Santa Clarita Car Accident Lawyers

Protect the Value of Your Car Accident Claim

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident in or around the Santa Clarita Valley, then you already understand the immense losses that often accompany such events. You are likely facing a number of serious challenges—from physical injuries to vehicle damage to mounting medical bills and mandatory time off work. These losses can place you and your family under serious strain.

Our team of experienced Santa Clarita car accident attorneys can work diligently to recover the compensation you deserve in the wake of a car accident. With over 40 years spent serving the Santa Clarita Valley and the Greater Los Angeles Area, we are ready to help you protect your rights throughout the legal process. In our decades in practice, we have successfully recovered millions of dollars for our clients and, most importantly, have helped them get back on their feet and move forward with their lives. We’re ready to fight for you, too.

Call us at (661) 765-8484 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. We provide legal services in English, Spanish, Russian, Portuguese, and Tagalog.

Types of Motor Vehicle Accidents We Handle

The most common type of car accident occurs when two or more vehicles collide with one another, followed by crashes involving one vehicle and a fixed object.

At the Law Offices of C. Ray Carlson, we represent victims of all types of car and motor vehicle accidents, including but not limited to those involving:

• Rollovers
• Rear-end collisions
• Sideswipe/T-bone crashes
• Multi-vehicle accidents
• Drunk driving accidents
• Crashes with bicyclists or pedestrians
• Buses, semi-trucks, delivery trucks, and other large vehicles
• Train accidents
• Automotive defects
• Uninsured motorists/hit-and-run accidents

One of our experienced Santa Clarita car accident lawyers can determine the cause of the accident, identify who was negligent, and gather all the evidence or testimony needed to make your case as strong as possible. We can also navigate the legal process for you while you are taking time to recover from your injuries. Allow us to handle the various aspects of your case while you focus on healing.

Common Car Accident Injuries

Some of the most common car wreck injuries include:

• Head or back injuries: These are very serious injuries and can lead to issues with vision and hearing, concussions, and even traumatic brain injuries.
• Spinal cord injuries: Car accident-related spinal cord injuries often include things like whiplash, slipped or herniated discs, and nerve damage, as well as paralysis.
• Neck or chest injuries: Whiplash is the most common accident for this area in the body. Collapsed lungs or broken ribs can also occur in high-speed crashes.
• Hands/feet/legs/arms: Such injuries may include broken bones or damage to tendons, muscles, or ligaments, as well as accident amputation.

These and other catastrophic injuries can have serious implications for victims and their loved ones. If the victim’s injuries are disabling, they may never be able to work and earn a living to support themselves or their families again. In any cases, treatment for car accident injuries is often intensive and long-lasting, meaning you could be looking at massive medical costs, both now and in the future.

Steps to Take after a Car Accident

Though you can do everything in your power to prevent a crash (i.e., follow the speed limit, pay attention to your surroundings, adhere to weather conditions), you cannot control the actions of other drivers. Therefore, despite your caution, you can still be involved in a collision. If that happens, it is important to know how to react properly.

1. Safety first. First and foremost, it is imperative to check the safety of yourself and other passengers. Use your judgment. If emergency assistance is needed, do not hesitate to call 9-1-1.
2. Move your vehicle off the road. Again, the nature of the car accident will dictate your initial response. However, if you are able to, move your vehicle off the road and out of the way of traffic.
3. Call the police. If the crash is anything more serious than a basic fender bender, you will need to call the police and make an official report.
4. Exchange information with the other driver(s). Exchange information with all of the other drivers involved in the accident, including phone numbers and insurance details.
5. Take photographs of the scene. If you have a phone or camera available take photos of the scene of the accident. Make sure to capture images of all vehicles involved, as well as road conditions and street signs.
6. If applicable, get witness statements. Take a look around to see if anyone witnessed the crash. If there are witnesses around, get their statement and phone number.
7. Seek medical treatment. Regardless if you are in pain or not, it is a good idea to get checked out by a professional doctor. Some injuries take time to transpire.
8. Never admit fault. No matter what, never admit fault for the accident – even if you think you are at fault.
9. Contact a car accident attorney. Lastly, consider contacting a car accident attorney to assist you with the process moving forward.

Experiencing a car accident is never easy, but you do not have to face the challenge alone. For legal assistance, contact a car accident attorney at the Law Offices of C. Ray Carlson today.

Compensation in Car Accident Claims

After a car accident leaves you injured, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your damages if you can prove that someone else was at fault for the accident. Note that, under California’s rule of pure comparative negligence, you do not need to prove that someone else was entirely or even mostly at fault for the accident; if you can prove that another person or party was at least partially to blame, you could receive compensation.

Damages in car accident claims often include:

• Past and future medical bills
• Permanent loss of income due to injuries
• Lost wages due to missed work because of injuries
• Pain and suffering
• Depression and anxiety
• Disfigurement and inconvenience

If you are found to be partly at fault for the accident, your total recovery will be reduced by your at-fault percentage. For example, if a jury decides that you are 20% to blame for a crash because you failed to come to a full and complete stop at a stop sign and were T-boned by a drunk driver, and your total damages amount to $10,000, you will only be able to recover up to $8,000 (80%).

Talk to a Car Accident Lawyer at the Law Offices of C. Ray Carlson Today

Our team of car accident attorneys understands the importance of working quickly to file your claim. In California, there is a two-year statute of limitations on car accident claims. This means that you must file your claim within two years of the date of the accident or you will be forever barred from seeking damages.

For more than 40 years, we have fought on behalf of victims of negligence in Valencia, Stevenson Ranch, Santa Clarita, Fillmore, Santa Paula, the San Fernando Valley, and all of the surrounding communities. We offer contingency fees, meaning we only recover attorneys’ fees if and when we secure compensation in your case. If we do not win, you do not pay!

Call our office today at (661) 765-8484 or submit a free online case evaluation form to learn more.