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Few experiences in life come close to the chaos, confusion, and impact of traffic accidents. So much goes into facing the aftermath of a collision, whether a major road accident or a minor fender bender. The moments following a crash are vital, and your steps can impact your life for years.
If another party caused your accident, you can claim compensation for the experience. You shouldn’t have to bear the costs of lost income, vehicle repair, treatment, or rehabilitation.
Our Castro Valley car accident lawyers can explain your rights and pursue viable legal options for maximum recovery. Contact the Castro Valley personal injury lawyer at Lone Star Injury Attorneys today.
Why Car Accidents Happen
Many traffic accidents in Castro Valley stem from human error and negligence. When evaluating a car accident case, it is important to understand the circumstances involved and how it happened.
Here are some of the most popular causes:
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Vehicle malfunctions
- Drunk driving
- Bad weather conditions
- Bad roads
- Failure to yield
- Texting and driving
Any action that violates the expected code of conduct qualifies as negligence and may be a basis for filing a car accident lawsuit. Consulting a skilled auto wreck lawyer is essential for accident reconstruction, which is a necessary tool for determining fault in a car accident.
For a free legal consultation with a car accident lawyer serving Castro Valley, call (713) 429-0711
Proving Fault in a Car Accident Case
After an accident, everyone involved will want to know what caused the crash and who is responsible. Insurance companies will also not settle unless liability is determined.
While fault in a car accident may be clear in some cases, a thorough assessment of the events surrounding the incident is crucial. Through investigations, key factors such as speed, road terrain, weather, and vehicle conditions are established.
To demonstrate fault in a Castro Valley car accident, the following elements of negligence apply:
Duty of Care
Every motorist in California has a responsibility to operate a vehicle safely without endangering the lives and properties of passengers and other road users.
Drivers must maintain a reasonable and expected standard for everyone’s safety. The duty of care is usually straightforward. This means adhering to traffic rules regarding DUI, speeding, yielding, and more.Â
Breach of Duty
The actions of everyone involved in a vehicle accident are compared to the standards of a reasonable person and what they would do in a similar scenario.
Breach of duty means the expected care was not met. For example, if a driver failed to yield at an intersection or was texting and driving while approaching a crosswalk, they breached the duty of care.Â
Other examples include speeding, drunk driving, road rage, and inexperienced driving. Vehicle manufacturers also breach the duty of care by failing to recall defective parts and products.
Causation
To successfully pursue a claim against another party after a crash, your Castro Valley car accident attorney must establish causation. This element connects the other party’s breach of duty to the resulting injuries and losses. There are two ways to prove causation.
First, cause–in-fact means the breach directly caused the accident. For example, if a motorist runs a red light and T-bones a vehicle with the right of way, their actions directly cause the crash.
Proximate causation, on the other hand, occurs when one party’s actions indirectly lead to injuries or property damage. For instance, if a drunk driver loses control of their vehicle, crashes into a pole, and the pole then falls onto another car, the drunk driver’s actions are considered the proximate cause of the damage.
Damages
Damages in a car accident case are the losses and expenses victims suffer. They may be economic, non-economic, or punitive. Economic damages are tangible and quantifiable. Common examples are lost income, loss of income-earning ability, medical expenses, vehicle repair estimates, property damage, and out-of-pocket costs.Â
Non–economic damages compensate car accident victims for lost consortium, pain and suffering, diminished quality of life, emotional distress, and lost companionship.Â
Punitive damages are not compensatory. Instead, they are awarded by a judge or jury to punish the party at fault in cases involving recklessness. A skillful car accident lawyer serving Castro Valley can compile past and future losses.
Castro Valley Car Accident Lawyer Near Me (713) 429-0711
Trust Our Castro Valley Car Accident Lawyers with Your Case
Our Castro Valley car accident attorneys stand ready to fight for your rights against at-fault parties and insurance companies.Â
We don’t shy away from aggressive representation of our clients’ rights. But first, let us review your case to determine the way forward. Contact Lone Star Injury Attorneys now to arrange a free consultation with our team.
Call or text (713) 429-0711 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form