Santa Maria Car Accident Lawyers
Car accidents are unavoidable because reckless and negligent drivers are almost impossible to avoid. And with 1,878 car accidents last year, Santa Maria, like any other sizeable Californian city, has seen its fair share.
Thankfully, California’s laws require the owner of any vehicle that has caused an accident to compensate the victims financially.
Most drivers meet this requirement through auto insurance coverage. Cal. Ins. Code § 11580.1b provides that the minimum auto liability insurance plans will pay up to $15,000 for an accident that causes injury/death to one person, $30,000 for accidents causing injury/death to more than one person, and $5,000 if the accident results only in property damage.
This means that if you are ever in a Santa Maria car accident, you can at least receive up to those amounts depending on what the extent of the damage caused by the accident.
But where does a lawyer come in? Like all for-profit businesses, insurance companies prefer to receive more money (premiums) than they spend (settlements).
To achieve that, the companies employ various methods to frustrate claimants until they accept less than their claims are worth.
With legal representation from the onset, insurance companies will be less hesitant to frustrate your compensation because your lawyer may advise you to sue them at any point. A Santa Maria car accident lawyer might also more successfully ensure you get the maximum possible compensation.
What To Do If You’ve Been Involved In A Car Accident in Santa Maria
After an accident, you have certain legal obligations. Some other steps are also essential to ensure you get compensated. So, here’s everything you need to do after a car accident in Santa Maria:
Assess the Accident
Immediately after an accident, you must assess what happened to determine your next steps.
The law demands that you immediately stop—at the scene if there has been injury or death, or at the nearest place that won’t obstruct traffic if there has only been property damage and you can still safely move the car. Failure to stop will make you guilty of a hit-and-run, which could be a felony in certain circumstances.
If the accident has caused injury or death, immediately call 911 and offer any emergency assistance you can before paramedics arrive.
Report When Necessary
You must also legally report accidents that cause injury, death, or property damage over $1000 to CHP or Santa Maria Police Department (SMPD) and the DMV.
Once you call 911 for accidents that cause injury or death, and officers arrive to investigate, you won’t have to report those accidents to CHP or SMPD anymore.
To report accidents that caused property damage over $1000 to SMPD, call (805) 928-3781 ext. 2277 or report online if the driver who caused the accident fled the scene.
You must report to the DMV within ten days to see whether officers have investigated the accident scene or not. You can complete an SR-1 form or visit any DMV office.
Exchange information
As long as you and the other driver are physically able to do so, you are required to exchange insurance information along with the vehicle owner’s name, full address, and vehicle registration number.
Document the accident
Adequate documentation of an accident will provide crucial evidence that you can use to establish liability later.
To document effectively from the scene, take pictures of your injuries, property damage, and the general scene.
Also, speak to eyewitnesses to get their names, addresses, and, if possible, a signed or recorded statement.
Get a lawyer
Getting a Santa Maria car accident lawyer as soon as possible is crucial.
The sooner you have one, the sooner they will be able to advise you on the next steps that you must take, depending on the particulars of your accident.
Seek medical treatment
If paramedics examined and cleared you on the accident scene, you may not have to bother with this step.
But if not, and you suffered any visible injuries, you should visit the hospital immediately.
Even if you have not suffered any visible injuries, you should still seek a doctor as soon as possible if you feel any discomfort.
Inform your insurer
Most insurance policies require vehicle owners to notify the insurer once their vehicle has been in an accident.
Insurers need to investigate these accidents independently if they are to respond appropriately to any claims arising out of the accident. It is important to comply with this and notify your insurer accordingly.
What Happens if a Car Accident Involves a Commercial Vehicle?
According to Cal. Veh. Code § 260, commercial vehicles are those used for transporting people or property for hire or profit. However, passenger vehicles and house cars used to transport people for hire are not classified as commercial vehicles.
Because these commercial vehicles are huge and heavy, accidents involving them could result in significant injuries or property damage. Therefore, all commercial vehicles in California are required to get adequate insurance that will sufficiently compensate victims of any accident.
However, before you receive compensation for any accident with a commercial vehicle, liability must be determined to ascertain the responsible party. All aspects of the accident, like the truck condition, road condition, and driver’s conduct, will be considered to assess liability.
If, for instance, the driver was driving while drunk, they will be responsible; if the business failed to supervise or train the driver effectively, they will also be liable; and if a manufacturer defect caused the accident, you’ll have a case against the manufacturer.
How Can A Car Accident Lawyer in Santa Maria Help?
While you focus on your recovery, a car accident lawyer can help with the following:
Investigate the accident
Further investigation is necessary to ascertain the cause of the accident and fault. For example, recovering a truck’s black box involved in a commercial accident will provide crucial information regarding malfunctions and driving patterns before the accident.
A lawyer can also help you secure one of the most relevant pieces of evidence that affects settlements for accidents investigated by police on scene – police reports. Finally, they can follow up with eyewitnesses whose objective viewpoints can clarify grey areas.
Report on your behalf
A car accident lawyer can also assist with claim filing, providing a coherent report of the events leading up to the accident to show the other party as responsible and the damages you’ve suffered while providing sufficient evidence to support the claim.
With a lawyer helping with the claim filing, it is unlikely that your claim will get denied – either for technicality or because you have not supported it with appropriate evidence.
Legal representation
Naturally, a lawyer will provide you with legal representation throughout the compensation-seeking process.
Legal representation will commence from negotiations with the insurance company to ensure you get the maximum settlement, and it will continue into representation during a lawsuit.
How Much Is My Santa Maria Car Accident Claim Worth?
The worth of each car accident claim is different and entirely dependent on the facts of the accident. But as a general rule, accidents that cause injury result in higher claims than accidents that only cause property damage, except when the damage is significant (like a totaled car).
The facts that determine how much a car accident claim is worth are:
- The severity of injuries and the cost incurred to meet medical expenses. More severe injuries will likely result in higher claims.
- The severity of property damage.
- Fault and liability. Each party will remain financially responsible for their fault in the accident and cannot seek total financial compensation from another party if the first party is partly responsible.
- Evidence. Claimants with substantial and relevant evidence will receive higher compensation than those without.
Contact the Accident Helpers Today
How do you find a trustworthy car accident lawyer in Santa Maria? Look no further—we can help. At The Accident Helpers, we maintain a network of skilled and experienced car accident lawyers in Santa Maria, and we can help find the best fit for you at no cost.
All you have to do is book an initial session with us, during which one of our consultants will get all the relevant facts of your case. We will immediately find and put you in touch with the best lawyer for you.
