Car accidents happen all over the nation every single day. Most auto accidents are just collisions between cars, but certain of them are much more severe. The most severe car accidents can result in serious injuries that can lead to high medical costs, lost wages, as well as suffering, and pain. Many accidents cause repercussions to the human spine and could cause head trauma, such as concussions, traumatic brain injuries, or other brain injuries, for example. Patients who have already been compromised due to medical conditions before them may experience an increase in or exacerbation of an earlier injury, which could lead to treatment and even surgery. A car crash could cause wrongful death. In this regard, the financial damage that results from a Santa Barbara car accident can be expensive. If the negligence of a driver was the cause, however, you're legally entitled to reimbursement for your injuries and costs.
The majority of auto insurance companies attempt to minimize the significance of your claim to lessen the cost and improve their profits. If you'd like to have the greatest chance of obtaining the money you're due You'll need assistance from Maho Prentice, LLP. Santa Barbara law firm of Maho Prentice, LLP. We are lawyers for car accidents with years of experience in all aspects of the law of personal injury. As lawyers for car accidents with decades of collective experience and expertise, we can be able to use to assist anyone Santa Barbara resident with their auto accident case. Asa personal injury lawyers, as such we fight to ensure that our clients receive the money they require to cover the costs resulting from the car accident, like property damage, medical bills loss of wages, and much more.
So if you were in a Santa Barbara car accident, contact our law firm. We'll give you an assessment of your case free of charge and give you legal advice and guidance which will provide you with the greatest chance of receiving the amount of compensation you require. As personal injury attorneys, we represent clients on a contingent basis which means that you do not have to pay for our legal services. We are paid from the settlement funds or award from the court.
What To Do After a Santa Barbara Car Accident
After an accident with an automobile in Santa Barbara, there are several steps you can do to protect yourself and improve your chances of receiving the money you require:
Contact 911 The first thing you need to do following an auto collision is to call the first emergency responders. Paramedics will take care of any injuries incurred by the victims of the accident. The police will enclose the area to protect all those involved from harm. They will also record the incident in the police report that is required by insurance companies before deciding on settling a claim.
Photograph the Accident Scene - While you wait for the initial responders, it is recommended that you capture pictures of the scene of the accident if you're able safely to take pictures. This includes the damage caused to the vehicle, and the area surrounding it. It is important to note important details, like skid marks and other marks. Photos can assist reconstruction experts to identify the person responsible for the crash and they could use images to determine how the incident occurred. Another reason to capture pictures before the arrival of police is that they are focused on cleaning up the scene. This means that the pictures will reveal the situation before the police arrived. Also, pictures, as well as video footage can provide valuable evidence that could be used to back up your argument.
Pay attention to what you say It is important to be extremely careful not to deliberately or unintentionally admit to guilt when speaking to the police or any other. Even a simple apology could be taken to be an admission. The reason to stay clear of these claims is that insurance companies may make use of them to argue that you are completely or in part responsible for the accident even if you did not. The admission of guilt could enable insurers to lower or even deny the settlement amount.
Seek medical attention Even after medical personnel has examined you and checked you out, you must visit the doctor for an extensive assessment of your health If you think you could have suffered an injury during the crash. Some injuries may not show up right away following a crash and some may worsen as time passes. Your health and well-being are your top priority, therefore ensure that you get an extensive examination even if you don't think you're seriously injured.
Contact a Santa Barbara Car Accident Lawyer If the crash wasn't your fault you're eligible to be compensated by the driver who caused the accident and hiring a Santa Barbara auto accident attorney offers the best chance to receive the compensation you deserve. In certain cases, you could be partially at fault, but still eligible for an amount of compensation. Contact our law office today to get a no-cost case assessment.
The Causes of Auto Accidents in Santa Barbara County
The causes for auto accidents that occur within Santa Barbara County, CA are similar to why auto accidents occur throughout the nation:
Speeding A driver who speeds is much more likely to end up in an accident than one who is operating within the speed limit posted. The reason is that the speed at which drivers react is reduced the faster they're moving, which means they will not be able to respond quickly enough to an emergency. This is compounded because the speed at which a vehicle is stopping ability increases with the speed it is traveling. If you combine the two, the chance of an accident is significantly increased by speed.
Driving under the influence If a driver is driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs their judgment, behavior, and reactions are greatly impaired. It increases the likelihood of an accident because they won't be able to react appropriately to specific situations and make the wrong choice if they do react.
Distracted driving behavior can take on numerous forms, including texting while driving drinking or eating and talking to passengers playing with the dashboard or personal grooming, and so on. Distractions can be classified into three categories of distractions: cognitive, when the driver is taking their attention away from the task that is driving, manual that is, when they take either or both hands off of the steering wheel for something else; and finally, visual that is when the driver's attention is taken away from the road. The reason texting while driving can be extremely dangerous is that it is a combination of all three kinds of distractions.
Reckless and aggressive driving The term "reckless" or aggressive driver disregards traffic signs and signals and wildly changes lanes or tailgates other motorists, and generally shows little concern or care for the safety of other drivers. Additionally, when driving recklessly drivers who are these types have a higher chance to get involved in road-rage accidents.
Poor weather Rainy days can decrease visibility and make roads slippery and treacherous. That's why drivers need to be extremely cautious when driving through bad conditions. The reason for this is that when the conditions cause a driver to fall out of control and crash into an object, they could still be held accountable for the crash when they weren't cautious.
Is it Worth Getting a Santa Barbara Car Accident Attorney?
It's "yes" because there are numerous ways that an attorney in a car accident can aid you. There will be compensation needed to pay for the cost incurred by your injuries from the crash in addition to repairs costs for damage to your vehicle or lost wages as well as other costs. If the accident wasn't your fault, then you're legally entitled to compensation from the person who caused the crash. The help of a Santa Barbara personal injury lawyer will provide you with the best chance to receive the compensation you deserve.
If you choose to retain an attorney, they'll begin gathering evidence and information that proves that the other driver is at fault. driver. They will obtain police reports about the accident as well as testimony from witnesses that you or the police, locate surveillance footage if they have any, and much more. They can also assist you to estimate all the costs that result from the car collision, including your medical expenses as well as the cost of repairing and replace the car and others. The lawyer you hire will assist you to file your claim for injury and mail a demand form at the request of the insurance firm for the driver accountable for the collision.
When the letter is delivered and the letter has been received, negotiations between the two parties begin. The insurance company may come up with an offer lower than what you or your lawyer would prefer After which negotiations will begin. If an agreement isn't reached, you could have to file a lawsuit against the insurer of the driver who is at fault. If that occurs, the legal process will start with the filing of the lawsuit, seeking discovery, and so on. Parties will typically try to settle the issue through mediation as a trial is typically not an ideal outcome. However, if mediation doesn't perform the trial will be inevitable.
It's important to remember that trials are not common in auto accidents as well as other personal injuries as they are lengthy costly, time-consuming, and expensive procedures that everyone wants to avoid. But regardless of the outcome of the case, the assistance of an attorney from Santa Barbara's injury lawyer is a vital partner throughout the entire procedure. This is why it's advised to consult an attorney following a car accident. They will not only offer you a no-cost consultation on your case, but they also offer a contingency fee. A contingency fee implies that the lawyer will not be paid until the case is successful, and in that case, they will receive a predetermined percentage of the settlement amount.
What If I Was Partially at Fault for the Accident?
Even if you are found to be partly at fault for the car accident, you may be able to receive compensation. This is because California is a state that is purely comparative in negligence. It means that a person is still entitled to compensation for an accident in a car even though they have some blame for the incident. The amount they are compensated for is reduced according to the amount of their responsibility for the incident.
For instance, when they are deemed to be responsible at 20% for the car accident the driver will be awarded an amount equal to 80% of the money which could have been awarded had they did not have any responsibility whatsoever. This means that it's worthwhile to file a claim to get compensation when you are responsible for your crash.
How Pain and Suffering are Calculated in Santa Barbara Car Accidents
In every kind of accident that results in personal injuries, there's some degree of pain and suffering. It could be any type of accident. It's not just auto accidents as well as slip and fall injuries, medical malpractice errors and workplace accidents, and many more. All of these accidents cause discomfort and pain, which are commonly described as "general damages." The victim of suffering and pain should be compensated by the law. The amount of non-economic damages is contingent on many different factors. Call us at our Santa Barbara law firm to discuss your situation and find out about the kinds of non-economic damages could be entitled to.
Contact Maho Prentice, LLP When You Need a Santa Barbara Personal Injury Lawyer
If you need an attorney for car accidents who is located in Santa Barbara, then you must call our office at Maho Prentice, LLP as early as you can. We are lawyers for car accidents with years of experience in all areas that deal with personal injuries including car accidents. We can help you obtain the compensation you deserve by guiding you through the entire claim procedure. Our law firm will advocate for the rights of all Santa Barbara residents who were injured in a collision caused by another. As experienced lawyers for car accidents, we will take every step to assist our clients in obtaining the amount of compensation they need. If the crash led to a fatal injury We will make every effort to ensure that the survivors of the family get the money they require to ensure their financial stability. We're not afraid to challenge insurance companies to ensure that they provide you with an equitable settlement. If you've been injured in an accident in a Santa Barbara car crash, you should get in touch with our car crash lawyers at Maho Prentice, LLP for a chance for a no-cost consultation on your particular case.
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