Moorpark, CA Car Accident Lawyer
Auto Accident Lawyers Serving Injury Victims in Moorpark, California
Were you injured in a high-speed car collision on one of the California freeways while commuting to work? Or did you suffer injuries in a motor vehicle collision that happened on a neighborhood street in Moorpark or in a local parking lot? If another party was responsible for the accident that caused your injuries, you deserve to file a claim to seek financial compensation. At Fisher & Talwar, we have years of experience representing plaintiffs in car accident claims and know how devastating a traffic crash can be. Car accident victims frequently sustain injuries that lead to serious disabilities, and working becomes difficult or even impossible. In addition, medical bills begin to pile up while a car crash victim tries to recover from his or her injuries.
You should not have to go through the claims process alone. Although it might seem difficult to turn your attention to a car accident claim when you are dealing with physical pain from your injuries, we want to emphasize how important it is to get started sooner rather than later. An aggressive Moorpark, CA car accident lawyer at our firm can help with your case.
Common Causes of Moorpark, CA Car Accidents
Car crashes happen in Moorpark, CA for many different reasons. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) conducts research on accident causation and lists the following as common reasons for motor vehicle collisions:
- Distracted driving, which may involve texting while driving or even having a conversation with another passenger;
- Impaired driving, which can include alcohol-impaired driving and drugged driving;
- Aggressive driving, which can include behaviors like speeding, tailgating or following too closely, running a red light or stop sign, and refusing to let another driver pass;
- Fatigued driving, or driving a car when you are too tired to focus on the road;
- Vehicle defects, such as brake or airbag defects;
- Poor road conditions, including damaged roadways; and
- Inclement weather.
Even when inclement weather makes driving more dangerous, other motorists can still be responsible for collisions. To be sure, drivers have a duty to exercise care based on the conditions, and motorists must slow down if it is raining very hard or if the conditions are especially windy, for example.
Steps to Take After a Moorpark Car Crash
If you are involved in a car crash, you should take the following steps:
- Document the scene with your smartphone;
- Obtain contact information for anyone involved and for witnesses;
- Contact your insurance company, but never admit fault;
- Seek medical attention as soon as possible; and
- Hire an experienced Moorpark car crash lawyer to assist with your claim.
Seeking Compensation for a Moorpark, CA Auto Accident
California is an at-fault state for auto insurance purposes. Accordingly, under California auto insurance law, most car accident victims will initially seek compensation for their losses by filing an auto insurance claim. Generally speaking, you have two options for filing an auto insurance claim:
- File a first-party claim with your own insurance company; or
- File a third-party claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
Your Moorpark auto accident lawyer can explain how both approaches have pros and cons. With a first-party claim, for example, the injury victim will be responsible for paying his or her deductible upfront. However, the claims process may be faster, and the injury victim may not have to worry about liability limits. In a third-party claim, the injury victim will not be responsible for paying a deductible. However, liability limits can become a problem if injuries are severe or if more than one person was injured in the accident. California only requires drivers to carry a minimum of $15,000 bodily injury coverage for one person in an accident, and a total of $30,000 bodily injury coverage for two or more people in a car crash. As such, if you and several other drivers sustained injuries and you all file a third-party claim, the at-fault driver’s insurance may only be able to provide very limited compensation to each of you.
When an auto insurance claim is not 100 percent effective, you may be eligible to file a car accident lawsuit in Moorpark, CA. In a civil lawsuit for a car accident claim, you will need to be able to prove that the other driver’s negligence caused your injuries. Any photos you took at the scene, as well as witness information, will be particularly useful to your Moorpark car accident lawyers as they build your case to hold the at-fault driver accountable.
Statute of Limitations for a Moorpark Auto Accident Lawsuit
If you need to file a lawsuit, it is essential to pay very close attention to the statute of limitations for a car accident case. Under California law, most personal injury cases have a two-year statute of limitations.
The statute of limitations is the time window in which a plaintiff can file a lawsuit. The “clock” on this time window starts to “tick” on the date of the car accident. There are very few reasons that a personal injury statute of limitations can be paused or “tolled,” so a plaintiff should never expect this. Once the clock “runs out” on the plaintiff’s case, then the claim will become a time-barred lawsuit. When a lawsuit is barred because the clock on the statute of limitations ran out, the plaintiff will not be able to file a car accident lawsuit in a California civil court.
Seek Advice from a Car Accident Lawyer in Moorpark, California
Car accidents happen much too often in Moorpark, California, and innocent drivers and their passengers get hurt simply because another motorist was negligent. As we have explained, negligence can take many forms, from aggressive driving that involves speeding or running a red light to drowsy driving that involves getting behind the wheel without getting enough sleep the previous night. You can hold an at-fault driver accountable, and you can seek the financial compensation you deserve. Our aggressive car accident attorneys in Moorpark, CA are here to help with your case. Contact Fisher & Talwar to speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer today.