When The Mamas & The Papas sang their famous California Dreamin’, they sure weren’t taking into account the roads here. The fatalities in California’s road accidents have been increasing since 2015 (going from 3,387 in 2015 to 3,623 in 2016). In 2018, nearly 36,750 people died in such incidents all over California. In California, most of these deaths involve passenger cars—which is all the more alarming.
With a car accident, of course, the story never ends on the road. There are legal claims to look into, which include multiple factors that many people often forget about.
Two Kinds of Claims
Remember that you’re entitled to your rights when it involves a car accident in which someone else was the negligent party. There are usually three consequences: your car’s damaged (property damage), you are damaged (personal injury), or both. Although property damage claims are tagged under civil cases, if there’s a wrongful death involved, you might also be looking at a criminal case.
Getting Compensated for Your Losses
Whether it’s your car or your person that got damaged, you have a right to compensation. The offending party will have to pay you for damages to your car. If it involves personal injury, they’ll have to pay for your medical bills plus all the damage to your car.
With wrongful deaths, there are additional factors involved: a survival claim for the deceased individual, costs of the burial and funeral, the deceased individual’s lost income, etc. are all to be paid by the negligent party.
Making the Claim
Although pretty much everyone knows that you ought to receive compensation for any damage that’s happened to you, making your case is the real tough nut to crack here. It’s a question of belling the cat, and with the added nuisance of insurance companies, you’re in a bad place if you’re working without a lawyer.
Not only is proving that the other party was the one at fault difficult, but you’ll also have to face insurance companies. Insurance companies are known for their tactics to evade paying up, and can be expected to go to great lengths to bring your case down.
Getting to the Bottom of it
There are no two ways about it: you need a law firm that specializes in car accidents and claim settlements. Often, the case moves toward settlements and negotiations, which for laymen can be a risky situation to undertake on their own. Not only does having an attorney help with the accident claim, but they’re also pros at helping you collect evidence and making your case a solid one.
If you’re looking for such a law firm in Chico, California, pick up your phone and dial 530-332-8110. Ron Marquez Law Corp has a dedicated team for traffic accidents, and is here to help.
