Maison Law helps victims of car accidents in Santa Maria explore their legal options. A car accident in Santa Maria can lead to severe or even fatal injuries. If you or a loved one faces such a tragedy, the legal process becomes extremely important. Our team at Maison Law is ready to guide you through this process. Contact us for a free consultation to get the support you need during this difficult time.
Do You Need a Lawyer After a Fatal Car Accident in Santa Maria?
While not legally required, having a lawyer after a fatal car accident in Santa Maria is crucial for your family’s recovery. These cases are tough both legally and emotionally. At Maison Law, we help families by:
- Explaining their legal rights
- Gathering essential evidence
- Negotiating with insurance companies
- Handling wrongful death lawsuits
We assist drivers, passengers, and pedestrians to make the process as smooth as possible and make sure that your family receives the support they need.
What Do You Need to Do If There’s a Fatal Car Accident in Santa Maria?
When a car accident in Santa Maria turns fatal, there’s generally two perspectives: the first is where you’re the one that suffers fatal injuries, while the second is where someone you’re with does. But like any other car accident, the actions that are taken–or not taken–in the immediate aftermath are going to be important to a potential claim. So, if you’re the one that’s able, here’s what you need to do:
- Report the accident – Immediately contact the Santa Maria Police Department or the Santa Barbara County Sheriff and call 911 for an ambulance. Make sure that you or any survivors get medical attention from EMTs at the scene.
- Collect evidence and information – Like any other car accident, get key details such as witness contact information, witness statements, insurance information, medical records, incident reports, and photos or videos of the accident scene. All of this will be important for a claim.
- Keep track of losses – Document all costs related to the accident, including medical bills and funeral expenses for your loved one. This will help show the financial impact on your family.
- Preserve evidence for your claim – Keep all evidence intact. Maintain the vehicle in its post-accident condition and preserve any damaged property. Don’t alter anything from the accident scene.
You never want to be involved in a serious car accident, let alone one that results in fatal injuries. Still, if it does happen and you’re involved, you have to do what you can to take these steps.
What Are the Differences in the Claims Process After a Santa Maria Fatal Car Accident?
In a fatal car accident in Santa Maria, there’s still a legal process in place. However, it’s slightly different than normal because of the resulting death. Rather than filing a normal injury claim, a “wrongful death” claim is filed.
A wrongful death claim is a specific type of injury claim filed when someone dies in an accident. Unlike a standard car accident claim, only certain people can actually file this claim in California. These usually involve:
- Spouses
- Children
- Parents
- Heirs
- Representative of the deceased person’s estate
Once that’s settled, the actual legal process can play out through either an insurance claim or a lawsuit. However, another key difference of a wrongful death claim are the “damages” that are available:
- Funeral and burial costs – These cover payment for the deceased’s funeral, burial, or cremation.
- Emotional distress and suffering – These damages cover the grief and emotional pain experienced by the surviving family members.
- Loss of financial support – These cover the income the deceased would have earned and provided to their family.
- Loss of companionship – These damages relate to the emotional and social loss from the deceased’s absence.
Even though a wrongful death claim is much more emotionally charged and damaging, there’s still a “statute of limitations” on being able to file it. In California, you or your surviving family have two years from the date of death to file. Miss it, and you can’t file a claim at all.
Who’s Liable For Damages in a Fatal Car Accident in Santa Maria?
A key part of any car accident claim–fatal or not–is figuring out who’s liable–or legally responsible–for causing the accident itself. This carries special significance when there’s fatal injuries, but the actual legal standard is the same as any other car accident: establishing negligence.
Although the specifics vary, the general principles are the same. Negligence is shown by proving that the person responsible for the accident had a duty to drive in a safe way and avoid harming you or others, but they violated this duty and thus caused the accident that resulted in fatal injuries.
While this establishes negligence in the legal sense, a real-world car accident scenario can be more complicated and involve multiple people or parties like:
- Other drivers involved in the crash.
- Car owners if the driver wasn’t the owner of the car.
- Car makers or parts manufacturers if a defect caused the crash.
- Government agencies if bad road conditions were a factor.
- Employers if the driver was working or using a company vehicle.
- Repair shops if faulty repairs played a role in the crash.
The main difference in a fatal car accident is that the complexity and stakes are much higher. It’s crucial to be prepared and understand the details of how such accidents can happen to you or someone you care about in Santa Maria.
What Makes Car Accidents Fatal in Santa Maria?
Car accidents can lead to fatal injuries for many reasons. Even if you or a loved one survive the crash, injuries like head, spinal, and internal injuries can worsen over time and eventually end up being fatal. At the same time, any car accident in Santa Maria carries the risk of being fatal. That said, there’s certain factors that are more likely to lead to a fatal accident in Santa Maria:
- Speeding
- Driving under the influence (DUI)
- Distracted driving
- Unsafe lane changes
- Running red lights or stop signs
- Fatigue
- Poor road conditions
- Vehicle defects or part failures
- Aggressive driving
- Weather conditions
Dealing with a fatal car accident in Santa Maria is incredibly tough, whether it happens on a busy night on Broadway or during holiday travel. It’s important to understand your legal options and our team will be there to help.
Contact Maison Law After a Fatal Car Accident in Santa Maria
At Maison Law, we know how hard it is to handle the aftermath of a fatal car accident. We’re here to offer strong legal support and make sure you and your family get the help and financial support needed to move forward.
If you have questions or need help after a fatal car accident in Santa Maria, contact us today for a free consultation.
