How Much Time Do I Have to File an Accident Claim in Coronado, CA?
Filing an accident claim should not be taken lightly as there is so much at stake when the claim is being filed. One mistake, and the victim of the collision can accidentally forfeit a large amount of compensation that they actually deserve. Extra care should be taken when communicating with the relevant insurance company after a collision.
When communicating with an insurer after an accident, a person should be very clear about all the expenses they suffered as the company will most likely try to give them a much lower offer then what they actually deserve for their own benefit. They should also make sure to file their claim with other relevant authorities in time.
Just like every other state, California has a statute of limitations to how much time a person has to file their car accident claim for it to be considered valid in court. Anyone who was injured in an accident has up to two years after the collision to make a claim, and anyone who suffered property damage has up to three years after the collision to file the claim.
Can the statute of limitations be extended?
There are rare cases in which the statute of limitations can be extended or ‘tolled’. This means that the time limit can be paused until certain conditions are met. For instance, if the defendant cannot be found or if they are imprisoned, a toll in the statute of limitations may be applied. If the victim is mentally unwell or they are a minor they may also be eligible to toll and if a person discovers their property damage or injuries much later after the accident, then they may also request for the statute of limitations to be tolled for their particular case.
It is also possible for a time limit to be shortened depending on who is being charged such as when a government entity is being claimed against. When a person is making an accident claim against a government entity, they usually only have 6 months after the collision for their claim to be valid.
Every driver in California is required to carry a minimum amount of insurance in case an accident does occur.
Apart from the minimum insurance requirements, a person also has the option of going for other forms of insurance to make sure they are covered financially in the case a vehicle collision does end up occurring. Increased liability insurance, collision coverage, medical payments covered, and theft coverage are some examples of the types of insurance a person can apply for. It may seem like an additional burden to pay every month, but if an accident ever occurs it will be highly beneficial and the increased monthly premiums would be worth it.
