Santa Maria Car Accident Attorneys

California certainly sees its fair share of car accidents, with hundreds of thousands reported each year. What the numbers don’t show, however, is the profound impact that these collisions can have on the lives of victims and their loved ones. Our Santa Maria car accident lawyers know how traumatic and expensive the aftermath of a serious crash can be, and we are ready to help you fight for the compensation you need to cover medical bills, lost income, and other damages. One mistake could be all it takes to jeopardize your entire claim. We will help you avoid costly errors and take the necessary steps to ensure your case is as strong as possible before settlement negotiations begin. We will gather evidence, calculate your damages, interview eyewitnesses, and bring in expert witnesses for deposition and testimony of needed. For a free case evaluation, call 1-800-GO-HARRIS. We are available to take your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Car Accident Claims We Handle in Santa Maria

• Collisions caused by distracted drivers
• Accidents caused by poor road conditions
• Drunk driving accidents
• Multi-vehicle pileup accidents
• Tour, public, and other bus accidents
• Collisions caused by defective auto parts
• Scooter and pedestrian accidents
• Truck accidents
• Turo and rideshare vehicle accidents
• Wrongful death car accidents
• Other car accident claims

Why Might the Insurance Company Dispute My Car Accident Claim?

Insurance companies make their profits by bringing in as much revenue as possible through premiums and paying out as little as possible in claims. While there are laws in place that prevent insurance companies from acting in bad faith, there are still many strategies they can employ to deny claims or reduce their value. It’s entirely possible for one mistake or misguided statement to impact the outcome of your claim. In fact, it’s common for car accident victims to make inadvertent errors that lead to disputes regarding liability or the value of damages. Our Santa Maria car accident attorneys can help you avoid critical oversights throughout the proceedings, and we’ll handle all correspondence with the insurer so you don’t provide any harmful statements. Below are a few more reasons why the insurance company might dispute your claim:

• Your Own Negligence Was a Contributing Factor: Were you violating a traffic law at the time of the crash? If so, the insurer might say that your own negligence contributed to the accident. Even if the other party was more at fault than you were, it’s possible that your financial recovery will be reduced if you played a role in causing the accident. One of our Santa Maria car accident lawyers can review the facts of your case to determine if a liability dispute is likely to arise. We can then gather evidence and take the necessary steps to challenge such a dispute. If it’s ultimately determined that your own negligence was a contributing factor, we can take steps to minimize the percentage of fault assigned to you.

• You Failed to Mitigate Your Damages: Even if you played no role in causing the collision, your financial recovery may still be reduced if you fail to mitigate your damages. As a personal injury claimant, you have a duty to take reasonable steps to minimize your healthcare costs, lost income, and other damages. That could mean attending all doctor’s appointments, taking prescribed medications, avoiding strenuous activities, and staying out of work until your doctor says it’s okay to return. The insurance adjuster might review your social media accounts and perhaps even place you under surveillance to find evidence that you’ve failed to mitigate your damages. It’s important that you take your healthcare seriously and follow the instructions of both your medical team and your attorney. Our Santa Maria car accident lawyers can explain the steps you need to take to minimize the likelihood of a dispute regarding a failure to mitigate damages.

• You Posted About Your Case Online: Social media posts are usually admissible as evidence in court. You should expect the insurance adjuster to review your social media accounts for photos, videos, and text posts that bring liability or the severity of your injuries into question. To prevent a dispute, it’s wise to disable your accounts until the conclusion of your case. If you’re unwilling or unable to do so, you should avoid posting about your accident, injury, or case and decline any new connection requests. You should also update your privacy settings so only your connections can view your posts.

Discuss Your Case with a Car Accident Lawyer in Santa Maria: Call 1-800-GO-HARRIS

If you’ve been hurt or lost a family member in a motor vehicle crash, contact Harris Personal Injury Lawyers for advice. We offer free consultations, and you won’t have to pay any attorney’s fees unless we win. Dial 1-800-GO-HARRIS or send a message on our Contact Page to schedule a case review.