Martinez Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyer

The City of Martinez is part of the San Francisco Bay Area and is considered home to over 38,200 people. This city in the East Bay was founded in 1876 and covers approximately 12.5 square miles. It is located along the San Joaquin River and the Sacramento River in the central region of Contra Costa County. The area sees its fair share of commuters as many of them take State Route 4 and Interstate 680 to get to work and school. With many drivers on the road comes the risk for motor vehicle collisions resulting in significant harm and damages. In the wake of a car accident in Contra Costa County, hiring the best personal injury attorney from Martinez may make all the difference in the outcome of your civil case.

If you suffered injuries in a recent car accident, you need an experienced Martinez personal injury lawyer in your corner to protect your rights and interests. Get started today and receive free, friendly case advice from one of our attorneys at (925) 428-5220 or (800) 404-5400.

A motor vehicle crash may impact all aspects of life for an injured party from traumatic injuries and mounting medical expenses to lost wages and emotional trauma. After being injured in a car wreck caused by another party or entity, the unfortunate reality is that the insurance company will not always be fair when it comes to a settlement for a bodily injury claim. When you have been injured in a traffic collision in Martinez or elsewhere in Contra Costa County, our law firm is here for you. We have been representing injured parties throughout California since 1982 and would be honored to put our experience and knowledge to work for you and your case. Contact us today to set up a free consultation with one of our experienced personal injury attorneys from Martinez, CA today.

The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) provides valuable data on motor vehicle collisions and research on traffic safety. A 2019 report by OTS revealed that there was a total of 68 total injury and fatal collisions in the city of Martinez. Of these crashes, it was determined that alcohol was involved in nine of them followed by hit-and-run drivers with eight and speeding with five.

The experience of getting into a car accident is beyond property damage as it may result in emotional, physical, and financial hardship for all parties involved. When the crash was the result of someone else’s negligence, an injured party may be entitled to financial compensation through a personal injury claim. Such cases are intended to make a claimant whole again through the recovery of economic damages and non-economic damages. The process usually involves bringing a bodily injury claim with the insurance company representing the at-fault party for resulting losses.

Economic damages are a representation of financial losses stemming from the incident and associated injuries. These may include past and future expenses for medical treatment, lost wages, and loss of future earnings. Out-of-pocket costs may also be considered in cases where claimants with a permanent disability from the accident require accommodations through medical appliances and wheelchair accessibility for their homes and vehicles.

Non-economic damages are a reflection of intangible harms resulting from accident-related injuries. These may include emotional trauma, lost enjoyment of life, and pain and suffering. In cases where scarring and disfigurement have occurred and are directly related to the incident in question, claimants may seek the recovery of the costs associated with plastic surgery to revise the trauma, scar removal treatment, reconstructive surgery, prosthetics, and rehabilitation. The value of non-economic damages for injuries suffered in a motor vehicle accident may vary from case to case depending on the facts and circumstances involved.

To understand a car accident claim, it is essential to understand how personal injury claims are calculated. Several factors must be considered when an insurance adjuster assigned to the claim reviews accident-related injuries and associated damages. Some factors that may have an influence on the overall value of a claim may include the severity of the injury, whether the claimant shared fault for the incident, and if there are any limitations imposed on the plaintiff's lifestyle because of a serious injury.

Insurance companies usually evaluate bodily injury claims with the use of computer programs such as Colossus. These programs may be utilized for the wrong reasons by insurers, including reducing the amount they pay out on claims to protect their bottom line. Hiring the best car accident lawyer in Martinez, CA, is essential when navigating the artificial intelligence landscape. An injury attorney will work diligently to devise strategies that are geared toward obtaining a favorable result when dealing with difficult insurance companies.

According to a 2019 report on uninsured motorists by state released by the Insurance Information Institute (III), it was revealed that California was ranked as the tenth state in the country with the highest percentage of uninsured motorists with 16.6 percent.

The minimum coverage required by the state of California is $15,000 for bodily injury or death to one party, $30,000 for bodily injury or death to more than one individual, and $5,000 for property damage. The purpose of state minimum liability coverage is to ensure that drivers meet the legal criteria when it comes to operating motor vehicles on public roads and paying for damages incurred when they are found at fault in a traffic collision.

The reasons for so many uninsured drivers in the golden state may include some not having insurance policies while others with plans may have lapsed in coverage for failure to maintain payments. In any of these situations, it is essential to understand how uninsured and underinsured motorist protection may be utilized to help fully cover or supplement damages incurred. The reason behind this is that UM and UIM coverage may protect you and your passengers in the event of a motor vehicle accident caused by the negligence of another party with insufficient or no liability coverage. What is great about UM and UIM coverage is that it may also extend protection in the event of an insured member suffering injuries in an accident as a cyclist and pedestrian or a traffic collision caused by a hit-and-run driver.

Uninsured motorist coverage may come into play to protect an insured if they were injured in a crash caused by another party that does not carry liability coverage. Conversely, underinsured motorist coverage provides additional protection when an insured has suffered significant damages in a collision caused by a party who has insufficient liability coverage. When working toward a resolution of a first-party insurance claim, the process is not always straightforward as the insurance carrier may not always be willing to do what is right and fairly compensate an injured party for the undue harm they have endured. That is why it is essential to work with the best Martinez personal injury lawyer that will protect your rights and interests throughout the claims process. For information on how to find the best accident attorney to handle your civil case, watch this video.

A personal injury case is subject to a strict filing deadline known as the statute of limitations. For most cases, there is a two-year statute of limitations as outlined in the California Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1. It is essential to note that the time limit may be reduced to as little as six months if a case involves a government entity. In this situation, a notice of claim must be filed within 180 days from the date of the incident. Other filing criteria and deadlines must be met in accordance with California Government Code Section 911.2.

Building a strong injury case for financial compensation requires a great deal of time and effort. The longer you wait to contact an experienced Martinez car accident lawyer to discuss your case, the less time you will have to collect and preserve the evidence necessary in proving your claim before it is lost or destroyed. That is why it is crucial to retain legal counsel immediately after a traffic collision to ensure that all filing deadlines are met in your case accordingly.

After getting into a motor vehicle collision, insurers will not always have your best interests at heart when it comes to financial compensation. While it may appear that you are owed financial recovery following a crash caused by someone else’s negligence, insurance companies may disagree. That is why it is essential to work with an injury lawyer with extensive experience and knowledge in California personal injury law early in the process. Experience matters when it comes to a civil case, and our legal team have over three decades of it. Our law firm attributes our history of successful verdicts and settlements to our knowledge, skills, and resources.

At AutoAccident.com, we understand how challenging it may be to deal with the aftermath of a traffic collision that has completely disrupted your life. That is why we are here to help you through the process. Give us a call today to arrange a meeting with one of our experienced Martinez personal injury attorneys to discuss your case at (925) 428-5220 or (800) 404-5400. Our legal team is available anytime to meet with you and provide free, friendly advice on how to move forward in your unique situation. We handle cases under a contingency fee basis meaning that attorney’s fees will only be due if we obtain a successful outcome on your behalf.

Editor's Note: This page has been updated for accuracy and relevancy [cha 8.3.22]

Photo Source: By "Joey Kyber" via Pexels

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