If you have been a victim of a car accident in California, you should consider the process that follows to obtain compensation and you will need to know that this will depend on several factors related to the accident and the car accident attorney in California that you decide to hire.
After any type of car accident in California, drivers have certain obligations at the time of reporting the crash. In this article we will discuss the details of these rules and help you learn about options and some California laws that can have a major impact on your case.
First of all, it is important that you contact via phone or WhatsApp with Conexión Legal so that you receive free advice from an experienced car accident attorney who can explain the steps to follow depending on the condition of your case.
According to the California Vehicle Code, the driver of any vehicle involved or their representative, must file a written report of the collision with the California Highway Patrol or the Police Department of the city where the accident occurred mainly if the collision caused injuries or the death of a person. It is important to mention that if a law enforcement officer attends the scene of your accident, the officer will prepare a written report of the collision on behalf of the agency. In that situation, you do not need to file your own written report. Any driver involved in a car accident in California must report the collision to the California DMV within the first 10 days after the accident only if:
- A person involved in the accident was injured regardless of severity.
- A person died in the accident.
- The collision caused damage to property (vehicle or real estate) for more than $1,000.
If your car accident was minor and did not reach the level of a "reportable accident" in California, you should report it to your car insurance company just to ensure that it will provide coverage for the accident in case you need it.
What is the Statute of Limitations for Car Accidents in California?
A Statute of Limitations is a law that sets a deadline on your right to file a lawsuit. If you let the deadline pass and try to file a claim for a car accident, you have a great possibility that the California court system will dismiss your case, unless some rare exception applies to extend the deadline.
In most situations, if you file a lawsuit for injuries suffered in a car accident, you have two years from the date of the collision to start your case in the California court system. In case your lawsuit is only related to vehicle damage, you have three years to take legal action.
If you turn out to have partial responsibility for fault in causing a car accident, the state laws differ significantly on how this affects your claim.
In California, you can recover compensation from any other at-fault party, regardless of the degree of your own fault; however, this compensation will be reduced by the percentage of your fault.
Regardless of what your case is and even if you are unaware of it, it is essential to have the necessary information about your options and which will be the best course of action after a car accident in California, for this you must have the free advice of a car accident attorney from Conexión Legal.
We have the most qualified professionals ready to respond immediately as you need. Get in touch with us via WhatsApp or by phone and be represented legally in an effective and transparent manner.
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