Choosing the right car accident attorney can be crucial in getting back to your life as quickly as possible after a car accident, regardless of your financial situation. Our San Jose car accident lawyers at Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos, we know that you should not have to pay for expenses from an accident that was not your fault, and our team is here to help you get the compensation you deserve.
- Why Choose Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos
- Types of Damages We Can Help You Recover
- Where Do Car Accidents Happen in San Jose?
- What to Expect When Filing a San Jose Car Accident Claim
- Frequently Asked Questions About Car Accident Claims in San Jose
- San Jose Car Accident Laws
- Choose Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos for the Best Car Accident Lawyer in San Jose
- San Jose Office
Why Choose Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos
At Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos, we have earned millions of dollars in settlements for residents of San Jose, San Mateo, and the surrounding areas. Our extensive experience helping clients manage the aftermath of car accidents and other San Jose personal injury lawsuits has honed our ability to efficiently work with insurance companies and get you the funds you deserve.
We have a strong track record of substantially increasing damages beyond what insurance companies initially offered, and we provide a free consultation to each prospective client to go over the details of your accident and let you know how we anticipate helping you before you commit to filing a claim.
Types of Damages We Can Help You Recover
We can seek to obtain compensation in several categories from the other driver’s insurance company for you.
Medical Bills
Your medical bills will frequently create the most significant financial concern following a car accident. However, it is important to be aware that you are likely to have medical bills due before you receive any settlement money, especially if your car accident was severe enough to lead to a long claim process, which means that you will likely need to cover these payments in another way in the meantime temporarily.
Your insurance may cover some or all of your medical bills upfront, but you will generally need to reimburse your insurance company once you receive your settlement. Other common options include Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage or obtaining a personal loan from your bank.
The other driver’s insurance company will want an estimate of the total amount you will need to cover your medical bills that are as accurate as possible before releasing any funds. You are unlikely to receive any money immediately because immediate and long-term medical needs will need to be considered. Your doctor will need to compile an in-depth list of your injuries, the types of treatment you will need, and what your full treatment is expected to cost.
Lost Income
Many car accidents result in having to take at least some time off of work, and this lost income can significantly impact being able to cover rent, food, and other basic needs for many people. Most people that lose wages as a direct result of a car accident that another person was responsible for will be able to obtain compensation to assist them with keeping up with various aspects of their lives until they are cleared to return to work. The amount of money that will make up this portion of your settlement is generally directly linked to the amount of time you will not be able to work.
Damaged Property
Although your health comes first, you may also be able to obtain compensation to have your damaged vehicle repaired or replaced. This is especially true if your vehicle is your only means of transportation and you cannot get to work or medical appointments without it.
Although filing a claim for certain types of minor damage, such as small scratches that are easy to fix or may not need to be fixed at all, may not necessarily be worth your time, most types of damage will eventually need to be repaired. As long as you can provide significant evidence that the other driver was at fault, you should not be responsible for paying to repair the damage.
Your insurance may cover vehicle repairs under some circumstances, especially if it is determined that you were at least partially at fault. If this is the case, many car accidents result from errors made by drivers, and you may need funds from both insurance companies.
Not being able to obtain any compensation for damaged property is rare as long as you were diligent about taking photos as soon as the accident occurred, and taking this step is generally worth your time, even if no one was injured.
Quality of Life
Some victims of serious car accidents never completely reach the same level of health, mobility, and ability to enjoy the life they had before the accident. Any ongoing negative changes to your life that are a direct result of your accident may also qualify for financial compensation. Permanent disabilities, chronic pain, and other conditions that make everyday life more difficult or prevent you from enjoying your favorite activities may also qualify for damages.
Where Do Car Accidents Happen in San Jose?
Our San Jose car accident lawyers have handled cases of major injuries resulting in recoveries in excess of $1 million. Our car accident attorneys have the experience to handle complex insurance issues such as injuries caused by uninsured or underinsured drivers, defective auto parts and defective roadways. Our attorneys not only help victims that have been in regular street and roadway accidents, but we also help victims that were in a car accident on any major highway, freeway, or bridge such as:
- 101 – North & South (Bay Shore Freeway)
- 280 – North & South (Junipero Serra Freeway)
- 82 – El Camino Real North & South
- 80 – East & West
- Including the Bay Bridge
- 92 – East & West
- Including San Mateo Bridge Car Accidents
- 84 – East & West
- Including Dumbarton Bridge Car Accidents
- 880 – North & South (Nimitz Freeway)
- 24 – East & West (Grove Shafter Freeway)
- Including the Caldecott Tunnel
- The MacArthur Maze
- 580, 85, 237 and more
What to Expect When Filing a San Jose Car Accident Claim
One of the most important steps in filing a car accident claim is providing sufficient evidence that the other driver was primarily at fault and that you qualify for one or more of the damages mentioned above.
Medical bills, prescription receipts, other information from your doctor that identifies your precise injuries and treatments, photos or videos from the accident, written statements from passengers or other witnesses, documentation of missed work, and other documents can provide a more thorough picture of what happened and why you qualify for the specific types of compensation you are seeking.
We can work through this process for you, providing as much information as possible and submitting all necessary paperwork accurately from the beginning to avoid delays in receiving your settlement. Many less serious accidents can be settled between your and the other driver’s insurance companies, and we are also here to help if a more serious accident needs to go to court to sort out the details.
Frequently Asked Questions About Car Accident Claims in San Jose
Understanding your rights and responsibilities when filing a car accident claim can be challenging, but we are here to help you understand the details.
1. How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Claim?
Residents of San Jose and the rest of California have two years to file a claim following a car accident or other personal injury. This time frame generally starts on the date of the accident, but it can also begin the day an injury linked to the accident is discovered if you do not think you are injured right away. You also have three years to file a property damage claim if you are not injured and are only interested in obtaining compensation to repair or replace your vehicle.
2. When Will I Receive My Settlement?
The amount of time you can expect to pass before receiving your settlement depends on the nature and severity of your car accident. Every accident is different, and a thorough review of what happened will be needed to determine who is responsible for what and how much compensation you qualify for. This can be an especially complicated process in the case of car accidents because one hundred percent of the fault rarely falls on one person, and accurately determining responsibility is an essential step in determining accurate compensation.
Serious car accidents that involve multiple severe injuries can take at least a year to complete the settlement process. Most minor accident claims can be settled relatively quickly, but it is impossible to provide an accurate estimate without knowing the full details of your case.
San Jose Car Accident Laws
San Jose laws surrounding car insurance requirements and what to do after a car accident resemble those in many other areas. Drivers need to ensure that they can cover any damage they may cause and share all relevant information with the necessary parties. Here are some of the most important things to know about your rights and responsibilities following a car accident, especially if you are not the driver that is primarily responsible for the accident.
Exchange Information
San Jose residents must stop and assess the situation immediately following a car accident. This is true regardless of whether you hit a parked car or another driver is present. Both drivers should exchange contact information, vehicle registration, insurance information, and driver’s license details to ensure that any future communication needs are possible, even if neither driver plans to take any further action at the time of a minor accident.
You may not notice all damage immediately, and certain types of injuries may not surface until several days, weeks, or longer. This means that making sure that you will be able to get in touch with the other driver at any time is a must.
If another driver hit your vehicle when you were not present, they must leave a note with this information on your vehicle. You can use this information to contact that person immediately if you choose to do so. Still, it is also a good idea to wait until you have spoken with a car accident lawyer to make an informed decision about the most appropriate next steps. This is particularly true if the damage is severe and you will require significant funds from the other driver’s insurance company to repair or replace the vehicle.
Report Car Accidents If Needed
Any car accidents that involve at least one injury or death need to be reported to the San Jose Police Department or California Highway Department before either driver leaves. This obligation ensures that any next steps that are taken by either driver or any of their passengers are handled properly. You should also take plenty of photos of any damage to either vehicle or any property involved before leaving, even if it seems minor.
Although you are not technically required to immediately report an accident once both drivers have exchanged all necessary information and agreed not to do so if there are no injuries, it is often still a good idea to ensure a detailed written report of what happened is available. Making sure that there is plenty of evidence before you leave the scene can help you if you plan to file a claim to cover damages or if you have yet to decide if you want to do so.
It can also protect you if the other driver attempts to file an unfounded claim against you. Leaving even a minor car accident without as much evidence as possible can make your life much more difficult than it needs to be should you have to defend yourself down the road.
Insurance Requirements
San Jose drivers need sufficient insurance or other means of covering most types of potential financial liability. Your coverage will need to include a minimum of $15,000 for one injured person, $30,000 for two or more injured people, and $5,000 for property damage. However, this minimum policy will only sometimes fully cover severe injuries, so it is always a good idea to select a higher policy if possible. You must also have your insurance information with you whenever you are driving, even if you are not driving your vehicle.
Choose Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos for the Best Car Accident Lawyer in San Jose
At Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos, we are here to help you obtain the maximum compensation you are entitled to make your life easier following a car accident. Although every case is unique, and we cannot guarantee your desired outcome, our team’s extensive experience helping San Jose residents navigate the process of filing a car accident claim makes choosing us an important step in getting your life back. Contact us today to learn more about our San Jose car accident lawyer services or to schedule a free consultation.