The Maison Law team is here to help victims of car accidents in Los Banos. If you or a family member suffered injuries in a car accident and are facing losses and expenses that need to be addressed, reach out to Maison Law at your earliest opportunity for a free consultation and case evaluation.
Do I Need a Car Accident Lawyer
If you were injured in what is often called a fender bender and the loss you face is minor, the need for a Los Banos car accident lawyer is often minimal. Most of the time, these matters are settled between you and an insurance company. However, if the insurance company is not being respectful of your time and needs, the team at Maison Law is here to lend a hand to ensure the matter is resolved swiftly and fully meets your needs.
In cases where you sustain injuries in the car accident, other passengers suffer injuries, or in the worst cases, where there is a loss of life, you are still not required to hire a lawyer to handle any claim or lawsuit. But in these more complex situations, there are many good reasons for you to consider hiring a Maison Law Los Banos car accident lawyer to take some of the responsibility and stress off your shoulders. Our team will work diligently to ensure that all your financial needs are met and that you can focus on a future that is not marred by monetary issues as a result of the car accident and your injuries.
Book Your Free Consultation Today
After a car accident, it is easy to understand why you are worried about the cost of a legal consultation to learn more about a possible Los Banos car accident lawsuit. But that will not be an issue for you when you reach out to Maison Law for a free consultation with one of our car accident lawyers. The meeting is absolutely free, and you will learn all you need to know about filing a car accident lawsuit and whether your case has legal merit. In addition, even after gaining all of this valuable information, you are not obligated to pursue legal action or hire Maison Law. Our goal is simply to ensure that all car accident victims understand their rights and how the legal system and our firm are here to help protect them from losses and expenses caused by someone else’s negligence.
Common Types of Car Accidents in Los Banos
The National Safety Council tracks motor-vehicle fatality trends across the United States. We all know that accidents are, by nature and definition, unplanned or unexpected events. However, when you are thinking about car accidents in Los Banos, some types of car accidents appear to be more common than others. Understanding that some are more prevalent than others can help you be more aware and prepared to avoid such accidents or handle them when you find one of these common car accidents in Los Banos is unavoidable:
- Rear-end collision
- T-Bone
- Hit and run
- Side swipe
- Multi-car pile-up
- Single vehicle accident
- Distracted driver accident (see the California Office of Traffic Safety distracted-driving information)
- Road Rage accident
- Unsafe lane change
- Failure to yield accident
- Accident caused by excessive speed
- DUI
- Accidents caused by poor judgment of the road or weather conditions
- Accidents involving animals on the road
- Accidents involving farm or heavy equipment on the road
- Wrong-way drivers
- Head-on accidents
- Pothole in the road accidents
What is a Los Banos Car Accident Lawsuit Worth?
As you might expect, all car accidents are slightly different. There are many factors and variables to consider when estimating the value of a Los Banos car accident, which makes it impossible to quote a precise lawsuit value. However, the team at Maison Law can provide you with some reliable information to help you begin to determine the value of your car accident case.
You should consider all economic damages, or costs with a clear dollar value, and those classified as non-economic and less tangible in dollar value. Your Maison Law car accident lawyer will work with you to create a comprehensive list of both groups of damages to determine the compensation sought via your car accident lawsuit. The most common car accident economic damages include:
- The cost to repair or replace your vehicle that was damaged in the car accident
- Your medical expenses related to injuries suffered in the car accident
- The cost of any projected medical care that the car accident injuries will require
- Expenses related to travel to and from your medical appointments related to your car accident injuries
- The cost of therapy or counseling to address the trauma and emotional damage caused by the car accident, like anxiety, lack of ability to sleep, anger issues, or irritability
- The cost to repair or replace any other personal property that was damaged or destroyed in the Los Banos car accident
- Your lost wages if you were unable to work while you were recovering from the car accident injuries
The cost of non-economic damages can be more difficult to document and provide a specific dollar amount for as you calculate the compensation you will seek. The items in this category include things like your pain and suffering; loss of consortium, or the ability to take an active role in the lives of your spouse and children; loss of enjoyment of daily activities like sports, running, or hiking; and loss of the ability to maintain physical fitness and good health. All of these losses will have an impact on your life, and your Maison Law team will help you try to apply a reasonable dollar amount to them.
Who Can I Sue for My Car Accident
As you begin to see medical bills and other expenses add up after your car accident, you are sure to begin to feel stressed about mounting costs and how to pay them. Your next thought is who should be held accountable for the car accident that caused these hardships, and how they can help you cover your expenses related to the car accident. It might be a shock to learn that there is a long list of potential liable parties in many car accident cases that should be considered when you are thinking about filing a car accident lawsuit. Some of the most common liable parties for a car accident can be:
- Other vehicle drivers
- The operator of commercial transportation like a bus or train
- The municipality that failed to properly maintain the road surface if a pothole caused or contributed to the cause of the accident
- A property owner who failed to maintain their landscape and it blocked traffic signals or signage
- The repair service that recently fixed your vehicle if they do not complete the work correctly and that caused a vehicle malfunction or failure and the accident
- The manufacturer of your vehicle or another vehicle if the car was defective and that failure caused the accident
Shared fault can also affect a case under California’s comparative negligence law. Our guide explains how to prove negligence.
What is the Time Limit to Pursue A Car Accident Lawsuit in Los Banos
In California, the victim of a car accident typically has two years from the date of the accident to file a car accident lawsuit with the court. However, if the liable party involved in the car accident is a government entity such as CALTRANS, the County of Merced, or the City of Los Banos, that time limit to take legal action is decreased to only six months after the date of the accident. You should also keep in mind that the time limit is strictly enforced and once it has passed, you will lose the right to pursue any legal action related to that specific car accident and the losses it created. California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1 sets the general personal-injury lawsuit deadline.
Beware of Common Insurance Company Tactics
Knowing that there is a time limit to file a car accident lawsuit is vital when you are trying to resolve the matter with an insurance company representative. They also understand the time limit you have to file a car accident lawsuit. A common ploy by insurance company representatives is to take a long time to respond to car accident victims, delay making an offer, and use up the entire two years you have to prepare and file a car accident lawsuit. Once the time for you to take legal action has passed, the insurance company can make you a low-ball settlement offer knowing that you have no other option but to take the offer or try to negotiate for more. But you no longer file a lawsuit.
Other less-than-respectful tactics used by insurance companies to save money include trying to intimidate car accident victims with a room full of lawyers when negotiating a settlement or sending a massive document that they tell you to sign before they will make you a settlement offer. The long document is typically full of fine print and is nearly impossible for the average person to understand. But signing it without having it reviewed by a car accident lawyer is the only option to settle the matter swiftly. So, many victims make this costly mistake.
If you have any concerns about dealing with an insurance company or going to court to resolve your Los Banos car accident lawsuit, please reach out to a Maison Law car accident lawyer for a free consultation and review, and insight into your case.
Frequently Asked Questions About Car Accident Lawsuits
Can I file a car accident lawsuit if I do not have car insurance?
If your car accident is the result of another person’s negligence, you have the right to file a lawsuit to seek compensation for your losses and damages even if you do not have car insurance. See the California DMV insurance requirements for the state’s coverage rules.
Can I file a car accident lawsuit if I got a ticket at the scene of the accident?
If you were ticketed for a moving violation at the time of the car accident, but other parties were considered liable for the accident, you can pursue legal action. The moving violation might have been unrelated to the accident and does not prevent you from taking legal action related to the injury accident. California’s comparative negligence law may also affect a case when fault is shared.
How can I help to resolve my car accident lawsuit as quickly as possible?
The first step in a fast settlement of a car accident lawsuit is having clear documentation of the scene and damage caused by the accident. Take pictures of the accident and damage to your car immediately. Next, get a medical exam to document your injuries from the accident. Finally, gather contact information from all witnesses to ensure your legal team can reach them to verify the facts. All of this information will help your Maison Law car accident lawyer swiftly prepare your claim or lawsuit.
California Vehicle Code § 20008 addresses reporting a crash involving an injury or death.
Contact A Los Banos Car Accident Lawyer
If you or your family members are hurt in a car accident, get in touch with the team at Maison Law for a free consultation with a car accident lawyer in Los Banos. This initial meeting is always free and will provide you with valuable information while requiring no commitment to pursue legal action.
If you decide that you are ready to move forward with a car accident lawsuit, Maison Law will handle the case on a contingency basis so you never pay any upfront legal fees or expenses. Instead, the compensation sought by the lawsuit includes the funds to pay all your legal fees and expenses. You are never at risk of losing any money, because we only get paid after we win the case for you.
