Multiple people were injured when the car they were riding in drove off I-15 in San Diego.
California – August 5, 2021
Twenty-six California firefighters arrived at the scene of an accident on the South Side of I-15 near Interstate 805 where a black Toyota sedan was found on its side with two air bags deployed. The vehicle ran off the highway into a drainage ditch and it is not clear if distracted driving may have caused the crash. Four individuals were able to get out of the vehicle, but the firefighters had to help them up the embankment as they were unable to climb due to injuries. The driver and three passengers were transported to local hospitals for treatment of their serious injuries. Injured victims should speak with an accident attorney for guidance on fiscal recovery options related to the accident harms.
Negligence.
The basis for most civil lawsuits is negligence, and compensation is estimated on the degree of fault exhibited by a driver who caused injury and property damage. “Fault” is based on the level of negligence measured when an individual fails to exercise the degree of care expected of someone in a similar situation. California is a “fault state” which means that the party found to be responsible for the accident will have to compensate the other party involved in the accident. Individuals who are involved in an accident must file an insurance claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company. An experienced accident attorney will build a case for negligence by collecting and reviewing various supporting documents and evidence.
Medical records.
Accident victims should be expecting insurance companies to request copies of all medical records related to the injury sustained in the accident. The insurance company requests these documents to verify injuries, medical treatment and the overall expenses related to past, current, and future medical treatment that was caused by the accident. In some cases, they may want to further explore a patient’s medical history to use past medical conditions, or injuries to lower a settlement amount, basing their reduction on pre-existing conditions not related to the accident itself. It is prudent to have a car accident attorney review any requests for medical records to make sure legal counsel adjusts the language in the request to reflect that records should include only accident-related treatment.
Damages.
Damages covered include medical bills, lost wages, property replacement, and wrongful death claims when someone suffers fatal injury. Depending on the extent of damage to property, or injuries sustained by accident victims, the maximum policy coverages may not cover the whole recovery amount and legal action will be warranted.
Hire an attorney.
A California accident attorney can be instrumental in damage recovery to cover unexpected medical expenses and property replacement. They can work with insurance companies to expediently pay necessary medical costs, and address losses sustained to property, medical bills, lost wages, or future expenses caused by the accident. The Law Offices of Jeffrey E. Estes & Associates provides knowledgeable accident attorneys who can assist with insurance claims, mediation, and court actions toward damage awards.
Jeffrey E. Estes & Associates, a Professional Law Corporation
501 West Broadway, Suite 1650
San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: 619-233-8021
Fax: 619-233-3730
Sources:
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH§ionNum=20001
https://california.public.law/codes/ca_civ_code_section_3294
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160AB1785
