Have you or someone you love been injured in a car accident in Salinas, California? Mercado Kramer, LLP can help when you call (888) 311-4050. We offer a free consultation with an experienced Salinas car accident lawyer who can review your case, explain your legal options, and guide you toward the best path forward.
Car accidents can lead to serious injuries, mounting medical bills, and time away from work. An attorney can help you pursue compensation for your losses and protect your rights throughout the process. There’s no risk in reaching out; contact us today for your free consultation.
Why Choose Mercado Kramer, LLP for Help After a Car Accident in Salinas?
You need an experienced Salinas personal injury attorney to stand by your side and protect you from the insurance company after a car accident.
Here’s why clients in Salinas, CA, choose Mercado Kramer, LLP when they need help:
- We have been recognized by the National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40
- Our team has earned induction into the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
- Members of our team speak Spanish, ensuring clear communication and personalized support for Spanish-speaking clients
- We prioritize each client’s health and overall well-being throughout the legal process
- Our attorneys take the time to understand your unique pain and challenges
- We bring extensive experience handling a wide range of complex cases
- We maintain deep legal knowledge and a commitment to lifelong learning and innovation
Our history of results and dedication to client care make us a trusted choice in the community. Contact us today to arrange a consultation and discuss your legal options.
Why Should I Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?
After a car accident, you may wonder whether you need a lawyer—especially if the insurance company seems cooperative. Don’t be fooled–insurers are profit-driven businesses whose goal is to pay as little as possible. An experienced car accident attorney can help level the playing field and protect your rights throughout the claims process.
Having a lawyer can:
- Level the playing field against insurance companies: Insurance adjusters are trained to minimize payouts. They may pressure you into giving a recorded statement, delay your claim, or offer a lowball settlement when you’re most vulnerable. When you have legal representation, the insurer knows they can’t take advantage of you.
- Give you access to medical and accident experts: Car accident cases often require input from medical professionals, economists, and accident reconstruction specialists. A lawyer has access to these experts and knows how to use their input to build a strong case.
- Allow you to focus on recovery while they handle the legal process: A car accident attorney takes the legal burden off your shoulders by investigating the crash, gathering evidence, filing paperwork, negotiating with insurers, and preparing your case for trial if necessary.
- Increase your potential compensation: Studies show that injury victims with legal representation often recover more compensation than those who go it alone. A skilled attorney can help you pursue all available damages, including medical expenses, lost wages, future care needs, pain and suffering, and more.
Ultimately, hiring a car accident lawyer gives you the best chance of securing the full and fair compensation you deserve.
How Much Money Can I Get from a Car Accident Case?
The amount of compensation you may receive after a car accident depends on many factors. No two cases are exactly alike, and settlement values can vary widely based on the details of your situation.
Factors that influence how much you can recover include:
- The severity of your injuries
- Medical expenses and future treatment needs
- Lost wages and loss of earning capacity
- Property damage costs
- Pain and suffering
- The strength of your evidence
- Insurance policy limits
Every car accident case is unique, and there’s no guaranteed payout.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Salinas Car Accident Victims?
There are several types of damages you might be able to recover after a California car accident, namely, economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are designed to compensate you for your financial losses, such as:
- Medical expenses
- Rehabilitation costs
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Property damages
Non-economic damages, on the other hand, are more subjective. They may compensate you for:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment
In rare cases where the defendant’s conduct was particularly egregious, you might also be able to recover punitive damages.
Can I Receive Compensation If I Was Partially At Fault for a Car Accident in California?
California follows a pure comparative negligence rule. Under this rule, you can still recover compensation for your injuries and losses even if you were partially responsible for the accident. However, your total recovery will be reduced by your percentage of fault.
For example, if you are awarded $100,000 in damages but are found to be 30% at fault, your compensation would be reduced by 30%, leaving you with $70,000. This system allows injured parties to pursue a claim regardless of their share of responsibility—even if they are found to be more at fault than the other driver.
How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Lawsuit in California?
In California, you’ll typically have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit, including in car accident cases. If you don’t bring our case on time, you could lose your right to pursue compensation entirely. The best way to ensure you don’t lose the ability to recover is to speak with a personal injury attorney as soon as possible.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?
Most car accident lawyers, including those at Mercado Kramer, LLP, work on what is called a contingency fee basis. Under this system, you won’t pay anything up front. Instead, your lawyer will get paid a pre-agreed-upon percentage of the compensation recovered if your case is successful.
You won’t pay anything up front if you retain a lawyer on a contingency fee basis. Another notable attribute of this agreement is that you will never owe anything if your lawyer doesn’t win your case.
How Can a Car Accident Lawyer Help Me?
After a crash, the legal process can feel overwhelming—especially if you’re dealing with medical treatment, missed work, and mounting bills. A car accident lawyer can step in to help. A lawyer can:
- Investigate the accident thoroughly: They gather police reports, witness statements, photos, video footage, and expert analysis to build a strong foundation for your case.
- Handle all communications with insurers: This prevents you from making statements that could harm your claim and ensures the insurance company deals with a skilled negotiator, not a vulnerable accident victim.
- Work with expert witnesses: Attorneys often collaborate with medical professionals, accident reconstruction experts, and financial specialists to strengthen your case and prove the extent of your losses.
- Negotiate for maximum compensation: They fight to recover every dollar you’re entitled to for medical costs, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages—both current and future.
- Prepare your case for trial if necessary: If the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, your lawyer can present a compelling case in court.
With a car accident lawyer managing the legal process, you can focus on recovery while knowing your case is in experienced and determined hands.
Will My Car Accident Case Go to Trial?
Not all car accident cases go to trial. In fact, most do not; only around 4% of personal injury cases ever make it to the courtroom. Factors that influence whether or not your case may go to trial include:
- The strength of your evidence
- Whether liability is in dispute
- The amount of damages sought
- The willingness of the insurance company to negotiate
- Your lawyer’s skill and case strategy
Most car accident cases settle, but a few require a trial to reach a fair outcome. Whether yours does will depend on the facts, negotiations, and strategy involved.
Types of Car Accident Claims We Handle
At Mercado Kramer, LLP, we handle all types of car accident cases, including, but not limited to, the following:
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions are some of the most common car accidents and often happen when one driver follows another too closely or fails to react to slowed or stopped traffic. Even at low speeds, these crashes can cause injuries such as whiplash, back pain, and concussions.
Determining liability usually involves assessing driver behavior, traffic conditions, and any evidence from the scene.
Sideswipe Accidents
A sideswipe accident occurs when two vehicles traveling in the same direction make contact, often during lane changes or merges. These collisions can cause the vehicles to lose control, sometimes leading to secondary crashes. Common causes include failing to check blind spots, drifting out of lanes, or unsafe passing maneuvers.
T-Bone Accidents
Also called side-impact collisions, T-bone accidents often happen at intersections when a driver fails to yield or runs a red light or stop sign. Because the side of a vehicle offers less protection, these crashes can result in severe injuries such as broken bones, internal injuries, and head trauma.
Hit-and-Run Accidents
A hit-and-run accident occurs when a driver leaves the scene without providing information or helping injured parties. This can complicate the process of recovering damages, as the at-fault driver may not be immediately identified. In such cases, injured parties may need to rely on uninsured motorist coverage to pursue compensation.
DUI Accidents
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs reduces reaction time, impairs judgment, and significantly increases the risk of a crash. Drunk driving accidents are often severe due to the reckless behaviors associated with impairment, such as speeding, drifting between lanes, or running red lights.
These collisions can cause catastrophic injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, and internal bleeding. Proving intoxication may involve police reports, blood alcohol test results, and witness testimony.
Speeding Accidents
Speeding not only makes accidents more likely but also increases the severity of injuries when a crash occurs. Higher speeds limit a driver’s ability to react to sudden hazards, lengthen stopping distances, and reduce the effectiveness of safety features like seat belts and airbags.
Speed-related accidents are common on highways but can happen on any road, especially in areas with changing traffic patterns or unexpected stops. Our Salinas speeding accident lawyers will look for evidence, such as skid marks, vehicle data recorders, and witness accounts, that can help show that speed was a factor.
Distracted Driving Accidents
Distracted driving occurs when a driver’s attention is diverted from the road by activities such as texting, adjusting the GPS, eating, or interacting with passengers. This behavior reduces awareness of changing traffic conditions, increases reaction times, and often results in rear-end collisions, lane departures, or intersection crashes.
Proving distraction can be challenging and may require examining cell phone records, dashcam footage, or eyewitness accounts. Because distraction can happen at any speed, these accidents can range from minor fender-benders to severe, high-impact collisions.
Common Types of Car Accident Injuries
Car accidents can cause a wide range of injuries, from minor cuts to life-changing trauma. The type and severity often depend on the force of impact, safety equipment, and the positions of those involved.
Common injuries we see include:
- Whiplash: Neck strain caused by rapid back-and-forth movement.
- Broken bones: Fractures in arms, legs, ribs, or other areas.
- Head injuries: Concussions or traumatic brain injuries from impact.
- Back injuries: Herniated discs, spinal cord damage, or chronic pain.
- Soft tissue injuries: Sprains, strains, and bruising to muscles and ligaments.
- Internal injuries: Damage to organs from blunt force trauma.
Car accident injuries can range from mild to severe, sometimes with lasting effects. It is critical to seek medical help as soon as possible, even if you don’t feel hurt.
What Should I Do After a Car Accident?
The moments after a car accident can be overwhelming, but taking the right steps can protect your health, safety, and legal rights. Your actions at the scene and in the days following can make a significant difference in the outcome of any insurance claim or legal case.
Important steps to take include:
- Check for injuries: Ensure everyone is safe and call 911 if needed.
- Move to safety: If possible, get out of traffic to avoid further harm.
- Call the police: Report the accident and request an official report.
- Exchange information: Collect names, contact details, and insurance information from all drivers.
- Document the scene: Take photos of vehicle damage, road conditions, and any visible injuries.
- Seek medical care: Get evaluated promptly, even if you feel fine.
- Notify your insurance company: Report the accident as soon as possible.
After a crash, prioritizing safety and gathering key information can help you recover physically, emotionally, and financially.
Most Common Causes of Car Accidents
Car accidents happen for many reasons, but most are caused by preventable human errors. Common causes of car accidents in California include:
- Distracted driving: Using a phone, eating, or other activities that take attention off the road.
- Speeding: Driving too fast for conditions or over the speed limit.
- Impaired driving: Operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- Reckless driving: Aggressive maneuvers like tailgating or unsafe lane changes.
- Weather conditions: Rain, snow, fog, or ice can create dangerous driving environments.
- Failure to follow traffic laws: Ignoring signs, signals, or right-of-way rules.
While not every crash can be avoided, knowing the common causes of accidents can encourage safer driving habits and help prevent serious collisions.
Salinas Car Accident Statistics
In California in 2024, there were approximately 164,123 fatalities and injuries in the state. In Salinas in the same year, there were 418 victims injured or killed in vehicle accidents. Some notable crash contributing factors include alcohol (involved in 111 fatalities and injuries), speeding (involved in 109 fatalities and injuries), and distracted driving (involved in 32 fatalities and injuries.
Most Dangerous Intersections in Salinas
Traffic safety is a growing concern in Salinas, where certain intersections see a high number of collisions each year.
Busy traffic patterns, high speeds, and frequent pedestrian activity can make these areas especially hazardous for drivers and pedestrians alike:
- East Laurel Drive & Natividad Road
- Boronda Road & Natividad Road
- Boronda Road & McKinnon Street
- East Alisal Street & Sanborn Road
- West Alisal Street & Salinas Street
- Garner Avenue & Sanborn Road
- North Main Street & Boronda Road
- North Main Street & Laurel Drive
- Constitution Boulevard & Laurel Drive
- North Main Street & Iris Drive
Make sure to drive defensively and stay aware in these high-collision areas to reduce your risk of accidents.
Call Our Salinas Car Accident Lawyers Today for Help
A car accident in Salinas, California, can turn your life upside down in an instant. You may be dealing with pain, medical bills, and uncertainty about what comes next—but you don’t have to handle it alone. At Mercado Kramer, LLP, we’re here to listen, guide you through the process, and fight for the compensation you need to move forward.
Give us a call today to set up your free consultation with a Salinas car accident lawyer who will be in your corner every step of the way.
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Car Accident Infographic
