Santa Maria Car Accident Lawyer

A sudden wreck is chaotic and disruptive, leaving you with potentially heavy financial losses. When you have been involved in a car accident, whether you have experienced serious injury or a damaged vehicle, the one responsible should have to pay. With the help of an experienced Santa Maria car accident lawyer, you can demand compensation for these losses.

The Text Kevin Accident Attorneys can help you with all the complicated details of a car accident case, from filing to the courtroom. There is no need to fight the legal system alone when you can get experienced, professional help that has won countless cases for our clients. All you have to do is simply reach out to our personal injury team for help.

Santa Maria Car Accident Statistics

In 2021, Santa Maria had 523 car accidents resulting in injury or death, according to the California Office of Traffic Safety. California is a busy state, and our roads are some of the most dangerous for both drivers and pedestrians. Unfortunately, it also means that many drivers are careless.

Of those hundreds of accidents, 77 involved alcohol. Driving under the influence is a crime in addition to a dangerous activity. If the other driver is accused of drunk driving, they may also face criminal penalties.

Another 122 of these accidents involved speed. While many drivers speed, it can be a dangerous factor in an accident. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), it can reduce the ability to steer safely and make it more difficult for other drivers to judge your distance safely.

Which Roads and Intersections in Santa Maria Are the Most Dangerous?

Any road can be dangerous, but some roads account for a higher percentage of the area’s accidents. These accidents may occur due to traffic conditions, visibility, and more. According to the Santa Maria Times, these are the deadliest roads in Santa Maria:

• Highway 101
• The Pacific Coast Highway
• Highway 166
• Highway 135
• Highway 246

These highways have gained some notoriety for the number of deadly accidents on these roads. Unfortunately, many people choose to speed or drink and drive on these roads, endangering the safety of others. Reach out for help if you have been injured on any of these or other roads.

What Should I Do After a Car Accident in Santa Maria?

Getting in a wreck is disorienting even in the best of circumstances, but you need to remain alert if you can. Unless you have been hurt too severely to react, there are a few things you should do after the accident. Following these steps is vital not only for you but for anyone else who may be involved and will help us with our legal case.

Document the Accident Details

As soon as you are sure everyone is alright, make sure you gather as much information as you can. Take pictures, record videos, and get the testimony and information of any witnesses. If you cannot present the facts of the accident, then it will be difficult to argue for compensation.

Keep Records

Hold onto the gathered evidence as best you can, trusting only our team with it. You want as clear and concise a record of events as you can possibly get without tampering from outside parties. This will be especially vital in a courtroom, so you may need to have this record for a long while.

Listen to Your Doctor

Just as you would rely on a lawyer’s advice during this period, it is also essential that you follow all your doctor’s instructions. This is both for your well-being and your case, as the opposition may want to argue that your injuries are not as severe as you claim. You must also take the utmost medical care, keeping up with appointments and treatments.

Notify Your Insurance Provider

As a driver, you legally must have insurance on your vehicle. Everyone involved needs to alert their provider when they have been in an accident as soon as possible. They may wish to investigate the matter as well, meaning you will certainly need the documentation even if there is no lawsuit.

Preserve the Accident Evidence

Any direct evidence of your claim is as important as documentation. No matter how minor, if you believe something can help to prove your claim, you should preserve it. In some cases, a lawyer may be able to receive surveillance footage of the accident, or records from commercial drivers.

Contact a Car Accident Law Firm

California is a state that allows accident victims to seek compensation even if they are at fault under Civil Code 1714. This means that even if you are partially responsible for a car wreck, you can still sue the other parties involved. This is why you should call a lawyer as soon as you can, because the other person may already have.

We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Car Accident Injuries

As common as car accidents are, they can also be devastating. Severe injury and death are not unusual, sometimes even from relatively mild crashes. Being familiar with the possible consequences of these wrecks can help better understand them and how to proceed.

Whiplash and Neck Injuries

The sudden shock of a car accident is dangerous to your neck, a vital and vulnerable part of your body. A violent jolt can seriously damage your spine and often results in whiplash. This causes neck pain and affects your vision, hearing, and mental well-being.

Concussions and Traumatic Brain Injuries

Few injuries carry such long-lasting and drastic consequences as those from trauma to the head. Concussions are a common result of car accidents, as well as a host of other severe brain injuries. A simple knock to the head can lead to pain, impeded mental power, and a lower quality of life.

Broken Bones and Fractures

The impact of a car accident can easily break or fracture your bones, disabling you either temporarily or permanently. Legs, arms, feet, hands, and even ribs are all known to be impacted in an accident, which can cause internal damage on top of the obvious. These injuries are not only painful but also take long periods to heal, hindering your ability to work and live as before.

Spinal Cord Injuries

Your spine is as complex as it is vital, as important as your brain and heart in body function. A spinal cord injury often leaves victims with limited function, often permanently. This can range from nerve damage all the way to permanent loss of leg control.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?

Even if you are confident in your case, you may be intimidated by an attorney’s price tag. You may be hesitant to share your winnings with another party, or maybe you feel you cannot afford one to begin with. While it is true that good legal help does not come cheap, there are some factors that should make this easier on you.

Often, a law firm will offer a free consultation, meaning you can present the details of your claim to an attorney for free and see what they think. It also means you pay nothing until you are ready. That can give you the time and information you need to make your choice.

Many attorneys also work on contingency, meaning that they only receive payment if your case is successful. In a winning situation, you will only pay a percentage of the compensation you receive. Even if you find the price steep, the gain from your settlement will likely far outweigh the cost of winning.

Can I Recover Compensation if I Share Some of the Blame for a Car Accident in Santa Maria?

California employs a system of pure comparative negligence, meaning that the fault of both parties is considered in a car accident case. In Santa Maria, the amount of fault is not limited, meaning that even if one party is 99% at fault, they can still seek compensation. However, the attorneys at The Text Kevin Accident Attorneys work hard to maximize your settlement.

While you will likely not receive as large a settlement as you would if you were not at fault, you can still claim compensation even if you were partially responsible. However, you may be due more. That reduction can hurt your ability to recover.

Fortunately, we can help. Our team offers case-specific support, no matter how much the at-fault party blames you. We work hard to help our clients get the compensation they are due.

Further Reading

• What Happens if You Have No Insurance but the Other Driver Was at Fault?

What Causes Car Accidents in Santa Maria, CA?

Just as you should familiarize yourself with the common consequences of a car accident, you should be mindful of the usual causes. This will help you prevent these accidents, not only in your own driving but also by watching the actions of others. It can also be a vital part of identifying the at-fault party.

Distracted Driving

As the use of smart devices increases, distracted driving is becoming one of the biggest threats on the road. Thousands of people have died in distracted driving accidents in recent years, according to the NHTSA, with lifelong consequences for those who survive. It is absolutely esssential to your safety and that of those around you to always be alert and aware while driving, with your eyes on the road.

Speeding

An integral part of sharing the road is following the posted speed limits, no matter where you are and who is on the road with you. Speeding is dangerous, threatening the driver, every other driver around them, and any pedestrians and property in their path. Depending on the road conditions, a speeding car can be challenging to stop and gives others very little time to react, even when they notice you.

Failure to Yield

Just as you must follow traffic flow and speed limit laws, you must always be mindful of who can yield and when. Disregarding these rules will create a confusing environment that can quickly become chaotic, with many making decisions based on the assumption that you will yield at a specific time. Because of this, if you hit someone because they failed to yield, the fault may still lie with them.

Santa Maria Car Accident FAQs

Contact Our Santa Maria Accident Attorneys Today for Legal Help

The Text Kevin Accident Attorneys is eager to help you with your car accident claim and is dedicated to getting you the maximum possible settlement. Our attorneys are experienced and professional, with countless success stories to pull from. If you have been in a car accident in Santa Maria, California, or simply have questions, contact us now.

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