Getting into a car accident in Santa Rosa, California can leave you with serious injuries and questions about the future. Jacoby & Meyers is here to answer them.
Our local car accident lawyers provide personalized, top-tier legal services to car accident victims and their families. We can guide you through this difficult time with exceptional advocacy and legal guidance.
Contact us 24/7 to start your case with a free initial consultation.
No Fees Unless We Win!
Injured in a Santa Rosa Car Accident?
Why Choose Jacoby & Meyers
- We understand California’s nuanced car accident laws. Our team knows how to get the results our clients need from powerful insurance companies, trucking companies and other major adversaries.
- Our law firm has an excellent track record of achieving settlements and judgment awards for car accident victims. We have a 99 percent success rate, with over $2 billion won.
- You won’t be charged anything for our services on your Santa Rosa car accident case unless we collect financial compensation for you. We will protect you from any financial risk.
Common Causes of Car Accidents in Santa Rosa
The California Office of Traffic Safety reports that, in Santa Rosa in 2022 (the most recent year data is available), 358 victims were killed and injured in traffic accidents.
Fifty of these victims were vulnerable road users: 30 pedestrians and 20 bicyclists. Sonoma County reported 2,253 car accident injuries and deaths in 2022.
Top causes of Santa Rosa vehicle accidents include:
- Driver errors: violated traffic laws, acts of negligence and reckless driving. Common examples are distracted driving, cell phone use, drug and alcohol use, speeding, drowsy driving, inexperienced drivers, and following too closely.
- Dangerous roadways: poor road conditions in Santa Rosa, such as debris on U.S. Highway 101, cracked roads and potholes, malfunctioning traffic lights, and obscured stop signs. The city is responsible for adequately maintaining its roadways.
- Vehicle defects: problems with one or multiple vehicle parts, such as bad brakes, electrical issues, engine failures, tire blowouts, broken seat belts and defective airbags. Accidents and injuries caused by defective auto parts can make the manufacturer liable.
At Jacoby & Meyers, our local personal injury lawyers know how to thoroughly investigate car accidents to determine causation and identify liable parties.
We are experts in serious automotive accidents, including collisions involving cars, rideshare vehicles, motorcycles, trucks and semis, bicycles, and pedestrians.
Understanding California Car Accident Laws
California is a fault state, not a no-fault state. This means that when a car accident takes place, the at-fault party is responsible for paying for the victim’s medical bills, vehicle repairs and other losses.
All drivers in California are required to carry minimum amounts of insurance to enable them to pay for claims.
Statute of Limitations in California
A law called the statute of limitations places a deadline on the right to file a car accident lawsuit in California. Section 335.1 of the Code of Civil Procedure gives claimants no more than two years from the date that a crash takes place (or the victim discovers his or her injuries) to bring a related injury claim.
If you miss this deadline, you will likely forfeit the right to seek financial compensation for your losses.
Determining Liability in Your Car Accident Case
Understanding who is liable, meaning financially responsible, for your Santa Rosa car accident takes determining the cause of the crash. Once this determination is made, fault must be proven.
Establishing liability takes a “preponderance of the evidence” showing that the accused party or defendant caused the accident. This burden of proof means “more likely than not.”
Liability for an automobile collision often goes to one of the drivers for violating a traffic law or roadway rule. Evidence such as police reports, traffic citations and witness statements can be critical in proving these claims.
Testimony from accident reconstruction experts can also prove how and why a crash occurred.
You can build your case by gathering evidence while you are still at the scene. This includes photographs of the scene and your property damage, as well as witness information and surveillance footage.
An attorney from Jacoby & Meyers can help you preserve, collect and present key evidence to establish liability and win your case.
What Compensation Can You Recover After a Santa Rosa Car Accident?
At Jacoby & Meyers, we believe everyone deserves justice. If you get hurt in a preventable car accident in Santa Rosa, justice means holding the responsible party accountable and getting the financial compensation that you need.
As your attorneys, we can help you pursue maximum compensation for your past and future losses, such as:
- Hospital bills and medical treatments
- Long-term injury or disability costs
- Lost wages and lost capacity to earn
- Physical pain and emotional suffering
- Property damage repairs
- Punitive damages, in some cases
Our goal is to maximize your financial recovery so that you can return to the life you love. We offer free initial consultations and will only take our fee out of a settlement or judgment award won.
Our team can take your car accident case to trial in Sonoma County, if necessary, for fair compensation.
Dealing With Insurance Companies
Car insurance companies operate for profit. To save their investors money, they do what they can to downplay injuries and devalue claims.
Unfortunately, this can make it difficult to receive fair compensation for your car accident claim in Santa Rosa.
The strategies you may encounter when dealing with an insurance company include convincing you to give a recorded statement, blaming your losses on pre-existing injuries, denying your claim based on an alleged error or lack of coverage, wrongfully rejecting your claim, refusing to offer a fair settlement, and pressuring you to quickly accept the first settlement offer.
You can strengthen your car accident claim by trusting a car accident attorney to advocate for you. Having a lawyer represent you during negotiations with an insurance company increases the odds of reaching a fair settlement.
If you accept an early offer without getting legal advice first, you are at risk of settling for less than you deserve.
Contact Our Santa Rosa Car Accident Lawyers Today
Jacoby & Meyers has the resources, personnel and experience to handle even the most challenging car accident case in Santa Rosa.
Contact us today to find out how we can help you recover from a serious crash physically, emotionally and financially.
We care about the well-being of our clients and go above and beyond to help them rebuild their lives. Call our San Francisco law office directly at (415) 855-4289 to get started with a free, no-pressure case consultation.
We are located at 50 California St. Suite 1500, San Francisco, CA 94111.