissed;
- Acquitted of attempted murder;
- Murder case dismissed.
17. Law Offices of William D. Shapiro
The Law Offices of William D. Shapiro is one of the longest-running companies not only in San Bernardino but also across the state. Local car accident lawyers have been helping victims of auto crashes and personal injuries for more than 41 years. Throughput this period, they managed to collect millions in settlements and judgments with thousands of cases won. Attorneys deal with any case that may cause minor or serious injuries. They help families that lost their dearest ones in wrongful death.
Address: 893 E Brier Dr, San Bernardino, CA 92408
More Information on WShapiro.com
The company delivers full-cycle legal representation with financial, medical, and emotional assistance whenever needed. The founder William D. Shapiro and his team are well aware of difficulties and challenges that come with medical repair, and other bills. Mr. Shapiro himself is the firm’s spiritual leader with years of experience as a civil trial attorney who specializes in defective products, premises liability, motor vehicle crashes, insurance bad faith, and many other practice areas.
Pros:
- More than 40 years of experience;
- Trusted civil trial attorneys;
- Contingency fee basis.
Latest achievements:
- $37,000,000 adverse driver case;
- $26,500,000 settlement from a trucking company;
- $5,400,000 in defective products.
18. RM Law Group
RM Law Group introduces an award-winning duo of personal injury attorneys Jason Martinez and Michael Recinos. Together, they deliver legal assistants to clients in San Bernardino and six other locations across the state. Unlike high-volume law firms or so-called legal mills, local lawyers provide a personalized approach to every case and consider every detail that may help to increase the settlement. Jason and Michael have earned the reputation of some of the best car accident lawyers in Southern California with decades of aggressive legal practice and thousands of cases won.
Address: 473 E Carnegie Dr #238, San Bernardino, CA 92408
More Information on RMLawGroupLLP.com
The process starts with a free and no-obligation case evaluation. Lawyers will collect all needed details and put things together. They will do the rest including case investigating, finding witnesses, preparing documentation, and winning the settlement you deserve. All services are delivered on a contingency fee basis, which means no payment until they recover compensation.
Pros:
- Perfect reputation;
- Seven offices across the state;
- Experienced trial attorneys.
Additional benefits:
- Legal assistance in Spanish and English.
19. The Dominguez Firm
The Dominguez Firm is a high-volume law company that introduces a team of 120 dedicated car accident lawyers. The firm has gained the reputation of a top specialist in California with representation in San Bernardino and other cities. Local experts handle different cases despite the complexity. They specialize in car accidents, work injuries, wrongful death, motorcycle crashes, and other types of personal injuries. With decades of combined experience, they managed to recover more than $750 million in settlements.
Address: 473 E Carnegie Dr Suite 228, San Bernardino, CA 92408
More Information on DominguezFirm.com
With CEO and managing attorney Juan J. Dominguez in charge, the legal team of seasoned lawyers boasts numerous prestigious awards. They include Multi-Million Dollar Advocate Forum membership in addition to such titles as Trial Masters, Top 100 Trial Lawyers, and others. Established in 1987, the law firm boasts thousands of successful cases and multiple positive reviews from satisfied clients.
Pros:
- In business since 1987;
- Top trial lawyers in Southern California;
- $750 million in verdicts and compensations.
Latest achievements:
- $14,400,000 workplace injury;
- $4,000,000 bicycle vs semi accident;
- $3,000,000 medical malpractice.
20. Law Offices of Gary C. Eisenberg
The Law Offices of Gary C. Eisenberg is a perfect example of a family-owned legal business with attention to people’s needs. The company boasts a flawless reputation and decades of legal practice in addition to some huge multi-million verdicts and settlements. Gary and Jason Eisenberg are the father and son. They both have numerous awards and titles. Gary himself has more than 36 years of legal practice while Jason is able to work out effective winning strategies. Together, they create a perfect legal symbiosis to defend clients’ rights.
Address: 2130 N Arrowhead Ave Suite 209, San Bernardino, CA 92405
More Information on GCELaw.com
While his father Gary has a flawless track record and almost four decades of legal experience, Jason also has several award-winning victories. He used to work as a lawyer in a huge litigation firm where he gained the necessary experience. Today, he helps his father to handle different cases related to personal injuries and employment law. The range of practice areas involves car and motorcycle accidents, catastrophic injuries, dog bites, slip, and fall discrimination at work, harassment, wage loss, termination, and more.
Pros:
- Almost 4 decades of legal practice;
- A family-owned business;
- Multi-million victories.
Latest achievements:
- $1,500,000 wrongful death;
- $950,000 trucking accident;
- $450,000 slip and fall accident.
Car Accident Statistics
With a growing number of cars, the odds of getting into a motor vehicle accident are very high. Annual stats look frustrating with more than 2,000 people killed each year in California according to the information provided by the OTS. As a result, California got into the list of top 10 states where people are more likely to get injured in a car accident resulted in someone else’s negligence.
In accordance with San Bernardino Coroner Press Release, the types of accidents may vary as well as injury severity. Auto accidents lead to multi-vehicle collisions, cars struck by semi-tractor trailers, rollovers, and many other accidents that result in severe injuries and fatalities.
Main Causes
With so many traffic accidents, there are only several major causes that may consist of several subcategories. One of the main reasons for crashes taking place on the roads is the inability to follow the Duty of Care when operating the vehicle. It refers to drivers who are supposed to act carefully with the attention to the road and other conditions as well as other traffic participants.
Now following the Duty of Care may result in the most likely causes of car accidents. Here are some of them:
- DIU – the abbreviation stands for driving under the influence. In other words, a person is operating a vehicle under the impact of alcohol, drugs, medications, and other substances. It appears to be one of the main reasons for crashes and an increasing number of people killed each year;
- Distracted Driving – a special term that describes reckless driving when paying not enough attention to the road while talking on the phone or texting messages. It leads to thousands of crashes not only in San Bernardino but also across the state and appears to be the second common cause of injured people and damaged vehicles;
- Speeding – the third major cause of fatal car accidents and severe injuries. It can be also classified as driver’s negligence that directly leads to people getting hurt.
While the list of major reasons is not full, the above-mentioned are the most popular reasons for guilty drivers to cause fatal accidents as well as minor or serve injuries. What’s more, the reason for the accident will be talent into account by the lawyer or jury when defining the settlement you may get no matter how hard the consequences are.
It is not only about the injury severity when defining the compensation but also about the level of negligence and the accident cause. For this reason, you will need an experienced attorney to consider all the aspects of the incident and evaluate the case properly not to let insurance companies take advantage of you.
Common Types of Injuries
The tricky thing about injuries is the fact that even a low-speed accident may result in serious health problems or fractures. They may include even more threatening damages that may result in serious pains and sufferings in the future. Also, victims may not have enough qualifications or expertise to define the type of injury themselves right after the accident. It is a very important stage you will need later in the battle for the maximum compensation.
So, the best solution is to call an ambulance and consult the doctor right at once. The most common car accident injuries include:
- Spinal cord injuries;
- Fractures, sprains, and broken bones;
- T-bone injuries and bruising;
- Broken neck, wrists, and ankles;
- Brain injuries and others.
Make sure you have all damages stated and documented by the doctor. Proper medical attention can be vital, especially in the long run. Besides, you need to be able to prove medical support when pursuing the legal claim. Make sure you have all injuries officially stated.
Actions To Take After The Accident
Getting into an accident makes people feel confused and scared. They are unable to make wise decisions. They will feel annoyed, upset, or even angry. However, it is vital to stay cool and coldblooded in order to avoid mistakes that can be used by insurance companies when reducing the settlement for you. They will take every possible chance to go down with the compensation.
Stay calm and try to remember all the facts and people who might have seen the incident. We have conducted a list of things you SHOULD and SHOULD NOT do right after the accident. Use it to memorize all critical actions that might help you further. If you do not want to handle the process yourself, leave it to experienced car accident lawyers.
So, the major steps are as follows:
- Collect Evidence – make sure you have all the needed facts to prove another driver’s fault. The law makes it obligatory to exchange personal information with the guilty part. You need to have his or her full name, social insurance number, vehicle data, and other possible information. It is not obligatory to call the police in case of a car accident. So, you might need to handle the investigation process yourself.
- Get Medical Assistance – the second vital stage is to seek professional medical help and have all injuries officially stated. Collect all necessary documentation, the list of drugs if prescribed, and other statements.
- Hire a trusted attorney – you may leave all the stages to a trusted lawyer with enough investigation, litigation, and trial representation experience.
Do not waste time and put all things together to pursue the settlement as soon as possible.
Time Limits to File the Lawsuit
According to the state law in California, an injured person has not more than two years to fill the lawsuit after a car accident. If you fail to fit that limit, you will never be able to go to court with this particular case again. However, that law does not apply to damaged vehicles or other property types. If you want to get a settlement for a damaged car, you will have three years to file the lawsuit.
Things NOT TO DO After an Accident
After we have discussed things, you need to do after the accident, let’s say a few words about what you should not do in any way. If you take any of the following actions, it will drastically reduce your chances to get the compensation you deserve.
- Do not confess to the police, as this fact can be and WIL be used against you;
- Do not discuss the issue with the guilty driver’s insurance company representative. Make sure you have your own car accident lawyer to be next to you in order to avoid mistakes during the negotiation process;
- Do not accept the first settlement offer made by the insurance company. As a rule, they will come up with the minimum possible compensation to reduce their costs;
- Do not accept medical assistance from the guilty driver’s insurance company. Consult an independent healthcare provider or doctor. The best way is to call the ambulance right after the accident;
- Do not provide any details or stated facts to the insurance company, as they will have enough background to prepare.
The safest way is to hire a car accident lawyer right after the crash. It will prevent you from all possible mistakes and things you should never do after the accident.
How A Lawyer Can Help
An attorney will defend your rights. Lawyers will fight for the maximum possible verdict without upfront fees. As a rule, clients do not pay until a lawyer wins the case. This is what specialists call a contingency fee basis. What’s more, legal experts will look into the case and complete all necessary steps for you.
Clients will have enough time to focus on treatment and recovery without the need to handle paperwork and bureaucracy. They will help to evaluate the case, put all facts together, define the level of negligence, negotiate the settlement with the insurance company, or present your case to the jury if needed.