Car crashes happen every day in the Bay Area and throughout California. Some people do not survive crashes, while others face a long road to recovery from severe injuries. If someone else caused your crash, they should be responsible for your injury-related expenses and losses. However, obtaining compensation in a car accident claim can present more challenges than most people imagine.
If you suffered injuries, you need a California car accident attorney from Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos. Our firm regularly fights for the rights of injury victims, and we handle many car crash cases. Reach out today for more information about how we might help you.
- Choosing the Right Car Accident Law Firm for You
- Car Accidents in California
- Types of Car Accidents
- Costly Injuries From Car Accidents
- Who Can You Hold Liable for a Car Accident in California?
- Compensation for Car Accident Injuries and Losses
- What You Should Do After a Car Accident
- Contact a California Car Accident Attorney Right Away
Choosing the Right Car Accident Law Firm for You
Not every law firm has the resources and experience to take on serious car accident claims. Our legal team represents clients with a wide range of injuries and losses, and we can assess your legal options in a free consultation.
We focus on building strong cases that accurately reflect the needs of our clients and achieve results. We have a combined 75 years of legal experience, and we can handle settlement negotiations or litigation and trial when necessary. We care about successful results for our clients and do whatever it takes to achieve them for every client.
Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos has recovered millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for injured clients, many of whom were in car crashes. We know that insurance companies do whatever possible to minimize settlements, and we know how to fight back.
For example, here are some recoveries we fought for:
- The insurance company offered $300,000 for an accident victim, and our firm obtained $4.5 million.
- An insurer offered $20,000 for a client who ultimately received $1 million.
- A police officer found our client to be 100 percent at fault, but we recovered a $3.7 million settlement in the end.
These are, of course, only some examples of our case results. To learn more about how we’ve helped clients in similar situations to yours, please reach out for a no-cost consultation today.
Car Accidents in California
The Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos team knows that car crashes can happen anywhere and anytime. In a recent year, more than 3,600 people died in traffic accidents across California, and many more suffered injuries. Some leading causes of fatal and serious crashes include alcohol or drug-impaired driving, distracted driving, and teen drivers. Excessive speed is also a factor in nearly one-third of crashes.
Some of California’s deadliest roads are:
- I-15 between exits 129 and 138
- I-80 between exits 8A and 14A
- I-80 between exits 21 and 15
- I-5 between Railyards Boulevard and Del Paso Road
- I-215 between exits 39 and 44B
- I-605 between Firestone Boulevard and exit 5B
- Hwy 74 between Third Street and Melba Avenue
- I-280 between McLaughlin Ave and Meridian Avenue
- Hwy 22 between exits 5 and 10
- Bear Valley Road between Tamarisk Road and Navajo Road
You will find many of them in the Bay Area.
While some car accidents are minor, with very little damage to your vehicle or superficial injuries, others can change the entire course of your life. You might need to seek medical care and can have great financial losses due to an accident, even if your injuries fully heal with time. You might also have to deal with the effects of serious injuries for the rest of your life.
No matter what type of injuries you suffer, contact an attorney immediately if you need medical treatment. Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos fights for compensation for your losses, including medical bills and pain and suffering. Reach out today for assistance.
Types of Car Accidents
A car accident can confuse and stress anyone. An accident can happen in several ways.
Here are a few that our California car accident attorneys are well-versed in handling.
- Rear-end collisions: This accident happens when one car hits another car from behind. Typically, the car in the back will be at fault for this kind of accident, but not always.
- Head-on collisions: This happens when two vehicles traveling in opposite directions collide with one another, front-to-front. The sheer force involved in these accidents can often lead to fatalities. These accidents often mean that one driver was going in the wrong direction.
- Multi-vehicle collision: A pile-up on the highway is a prime example of a multi-vehicle accident—when three or more vehicles crash into each other in a chain reaction. These are very common during adverse weather, as the roads can be hard to navigate, and a vehicle may begin to slide and cause a pile-up.
- T-bone: Many people think this accident is rare, but it is more common than you might expect. This happens when the front of one car collides with the side of another, making a T-shape. This usually happens when a vehicle runs a stop sign or red light and perpendicular traffic cannot stop.
- Clipping: Lane changes are a necessary part of driving, and most drivers take time to check their blind spots before safely moving to a different lane. When a driver fails to check, they might hit a small part of a car in an adjacent lane, and this is one way that clipping accidents happen. While it can sound minor, if they happen on the highway, this can cause a car to spin out of control, land off the highway, and even fall into a ditch.
Regardless of how your accident happened, you will need an experienced team who will fight to get you the justice you deserve. After an accident, always get medical attention and contact a California car accident attorney. Even a fender bender can lead to serious injuries, so never hesitate to discuss your rights with our lawyers to see what compensation you might deserve
Do not hesitate to call our firm because you believe your accident was minor or your injuries don’t seem all that costly. The only way to truly know your accident’s severity is to sit down with an attorney who can evaluate your rights. Our case evaluations are always free with no obligation.
Costly Injuries From Car Accidents
Every car accident is different, and victims can sustain much physical harm.
However, some of the most common injuries sustained in a car accident include:
- Broken bones
- Whiplash
- Sprains, strains, and soft tissue tears
- Amputation
- Back and neck injuries
- Burns
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord trauma
- Lacerations
- Internal injuries
This is not an exhaustive list, as injuries are unpredictable at best.
Most injuries require medical treatment immediately after the accident. Victims might need an ambulance ride, emergency trauma care, surgery, and diagnostic testing. Once you receive a complete diagnosis of your injuries, it is only the beginning of a long road to recovery for many people.
You might receive a treatment plan that requires you to see specialists, undergo physical therapy, take medications, and stay home from work. Your medical bills can add up fast, along with other losses, and you should discuss your right to possible compensation with our firm as soon as possible.
Medical treatment is your immediate priority, then protecting your legal rights comes next. Fortunately, Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos is ready to help.
We will need to consider several factors when evaluating your options, such as:
- How the accident happened
- The injuries that you sustained
- Medical treatment for those injuries
- Who the liable party (or parties) might be
- Whether you had a preexisting condition
If you have a preexisting condition, we will need to show that the accident aggravated this injury and you needed additional medical treatment. A preexisting condition does not exempt you from obtaining compensation but can make it more difficult.
No matter your situation, allow our California car accident attorneys to determine the best course of action.
Who Can You Hold Liable for a Car Accident in California?
One of the most important aspects of a car accident case is determining who was at fault for the accident. Once we identify negligent parties, we can move to hold them liable for their actions.
Many car accidents happen because of the conduct of another driver.
You can hold a driver can at fault for causing an accident if they engaged in:
- Drowsy driving
- Speeding
- Failing to stop
- Road rage
- Distracted driving
- Driving under the influence
- Following too closely
- Making an illegal tun
- Reckless driving
A driver can act negligently on the road and cause accidents in many ways. While you focus on healing, let us investigate the cause of your crash and hold negligent parties accountable for your injuries and damages.
Compensation for Car Accident Injuries and Losses
The California car accident attorneys at Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos will work to obtain compensation for all of your losses.
While losses depend on each situation, some common damages in injury claims include:
- Medical expenses for past and future treatment
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Loss of income
- Property damage
- Emotional trauma
- Pain and suffering
If you tragically lost a close family member in a fatal crash, we can also help you seek compensation for your losses related to the wrongful death.
What You Should Do After a Car Accident
Chances are you have long left the scene of your accident behind. If so, do not worry, as our legal team can take steps to gather evidence, investigate what happened, and build an injury case when appropriate.
One important thing you need to do is get proper medical attention. If you went to the emergency room following the accident, follow your treatment plan. Refrain from any activities the doctors say to avoid, take all your medications, and schedule any necessary procedures or therapy appointments.
Some people with invisible injuries do not seek medical care right away. However, if you feel pain, stiffness, disorientation, or anything else unusual, see a medical professional immediately. Many invisible injuries, like soft tissue damage or concussions, have symptoms that appear in the following days and weeks, and you should get a diagnosis of these injuries as soon as you notice the symptoms, even if you cannot see the injuries. Never assume the problem will subside on its own.
There are a few things you should not do after an accident, including:
- You should also not admit fault or apologize to the other driver, police officers, or anyone else involved.
- If the insurance company contacts you, do not give them detailed information about your accident and injuries, and do not make a recorded statement.
- Do not accept any settlement from an insurance company without the advice of a car accident lawyer.
One critical step after an accident is to contact a California car accident attorney. Once your health is stable enough, you should schedule a free consultation with an attorney from Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos to discuss your case. We will work to determine who the at-fault party is and to hold them accountable for their actions.
Contact a California Car Accident Attorney Right Away
If you or a loved one suffer injuries in a car accident, you need an experienced California personal injury attorney to handle your case. We will fight compassionately and aggressively against insurance companies to obtain the compensation you deserve.
After an accident, do not wait to consult our legal team at Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos. Contact us immediately at (650) 250-0566 to learn how we can protect your legal rights.