San Diego Car Accident Lawyer

San Diego Car Accident Lawyer

If you’ve been injured in a car accident San Diego, CA, then contact Mission Personal Injury Lawyers at (619) 777-5555. You may be entitled to compensation, and our experienced San Diego car accident lawyers can help you maximize your financial recovery.

Money won’t guarantee that life gets back to normal, but it can make a world of difference while you try to get back on your feet.

We have recovered millions for injured victims of car accidents, San Diego motorcycle injuriesSan Diego truck accident injuriesslip and fall caseswrongful death claims in San Diegobrain injury cases, and more. Our results speak for themselves. 

Contact our law firm in San Diego to discuss your legal options. Your consultation with our team is free. We’re always available to take your call – 24/7.

How a Car Accident Attorney at Mission Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After an Accident in San Diego, CA

Why You Should Call An Attorney After an Accident in San Diego, CA?

If you want to recover compensation – and maximize your settlement or award – it’s smart to have an experienced San Diego personal injury lawyer fighting for you. Getting the money you deserve after an accident isn’t as easy as it should be. Other parties will try to blame you. Insurance companies will be diligent in searching for a reason to deny or devalue your claim. 

Our law firm has a 99% success rate for the cases we handle. Since 2010, we’ve recovered millions in settlements and verdicts for accident victims just like you. We’re a family-run law firm with 43 years of combined experience.

Our lawyers have been recognized as SuperLawyers, have achieved an AV-Preeminent Rating with Martindale-Hubbell, and have over 80 5-star reviews on Google.

We know how much is at stake, and we’re ready to fight for you by:

  • Carefully investigate the circumstances that led to and surrounded your traffic accident 
  • Consulting with leading specialists as we strategize, build, and value your case
  • Step in to protect you if insurance companies try to pressure you into accepting a lowball settlement offer
  • Limiting the effectiveness of any arguments that you share fault for the accident
  • Negotiating with adjusters so that you receive offers that reflect the full value of your injuries and
  • Having our accomplished trial attorneys represent you in court if settlement negotiations don’t pan out.

If you were injured or a loved one member was killed in an accident, give us a call to learn more. Our attorneys are ready to help you get the best possible outcome after your unexpected incident.

Why Should I Hire a San Diego Car Accident Lawyer?

Why Should I Hire a San Diego Car Accident Lawyer? - 2515 Camino del Rio South Suite 130 San Diego, CA 92108

Hiring a lawyer increases your chances of receiving the compensation you deserve.

After an accident, you’ll most likely be dealing with the at-fault party’s insurance company. Insurance companies have a team of lawyers whose only goal is to minimize the money you receive after an accident. Having an experienced attorney on your side levels the playing field.

Most car accident lawyers offer a free initial consultation, so there’s no risk in scheduling an appointment to discuss your collision. Minor auto accidents can still cause injuries and property damage, and an attorney can advise you of your course of action if the other driver was at fault. There’s no obligation to have an attorney if you decide that legal action is unnecessary.

How Much Will it Cost to Hire a Car Accident Attorney?

Most car accident attorneys work on a contingency fee basis.

This indicates:

  • There are no upfront costs associated with our legal representation.
  • We assume all monetary risks associated with litigating your case.
  • You only pay us if we win your case – meaning we negotiate a settlement or win a verdict at trial.

When your accident attorney wins your case, they will get a percentage of your net award. It’s that simple.

What’s My San Diego Car Accident Case Worth?

What’s My San Diego Car Accident Case Worth?

It really depends on how serious your injuries are. According to the National Safety Council, the average comprehensive value of a car accident in 2019 ranged anywhere from $155,000 to $11,148,000.

The more serious your injuries, the higher the value your case will probably be.

Of course, there are a lot of aspects that can affect the value of your case, including:

  • Whether your damages interferes with your ability to work – temporarily or permanently
  • How the accident and resulting damage affect you emotionally, and
  • The extent to which your property is damaged in the wreck.

You can increase the odds of getting a full financial recovery by having an experienced attorney represent you.

How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Case in San Diego? (California Statute of Limitations)

How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Case in San Diego? (California Statute of Limitations)

California has a strict two-year statute of limitations that applies to most car accident lawsuits. So, there’s a good chance that you’ll have two years from the date of your accident to pursue a civil lawsuit against those responsible. 

You may have more time to act if your injuries aren’t evident right away. You’ll have less time to act if you suspect a government agency is accountable. 

One thing is certain: you will forfeit the opportunity to retrieve compensation if you miss the deadline that applies to your particular case.

That’s a great reason to get in touch with our team as soon as you can after you get hurt.

Can I Get Money If I Was Partly At Fault For My Car Accident?

Yes. In California, you can recover compensation if you are partially at fault for an accident. California has pure comparative fault rules. If a judge or jury finds that you share fault for your accident, they will reduce your compensation to account for your percentage of blame.

For example, suppose you have $100,000 dollars after a car accident caused by a distracted driver. Suppose a court finds that you were 30% responsible for your accident because you were speeding before the collision. In this case, you would only be able to recover $70,000 (70%) of your damages.

An experienced attorney can help you determine whether you might share liability for your car accident. Your lawyer can also work to protect you from unfounded accusations that you share fault for a crash.

Will My Car Accident Case Go to Trial?

Over 95% of car accident cases are settled before trial. Insurance companies and other defendants often prefer to avoid trial due to the costs of litigation and the unpredictability of a jury decision.

However, there are situations where you should consider pursuing your claim in court, such as:

  • If the insurance company denies your injury claim and refuses to offer a settlement
  • If the insurance company declines to pay you the full value of your damages
  • If the insurance company blames you for the accident

In these scenarios, you may need to prove your case before a judge or jury to recover all of your damages. Also, by initiating a lawsuit, you put pressure on the insurance company to settle.

What Should I Do After a Car Crash?

Protect yourself and preserve your ability to recover compensation by taking these steps:

  • Stay at the scene – but move to a safe position, if possible, to the side of the road
  • Exchange information about your insurance company, but don’t apologize – don’t admit fault on record, either
  • Call the police immediately – you’ll want an officer to conduct a preliminary investigation and create an accident report
  • Get medical attention – seek medical care as soon as you can to ensure that your physical injuries are treated and documented
  • Don’t provide a recorded statement – insurance adjusters often try to get you to say something to weaken your case
  • Direct all conversations to your lawyer – the best thing would be to have an attorney represent you and take care of every part of the claim on your behalf

If you have accident injuries because of someone else’s negligence, contact our law firm as you have the chance after your accident.

What Causes Most Car Wrecks in San Diego?

Negligence is the leading cause of accidents. Negligence means that someone had a responsibility to act in a particular way, but failed to do so. And, in consequence, someone else got harmed. 

Some frequent causes are:

In order to prove negligence, you must show that another party owed you a duty of care, breached it, and caused you harm. 

Types of Car Accidents We Handle

Our team has experience handling all kinds of car accident cases, including:

Contact our car accident attorneys if you were recently involved in an accident. Our lawyers know what to do and will do our best to maximize your compensation.

What Compensation Is Available If I’m Hurt in a Car Accident?

What Compensation Is Available If I’m Injured in an Auto Accident in San Diego?

Motor-vehicle accident victims are commonly entitled to seek compensatory damages. These are divided into two categories: economic and non-economic.

In limited instances, punitive damages might be available, too.

Economic Damages:

Economic damages are paid to make you financially whole again after an unexpected accident. In other words, the money you’re awarded is intended to compensate for the verifiable costs, losses, and expenses that result from a wreck.

Examples include:

  • Present and future medical bills
  • Rehabilitation and therapy
  • Loss of wages and income
  • Disability
  • Funeral, burial, and/or cremation expenses if an accident is fatal

This type is objective – meaning that there’s a way to establish what they’re worth and the amount you will recover. However, since damages can account for future losses, it is still important to have an attorney help you navigate the valuation process.

Non-Economic Damages:

Non-economic damages are intended to compensate for these hard-to-value injuries. 

Examples include:

  • Emotional distress
  • Mental anguish
  • PTSD
  • Depression
  • Disfigurement and scarring
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Loss of consortium

This category is almost always subject to disagreement. Insurance companies will try to play down the pain and suffering you’ve experienced. You should have a group of experts in your corner, including medical professionals, vocational specialists, and others, supporting your claims that you’ve suffered. Taking the time to really document and verify your injuries will help you maximize your recovery.

Punitive Damages:

Punitive damages are intended to punish the defendant – the person responsible for your injuries – for what they’ve done. However, these awards are limited for situations where punishment is really warranted. California requires clear and convincing evidence of malice.

In the context of car accident claims, punitive damages most often apply when a driver was under the influence or knowingly left the scene of an accident after causing serious injuries or fatality. 

Who Could Be Liable For My Car Accident Injuries?

Potentially liable parties could include:

When you have an accident attorney, they will carefully investigate your accident to determine why it happened and who’s to blame. You can trust that we will be on your side during these difficult times and will work to secure maximum compensation from all responsible parties.

Common Injuries Suffered in Car Accidents

If you have sustained severe and catastrophic injuries after a car accident caused by a careless driver, you can seek compensation for:

When a pedestrian or a bicyclist is involved, the injuries are often catastrophic. When an accident is fatal, our San Diego wrongful death lawyers are here to help grieving family members, too.

How Common are Auto Accidents in San Diego?

How Common are Car Accidents in San Diego?

According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, San Diego is considered relatively safe when compared with other cities in the state that have a similar population. Nonetheless, there are still high numbers of injury-causing and fatal crashes in the area on a yearly basis. 

Detailed crash statistics are available through the California Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS) managed by the University of California at Berkeley. The latest data for the City of San Diego are as follows:

  • 2022: 5,519 fatal and injury-causing accidents
  • 2021: 5,624 fatal and injury-causing accidents
  • 2020: 4,446 fatal and injury-causing accidents

Driving under the influence (DUI) is a serious concern throughout the country, and San Diego is no exception. Based on SWITRS statistics, alcohol played a role in over 1,000 injury-causing and fatal accidents in San Diego in 2022. 

Distracted driving is also a major reason these accidents occur in San Diego, contributing to more than 600 crashes in 2022 and an average of around 750 annually over the past five years.
You can read more about motor vehicle accident statistics in San Diego here.

Car Accident Fatalities

The figures above describe both fatal and injury-causing accidents. Regarding fatalities in particular, San Diego has experienced the following numbers in recent years:

  • 2022: 122 fatalities
  • 2021: 119 fatalities
  • 2020: 108 fatalities

This means that there is a fatality due to a motor vehicle accident in San Diego roughly every 3 days, on average.

What Are the Most Dangerous Roads and Intersections in San Diego?

According to data, these are the intersections that are considered the most dangerous roads and intersections in San Diego because of their high number of accidents:

  • Clairemont Mesa Blvd & Convoy St (6)
  • Convoy St & Engineer Rd (5)
  • 10th Avenue & E St (4)
  • 11th St & A St (3)
  • 15th St & F St (3)
  • 15 St & Market St (3)
  • 16th St & Commercial St (3)
  • 16th St & Logan Avenue (3)
  • 30th St & University Avenue (3)
  • 36th St & El Cajon Blvd (3)

Other notoriously high-risk stretches of a road include Market St and 6th Ave, Interstate 5, and Interstate 8.

California Accident Laws

Is California a No-Fault Insurance State?

Is California a No-Fault Insurance State?

No, California has fault-based rules when it comes to car insurance. This indicates that the insurance company that covers the party at-fault is on the hook for resulting damages. 

After an accident that’s not your fault, you’ll be filing an insurance claim with another driver’s provider. 

Uninsured Motorists in California

While California has strict requirements about what minimum car insurance coverage must be purchased to drive a vehicle, not everyone follows the rules. In fact, it’s estimated that one out of every five drivers is uninsured or underinsured.

If you get into an accident with an uninsured driver, it doesn’t mean you can’t recover damages. It just indicates that things get a bit more complicated. 

In these situations, you might be able to file a:

  • Claim with your own insurance company, especially if you opted to buy uninsured motorist coverage (UMC/UIM)
  • Lawsuit directly against the at-fault driver
  • Lawsuit against other negligent parties, such as a government agency, property owner, or vehicle manufacturer.

If you were injured in an accident on the job, you may even qualify to recover workers’ compensation benefits through your employer. 

How Can I Obtain a Copy of My Car Accident Report in San Diego County?

Here are a few different ways you can get your car accident report. You can click here to view the relevant webpage on the City’s website. From there, you’ll click on the “Traffic Collision or Accident Reports” heading.

Clicking this heading will expand the menu, which describes the four ways to retrieve your document. The first is an online method through LexisNexis eCrash. The second is to call the City at the appropriate phone number. You can also get it via a mail-in request.

Frequently Asked Questions About Car Accidents

Should I Call the Police After a Car Accident?

If your accident resulted in injuries or fatality, you’re required to call 911 under the law.

The SDPD typically only responds to accidents involving injuries. Accordingly, you should call the SDPD if the driver fled the accident scene or if anyone was injured or killed. If the accident occurred on a California freeway, you should communicate the accident to the CHP.

If a law enforcement officer isn’t dispatched to the scene of the accident, you may be directed to the nearest police station to submit a report. You must also report the accident to the DMV within ten days.

Even if your accident didn’t involve any type of harm, it’s always wise to call the police. In some circumstances, the dispatcher may send an officer anyway, and you’ll ensure that you’re meeting your legal reporting requirements.

When Should I Hire a Lawyer for a Car Accident?

When to hire a car accident attorney is a frequent question. You should contact an attorney as soon as possible after your car accident. Insurance adjusters will try to make quick, inadequate offers to settle the claim as quickly as possible. Additionally, California’s statute of limitations is only two years. This may seem plenty of time, but if you need to submit a lawsuit, it takes time to gather evidence and build a case. Click the following to get more info on when to hire a car accident lawyer.

What Is the Average Settlement for a Car Accident?

Every car accident claim is different – with unique causes, victims, injuries, and defendants. Some claimants may receive a few thousand dollars, while others receive millions.

The average settlement is around $20,000 to $30,000, but you could get more or less depending on the severity of your injuries and how they affect your quality of life. During your free evaluation, we’ll talk over your collision and give you a better idea of what you can foresee to recover for your claim.

How Long Will it Take to Resolve My Car Accident Case?

The length of time it will take to settle your case is highly fact-specific. However, a few factors could impact your case’s timeline.

Is the other party willing to negotiate a fair settlement agreement? Most cases settle before trial, but sometimes a trial is the best course of action for maximizing your compensation. Cases that reach trial will take much longer to resolve than cases that do not.

How much evidence is readily available? If there is sufficient, clear-cut evidence to prove your case, your case could resolve more quickly. This is because your bargaining power will be stronger with the other side, and we might not have to go through the discovery process.

Keep in mind that some cases go to the courtroom but do not fully progress to the trial stage. For instance, the discovery could unearth sufficient evidence such that the other person decides to agree on a fair settlement.

Other factors include how many parties are involved in the case and whether an insurance company is involved.

Schedule a Free Consultation With Our San Diego Car Accident Attorneys

Schedule a Free Consultation With Our San Diego Car Accident Attorneys Near You

Have you been injured in an auto accident? Call Mission Personal Injury Lawyers for immediate legal assistance. Our San Diego car accident attorneys are ready to help you fight for the money you need to cover the money spent on your medical bills, make up for lost income, and for non-economic losses. 

Our law firm has proven results with settlements for our clients and litigation cases. We have experience with all practice areas, so contact us today to get started. We are happy to respond to your legal questions.

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