Each day, people in Oakland rely on motor vehicles to get to their desired destination, whether they’re commuting to work, picking up their kids from school, or running a quick errand. Because driving a vehicle is a normal, everyday occurrence for most, it’s a jarring experience when you’re involved in a car accident.

Immediately following an accident, it’s likely that your mind is swarming with anxious thoughts. How will you cover the cost of your medical bills? How will you repair your vehicle if it isn’t totaled? It’s important for you to know that you’re not alone and that there are several options available to you as the victim of a car accident. If you or a loved one have been involved in a car accident through no fault or your own, you may be entitled to significant compensation.

Contact the Oakland personal injury lawyers of OnderLaw to handle your case. For years, we’ve dedicated ourselves to fighting on behalf of our clients to advocate for their rights. Give us a call or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. We won’t require payment from you until your case is settled or won.

Why Do I Need a Lawyer?

A lawyer is a great asset to have when you’re considering filing a personal injury claim. A skilled lawyer can help ensure that you have everything you need to file a successful claim. They can investigate your accident, recover evidence, and negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf to try to secure an appropriate payout. Additionally, a lawyer can help you identify your next steps in the event that you are underpaid for the injuries you sustained, or your case is denied altogether.

When you’re injured in a car accident, it’s likely your top priority is to regain your health and recover from your injuries. With a reputable lawyer on your team, you can rest assured that your case is in capable hands, leaving you free to focus on what’s truly important: your health.

To ensure the best possible outcome for your personal injury case, it’s important that you contact an attorney immediately following your accident. If you delay seeking legal counsel, you may lose out on some or all of the compensation owed to you. Contact an experienced Oakland personal injury attorney today.

Why Choose OnderLaw?

OnderLaw is a national leader in providing top-notch legal representation to clients located in the Oakland area and beyond. With 19 years of personal injury claims experience beneath our belt, we’re fully capable and prepared to help you with your case. Throughout the years, we’ve secured compensation for victims of personal injury claims of all types, specifically obtaining well over $31 million in compensation for victims of car accidents. Additionally, we’re recognized by several prestigious legal organizations throughout the nation, such as Super Lawyers, Litigator Awards, and National Trial Lawyers.

By choosing OnderLaw, you’re choosing to place the responsibility for your claim in the hands of some of Oakland’s most competent and decorated attorneys.

Types of Car Accidents

Not all car accidents are created equal. That said, there are many types of car accidents that are possible while you’re out on the road. Depending on the circumstances of your accident, such as the number of vehicles involved and the angle at which you were hit, the nature of the accident may differ. Some of the most common types of car accidents seen by the lawyers of our firm include:

  • Head-on collisions
  • Rear-end collisions
  • T-bone accidents
  • Single vehicle accidents
  • Multi-vehicle accidents
  • Sideswipe accidents
  • Hit-and-run accidents
  • Low-speed accidents
  • High-speed accidents
  • Drunk driving accidents
  • Drugged driving accidents
  • Drowsy driving accidents
  • Mechanical or parts failure accidents

Causes of Car Accidents

Car accidents occur for a number of reasons. For example, you may be involved in a collision with another driver because they were texting while driving. Or you could find yourself in heavy rain and involved in an accident due to another driver’s failure to take additional care due to the weather conditions. Below you’ll find a list of some of the most common causes of car accidents, such as:

  • Drowsy driving
  • Drugged driving
  • Drunk driving
  • Distracted driving
  • Speeding and overtaking
  • Weather conditions
  • Failure to obey traffic laws
  • Failure to yield right of way
  • Motor vehicle mechanical or parts failure
  • Reckless or aggressive driving
  • Improperly maintained roadways

Common Injuries Suffered in Car Accidents

Depending on the nature and circumstances surrounding your car accident, there are a number of injuries possible, ranging broadly in severity. The most common types of injuries sustained by victims of car accidents include:

  • Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
  • Fractured, dislocated, or broken bones
  • Hip and knee injury
  • Spinal cord damage
  • Foot and ankle injury
  • Soft-tissue damage
  • Whiplash
  • Cuts, scrapes, and road rash
  • Abrasions and lacerations
  • Burns
  • Head and neck injury
  • Sprains and strains
  • Bruising
  • Amputation
  • Chest injury
  • Wrist injury
  • Concussion

Who Is Responsible?

Depending on the nature of your car accident, there are potentially several parties that may be held responsible.

California requires that all drivers maintain minimum liability insurance coverage on their vehicle:

  • $15,000 for the injury or death of a single person
  • $30,000 for the injury or death of multiple people
  • $5,000 for property damage

For example, if you’re involved in a car accident with another driver that was caused by their failure to obey traffic laws, the other driver may be responsible for your accident. If you’re involved in a collision involving just you that was caused by mechanical or parts failure, the car manufacturer or mechanic that worked on your vehicle may be responsible for your accident. The same goes for other types of car accidents: the person whose actions or inaction caused the accident will likely be the one who’ll be held financially responsible for paying damages.

If you happen to be involved in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured motorist, you can seek to recover damages from your own insurance provider if you purchased uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) insurance. California doesn’t require that drivers carry UM/UIM insurance. However, insurance providers are required to offer UM/UIM insurance at the time you’re registering your vehicle. Your carrier needs written confirmation of your denial of this type of coverage. It’s helpful to have UM/UIM coverage when you’re hurt in an accident because this policy can cover some of the damages owed to you that the uninsured/underinsured motorist couldn’t provide.

Compensation for a Car Accident Claim

The amount and types of compensation you can expect to receive following an accident depend on several factors surrounding your case. One of the most important considerations when determining the compensation available to you is the severity of your injuries and your recovery timeline. If you’re in a car accident and sustain a broken leg, you’ll be entitled to less compensation than you would be were you to sustain multiple broken bones and a traumatic brain injury (TBI). The most common types of compensation awarded to victims of car accidents include:

  • Medical expenses. You can receive compensation for the medical bills that arise as a result of your accident. Medical expenses include prescriptions, hospital visits, rehabilitation, x-rays, surgeries, office visits, and more.
  • Lost wages. You can recover damages for the wages you lost due to having to take time away from work to recover from the injuries you sustained in your accident.
  • Lost earning capacity. You may have been involved in a car accident that was so devastating that you developed a disability or injuries so severe that you are unable to return to work or generate the income you previously had. You might be able to recover compensation for all past, present, and future lost earning capacity due to your disability or injuries resulting from your accident.
  • Property damage. You may have had personal belongings broken, destroyed or declared missing in an accident. You may be eligible to recover damages for any property damaged, destroyed, or lost in your accident.
  • Loss of enjoyment of life. The injuries you sustained in your accident may make it difficult, if not impossible, to take part in activities you enjoyed prior to becoming injured. You could be eligible to receive compensation for your loss of enjoyment of life as a result of your accident.
  • Pain and suffering. You can recover damages for the pain and suffering you’re forced to ensure as a result of your accident. This includes all past, present, and future pain and suffering.
  • Emotional distress. Being the victim of a car accident doesn’t come without consequences to your psyche. Following an accident, you may develop mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). You can receive compensation for the emotional distress your accident has caused you.
  • Punitive damages. Punitive damages are awarded under the rare circumstance that your accident was caused by another person’s malicious intent to cause you harm. If this is the case for your accident, you may be able to recover compensation for punitive damages.

Oakland and Greater California Accident Statistics

According to the California Highway Patrol, 3,582 fatal crashes occurred over the course of the 2017 calendar year.

Data collected by the California Office of Traffic Safety reveals that 2,502 residents of Oakland were killed or injured in car accidents in 2018.

According to the Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS) developed by UC Berkeley, 70,350 crashes have been recorded in California from 2020-2021 thus far.

Contact an Oakland Car Accident Attorney

If you or a loved one have been injured in a car accident in Oakland, contact the team at OnderLaw. Call us or contact us online to schedule your free consultation today.