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 2013, The Herman Firm has recovered more than $25 million for injured people across the Bay Area. Michael Herman handles each case himself and is ready to take it to trial when an insurer will not pay fairly.
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.
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.
Insurance companies have adjusters and defense lawyers whose job is to keep payouts low. Having your own lawyer evens out that fight.
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.
Where Car Accidents Happen in Walnut Creek
Walnut Creek sits where I-680 and Highway 24 meet, so freeway commuters, shoppers, and BART riders all share the same few miles of road. Many of the crashes we handle start at the I-680 and Highway 24 interchange, along Ygnacio Valley Road and Treat Boulevard, or on North Main Street near downtown and Broadway Plaza.
Surface street crashes are usually handled by the Walnut Creek Police Department, while CHP investigates freeway collisions. Seriously injured people are typically taken to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, the trauma center for Contra Costa County.
Because we are based in Walnut Creek, we know these roads, the local police reports, and the Contra Costa County Superior Court in Martinez where injury lawsuits from the city are filed.
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?
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.
Car Crash Results for Our Clients
Insurers often call a crash “minor” to justify a low offer. These results show what careful medical proof can do:
- $1.87 million for a spine injury in a truck crash where the defense claimed a minor impact and no emergency services were called
- $375,000 after a minor impact crash that led to outpatient spine surgery
- $200,000 in a crash with no visible property damage, where defense experts said the impact was only 4 mph
Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. See all of our case results.
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.
If a city, the county, Caltrans, or a transit agency like County Connection or BART is involved, you usually must file a written government claim within six months. Read our guide to California injury deadlines, or call us so you do not miss either deadline.
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.
Walnut Creek Car Accident Lawyer Review
