Natomas Creek, Sacramento, CA Personal Injury Lawyers

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Accidents can happen anywhere, even in a vibrant and close-knit community like Natomas Creek in Sacramento, CA. When they do, having access to trusted legal support makes all the difference.

Attorney Edward A. Smith and the team at AutoAccident.com are personal injury lawyers who bring a familiar touch when representing injured people in Natomas Creek and all of Sacramento. They provide compassionate, experienced representation to help injured individuals navigate the challenges of personal injury cases and seek the compensation they deserve.

Understanding Personal Injury Claims in California

If you experience an accident because of another person’s actions or negligence, you have the legal right to file a personal injury claim. Civil action is an option after many types of accidents in California, including but limited to:

Personal injury claims in California follow the principle of comparative negligence, meaning that the compensation a person can recover after an accident decreases proportionately to their degree of fault. For example, a person whose actions contributed 30% toward causing the accident can only recover a maximum of 70% of their damages.

Under California’s pure comparative negligence law, even a person who bears a majority of the fault can still recover some compensation. As an extreme example, someone who is 99% at fault for an accident can still recover 1% of their damages according to this law.

Another consideration when filing a claim in California is the state’s statute of limitations of only two years for personal injury cases. This is a relatively brief window of time in the legal context, so it is important to act quickly and compile relevant evidence that can support your case.

How Our Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help

At AutoAccident.com, we want to help you right away by offering a free consultation after your accident. Calling us is risk-free – there are no upfront fees, and we only charge after you have collected a settlement. We can leverage our local knowledge of Sacramento-area courts and procedures to help you know what to expect from the entire claims process.

If you choose to move forward with your claim, attorney Edward A. Smith and associates can help your case by:

Investigating the incident and gathering evidence
Negotiating a fair settlement with the insurance company
Taking the case to court if necessary
Offering personalized guidance every step of the way

Every case is unique, and every person has specific needs or preferences after receiving an injury. We strive to help you by making sure our strategies align with your goals.

Steps To Take After an Injury in Natomas Creek

We pride ourselves on providing local help to injured people in Natomas Creek and Sacramento at large, but we also understand how easy it is to feel alone and helpless immediately after an accident. Keeping a cool head and following these steps will help you protect your rights and your well-being in the minutes and hours after an injury.

Seek Immediate Medical Attention

After any type of accident, seeking medical attention is your top priority. Not only is your well-being the most important thing, but getting timely medical treatment for your injuries will help your personal injury case. Medical records and injury evaluations can go a long way toward proving the extent of the other party’s liability.

Document the Accident and Injuries

After verifying your well-being, there are actions you can take to document the accident if it is safe to do so. Take photographs of your injuries, any property damage that occurred and the scene of the accident as a whole. Exchange contact information with any witnesses who saw the incident take place. This documentation can further strengthen your claim.

Contact Your Personal Injury Lawyer

You will need to contact the at-fault party’s insurance company to begin the claims process, but it is wise to consider consulting with a personal injury lawyer beforehand. Insurance adjusters will prioritize their own interests and may even speak to you in a way that encourages you to admit fault. A lawyer can advise you on what to say or even handle the filing process on your behalf.

Common Injuries in Personal Injury Cases

Personal injury law recognizes a wide variety of bodily damage as being grounds for seeking compensation. If you are unsure whether your injuries justify a claim, keep in mind that these examples are just a small sample of common injuries that can lead to significant settlements:

If you have any type of injury after an accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you can pursue compensation in the form of recoverable damages. These include economic damages such as medical expenses or lost wages, as well as non-economic damages like pain or mental anguish that are intangible but still entirely valid.

Evaluating a Personal Injury Case

During your free initial consultation with the lawyers at AutoAccident.com, we will offer a thorough evaluation of your case and answer any questions you have. We acknowledge that the days and weeks after an accident can be a confusing period of time. You deserve to know what the timeline of your case will look like and how much compensation you can expect in a settlement.

How Long Does a Personal Injury Case Take?

A personal injury case can take several months, even in the most ideal conditions. This is because the negotiation process often requires many rounds of settlement offers and counteroffers, as well as disputes regarding liability. Your lawyer may be able to provide a more exact estimate of the timeline based on the strength of the evidence at hand.

Most cases are resolved without going to court. If negotiations reach a stalemate and the insurance company continues to refuse adequate compensation, your lawyer might advise taking the case to trial. While going to court can give you a chance to secure a favorable verdict from the judge and jury, be aware that it can extend the case by a year or more.

What Is My Case Worth?

Every personal injury case is unique and includes many complex factors. The value of your case will stem from the severity of your injuries, the extent of your losses and the amount of liability assigned to the other party. It is important to consult with an attorney, not only because they can evaluate your unique case but also because they may discover additional evidence that can increase the value of your claim.

If the court deems the other party to be 100% at fault, then it stands to reason that you should receive 100% of your recoverable damages. While it may be tempting to accept a lower offer from the insurance company so you can quickly put this ordeal behind you, keep in mind the true value of your claim and remember that you cannot pursue additional compensation after accepting a settlement.

Call Our Natomas Creek, Sacramento, CA Personal Injury Lawyers

At AutoAccident.com, attorney Edward A. Smith and associates strive to be a constant resource for you during the entire claims process. Our phone lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Contact us to learn more about how we can help with your personal injury claim.