With San Diego’s busy streets and heavy traffic, it is critical for all drivers to follow traffic laws and drive safely. However, sometimes, no matter how carefully you drive, someone else neglects their duty of care and causes an accident and injuries to others. If you are hurt in a car accident due to another party’s negligence, you have the right to file a claim and pursue financial compensation for your losses. However, navigating the legal process can be challenging. With the help of our highly experienced team at Callahan & Blaine, you can focus on recovery while we navigate every step of your case from start to finish.
Every member of our robust San Diego team has at least eight years of experience, giving us the knowledge, resources, and skills to manage your claim effectively. Our San Diego car accident attorneys fight aggressively for your rights, unafraid to take on the most complex car accident claims. With our proven track record of success, including the largest jury verdict in Orange County history worth $934 million, you can rely on us to provide the unwavering advocacy you deserve. Moreover, our 40-year legacy of securing multi-million dollar settlements gives you the peace of mind that your best interests are protected.
Steps to Take After a San Diego Car Accident
In the moments after a car accident, victims are often left reeling from the reality of what has occurred and what their next steps should be. If you have suffered harm, it is crucial you follow certain steps that will ensure your overall well-being.
The steps you should take after a San Diego car accident include the following:
Contact Law Enforcement
After a car accident, you should always contact law enforcement to come to the scene of the accident. This is important as they will ensure the safety of those involved at the scene and will file a police report. A police report is a crucial piece of evidence for car accident claims that will help support your claim as you pursue justice for your losses.
Seek Medical Care
After a car accident, you may be left with serious injuries. For that reason, it is crucial you seek medical attention from a doctor to ensure you can recover and get back to the life you led prior to the crash as quickly as possible.
Collect Evidence
If you are able to do so, you should collect any evidence available to you after a car accident. This may include any of the following:
- Photos and videos of any visible injuries, damage to property, or signs of the accident, like skidmarks on the roads.
- Video surveillance that may have captured the crash. This may come from security cameras on nearby buildings or dash camera footage.
- Witness statements from those in other vehicles or walking in the area and saw the crash occur. You should ask them to also provide their name and contact information.
Yoru attorney can help you obtain the key evidence needed to help you pursue justice for your car accident.
Collect Insurance Information
You should always get the name, contact, and insurance information of the driver who caused the crash.
Retain the Legal Counsel of a Trusted Car Accident Lawyer
After you have been harmed in a car accident in San Diego, your main focus should be on your recovery. While you focus on healing, hire a trusted attorney who will handle the legal aspects of your case. One of our San Diego car accident lawyers will work hard to ensure you are able to pursue the justice and fair compensation you are owed.
Who Can Be Liable for a Car Accident in San Diego?
One of the most important steps in any car accident case is to identify the party responsible for your injuries and losses. Depending on the unique details of your specific case, there are various parties who may be found liable.
When you work with one of our trusted car accident lawyers, we will launch a full investigation into the details of your San Diego case to understand who may be liable. We can do this by collecting crucial evidence like the following:
- Police report
- Photos and videos of the accident scene
- Security footage from a nearby building
- Dash camera footage
- Witness statements
Once this evidence has been collected, our team of experienced attorneys can better understand who may be at fault for the losses you have suffered. Some of the most common parties found to be liable in San Diego car accidents include the following:
- The driver of another car or other motor vehicle
- The passenger of the vehicle that hit you
- A passenger in your vehicle
- A pedestrian illegally crossing or running out in front of the car
- The vehicle manufacturer or retailer if a vehicle malfunction caused the crash
- A government entity
If you are unsure who may be held liable for your San Diego car accident claim, contact our team of trusted attorneys today to learn more about how we can help you pursue the justice you are owed.
What Are the Common Causes of Car Accidents in San Diego?
Whether you just got your license or have been driving for years, car accidents can happen when least expected. There are various causes of car accidents that are out of your control. However, it is important that you know that regardless of what caused your car accident, if another negligent party is to blame, you have the right to pursue compensation by filing a personal injury claim.
Some of the most common causes of car accidents include the following:
- Distracted Driving: When a driver’s attention is diverted from the road ahead to another activity, a serious accident can occur. A common example of distracted driving is texting or turning around to talk to a passenger in the back seat.
- Speeding: Driving over the speed limit is not only illegal, it is also highly dangerous. When one is driving too fast, it can make it difficult to adjust to changes in the road when needed, like making a short stop if a car in the front halts.
- Drunk Driving: Alcohol impairs a driver’s cognitive and sensory functions, making it difficult to focus and control the steering wheel. That is why driving while intoxicated is not only dangerous but is also illegal.
- Reckless Driving: When a driver ignores traffic laws and operates their vehicle in a reckless manner, they may cause a serious crash as a result.
- Weather: Adverse weather conditions, like slippery roads, limited visibility due to heavy rain or fog, high winds, or extreme temperatures, can make it difficult to drive safely and may result in a car accident.
- Drowsy Driving: When a driver is too tired to react to changes in the road and remain alert, they can cause an accident as a result of their negligence.
- Unsafe Lane Changes: When a driver changes lanes without ensuring it is safe to do so, their actions can cause a collision.
Our team of San Diego car accident lawyers will launch a full investigation into the details of what occurred to identify the cause and ensure you are able to build a strong case. Contact our car accident law firm today to learn more about how we can help with every aspect of your personal injury claim.
Common Injuries After a Car Accident
Car accidents often leave victims with serious injuries and a long road to recovery. Regardless of the severity of your injuries, if you have suffered harm due to the negligence of another party or parties, you deserve to receive fair compensation for your losses.
Some of the most common injuries suffered by car accident victims include the following:
- Cuts and lacerations
- Internal injuries
- Broken or fractured bones
- Bruising
- Spine injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Head injuries
- Whiplash
- Paralysis
- Death
After being injured in a car accident, our team of trusted car accident lawyers will work hard to ensure you can focus on your recovery while we handle the legal aspects of your case. Contact our team to book a consultation and speak with one of our San Diego lawyers about what your next steps should be as you pursue justice.
What Are the Different Types of Car Accidents?
Car accidents can happen in various ways. Regardless of the type of accident you were involved in or the severity of the crash, you deserve to pursue justice if you suffered harm due to the negligent actions of another party.
Some of the different types of car accidents include the following:
- Head-On Collision: This type of car accident occurs when the front ends of two vehicles collide. Head-on collisions often occur due to one or more drivers operating the vehicle at high speeds above the legal speed limit.
- Rear-End Collision: This type of collision happens when the front of one vehicle hits the back of another. These car crashes are sometimes called fender benders and are often considered to be minor accidents. However, the severity of the accident does not affect your ability and right to pursue a personal injury claim.
- Side-Impact Collision: This type of car crash is sometimes referred to as a T-bone collision. This occurs when the front of one vehicle hits the side of another. Another type of side-impact collision is a broadside collision, where the sides of two vehicles collide.
- Rollover: When a vehicle loses its balance, it may tip over and roll. Rollover collisions often occur as a result of another vehicle hitting the vehicle and causing it to lose balance, when the vehicle hits a curb or pothole, or by turning too quickly. When a car is rolling, it may hit another vehicle before it comes to a stop.
- Single-Vehicle Accident: This type of collision occurs when only one vehicle is involved. These accidents can include running off the road, hydroplaning due to slippery road conditions, or hitting debris.
- Chain Reaction: Sometimes, a car accident between one or two vehicles can result in a chain reaction, affecting multiple vehicles. These accidents can be highly damaging and leave victims with serious injuries. That is why it is crucial that victims of chain reaction accidents reach out to a trusted attorney who can help them identify the liable party or parties and pursue justice.
- Sideswipe: When vehicles move in the same direction, at the same time, the sides of the vehicles may rub together, causing a collision. This can happen when a driver merges, but does not leave enough space, or does not check their blind spots, and collides with another vehicle.
No matter what type of car accident you were involved in in San Diego, California, you have the right to file a personal injury claim and pursue justice for the losses you have suffered. Our team of trusted San Diego attorneys can help you build a strong claim when you contact our law firm today.
Proving Liability in San Diego Car Accident Claims
While it may seem clear whose negligence caused your car accident and injuries, proving fault is not always easy. As a victim filing a claim, you must fulfill the burden of proof. This involves presenting clear evidence of the following points:
- Duty of care: The liable party owed you a duty to care for your safety and drive responsibly.
- Negligence: They breach this duty of care by acting negligently.
- Causation: This negligence directly caused the accident and your personal injuries.
- Damages: Your injuries resulted in damages.
To prove these points, we conduct a thorough investigation, gathering evidence like medical records, police reports, witness testimony, and video footage from traffic and security cameras. Our team understands the intricacies of car accident claims, so we leave no stone unturned and work hard to build a claim that gives you the best chance of securing fair compensation.
Types of Damages You May Recover After a Car Accident in California
Our Callahan & Blaine car accident lawyers in San Diego understand you may worry about the physical, emotional, and financial impact of your car accident injuries, so we fight for your right to compensation. When calculating your claim’s worth, we closely assess the specific details of your case to determine the value of the following types of damages:
ECONOMIC DAMAGES
Economic damages are those with tangible monetary value. This includes medical bills, lost wages from missed work, and property damage. Our San Diego car accident attorneys use your medical records, invoices, and receipts to calculate these damages.
NON-ECONOMIC DAMAGES
These types of damages include those with a non-monetary value, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of consortium, and reduced quality of life. Non-economic damages are often more challenging to calculate due to their subjective nature, so having a knowledgeable San Diego car accident lawyer’s help is essential to receive sufficient reimbursement.
PUNITIVE DAMAGES
Punitive damages are awarded in cases of gross negligence or willful wrongdoing. Instead of a reward for the victim, punitive damages act as a punishment for the liable party to deter them from the same behavior in the future.
Why Should You Hire a Lawyer to Help With Your San Diego Car Accident Claim?
When looking for a San Diego car accident lawyer to help with your San Diego car accident claim, finding a team you can trust to handle your claim while you focus on recovery is important. Our large team of 29 seasoned lawyers at Callahan & Blaine does just that. In addition to our exceptional services and commitment to excellence, we set ourselves apart in the following ways:
- Extensive experience: Our team has hundreds of years of collective experience, and every car accident lawyer at Callahan & Blaine has worked in the industry for over eight years, so we understand how to take on your claim, no matter how complex.
- Ready for trial: If your claim cannot be settled out of court, we are prepared to go to trial and use our advanced litigation skills to present your case and fight for your rights.
- Insurance expertise: Our Managing Partner, Edward Susolik, is one of the leading insurance experts in the U.S. He has handled over 1500 mediations in the last 33 years, giving our team a unique edge and effective strategies.
For these reasons, our firm has achieved unprecedented jury verdicts, including a 12-0 result after a two-month trial in a major employment case and the largest bad faith insurance verdict in Orange County history at $58 million. With this experience handling high-value, challenging claims, our San Diego car accident attorneys are equipped to take on your case and aggressively advocate for the compensation you deserve.
Schedule a Consultation With the Seasoned San Diego Car Accident Lawyers at Callahan & Blaine
If you have suffered injuries in a San Diego car accident through no fault of your own, you deserve trusted representation who will handle every aspect of your claim with the utmost professionalism and respect. At Callahan & Blaine, our personal injury attorneys understand the high stakes involved in your claim and help you seek justice.
We understand every car accident claim is different, so we work with you to develop a unique strategy tailored to your circumstances. With our exceptional services and experience negotiating with uncooperative parties, we take the stress of the legal process off your shoulders so you can focus on healing. Give us a call at 714-241-4444 or fill out our contact form to schedule an initial consultation today.
