Copperopolis is an old California mining town founded as part of the Gold Rush out west. However, unlike other towns, Copperopolis was known for its copper, not gold. Visitors are drawn to Copperopolis’ historical landmarks, including the Copperopolis Armory and the town’s Congregational Church, built in 1866. Those who make Copperopolis their home year-round are drawn to the small size and homey feel.

Calaveras County has seen quite a few accidents over the past few years. According to the Office of Traffic Safety’s Collision Ranking, Calaveras County saw 337 injuries and fatalities in 2016, which ranked it 20 out of the state’s 58 counties when adjusted for population. Unfortunately, 62 of those deaths or injuries were “alcohol involved,” meaning the at-fault driver or the victim was under the influence.

The number of accidents has been high for years. In 2015, for example, the County saw 330 accidents or fatalities, which ranked it 14th out of 58 counties. That year, 43 accidents were alcohol-involved.

If you’re visiting from away, it is essential to remain safe. Always follow all traffic safety rules and call for help if you are involved in an accident. You should also meet with a Copperopolis auto accident attorney to discuss your case.

The steps you take after an accident matter—they matter a lot. Ideally, you should take measures to preserve as much evidence as possible. In California, car accidents are analyzed according to “fault,” which means who is responsible for the collision. If you are at fault, then you must pay injured people compensation.

A fault is sometimes disputed, so you need as much evidence as possible to prove you aren’t to blame. As an experienced Copperopolis car accident lawyer, we recommend you do the following:

• Never admit fault for the accident. Anything you say could come back and be used against you in court. Even innocent statements like “I’m sorry” sound like you accept responsibility for an accident. Always be polite in the moments after a crash, but don’t say too much.
• Check to make sure everyone is okay. If someone needs an ambulance, call one.
• Obtain insurance information from everyone involved in the collision. Also, get the driver’s name and contact information.
• Call the police to come out. California requires that you report any accident that causes an injury to a motorist (no matter how minor) or $1,000 in damage. A police officer will write up a police report.

You also should try to get photographs of the accident scene. We know this isn’t possible in every case, especially if you have suffered catastrophic injuries, but ask someone else at the location to take pictures if you are unable. Just a few snaps of damage to the vehicles involved can help enormously when assigning fault for the crash.

Finally, get in contact with an attorney as soon as possible. You might quickly get calls from the insurance companies asking you to give a recorded statement. Stop! Let your attorney act as a go-between. We do the heavy lifting so our clients can focus on what matters most—getting well and their families.

The following video shows what you can expect in the initial meeting with a personal injury lawyer.

Our law practice focuses on the entire range of personal injury, including:

• Dog bite cases
• Defective products
• Defective medical devices
• Medical malpractice
• Drug products liability
• Slip and fall cases
• Premises liability claims
• Motorcycle accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Traumatic injuries
• Wrongful death

As a leading law firm in Northern California, our legal team can help whenever someone’s negligence has caused you or a loved one serious injury. Call our accident attorneys to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case in detail.

Since 1982, we have seen many hurdles thrown in our path. These might seem like crises to the inexperienced, but we’ve developed techniques for getting over the hurdle and maximizing our client’s compensation. For example:

• The cop at the scene makes a preliminary assessment of fault. Don’t worry if the officer blames you for the accident! The truth is that this isn’t the cop’s call to make, and the police officer might be missing vital information. In any event, it’s up to a jury to decide fault, not a police officer.
• You didn’t go to the doctor immediately after the accident. It’s not ideal, but we can still thoroughly document your injuries.
• The insurance company claims you aren’t severely injured, so they make a meager settlement. We can easily shrug off a low settlement offer and make a solid counteroffer that still gets you the compensation you need.
• The insurance company refuses to settle a claim, alleging you are at fault. No problem! Other attorneys might be afraid, but we can march into court and vindicate your rights to compensation by filing a lawsuit.

If you have suffered injuries in a car accident or another incident in Calaveras County, call our Copperopolis personal injury attorneys at (209) 227-1931 or (800) 404-5400. You can also fill out our contact form. Our legal team from AutoAccident.com offers free and friendly case advice. If we can’t help you, we will make sure you find another local attorney who can.

^{Editor’s Note: updated 11.8.23 Photo by Yogendra Singh from Pexels da cha [cs 965]}