Victorville Car Accident Lawyers
Victorville is one of the biggest residential cities in the High Desert. With about 136,000 residents in 2020, that number more than doubles to about 400,000 during business hours. And if you live or work in Victorville, you’ll know that the I-15, SR-18, US-395, and Bear Valley Road could all be extremely busy during rush hours or on the weekends when people travel to Vegas.
With all these busy roads, accidents are almost inevitable. Some studies have even named the I-15 and Bear Valley Road among the most dangerous roads in California because of the number of fatal accidents that occur on them.
In truth, all accidents could be distressing – fatal or not. That is why Cal. Veh. Code § 17150 provides that a vehicle owner will be responsible for any injury or damage caused by their vehicle in an accident. So, ideally, the owner of the car that has caused your accident should compensate you for any injuries you’ve suffered, damage to your vehicle, and emotional trauma if you’ve suffered any.
To minimize their exposure, Cal. Veh. Code § 16020 requires drivers to have auto insurance that will pay victims in the event of an accident. However, these insurance companies are notorious for frustrating victims who need to get compensated for an accident and eventually pay less than the victims deserve or nothing at all.
To ensure your compensation, you need a skilled Victorville Car Accident Lawyer skilled in personal injury law and insurance compensation negotiations. Insurance companies are likely to pay and pay better when there’s the looming threat of a lawsuit, and a lawyer will provide that.
What To Do If You’ve Been Involved in A Car Accident in Victorville
Ensuring you get compensated for a Victorville accident often starts immediately after the accident. Therefore, if you are conscious and able to move after an accident, here’s what you should do.
Stop your car and evaluate the accident
Stopping your car after an accident is a must. If you fail to do so, you will be guilty of hit-and-run, which can result in a felony or misdemeanor charge, depending on whether the accident causes injury and death or only property damage.
Once you stop, you should quickly evaluate the status of all parties involved to determine if anyone has died, been injured, or caused only property damage.
If anyone has died or been injured, you should immediately call the police to report the accident and wait for first responders to arrive. But if there are no injuries or deaths and you can still drive the car, safely move it and park it at the nearest place where it won’t obstruct traffic.
Exchange information
Suppose no one has been severely injured from the accident. In that case, you should exchange names, addresses, vehicle registration numbers, and insurance information (name of insurer, insurer’s address, and policy number) with the other driver.
If someone has been severely injured, focus your attention on providing medical assistance on the scene. However, ensure you do this within 24 hours of the accident.
Collect evidence
Again, this should only happen when an injured person has received medical assistance or when no one was severely injured.
Collecting primary evidence of an accident is as simple as taking pictures or videos of your injuries, damages to your car and any other property, and the overall accident scene.
If you can talk to any eyewitnesses, you can also try to get a signed or video-recorded statement from them explaining what they saw. You’ll also want their names, addresses, and phone numbers. However, collecting vital evidence often goes beyond the accident scene. Therefore, you should subsequently keep copies of receipts for accident-related expenses.
Get yourself checked out
If you’ve sustained any visible injuries, see a doctor as soon as possible to begin treatment immediately and avoid exacerbating your injuries.
You should do the same if you have not suffered any visible injuries but begin to feel discomfort within two weeks of the accident.
Inform your insurer
In policy agreements, most insurers often require that they be notified of an accident within a set period.
To avoid not meeting this condition, you should inform your insurer that you’ve been in an accident as soon as possible.
However, try not to say anything that may affect your claim later. For instance, if you’re unsure whether you’ve sustained injuries while notifying your insurer, do not categorically say you’re fine.
Consult a Victorville car accident lawyer
With their understanding of the laws and how they could work in your favor, a lawyer is best positioned to examine the facts of your accident and advise you on the next steps to secure compensation.
How Can A Car Accident Lawyer in Victorville Help?
These experienced lawyers will be able to help you with the following
Comply
Car accidents could result in certain legal obligations that you have to fulfill.
For instance, if an accident has caused death, injury, or property damage exceeding $1,000, Cal. Veh. Code § 16000 requires you to report it to the DMV by filling out an SR-1 form within ten days. If you’re unable to do this, your lawyer can do it on your behalf.
Investigate
Most accidents will require a more extensive investigation to prove you were not responsible in any way for them. Your lawyer will know exactly how to investigate and get the evidence needed.
They could also help obtain other vital evidence, such as a CHP or police accident report.
Negotiating with insurance companies
Most skilled lawyers excel at negotiating with insurance companies to secure an appropriate settlement, and a skilled negotiator is vital to ensure you get what you deserve.
Because an insurance company may not refuse to pay you, they may even offer a settlement within weeks of the accident.
Still, it’ll likely be far less than your claim is actually worth. When you have a lawyer who can effectively estimate your claim’s actual value, they can tell a good settlement offer from a bad one and negotiate accordingly.
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How Can an Attorney Help With Medical Bills After a Car Accident?
Your Victorville car accident lawyer may also be able to help you manage or even reduce your medical bills in the aftermath of an accident.
Usually after an accident that leaves you with injuries, your health insurance or Med Pay (if you have it), may step in to cover the bills while you wait to recover compensation from the at-fault driver’s auto insurer.
However, some healthcare providers will agree to treat you for a lien after an accident. A lien is a contract with the provider to pay them later on from the compensation you receive from that accident.
With a lien, your car accident attorney may then be able to negotiate with the lienholder (healthcare provider) to accept less than their typical rate for the services they provided you. Your attorney will also carefully review every lien agreement to ensure you’re not exploited.
Naturally, your attorney will also ensure that all your medical expenses due to the accident are well documented. They will then include these expenses in your settlement claim so that the insurance company compensates you for them.
How Much Is My Victorville Car Accident Claim Worth?
The worth of a car accident claim is not constant and will depend on the facts of each accident. Factors like the type of injury, severity of damage or injuries, and the fault of each party will contribute to either increasing or decreasing a claim’s worth.
Essentially, the more damage you have suffered, the higher your claim will be worth, except when you share fault for the accident. Following California’s pure comparative negligence practice, your portion of the fault in causing the accident will reduce your potential damages.
Contact the Accident Helpers Today
At The Accident Helpers, we specialize in connecting you to the best lawyers for your case. So, contact us today if you or somebody you know has been in an accident and are unsure how to find experienced Victorville car accident lawyers or ones you can trust.
After we gather the facts of your case, we’ll connect you to a skilled lawyer who has handled similar situations. The best part is that our services are completely free.
