San Francisco Car Accident Lawyer

Every car accident is a shocking experience. Besides sustaining physical injuries, it's easy to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and face other emotional health problems. While recovering from your injuries, the medical bills can be mounting quickly.

You may be entitled to compensation if you've been injured in a car accident due to someone else's negligence.

At Dolman Law Group, Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, an experienced car accident attorney from San Francisco, CA, can help you get the money you deserve.

For your free consultation, please call us or fill out a quick contact form on our website.

Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA: Why Choose Our Team

The legal team at Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, has been helping car accident victims recover fair compensation for many years.

Our recent settlements included:

• $5 million after a car crash that involved burn injuries
• $1,875,000 after a car accident that involved disputed liability
• $1,580,000 after a car crash that resulted in a severe back injury

We aim to achieve the best possible outcome for each client and never back down from a challenge.

The dedication to the San Francisco community coupled with decades of legal experience allow our car accident attorneys to handle complex personal injury cases and:

• Conduct an in-depth investigation of the accident and its circumstances
• Speak to eyewitnesses and obtain valuable testimony
• Collect all relevant evidence to back your case
• File all relevant documents on time and according to the local requirements
• Create a solid argument to prove the at-fault party's negligence
• Negotiate with the insurance company to achieve a fair settlement
• Represent you in court (if necessary)

By choosing to work with our team, you are delegating all legal action to the professionals and maximizing your chances of receiving a fair settlement.

Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, works with local counsel in any jurisdiction outside Florida to file lawsuits in jurisdictions where we are not licensed. Thus, we will follow each state's ethical rules to ensure a local attorney is involved.

How Much Is My Case Worth?

The damages you can recover after a car accident depends on several factors. With an attorney's assistance, you can maximize the figure by providing all the necessary evidence and demonstrating the other party's negligence.

Economic Damages

Economic damages are expenses related to your recovery after the accident.

They can include:

• Medical treatment
• Surgery
• Rehabilitation therapy
• Property damages
• Assistance at home (if your injuries prevent you from doing everyday tasks, such as grocery shopping)
• Lost wages
• Home-based health assistance
• Long-term care

You must provide relevant receipts, reports, photos, videos, and other evidence to back your right to these damages. When you work with an attorney, they can help you gather evidence from the accident scene, obtain a police report, speak to witnesses, and much more.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages (pain and suffering) can make up much of your settlement. These damages are related to the physical and emotional distress you experience after the accident.

Some examples include:

• PTSD
• Stress
• Pain
• Loss of consortium
• Loss of quality of life
• Disfigurement
• Scarring

Since some of these damages can't be backed by tangible evidence, your attorney may need to hire an expert witness. Expert witnesses are professionals (usually doctors) who can testify to the extent of your pain and suffering.

Meanwhile, you can provide evidence, such as personal journals describing your condition, photos of your injuries, and other proof that the accident affected your quality of life.

The insurance company or the court considers the strength of this evidence and decides on how much money to award.

Punitive Damages

The court may award punitive damages if your personal injury case warrants filing a lawsuit against the at-fault party. Punitive damages punish the defendant for outrageous behavior, such as extremely reckless driving or driving under the influence (DUI).

If the judge or jury decides to award punitive damages, you can receive additional money.

After collecting all the evidence and completing an investigation, a car accident attorney from Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, can determine the compensation you must request from the insurance company and the at-fault party. Overall, your compensation depends on the quality of evidence, the extent of your injuries, and your attorney's expertise.

Car Accidents in San Francisco, CA

Most traffic-related injuries in San Francisco occur on:

• Market Street (especially at the intersection with 5th Street)
• Mission Street (especially dangerous at the intersection with 13th Street)

Tenderloin and SoMa are the most hazardous neighborhoods for pedestrians. Despite the city's efforts, the number of pedestrian fatalities in San Francisco, CA, remained steady over the years.

A car accident attorney can evaluate your situation and explain how to proceed to recover damages.

Know the Statute of Limitations

After getting injured in a car accident, many people focus on their health and lose track of time. They mistakenly believe that legal action can wait. In reality, the state limits your time for filing a lawsuit; in California, this limit is two years.

While some exceptions to the statute of limitation exist, it's not reasonable to wait. With time, it becomes harder and harder to collect evidence. Witness memories fade, nearby businesses erase camera footage, and at-fault parties relocate to other states or countries.

By contacting an attorney as soon after the accident, you are making it easier to build a strong case and request maximum compensation. With time, the chances of recovering a fair amount of damages can decrease.

Common Causes of Car Accidents in San Francisco, CA

Car accidents in San Francisco happen for several reasons.

The most common causes are related to the negligent behavior of the traffic participants.

• Speeding - Exceeding the speed limit is one of California's top causes of car accidents with injuries. Speeding creates a greater potential for vehicle control loss and reduces the effectiveness of seat belts and other safety equipment.
• Distracted driving - Drivers talking on the phone, eating, changing radio channels, and speaking to passengers don't pay sufficient attention to the road and cause severe accidents.
• Driving under the influence - Drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs have a slow reaction and don't pay sufficient attention to the road. Over a quarter of fatalities on California roads are related to DUI accidents.
• Poor weather - slippery roads and poor visibility contribute to the likelihood of car accidents.
• Obstacles on the road - Debris, potholes, dropped cargo, and other obstacles- could cause the driver to swerve and hit another vehicle or roll over. In such cases, it may be possible to file a lawsuit against government entities responsible for road maintenance.
• Drowsy driving - When drivers don't rest before getting behind the wheel, they lose concentration on the road. This is a common issue with truck drivers exceeding permitted working hours.

Reckless drivers and pedestrians on the road maximize car accident chances. In San Francisco, serious accidents don't just happen on highways. Many people sustain severe injuries in crashes at dangerous intersections and local city streets.

It's imperative to identify the cause of the crash to seek compensation for your damages after a car accident. Then your attorney can collect relevant evidence and start proving the at-fault party's negligence.

Proving negligence is key to recovering compensation for your damages. To do that, a car accident lawyer would have to show that the at-fault party breached the legal duty of care to you and demonstrate that this breach caused you to sustain injuries.

Injuries in Car Accidents

Injuries you can sustain in a car accident can vary in severity, and some heal quickly, while others may require long-term rehabilitation.

Severe car crashes often lead to permanent injuries and disabilities.

• Whiplash
• Fractures
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spine injuries
• Burns
• Internal injuries
• Bruises
• Loss of limbs
• Heart attack
• PTSD

You may recover past, current, and future medical expenses. If you need long-term treatment, the at-fault party can be required to compensate you for it.

You must provide relevant evidence to prove that you need medical assistance, at-home care, or other help during your recovery. In some cases, your attorney can help you hire an expert witness. This witness can testify about your need for continuous treatment and estimate how long you may need to continue getting medical assistance.

Some injuries may not seem severe at first but will be serious in the future. That's why you need to seek medical assistance as soon as possible. Once the doctor sets up a course of treatment, you need to follow it closely. Otherwise, the at-fault party may argue that you are avoiding treatment because your injuries aren't as severe as you claim.  

Negotiating With the Insurance Company

When you file a claim with the at-fault party's insurance company and ask for a specific amount, you initiate negotiations. Insurance companies review your evidence and arguments, investigate the accidents, read the police report, and decide how much they are ready to pay you.

The first counteroffer is always low. Accepting it means losing your chance to obtain fair compensation. Asking for more is part of the negotiation process, which can be frustrating, emotional, and stressful.

Contrary to a common misconception, the insurance company's goal isn't to help you cover your damages. It's to earn money. Paying compensation means losing money. Accordingly, insurance adjusters try hard to minimize the settlement.

They can use all types of arguments, including false ones, to talk you into accepting a lower amount. You will only achieve a fair outcome with an attorney in your corner.  

By working with a car accident attorney, you delegate all communications with the insurance company to professionals.

At Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, we have a team of experienced negotiators who know how to fight for the money you deserve.

What to Do After a Car Accident

While you are focusing on recovering from your injuries, you can contribute to building a solid case against the at-fault party by:

• Hiring an attorney - An attorney can handle all legal aspects of your claim while giving you time to heal.
• Collecting evidence - You must hold on to all medical records, photos, videos, and other evidence of your injuries and damages. An attorney can consult you about evidence collection and help you with the process.
• Getting treatment - Your goal after the accident is to heal. Anything related to the legal aspects of your case can be delegated to a car accident attorney.

The best thing you can do after a car accident is to speak to a lawyer as soon as possible. The longer you delay legal action, the harder it becomes to build a strong case.

Contact Experienced Car Accident Attorneys in San Francisco, CA Today

You could recover compensation if you sustained injuries due to someone else's negligence in a car crash. Your chances of recovering fair damages depend on the experience and expertise of your car accident attorney.  

At Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, we can handle all aspects of your personal injury case and fight for the money you deserve. For your free consultation, please contact us at any convenient time at 833-552-7274 (833-55-CRASH).