Maison Law of Salinas represents car accident victims hurt on Highway 183 and other busy routes around the city. Our Car Accident Lawyers hold careless drivers completely liable for the damage and injuries they cause.
Contact Maison Law to talk with a real lawyer about your options in a free, no-obligation consultation. You’ll learn what your injury is worth and how to secure the compensation you need to recover.
Accident Dangers on Highway 183 in Salinas
Highway 183 is a major thoroughfare for residents going to school or to work and for those heading through Salinas. In town, this busy route is also known as Market Street and Main Street, and outside of town, it also goes by Castorville Road. People use it to run up to Castorville and to merge with Highway 1 and Highway 101.
It’s a commonly used thoroughfare, and unfortunately, that popularity also creates some very real traffic hazards. Nervous and distracted drivers can make left turns directly in front of oncoming cars and motorcycles to become a massive wall of metal for motorists who won’t be able to brake in time. Drivers looking at cell phone screens can miss seeing a light turn red and suddenly rear-end a car that had stopped as it should.
Agricultural trucks and semi-trucks run up and down these lanes day and night to present massive obstacles for drivers in smaller cars. The back end of a big rig can swipe a car off the road. The car may also end up under an 18-wheeler, leaving victims waiting on rescue.
These and other frightening outcomes can occur at any moment on Highway 183 to leave victims with traumatic injuries and thousands of dollars in medical bills. It’s important to talk to a skilled Salinas car accident lawyer after a crash so that you don’t end up signing away your rights to the support you need.
Do I Need a Lawyer After an Accident on Highway 183?
If your crash results simply in property damage, you may not need a car accident lawyer to handle your claim. You can probably get car repairs or replacement money without too much hassle. But when an accident is caused by another driver and results in a serious injury, like a bone fracture, having a lawyer may be a necessary precaution.
When medical bills are higher, insurance adjusters get nervous and look for ways to avoid taking the blame for your hardships. They may attempt to blame you for the crash or question how bad your injuries really are. Your lawyer fights back on these shady insurance practices meant to save insurance corporations money. Your lawyer fully investigates your case and backs it with strong evidence. Then your Maison Law representative demands the maximum compensation possible.
Do’s And Don’ts After a Car Accident
Your medical bills could double with each trip to see a surgeon and with each round of physical therapy as you try to get back on your feet. This continual escalation is why you must do everything possible to secure enough from a car insurance company to cover your needs now and in the future.
The more evidence you can collect demonstrating a car insurance company’s liability, the easier it will be to hold the insurer fully accountable. There are definitely some things you can do immediately after your Highway 183 crash to make sure your insurance claim can’t be denied:
DO’S
- Dial 911: No matter how minor your injuries appear, get checked out by paramedics. Allow Salinas police officers or the CHP to write up a detailed report of what happened. This collision report will serve as some of the strongest evidence in your defense.
- Gather evidence on the scene: If you are physically able, collect proof of what happened before your accident scene is cleared. Take photos of car damage, traffic signs, and any visible injuries. Get contact information from witnesses. Make sure you have the at-fault driver’s license and insurance details. If the driver works for a delivery, rideshare, or trucking company, try to get an employee number.
- See your doctor: Make an appointment to have every injury checked out. Follow every recommendation from your doctor, including visits to specialists. Keep all medical billing invoices.
- Contact a Car Accident Attorney: Don’t talk to insurance representatives until you’ve discussed your options with a skilled local attorney. You can make mistakes in those first few days that cost you thousands of dollars down the road. A personal injury lawyer protects you from common insurance tactics and works to maximize any compensation you receive.
DON’TS
- Making statements: Avoid making any recorded statements over the phone. Insurance representatives for the other driver will call after an accident. They will hope to record you saying something they can use against your case later. Let your attorney handle communications with insurance adjusters and lawyers.
- Posting to Social Media: Don’t post photos of your accident and make comments on Facebook or Twitter. Insurance representatives will be searching for these posts and will use them to try to turn blame around on you.
- Don’t accept a settlement: Don’t sign any documents or accept any hastily offered insurance deals. Your injury is probably worth a lot more than insurance adjusters are letting on. A lawyer working on your case will be helping you avoid these shady practices.
Accident Compensation and Deadlines
Highway accident victims have up to two years to file an accident claim against an at-fault driver’s insurer. But you shouldn’t use all of this time. You should act as quickly as possible to give your personal injury lawyer the best chance to gather fresh evidence and keep track of witnesses.
Filing your accident claim as soon as you’re ready also means you could see your settlement check sooner. The amount on this settlement check will be determined by several factors in your accident injury case.
Your total on hospital bills and any estimates on future care needed in the case of a long-term injury or permanent physical disability should be the first things compensated. Your lost wages while you’ve been forced to miss work also factor in. Your physical pain and emotional trauma experienced also add to the total of a settlement agreement.
Contact a Salinas Car Accident Lawyer
After a serious accident on Highway 183, you should speak with a Salinas Car Accident Lawyer to find out what your injury is worth and how to hold a car insurance company fully accountable.
Schedule a free case consultation with Maison Law. This evaluation comes with no obligation to you or your family. If you do feel we can help you earn more, you won’t need any money to hire quality legal representation. We don’t get paid unless your case is won, and then our fee comes out of the settlement money you receive.
