Car Accidents
Car Accidents
Motor vehicle collisions are a leading source of serious injury and death in the San Francisco Bay Area. Even though they occur every day, a car accident can change the lives of those involved in an instant. An injury can create significant financial pressures from medical costs and wage gaps from missed work. In cases involving serious or catastrophic injury, victims may be left with temporary or permanent disability and even lose their ability to earn income altogether.
The unfortunate truth is that dealing with the aftermath of a car accident is confusing and difficult, even if your injuries are relatively minor. However, you don’t have to go through this trying time alone.
If you or a loved one have sustained injuries from a Bay Area accident, call an award-winning San Francisco Bay Area car accident attorney at Mastrangelo Law Office. Our attorneys can ease your burden and build a case to secure the best possible outcome while you focus on your health, your family, and your life.
With numerous multimillion-dollar awards for our clients, victims of negligence, you can trust our legal team to fight for your maximum compensation. Call (925) 258-0500 today for a free and confidential case evaluation.
Do I Need a Car Accident Attorney?
Often, those involved in car accidents ask the question, do I need an attorney? The simple answer to this is, yes. If you were involved in any motor vehicle collision, it is in your best interests to speak to an attorney as soon as possible. This is critical if you have suffered a serious or catastrophic injury, but also important in cases involving relatively minor or moderate injuries. Why? Insurance companies are built to pay out as little as possible in car accident claims.
Almost immediately, they will begin to build a case against injured claimants in an attempt to devalue your claim or deny it entirely. They may contact you and ask you to give a recorded statement or minimize your injuries in the first few days after the accident. However, many injuries, such as nerve damage or soft tissue injuries, do not manifest themselves for days or weeks. What feels like an ache or pain may become a serious or chronic issue that requires extensive treatment.
How We Can Help
Dealing with insurance companies and building a case to maximize the compensation that you need requires the help of an experienced attorney. At Mastrangelo Law Office, we have had more success helping seriously injured people than any other Northern California firm.
We understand that being injured in a car accident, regardless of the severity, can drastically impact your life. We also understand how important each case is to the lives of our clients. Injured clients only get one chance to recover the compensation that may need to last their entire lives. If their lawyer does not fully understand their injuries, how they have affected their lives, and what they will need moving forward, they may end up with a settlement that is woefully inadequate.
That’s why you need to be represented by respected and experienced San Francisco car accident attorneys after an accident. We have been helping people injured in automobile, truck, and motorcycle accidents for more than 60 years. We build every case as if it will go to trial. We know the issues that arise. We know how the insurance companies may approach the case. We have dealt with doctors, bill collectors, claims people, auto insurance adjusters, and lien holders. We have the experience and the staff to handle every aspect of your case.
When our car accident attorneys take your case, we immediately begin the process of investigation and evidence collection to secure and preserve evidence. We work with skilled engineers specializing in accident reconstruction, auto engineering and design experts, retired police officers, and professional investigators. We have the resources and experience to prove your case.
Our goal is to ensure that you receive full and fair monetary compensation for your injuries.
Examples Of Successful Representation In Vehicle Collision Cases
At Mastrangelo Law Office, we have a demonstrated track record of success in motor vehicle collision cases. All in all, we have recovered over $1 billion for injured clients, including:
– Successful settlement for a client injured in a rear-end collision
– Multimillion-dollar verdict for a pedestrian struck by a vehicle
– Record-setting award for victims of a high-speed collision
Get Experienced Legal Guidance in the San Francisco Bay Area
We work to protect your financial interests. At the end of each case, we want all of our clients to be happy with the representation they received and satisfied with the settlement they accept. If the responsible insurance company will not make a reasonable offer, we have the resources, skill, and experience to file a lawsuit on your behalf and litigate your claim, and if we still cannot settle your case, we will take it to trial. At Mastrangelo Law Office, our car accident lawyers have helped thousands of people like you recover the money you have lost, as well as compensation for what you have gone through.
Common Types of Car Accidents in the San Francisco Bay Area
A motor vehicle collision can happen in a number of ways and as a result of a wide range of behaviors and situations. This can include defective auto parts, dangerous roadway design, or road and weather conditions. However, human factors such as driver error or inattention are the cause of most car accidents in San Francisco and throughout the United States. According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, these are the most common human causes of collisions in the city of San Francisco:
– Inattention
– Carelessness
– Drunk driving
– Speeding
– Cell phone/other device use
– Talking to passengers
– Eating/drinking while driving
– Drowsy driving
– Disobeying roadway rules
These behaviors or choices can lead to all manner of collisions and drivers of both passenger and commercial vehicles can make them. Common types of accidents include:
– Car v. motorcycle accidents
– Uber, Lyft and Taxi accidents
– Accidents involving semi-trucks
– Delivery truck accidents involving FedEx, UPS, and Amazon delivery services
– Rear-end collisions
– Left-turn collisions
– Head-on collisions
– Bicycle v. car accidents
– Accidents caused by uninsured/underinsured motorists
– Accidents caused by defective roadway design
– Accidents caused by automobile brake, steering, and other defects
Unfortunately, vulnerable road users like pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists become involved in hundreds of car accidents every year in the Bay Area. The odds of catastrophic and fatal injuries are higher in victims of these crashes. Even a low-speed rear-end collision can launch a motorcyclist from his/her bike or catastrophically injure a pedestrian. It is every driver’s duty to pay attention to the road and follow local laws to prevent collisions.
Common Injuries in Car Accidents
Car accidents are unique in that they can cause injury to virtually any part of the body. The terrible reality of car accidents is that three separate collisions occur in each one. The first collision is when the vehicle strikes another object. In this collision, the vehicle absorbs kinetic energy and helps to somewhat protect the people within the car. The second is the human collision, in which the passengers inside the vehicle strike an outside force (i.e., the steering column, seatbelt, or airbag) and stop the movement they had before the accident. In human collisions, injuries such as broken bones, fractures, and lacerations can occur.
In the third collision, the internal collision, the body’s organs move toward the point of impact until they encounter other elements within the body, such as other organs or bones. The exterior body may appear unharmed, but organs such as the brain, heart, and lungs may have sustained an injury in the third impact. This is how many traumatic brain injuries occur, in which the brain strikes the inside of the skull and begins to bleed or swell. Here’s an overview of the most common car accident injuries:
Head and brain injuries:
Skull fractures in human collisions may not cause brain damage, but injuries such as concussions, blunt force trauma, and penetration injuries can affect the brain. Hematomas (bleeding in the brain) and swelling can occur, leading to temporary or permanent brain damage.
Back injuries:
The fragile spinal cord can sustain major damage in an accident, leading to lifelong back pain or even paralysis. If the spinal cord suffers an incomplete injury, the victim could experience a partial loss of movement and feeling. A complete spinal cord injury can leave a victim paralyzed below the level of the injury.
– Neck injuries: Whiplash is one of the most common neck injuries in rear-end collisions. Whiplash occurs when an accident causes the neck’s muscles, nerves, tendons, and discs to bend forcibly forward and backward. Fractures of the top two spinal cord vertebrae, C1 and C2, can lead to the most severe type of spinal cord injury, wherein the victim suffers full paralysis. These fractures are often fatal.
– Chest injuries: In a major impact to the chest, a car accident victim can sustain broken ribs and a condition known as flail chest. This is a life-threatening injury in which a portion of the rib cage breaks off and separates from the rest of the chest wall. Victims can also suffer traumatic cardiac arrest in an accident or collapsed lungs.
Other common car accident injuries include broken bones and ligament damage. These injuries can lead to temporary disability and missed time at work, as well as some lifelong effects. Torn ligaments or slipped discs can cause chronic pain and may require surgery to alleviate symptoms. Many car accident injuries are fatal, resulting in wrongful death. If a loved one passed away in a car accident, consult with one of our attorneys. Our San Francisco car accident lawyer cares about each of our clients and wants to help you pursue justice for a life cut short.
Legal Responsibility in San Francisco Car Accident Cases
California uses an at-fault system for insurance claims. This means that if a driver is found to be at fault for a collision, they are responsible for compensating the other party or parties for their losses (in most
cases, through their insurance company). If you were injured in an accident due to the other driver’s negligence or willful actions, you will be able to hold the responsible driver accountable for the harm they have caused.
Fault and Liability
The San Francisco car accident attorneys at Mastrangelo Law Office will investigate the details of your car accident and work to hold the liable party accountable. There are four elements to proving negligence:
1. Duty of Care: All drivers have a duty to exercise reasonable care and follow the law when operating their vehicles.
2. Breach of Duty: A driver’s negligent or intentional behavior caused a breach of their duty of care.
3. Causation: The negligent party’s actions led to the crash.
4. Damages: You sustained injuries or losses as a result of the crash.
Economic and Non-Economic Damages
Car accidents often result in property damage and injuries, both of which can require a significant amount of time and money to address. In legal terms, the amount of money needed to cover these issues is known as “damages,” and they can be economic or non-economic.
Economic damages include:
– Medical expenses: emergency room visits, hospitalization, surgery, therapy, medication, etc.
– Future medical expenses for your ongoing care.
– Lost wages.
– Lost earning capacity.
Non-economic damages may include:
– Pain and suffering.
– Mental anguish.
– Loss of enjoyment of life.
How a San Francisco Bay Area Car Accident Lawyer Can Help
Car accidents can lead to expensive medical bills and time lost from work. If your injury was caused by a negligent driver, a car accident lawyer can work with you to pursue the compensation you deserve. At Mastrangelo Law Office, we understand how traumatic and stressful these situations can be. Our team of experienced attorneys will take the time to listen to your story, answer your questions, and guide you through the entire legal process.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, don’t hesitate to contact Mastrangelo Law Office. Our team of skilled San Francisco car accident lawyers is dedicated to helping accident victims and their families seek justice. Call (925) 258-0500 today for a free and confidential consultation. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means you won’t pay us unless we win your case.