Arcadia Car Accident Lawyer

Arcadia Car Accident Attorney

A car accident can be a life-changing experience for everyone involved in Arcadia, CA. While many car accidents result in little more than vehicle damage and can be resolved through auto insurance, others are far more damaging and result in catastrophic injuries. In California, proving fault for an accident is an essential first step toward recovery, but every car accident victim will face different challenges in their efforts to recover from their damages as fully as possible.

Helping Car Accident Victims Recover in Arcadia, CA

If you or a family member is suffering from injuries and financial losses from a recent accident that another driver caused, an Arcadia car accident attorney is an essential asset if you want to recover as fully as possible. The team at the Law Offices of Carl D. Barnes has more than 40 years of personal injury experience that we can apply to your case. Our firm has helped many past clients recover from all kinds of car accidents, and we know the many legal challenges you could face in the aftermath of such an incident.

Time is a crucial concern for anyone who intends to pursue compensation for a recent car accident. Your recovery is likely to require an auto insurance claim followed by a personal injury suit if the at-fault driver’s insurance cannot fully compensate you for your damages. You have a limited time in which to file your insurance claim, and you must also meet the state’s statute of limitations when it comes to filing your personal injury case. The sooner you connect with an Arcadia car accident attorney you can trust, the more likely you are to meet these deadlines and maximize your total compensation.

How to Prove Liability for Your Recent Auto Accident in Arcadia

The fault rule applies to all vehicle accidents in the state. This means it is essential to prove the exact cause of your accident before you can recover any compensation for the losses you sustained. A few of the most commonly reported causes of accidents that lead to civil claims for damages in Arcadia include:

• Distracted driving. You may need to prove another driver was inattentive behind the wheel when they caused your car accident. This may require obtaining their cell phone records, and your attorney might seek copies of traffic camera recordings to support your case. Distracted driving is the top-reported cause of all vehicle crashes each year.
• Drivers who disregard posted speed limits put themselves and others at risk of serious injury. Not only does speeding increase the chances of an accident happening in the first place, but it will also increase the severity of the resulting damages. Excessive speeding may also lead to a reckless driving charge against the at-fault driver.
• Traffic violations. Running red lights and stop signs, performing illegal turns, or failing to yield the right-of-way to other drivers where necessary are all common examples of traffic violations that can cause serious accidents. Traffic camera footage and eyewitness testimony can be invaluable for establishing liability for this type of accident in Arcadia.
• Driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs. It is illegal for any driver to operate a vehicle while intoxicated by drugs or alcohol. The penalties for DUI can include a heavy fine, loss of driving privileges, and jail time, and these penalties are likely to increase significantly when the DUI driver has injured or killed someone with their actions.
• Vehicle malfunctions. Drivers have a duty of care to address known problems with their vehicles as soon as they become aware of them. Failure to do so could lead to liability for an accident if the vehicle malfunctions in any way that causes a crash. It is also possible for a vehicle defect to implicate the manufacturer as liable for the accident, or liability may fall to a mechanic who performed faulty maintenance on the vehicle.

Determining the cause of your accident is the first challenge you face in recovering your damages. Your Arcadia car accident attorney can assist you with gathering the evidence you need to prove fault and build the foundation of your case while you focus on your medical needs. Once you have identified the driver responsible for causing your accident, you can proceed with claiming compensation for the losses they inflicted.

Recovering From Car Accidents in Arcadia

Your recovery process is likely to start with an auto insurance claim against the driver who caused your accident, followed by a personal injury claim if their insurance alone cannot fully compensate you for your losses. You have a limited time in which to report your intent to file a claim to the at-fault driver’s insurance company, and any delays could jeopardize your ability to recover compensation.

Having an Arcadia car accident attorney assist you with the insurance claim filing process will streamline this aspect of your recovery significantly. Your legal team can ensure you receive fair treatment and a reasonable settlement offer. Once you recover as much as you can through insurance, you can proceed with filing a personal injury claim against the at-fault driver to recover the losses their insurance can’t repay.

California law allows you to seek various types of compensation in your personal injury suit. If you suffered any long-term or permanent injuries from the incident, the total value of your claim may be much more than you expected. Your Arcadia car accident attorney is the most effective asset you have for maximizing your recovery. With their help, you could potentially recover the total of your economic damages along with a sizeable amount of compensation for the pain and suffering you experienced. When you choose the Law Offices of Carl D. Barnes to represent your car accident claim in Arcadia, our goal is to help you recover as much compensation as the law allows for your damages.

FAQs About Arcadia, CA Car Accident Law

What Happens if You Are at Fault in a Car Crash?

The state’s fault rule for car accidents means that a driver who causes an accident absorbs liability for all resulting damages. Their auto insurance may pay for the damages they caused, and they could face a personal injury suit if their insurance cannot completely cover the victim’s damages. It is also possible for drivers to share fault under the pure comparative fault rule. Each party is assigned a fault percentage to indicate their level of liability, and if a plaintiff in a car accident case shares fault, their fault percentage is deducted from their case award.

How Much Is My Car Accident Claim Worth in Arcadia?

If you can prove that another driver directly caused your recent car accident, you can seek compensation for all the economic damages they inflicted, and you may seek compensation for the pain and suffering they caused. An experienced Arcadia car accident attorney can assist their client with accurately calculating all their claimable financial losses and determine a suitable amount of pain and suffering compensation to include with their claim.

How Long Does a Car Accident Settlement Take?

The time your car accident case requires to complete largely depends on whether the at-fault driver accepts liability and agrees to settlement negotiations. If they do, it is possible to complete your claim within a few weeks. If they refuse to settle or deny liability, a trial will be necessary, and this will take much longer. Your Arcadia car accident attorney can estimate the time your claim is likely to require to reach a conclusion and help streamline these proceedings in whatever way they can.

Do I Need to Hire an Arcadia Car Accident Attorney?

Technically, you can handle your case on your own. There is no law requiring you to hire legal counsel for a car accident case. However, you are not only more likely to win your case but also more likely to maximize your total compensation if you have an attorney’s help. Your attorney can assist you with the insurance claim process and build a more effective personal injury claim on your behalf. They could also uncover compensation that you would not have known to claim on your own.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire an Arcadia Car Accident Attorney?

When you are already struggling with the economic impact of an accident, it’s natural to worry about the potential cost of your legal fees when you intend to pursue compensation from the at-fault driver. When you choose the Law Offices of Carl D. Barnes to represent you, there are no fees unless we win your case. With our contingency fee policy, you only pay a fee after we secure compensation for your damages, and your fee is a percentage of your total case award.

It’s important to reach out to legal counsel you can trust as soon as possible after another driver has injured you in an accident. The sooner you speak with an Arcadia car accident attorney, the more time they have to build a compelling case and help maximize your compensation. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Carl D. Barnes have the professional resources and experience necessary to handle the toughest car accident claims in the Arcadia area. We can help you navigate the insurance claim process and hold an at-fault driver fully accountable with a personal injury suit if necessary. Contact us today and schedule your free consultation with an Arcadia car accident attorney.