Have you or a loved one recently been hurt in a car accident in Walnut Creek, CA? Contact The Herman Firm for assistance, call us at 925-532-1977. You may be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, loss of income, and emotional distress. Our experienced Walnut Creek car accident lawyers will fight to maximize your financial recovery.
Since 2014, our law firm has been a leader in personal injury litigation in the Bay area. We’ve helped injured crash victims and their families win millions of dollars in life-changing settlements and jury awards.
Make The Herman Firm your first call when you need to level the playing field against tough insurance companies. We offer a free case evaluation and are available around the clock to provide the help you need.
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How The Herman Firm Can Help After a Car Crash in Walnut Creek, CA
Getting compensation after a car accident can be more challenging than it needs to be. Even if you have a seemingly straightforward case, insurance companies will probably fight to limit how much money they pay.
Statistically speaking, you’re more likely to win your case and maximize your recovery if you hire a Walnut Creek personal injury lawyer to represent you.
But it’s not just about hiring just any attorney. You need a car accident attorney who will be caring and compassionate to your needs but who’s also a tough, aggressive litigator in the courtroom.
When you choose The Herman Firm, you’ll get the best of both worlds.
We give you the time to focus on recovering and handle every aspect of your case for you:
- Investigate the circumstances surrounding your auto accident
- Determine why it happened and who’s at fault
- Bring in leading car accident injury experts and specialists as we review evidence, build your case, and determine what your car accident case is worth
- Defend you if and when other parties attempt to blame you for the crash
- Negotiate to get you the best possible terms in a settlement agreement
- Have an experienced trial attorney argue your case passionately before a Contra Costa County jury
Our law office works on a contingency fee basis, which means there’s no upfront cost to hire us after a car accident in Walnut Creek, California. You only pay if we win your case – end of story. Get in touch to arrange a time for your free consultation and learn more.
How Common Are Car Accidents in Walnut Creek?
On average, there’s about one car accident a day in Walnut Creek, California. According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, at least 301 people sustained injuries or died in Walnut Creek traffic accidents in 2019.
This reflects a significant increase from the years prior. In 2018, the city saw 289 collisions. In 2017, there were just 268 auto accidents.
That’s a more than 12 percent rise in motor vehicle accidents in a very short period of time.
What Causes Most Car Accidents in Walnut Creek, CA?
Most car accidents that happen in Walnut Creek and surrounding areas in Contra Costa County can be avoided. When they do occur, it’s typically because someone is negligent.
Negligence means that a person is responsible for exercising a reasonable level of care but doesn’t. As a result, they create a situation that causes someone else to get hurt.
Some prime examples of negligence and top causes of car accidents include:
- Distracted driving, including texting and driving, conversing with passengers, eating, or daydreaming
- Drunk driving
- Driving while fatigued
- Speeding
- Road rage
- Attempting to beat a red or yellow light at an intersection
- Unsafe turns or lane changes
- Ignoring state or local traffic laws
- Vehicle malfunction due to inadequate maintenance
- Failure to yield the right of way when merging
- Tailgating (following too closely)
- Driving in vehicle blind spots
In some cases, drivers can exercise all necessary care and still get into accidents. This might be due to defective airbags or faulty brakes, hazardous weather conditions, or road defects and hazards.
Our car accident lawyers in Walnut Creek will investigate your accident carefully to identify every possible cause of your collision. This will help us determine who’s at fault and potentially protect your right to financial compensation if others start to say that you’re to blame. The more we know about why your car accident happened, the better prepared we’ll be to maximize your recovery.
I’m Getting Blamed For My Car Accident in California – What Does That Mean For My Injury Claim?
Victim blaming is a common strategy in most car accident injury cases. Under California’s pure comparative negligence law, a victim’s damages will be reduced if they share responsibility for their wreck.
For example, if you’re 50 percent at fault your financial award will be cut in half.
So, other parties (especially insurance companies) will try to push as much of the blame onto you as they can. The more fault you’re assigned, the less they’ll have to pay.
It’s important to be prepared for these types of tactics. If you do nothing, you could watch well-deserved compensation disappear. The Herman Firm anticipates these strategies and will have evidence to dispute them. If you share some of the blame, we’ll work hard to limit how much fault is assigned to you.
What’s My Car Accident Case Worth?
There are dozens of factors that can be relevant in determining the value of your car accident injury case.
- What are your present out-of-pocket costs and medical bills?
- What kind of financial losses will you experience as a result of your car crash?
- How have you been affected by the trauma of being in a collision?
- Do you share responsibility for the wreck?
- Did the accident aggravate any pre-existing medical conditions?
However, according to the National Safety Council, one factor is most telling: the extent of your car accident injuries.
The organization determined that, in 2020, the average comprehensive cost of a car accident resulting in a “possible” injury was roughly $160,000. For an accident causing an “evident” injury, the average cost was $345,000. When victims sustained “disabling” injuries, the average cost exceeded $1.25 Million.
Of course, the severity of your injuries is intimately related to other factors – like costs and suffering. But to get a ballpark idea of what your case might be worth, you’ll need to consider the types of injuries you’ve suffered and what kind of long-term impact they’ll have on your life.
Keep in mind that every situation is different. So is every crash victim. It’s critical to discuss the specifics of your accident and injuries with an experienced car accident lawyer near you in Walnut Creek. The Herman Firm can help. Give our law office a call to arrange a time for your initial case evaluation now.
What Damages Can Be Awarded to Walnut Creek Crash Victims?
Under California law, car accident victims can recover money for their financial losses (economic damages) and pain and suffering (non-economic damages).
This can include compensation for your:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages and income
- Disability
- Mental anguish
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Reduced earning capacity
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Depression and anxiety
- Rehabilitation
- Nursing assistance
If there’s clear evidence that you were hurt because of another’s intentionally harmful or reckless conduct, then punitive damages may also be available to you.
We Represent All Injured Car Accident Victims in Walnut Creek, California
Whether you’re in a head-on collision, rear-end crash, or rollover, the force and impact of a car accident can cause catastrophic injuries and suffering.
The Herman Firm is here to fight for clients who, as a result of being in a car wreck, have sustained:
- Broken bones
- Injuries to the eyes and face
- Injuries to the fingers, hands, and arms
- Concussion
- Traumatic brain injury
- Whiplash
- Neck injury
- Back injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Paralysis
- Knee and leg injury
- Nerve damage
- Chest injury
- Crushing injury
- Degloving injury
- Amputation
- Wrongful death, and more.
Do not hesitate to seek medical care immediately after a car accident in Walnut Creek. Getting to the hospital can limit the chances of complications and ensure that you get all the necessary care.
Additionally, your visit will generate an important piece of evidence: a time-stamped record of your injuries. This will be critical in establishing a causal link between the crash and your trauma, which will be necessary to win your personal injury case.
What’s the Statute of Limitations For Car Accident Lawsuits in California?
The standard statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits in California is two years. Once two years go by, you’ll forfeit the opportunity to file a claim and recover the compensation you deserve.
While there are some situations when the timeframe will be different, these are the exceptions rather than the rule. Don’t risk it. Call our personal injury and wrongful death attorneys for help immediately to preserve your rights.
Arrange a Free Consultation With an Experienced Walnut Creek Car Accident Lawyer
Have you been injured or lost a family member in a car crash in Walnut Creek, CA? Contact The Herman Firm to discuss your legal rights and options for financial recovery. Our Walnut Creek car accident lawyers will help you stand up to insurance companies and at-fault parties, working hard to get you full compensation for your suffering.
Our law office provides a free initial case evaluation to crash victims, so don’t hesitate to reach out to our legal team to schedule yours today.
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