Rancho Calaveras is a census-designated place with a little over 5,000. When it first sprung into existence, Rancho Calaveras was the largest subdivision in California. Although it has lost that title, it is still a highly desirable suburban community that attracts families and single people looking to escape the city.

Because the community has few highways, many people mistakenly believe car accidents don’t happen in Rancho Calaveras. But residents know otherwise. Rural areas like this can encourage some drivers to engage in risky behavior—speeding, illegally passing, or tailgating. This reckless behavior can cause accidents in Rancho Calaveras, like anywhere else in California.

For Calaveras County, we see over 300 car accident injuries and fatalities yearly. These accidents leave victims in a lot of pain and often unable to work. Many of my Rancho Calaveras clients suffer brain injuries, back injuries, and nerve damage, which is very hard to recover from. If you’ve been in an accident, you need a Rancho Calaveras auto accident attorney.

We handle major accident cases, the kinds that result in serious injuries. Over the past years, we’ve found that few Rancho Calaveras personal injury lawyers are prepared to aggressively pursue maximum compensation when a client is severely injured. So, there was a real need for someone to develop the experience of standing up to California’s large insurance companies. We’ve filled that need for nearly 40 years.

Because we take major accident cases, we mainly handle those involving broken bones, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, amputations, and major burns. These cases require the closest attention because insurance adjusters know so much money is in play. You can expect an insurer to aggressively defend their insured in these situations, so you need an experienced lawyer.

In terms of accidents, we have experience with the following:

• Motor vehicle accidents
• Trucking accidents
• Pedestrian accident
• Motorcycle accidents
• Premises liability claims
• Slip and falls
• Trip and falls
• Dog bite claims

These cases comprise most of our practice, so we are well-informed about the law.

Accidents are scary. There are no two ways about that. One moment, everything is fine, and the next, you are on the floor writhing in pain or in an overturned vehicle badly shaken. Unfortunately, we’ve found that some clients make mistakes in the aftermath of an accident that can cause them to lose out on necessary compensation.

Here’s a list of critical steps to take:

• Protect your health. Make sure you are okay immediately after an accident. If something is broken or you feel terrible, ask for help by calling emergency services. You’ll need an ambulance to pick you up.
• Check on others involved. Go to the cars involved in the crash and ask if anyone needs immediate medical attention. Call an ambulance if they do.
• Call the police. An officer must come to the scene and write a police report. The insurance companies want to see a report, and you must report accidents that cause bodily injuries or $1,000 in damage.
• Get pictures of the accident. Take photos of the cars involved, debris, skid marks, etc. Try to get a picture before you move the vehicles to the side of the road. Pictures can help establish the fault for the accident. Use your smartphone.
• Swap insurance information. You’ll need information for all drivers involved in the crash. If you fall in a store, you can get this information later.
• Don’t admit fault. Don’t apologize or say anything that someone can construe as you admitting fault for the accident. Instead, wait patiently for the cop to arrive.
• Get a copy of the police report. If the officer doesn’t give you one, ask for the police report number to get one later.
• Go to the hospital. You don’t know how serious your injuries are and need a doctor to check you out.

Also, remember to call your insurance company as soon as possible to report the accident. They can work with the insurers for other drivers to determine who is at fault. Avoid delay, but remember not to share too much information. Some insurers will try to minimize your damages and don’t have to pay any compensation.

For nearly four decades, we’ve seen how the insurance system is stacked against injured victims. The worse your injuries, the more challenging time you will have getting total compensation. Did your car only suffer a scratch? Then, an insurer will probably pay out a claim for property damage quickly. But did you suffer broken bones and a concussion? Then expect a struggle getting total compensation for:

• Medical bills
• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering

Based on our experience, we can advocate effectively for you, increasing our client’s money. We’ll shoulder all the heavy weight, allowing you to focus on your recovery.

We’re proud to represent clients on contingency. Under our plan, you won’t pay attorneys’ fees until we win your case. After that point, we take a percentage of your settlement, which we will have agreed to beforehand. Then you keep the rest.

Contingency fee agreements make experienced law firms available to injured victims who do not have much money available upfront. We are also incentivized not to take your case unless we think it has enough merit to win. It’s an arrangement that works for everyone—ask any of my thousands of happy clients.

The video below further explains how to select the right lawyer for your case.

To understand whether you have a case, we need to know the following:

• The full extent of your injuries.
• How much have your injuries cost you in medical care and lost wages?
• How are the injuries affecting your life—can you sleep? Spend time with family? Are you depressed?
• What you’ve said to any insurance company.
• Any documents your insurer or another insurer has sent you.
• A copy of the police report (ideally).
• Information about your insurance policies, such as whether you have underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage.

With this information, we can analyze whether you have a legal claim. We can also better know whether you were involved in a major accident on which we focus our practice. If not, we’ll gladly refer you to another Rancho Calaveras car accident lawyer who can help.

If you or a loved one has been injured, please call our injury lawyers at (209) 227-1931 or (800) 404-5400. We offer free, friendly, and fair advice to anyone in distress who needs legal help. You can also reach us online by filling out a contact form.

^{Editor’s Note: updated 11.8.23 Photo by Josh Sorenson from Pexels da cha [cs 1136]}