Salinas Car Accident Lawyer
According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, 541 people were injured or killed in auto accidents in Salinas in 2022. The negligent actions of other drivers actually cause many so-called accidents. When drivers act carelessly and cause a motor vehicle accident, they can be held responsible for the medical bills, vehicle damage, and other damages accident victims sustain.
If you were injured in a Salinas car accident, the legal team at the Allen Law Firm can help explain your legal rights and options. We have over 20 years of combined legal experience and have recovered millions of dollars in compensation for clients in personal injury claims. Contact us today for a free injury lawyer consultation.
Why Should I Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?
Car accidents can be confusing and overwhelming events. You may have suffered serious injuries. Rather than treating you with compassion, the insurance adjuster may be waiting at every opportunity to take advantage of you, asking for recorded statements, insisting you sign medical release forms, or trying to pressure you to accept a settlement that does not adequately compensate you for your accident-related losses.
Most people are not experienced negotiators, let alone people who regularly negotiate with insurance companies. They may not understand personal injury law or the long-term impact their personal injuries will have on their life. Insurance companies are highly profitable businesses that will do anything to protect their profit margin. They will not offer you fair compensation unless you make them.
Having a skilled lawyer on your side helps level the playing field. An auto accident attorney can represent you in all interactions related to the insurance company and the automobile accident. They can protect you from insurance company tactics designed to deny or minimize the value of your insurance claim.
What Do Auto Accident Lawyers Do?
A personal injury lawyer can handle and guide all legal aspects of your claim, best positioning it for maximum compensation. When you hire an experienced lawyer, you can trust them to:
- Thoroughly investigate the accident and identify all potentially liable parties
- Thoroughly review evidence, including reading the accident report form, interviewing accident witnesses, photographing the crash scene, and taking your statement
- Compiling information about the full extent of your damages
- Managing accident claims, paperwork, and filing deadlines
- Negotiating for fair compensation on your behalf
- Litigating your case in court, if necessary
If you were injured in a traffic accident in Salinas, Allen Law Firm wants to help. We offer a free, no-obligation consultation in which we can discuss your legal rights and options for financial recovery. If you choose to hire us, we only get paid if we secure compensation on your behalf. Call us today to learn more.
Is California a No-Fault State?
In no-fault states, car accident victims turn to their own insurance for coverage, regardless of fault. The idea is to provide a more straightforward claim process and avoid flooding the court system with cases involving minor accidents.
California is not a no-fault state. It is an at-fault state. Here, a car accident victim files a claim for compensation with the at-fault driver’s liability insurance provider. In 2025, California law changed, increasing the minimum liability insurance to the following amounts:
- $30,000 for bodily injury to one person
- $60,000 for bodily injury per accident
- $15,000 for property damage
These are just the minimum amounts all drivers are required to carry. People can purchase additional insurance. An experienced lawyer can review all relevant insurance policies and explain the coverage that applies.
What Financial Compensation Can I Recover Through a Car Accident Claim?
At-fault drivers are financially liable for the damages they cause. Car accident injuries can have a significant impact on victims’ lives, for which they deserve to be fairly compensated.
At Allen Law Firm, our aggressive auto accident attorneys seek maximum compensation for our clients. We can prepare your claim to pursue compensation for all damages that apply to your case, which may include:
Medical Expenses
Car accident injuries may require intensive medical treatment and ongoing medical care. You may incur medical bills for:
- Emergency room visits
- Surgeries
- Hospital stays
- Specialist visits
- Follow-up care
- Medication
- Rehabilitation
- Medical devices and supplies
A skilled attorney can gather your medical records and work with your healthcare providers to ensure your past bills and future medical needs are considered in your personal injury claim.
Lost Wages
While recovering from your injuries, you may miss substantial time from work. You can pursue compensation for the full extent of these economic losses, including:
- Lost wages
- Lost salaries
- Lost overtime
- Lost bonuses, commissions, and tips
- Used employment benefits
An experienced attorney can help compile information about all the income you lost when you could not work due to your injuries.
Loss of Earning Capacity
Some car accident injuries are so severe that they cause permanent disabilities that make victims unable ever to work again. In other cases, victims may have to transfer to less physically demanding jobs. In these types of cases, you may have a claim for lost or reduced earning capacity. A skilled personal injury attorney can work with economic and vocational experts to establish the difference between your pre- and post-accident earning potential.
Property Damage
Car accident claims can include demands for compensation to pay for vehicle repairs. If the vehicle was totaled, you can ask the insurance company to pay you money to purchase a similar vehicle. An auto accident attorney can also seek compensation for the diminished value of your vehicle and other property damaged in the accident.
Pain and Suffering
Pain and suffering is a form of non-economic damages. This broad term encompasses the following losses:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
An experienced lawyer can ensure that all of your damages – including the less tangible forms – are fully accounted for in your personal injury claim.
Wrongful Death Damages
In the event of fatal accidents, the family may be able to pursue compensation for the losses they suffered, which might include:
- Burial and funeral expenses
- Final medical bills
- Loss of their loved one’s income
- Loss of the value of their loved one’s contributions to the household
- Loss of love and companionship
- Loss of consortium
Punitive Damages
The damages described above are compensatory damages, meaning they are intended to compensate accident victims for the losses they experienced due to the incident. In some cases, such as drunk driving accidents, victims may be able to pursue punitive damages. These damages are meant to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar conduct in the future. However, these damages are only available if you take your case to court and the driver intentionally or recklessly caused the motor vehicle accident.
Common Causes of Car Accidents in Salinas, CA
Car accidents happen frequently in Salinas. Common causes of these crashes include:
- Speeding
- Impaired driving
- Failing to yield the right-of-way
- Disobeying traffic signs
- Distracted driving
- Running red lights or stop signs
- Following too closely
- Failing to check blind spots
Our auto accident lawyers can thoroughly investigate your case to determine how the accident occurred and who is responsible.
What to Do After a Salinas Car Accident
If you are involved in a motor vehicle accident, here are steps you can take to protect your health and legal rights:
Stay at the Accident Scene
Remain at the scene of the accident until police arrive unless you require emergency medical care. Leaving the scene can result in you being charged with a hit and run, a serious criminal offense.
Get to Safety
Move your car to the nearest safe place out of the way of traffic. Activate your hazard lights and, if you have them, put up flares to alert other motorists of the situation.
Call 911
Call 911 and request an ambulance if you or anyone else needs immediate medical assistance. When you report the accident, a law enforcement officer can be dispatched to the scene to complete an official investigation. They can prepare an accident report that may include the following information:
- The exact time and location of the accident
- The names and contact information for all drivers involved and any passengers
- The names of witnesses and their statements
- A diagram of the accident scene
- Road and weather conditions
- Whether a driver was cited for violating a traffic law
When interacting with police, be polite, stick to the facts, and avoid giving opinions about why you think the accident happened.
Exchange Information
Ask the other driver for their name, contact information, driver’s license number, registration number, and insurance information. If any witnesses stopped at the scene, ask for their names and contact information.
Don’t Admit Fault
While obtaining the information you need, keep the conversation brief. Anything you say at the accident scene could be used against you, so be careful about what you say. Do not apologize for the accident or admit fault.
Write Down Accident Details
While your memory is fresh, write down details about the accident, including:
- The date and time
- The direction each vehicle was traveling
- What you noticed immediately before the accident
- The color of any nearby traffic lights
- Any traffic signs you remember seeing
- Roadway conditions
- A description of the other vehicle, including the color, make, model, year, and license plate number
- Anything the other driver said
Document the Accident Scene
Take pictures of the accident from multiple angles. Include shots of the following:
- The accident scene
- Roadway and weather conditions
- Nearby traffic signs or lights
- Any skidmarks on the roadway
- Debris on the roadway
- Your injuries
Seek Medical Attention
If you were not immediately taken to the hospital by ambulance, seek medical care now. Don’t say you were uninjured. You could be suffering shock or a surge of adrenaline that could be masking your symptoms. Seek medical attention so your injuries can be properly diagnosed and documented. Keep all of your medical records to prove your claims.
Report the Crash to the DMV
California law requires drivers to report any crash that involves injury, death, or at least $1,000 of property damage to the DMV within ten days of the accident date. Drivers may also be required to report accidents to their insurance company.
Contact an Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer
Personal injury accidents can be confusing events. You’re dealing with severe injuries. A lawyer can handle the accident claim process while you focus on your injuries. You can trust us to relentlessly pursue maximum compensation from the at-fault party.
Evidence to Establish Fault in a Car Accident
In personal injury cases, plaintiffs are responsible for showing the actions of negligent drivers that establish their right to compensation. An experienced accident attorney may be able to do the following to support your compensation claim:
- Request copies of the law enforcement officer’s accident, car video footage, and body cam footage
- Conduct interviews with witnesses to obtain additional information about how the accident happened
- Obtain surveillance footage from traffic cameras or nearby buildings
- Obtain information from vehicle black boxes
- Subpoena cell phone records if distracted driving is suspected
- Work with accident reconstruction experts who can use scientific data to determine the cause of the crash
This evidence can be compelling and establish the identity of the responsible party.
Common Injuries in Car Accidents
Automotive accidents involve physics that can lead to any number of injuries. Accident victims can be ejected from the vehicle or thrown about the vehicle. They can impact hard surfaces or be struck with broken glass or debris. They can come in contact with hot metallic surfaces. Due to these dangers, car accident victims can suffer catastrophic injuries, including:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Amputations
- Severe burns
- Broken bones
- Whiplash and other soft tissue injuries
If you or a loved one suffered any of these injuries, reach out to a lawyer for legal counsel and representation.
What Is My Car Accident Case Worth?
Every car accident is different, as are the potential damages that can be awarded. Factors that can affect the value of your case can include:
- The nature and severity of your injuries
- Whether your injuries caused permanent harm
- How mental and physical injuries affect your ability to work
- The value of your economic and non-economic damages
- The strength of your evidence against the negligent driver
- Whether you contributed to the accident
The personal injury lawyers at Allen Law Firm are knowledgeable about accident laws and the damages we can request in legal claims. We can work with experts, as necessary, to further support your claim for compensation.
How Much Does a Car Accident Lawyer Cost?
Most personal injury lawyers in Salinas, California work on a contingency-fee basis. This means that you can secure legal representation now without having to pay for it until later.
Because payment for attorneys’ fees is contingent or conditioned upon a successful resolution of your claim, you won’t owe these fees if your lawyer does not secure compensation for your claim. If your attorney does recover compensation, they receive a percentage of the compensation they secured. The percentage is outlined in your retainer agreement.
What If I Was Partially at Fault for the Accident?
In many car accident cases, more than one driver is at fault. If the accident victim is one of these at-fault parties, they can still generally pursue compensation for their accident-related losses so long as anyone else was partially to blame. This is because California is a pure comparative fault state.
However, under this system, your damages are reduced in proportion to your degree of fault. So, if you are found 80% at fault for the accident and suffered $100,000 in damages, your damages are reduced by $80,000 in proportion to your degree of fault. However, you could still pursue compensation for the remaining $20,000 in damages.
What Is California’s Deadline for Filing Motor Vehicle Accident Lawsuits?
The statute of limitation is the time limit you have to take certain legal action. In California, the statute of limitations for most personal injury claims is two years from the accident date. If you don’t file a lawsuit within this timeframe, you can lose your right to recover compensation through the courts.
There are certain times when the deadline is shorter – such as if you are suing a government entity – or longer, such as if the victim is a minor. It’s best to consult with an experienced personal injury attorney to determine the deadline in your case so you can take prompt legal action.
Contact Allen Law Firm for a Free Initial Consultation
If you or a loved one was injured in a car accident in Salinas, an experienced personal injury lawyer from Allen Law Firm can meet with you during a free case review. During this initial consult, we can discuss your legal options for recovering compensation and how we can assist throughout the process. Call us today to get started.