After a car accident, there are many unexpected chores you’ll need to take care of, especially if you were not at fault. Every state has different laws on how to navigate an accident and ensure the victims are compensated for the resulting injuries, loss, and hardship.
Understanding these statutes helps you know your rights and pursue the justice you deserve. Consulting a car accident attorney when you’ve been in a crash will also help you avoid legal errors that might cost you your compensation.
In legalese, a statute of limitations refers to the time limit within which you’re required to file a claim or any other type of personal injury lawsuit.
For a car accident in California, you have two years from when the incident happened or your injuries were discovered. If the crash causes a wrongful death later, the period will start from the date of death instead. However, if the party at fault is a government employee or agency, you have six months to send a notice that you intend to file a claim.
Filing a lawsuit after this period has elapsed might cost you your compensation, so it’s recommended to start the process with an attorney as soon as possible.
Negligence laws determine the party responsible for damages resulting from an accident. California is a pure comparative negligence state.
This means you’ll seek compensation from the person that caused the crash. However, if you’re found to bear some of the fault as well, your compensation will be reduced by the percent of fault you are assigned. Your lawyer can help protect your compensation by defending any accusation of fault.
California’s accident laws require you to report an accident to law enforcement in case there’s an injury or wrongful death. When the police come to the scene, they’ll file the report on your behalf and all you need to do is obtain it later for your lawyer to use as evidence.
Sometimes you’ll need to file a report to the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) as well if there were injuries, a fatality, or property damages exceeding $1,000.
Auto insurance plays a big role in car accidents. When filing a lawsuit, you’ll be doing so against the other party’s insurance company.
The state of California requires drivers to carry a certain minimum amount for liability insurance to cover things like bodily injuries, death, and property damage caused by an accident. Other coverage, like personal injury protection (PIP, are not compulsory but will come in handy in case of a crash with an uninsured or underinsured driver.
Each car accident is unique, and navigating a claim for one might not be as straightforward as the next. There are laws you need to understand, time limits to meet, notices to send, and so on.
Allow a car accident lawyer in California to offer their legal support and expertise as you focus on recovering from the injuries. Call Kohan & Bablove LLP at 1-844-404-2400 to schedule your free consultation or head over to their website to get more information.
Kohan & Bablove Injury Attorneys is a Personal Injury Law Firm serving Riverside and Orange County, California. Our Injury and Accident Lawyers provide passionate, aggressive and client-focused legal services to individuals who have been injured; whether that be in the form of physical injury, emotional distress or work-related injury. Time may be limited to file a claim so visit so call today 844-404-2400.... View full business profile here: Kohan & Bablove Injury Attorneys
