If you suffered injuries in a car accident caused by a negligent driver in Escondido, they may owe you compensation. Negligent driving can result in:
- Head-on collisions
- Rear-end collisions
- Side-impact accidents
- Rollover accidents
- Single-vehicle accidents
If someone else caused your crash, it is unfair that you should get saddled with expensive medical bills and other costs related to your accident. An Escondido car accident lawyer from Jacoby & Meyers Law Offices can help you seek financial awards. Your initial consultation call with a member of our team is free, and we offer representation on a contingency-fee-basis with no advance payments required.
How Your Lawyer can Help You Prove Another Party’s Negligence Caused Your Crash
When you work with a lawyer from Jacoby & Meyers Law Offices, we can start by taking over the communications with the insurance companies and the other parties involved in your case. You won’t have to respond to their calls or emails—we will do so for you.
Then, we can investigate your accident and help you build your case using evidence of the responsible party’s liability. This evidence may include:
- Photos or video footage
- Police reports
- Expert testimony
- Your medical records
- Eyewitness statements
- Bills proving your damages
Once the evidence is gathered and your case has been built, we will start seeking compensation.
The Statute of Limitations in Your Case
Note that the general statute of limitations for filing personal injury and wrongful lawsuits in California is two years, according to the California Code of Civil Procedure (CCP) §335.1.
Generally, we begin the process with a liability claim against the responsible party’s insurance company. A lawyer from our firm will submit your insurance claim and negotiate for a settlement on your behalf. If the responsible party’s insurance company refuses to offer you an adequate payout or denies your claims, our lawyers can help you file a lawsuit instead.
The Potentially Liable Parties in a Car Accident Case
To win financial awards, you need to prove another party’s negligence caused your accident. Liable parties in a car accident case may include:
The Other Driver
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), driver error was the critical cause of most vehicle accidents in 2018. Another driver may be liable for your accident if they were:
- Violating traffic laws
- Driving while distracted
- Driving while drowsy
- Intoxicated
- Driving recklessly
An Automaker or Vehicle Parts Manufacturer
The DOT found the next most common cause of car accidents in 2018 was vehicle-related issues, including problems with the tires, brakes, and steering. If a vehicle or parts defect led to your crash, you may be able to seek compensation from the party responsible for the defective product. Negligent mechanics may also be responsible for accidents they cause.
The Entity Responsible for the Roadway
Negligent roadway design and maintenance can also cause motor vehicle accidents. This includes poorly designed roads, inadequate lighting, lack of traffic signs and signals, and bad maintenance, such as a failure to remove snow and ice or repair potholes.
If the condition of the road itself was a cause of your crash, you might have grounds for a claim against the owner of the roadway. This may be a government entity or a private entity.
If you want to know whether another party’s negligence caused your car accident, discuss your accident and your legal options in a free case review with our team.
You can Seek Economic and Non-Economic Damages
Treating your injuries and their side effects may require
- Hospitalization
- Medications
- Rehabilitation and physical therapy
- Mental health services
- Home health aides
- Nursing assistance
If your crash was caused by someone else’s negligence, they may owe you compensation for these medical expenses and other types of damages. Car accident damages can generally be divided into two categories:
Economic Damages
These are awards for monetary losses arising from your accident. In addition to your past and future medical expenses, economic damages may include things like:
- Property damages
- Lost wages
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Other out-of-pocket expenses
Non-Economic Damages
These damages account for the ways in which your injuries affect your overall quality of life and may include things like:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Disability
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Though they may be harder to put an exact price tag on, compensation for non-economic damages can be significant.
Comparative Negligence May Affect Your Compensation
You can seek partial compensation for car accident damages in California, even if your own actions contributed to your crash.
California is a pure comparative negligence state. This means that when you bring a civil action, the court looks at the amount of fault each party contributed to the accident and assigns a fault percentage accordingly. Any settlement you win is reduced in proportion to your degree of fault.
For example, if you win $100,000 but are assigned 10% of the fault, you would receive 90% of your compensation, or $90,000.
Take Action with a Lawyer from Jacoby & Meyers Law Offices
A Jacoby & Meyers Law Offices car accident lawyer serving Escondido clients can relieve you of the legal work in your case. Our team can handle your insurance claims, lawsuits, and more. If you retain our services, we will be with your every step of the way.
Call our offices at (888) 522-6291 for a free consultation with a member of our team. Because we work for a contingency fee, our clients do not pay us unless they win their case and receive a settlement or court award.