No matter how careful you are, traveling California’s roads comes with risk. Unfortunately, while you practice safe driving behaviors, others are less mindful and drive while distracted or drunk, speed, ignore traffic laws, or commit some other infraction that causes you harm. California allows accident victims to demand accountability from those who cause them injury, but often, victims do not know how to make that happen.

Suits Litigation, Inc. does. It is our job to represent victims, protect their rights, and fight to get them fairly compensated for their losses. The personal injury attorneys from our team are dedicated to working for justice for victims of motor vehicle or other accidents. After your accident, reach out to the Suits Litigation, Inc. Los Gatos car accident lawyers. We will stand with you and fight for you through every moment of your case.

California Car Accident Statistics

Though there is good news on the car accident front, car crashes remain far too common and continue to devastate the lives of victims and those who love them, whether by producing serious injuries or causing untimely deaths. The California Active Transportation Safety Information Pages (CATSIP) reported the most recent data released by the National Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which show a decrease of 3.3% in motor vehicle crash fatalities from one recent year to the next. Though lower than the 20,190 reported the prior year, the number of fatalities nationwide remains disturbingly high at 19,515. 

In its most recent state-by-state data, the National Safety Council (NSC) reported 4,428 traffic deaths in California. The State had a 1.4 rate of fatal accidents per 10,000 motor vehicles. For comparison, the average rate for the country was 1.5. Delaware ranked highest per 100,000 vehicles with a rate of 3.5, and Rhode Island ranked lowest with a .06 rate.

If your loved one is killed in a car accident, or you have sustained injury or property damage, the auto accident attorneys from Suits Litigation, Inc. are ready to help you get the compensation you deserve.

What to Do After a Los Gatos, CA Car Crash

There are steps you must take and steps you should take after a car accident. Following these steps will help protect you and your potential car accident claim outcome.  

Steps You Must Take

Under California law, steps you must take after an accident include:

• Stopping your vehicle at the scene if anyone has been hurt or killed.
• Stopping your vehicle near the scene, out of the path of traffic (as possible) for accidents involving only property damage.
• Helping those injured–this may simply mean calling 911 for emergency help.
• Exchanging names and current residences with all involved–drivers and vehicle occupants. For those driving vehicles owned by other parties, the vehicle owners’ information. Though not a legal requirement, it is best to take photos of shared driver’s licenses.
• Exchanging vehicle registration numbers.
• Reporting the accident to law enforcement and providing attending police officers with the information included above.

You, or your insurance or legal representative, must send a report to the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) within 10 days of the event if the accident caused:

• Injury–no matter how minor
• Death
• Property damage exceeding $1,000

Steps You Should Take

The health and safety of all involved are the first priorities following an accident. Provided it is safe for you to move, take these steps to protect your interests:

• Snap pictures and take videos of the accident scene. Include traffic, weather, and roadway conditions. Document traffic signals and signage, road markings, any damage to the vehicles, the position of each vehicle, and your injuries
• Talk to witnesses. Take down contact information and ask them to share any photos or videos with you.
• Look for traffic or security cameras. If possible, ask the camera owners to save the footage. Later, you can share the camera locations/owner information with your car accident lawyer.
• Report the incident to your insurance adjuster. Keep this report brief and stick to the basic facts. Do not speculate on causes or offer information about your injuries other than to say you will seek medical care.
• Say as little as possible to others involved. Even statements offered “innocently” can be misinterpreted or used as an admission of fault. Again, do not minimize your injuries or indicate you are unhurt.
• Get prompt medical care.
• Connect with a car accident attorney.

Why Getting Medical and Legal Help is Essential

You might be “lucky” enough to walk away from an accident without requiring emergency care. Still, get medical attention quickly–either within a few hours or a day (at most) of the accident. Some injuries have a delayed response, even some fatal injuries. Brain trauma may not be apparent right away, but postponing care can leave you with permanent damage or cause death. Injury pain, especially pain caused by damage to the back or neck, can be masked by adrenaline rushes that often follow crashes. Later, when your body settles, you realize you have a problem.

Prompt diagnosis and treatment help prevent long-term negative effects on your physical well-being and your potential car accident case. If you delay care and your condition worsens, the at-fault party may claim that your choice to put off care exacerbated your injuries–that you are responsible for your debilitated state, not them. Or, they can say you have inflated your injured state, and if you had actually been hurt badly, you would not have waited to see a doctor.

Making a swift connection with experienced car accident attorneys is important as well. The sooner the team at Suits Litigation, Inc. has access to your case, the sooner we can start speaking on your behalf, protecting you from saying or doing anything that could inadvertently harm your case, and gathering evidence to support your claim.

What a Los Gatos Motor Vehicle Attorney Can Do For You

After a crash, you need to put your resources into recovery, but it is hard to do that if you are trying to manage a car accident claim. Most likely, your recovery and your claim’s outcome will suffer. By partnering with an experienced car crash lawyer, you can keep your focus on getting stronger with the peace of mind that comes with knowing your case is in capable hands.

Handling the Legalities

Many car accident claims are settled out of court through negotiations. Still, sometimes negotiations fail, and you need to fight at trial. California gives car accident victims two years to file a legal claim with the court. Your car crash attorney will ensure your claim and any other necessary legal documentation are filed before that deadline hits. Further, by filing, you show the at-fault party you are ready to take your case to court if need be. This message may encourage them to make more reasonable and just settlement offers during negotiations.

If your claim is against a government office, the rules for filing are different. In fact, the process for taking the claim through the system is different altogether. Most importantly, your filing deadline is shorter. Do not risk losing your opportunity to file. Reach out to experienced car crash attorneys for help right away.

Building Your Case

Strong cases are built on solid evidence, and the car accident lawyers from Suits Litigation, Inc. know what kinds of evidence you need and where to find it. We have the background and resources to explore all avenues of evidence and know how to present that evidence in the most convincing way. 

Though each situation is different, your car crash lawyers will likely:

• Work with accident reconstructionists who can “rebuild” your accident, determining its cause and identifying the responsible party
• Get input from vehicle, traffic, and other relevant experts
• Speak with your medical team and other medical experts to identify the cause of your injuries, the effects of the injuries, and your prognosis
• Gather testimony from witnesses, your caregivers, and you–documenting how your life has changed since the accident
• Request, access, and examine photo or video footage

A skilled car wreck lawyer will attend to every detail of your case. If there is evidence to be found, we will find it.

Calculating a Fair Settlement Demand

Victims rarely have the experience or awareness to recognize the full extent of their accident-related losses. They are in a vulnerable physical and emotional state, with most of their energy focused on just getting through the next hour or medical appointment or procedure, and filled with anxiety about their financial future. 

Sadly, those representing the at-fault party are aware of this vulnerability and often use it to their advantage. They make victims what seems like a generous offer, and the victims accept gratefully–temporarily relieved by the financial support, but later realize the amount does not nearly cover their needs. Or, representatives intimidate victims, telling them they really do not have grounds for a substantial settlement–and the victims believe them, accepting what little they offer or abandoning a claim completely.

With knowledgeable car wreck attorneys on your side, you do not have to worry about falling for these tactics. Your lawyer will assess your losses carefully and calculate a settlement demand adequate for meeting your needs, and that provides justice. No two accidents or settlement demands are identical, but you can expect that your car wreck attorney will include your:

• Current and future medical bills and care needs
• Wages lost during recovery time, and future lost wages and benefits if you cannot return to work
• Cost to repair or replace property damaged in the accident
• Additional expenses incurred by the accident
• Your suffering, both physical pain and emotional distress
• Reduction to your enjoyment and overall quality of life

It is hard for victims to put a fair value on losses that do not come with a monetary value. Experienced car wreck lawyers will make a precise, evidence-based calculation and send the demand to the at-fault party’s representatives.

Managing Negotiations

Negotiations typically start when the at-fault party responds to your auto-accident lawyer’s settlement demand. Usually, they make a lower counteroffer. If the offer is acceptable, negotiations may end there, with your agreement. Your motor vehicle accident lawyer will give you sound advice, and if the counteroffer is too low, it will send back a higher demand.

California’s pure comparative fault laws are a factor in negotiations. Under this system, if accident victims bear a percentage of fault for the event, their available compensation is reduced in proportion to that percentage. The at-fault party’s representative will try to put as much responsibility on you as possible to reduce their compensation payout. Your motor vehicle lawyers will anticipate these moves and challenge them, protecting your settlement from reductions based on unfounded accusations.

The auto accident lawyers at Suits Litigation, Inc. are strategic negotiators, and we will work to settle your case this way. However, we are also strategic trial lawyers prepared to fight for you in the courtroom if that is the way to get the best outcome. 

Motor Vehicle Accident Attorneys for any Traffic Accident

There are endless causes for car accidents. Some of the more common include:

• Driving under the influence (DUI)
• Speeding and reckless driving
• Distracted driving
• Vehicle malfunction
• Unsafe road conditions or dysfunctional traffic signals
• Inexperienced drivers and human error

Whatever the cause of your accident, and even if it is a hit-and-run event, an auto accident attorney from Suits Litigation, Inc. can help. Our team has represented victims of all types of traffic accidents and is prepared to handle whatever unique circumstances or challenges your situation presents. And you do not have to take our word for it. Take a look at what our clients have to say. 

Get the Best Outcome Possible

Car crashes are stressful–often devastating. Suits Litigation, Inc. will work to bring order, peace, and financial stability back to your life by handling your claim and seeking the highest compensation amount possible. You deserve justice and financial restoration, and our team of compassionate, skilled, experienced car accident lawyers will fight hard to secure those results. Call or message us for a free consultation as soon as possible after your accident. We are ready to get to work for you.