Chula Vista Car Accident Attorney

Car accidents are terrifying and traumatic. Sadly, the distress doesn’t always end when the dust settles. Serious injuries can be life-altering, either temporarily or permanently. The bills keep coming in at the same time your injuries prevent you from returning to work. Even worse, dealing with California’s complex comparative negligence insurance law puts the ball in your court, requiring you, as the injury victim, to prove negligence on the part of the driver at fault. This can be a daunting task when you’re busy trying to focus on healing from your injury.

In many cases, insurance companies take advantage of an injury victim’s vulnerability and undervalue or deny claims in order to protect their profits. A car accident attorney in Chula Vista stays on your side throughout the claims process, deftly managing your claim and zealously defending your interests. Call the Chula Vista car accident firm of Haffner & Morgan, LLP, today for a free consultation.

Why Choose Our Chula Vista Car Accident Attorneys?

If you’ve been injured in a car crash in San Diego County, and someone else was at fault, or mostly at fault, the San Diego personal injury attorneys at Haffner & Morgan will defend your right to recover compensation for your damages. Our experienced car accident lawyers have deep compassion and a strong local reputation in Chula Vista and the surrounding area where we’re known for the following:

Case Results

Our 99% track record of success and history of recovering millions of dollars for our clients becomes a powerful force behind your unique accident claim in Chula Vista.

$3.5 million | T-bone accident and significant spine injuries
$1.48 million | Side impact vehicle collision settlement with major injuries
$1 million | Rear-end motor vehicle accident with neck and back injuries
$725k | Car accident settlement
$500k | Car accident settlement
$400k | Car accident settlement

Expertise

At Haffner and Morgan, LLP, our experienced car accident lawyers are not only skilled investigators and astute negotiators but also strong litigators in court. When insurance companies know you are our client, they are more likely to offer an ample settlement to avoid a court battle.

Professionalism

Your attorney from the Chula Vista car accident team at Haffner & Morgan will devote personalized attention to every aspect of your case, keeping open lines of communication to keep you in the loop. You’ll never need to wonder about the progress of your case. Because we know this is YOUR accident case and your future on the line, you become our priority.

Car Accident Statistics in California

Traffic accident fatalities are on the rise in California, increasing from 3,980 in 2020 to 4,285 in 2021, a jump of 7.6%. The totals for 2023 fatalities aren’t yet finalized but appear to be over 4,000 in California and over 40,000 nationally. Additional California car accident statistics include the following:

More than half of the car accident fatalities in California in 2023 were pedestrian deaths
Drunk driving accidents rose by 16% between 2020 and 2021 in California
Teen drivers killed in fatal crashes increased by 14.8% in 2021
Collisions between two vehicles accounted for 78% of injuries in accidents nationwide in 2022
Angle collisions or T-bone accidents caused the highest numbers of injuries and fatalities in 2022

The most recent local car accident data shows 1,397 car accidents in Chula Vista by May 2024, 34 of which resulted in severe injuries and 437 of which involved complaints of pain and injury requiring medical care.

Common Causes and Types of Car Accidents in Chula Vista

Car accidents happen in an instant but can send a victim’s life spinning off-course, especially if they cause permanent partial or total disability. The most common causes of car accidents in Chula Vista and throughout California include:

Distracted driving
Speeding
Failure to yield the right of way in intersections or when exiting parking lots and driveways
Unsafe lane changes
Improper merging
Tailgating
Intoxicated driving
Drowsy driving
Mechanical problems or defective parts
Negligent roadway maintenance, lack of signage, poor roadway designs

The above causes of accidents commonly result in T-bone collisions, rear-end collisions, head-on collisions, sideswipes, rollovers, and multi-car pileups.

What Types of Injuries Occur in Car Accidents?

Car accident injuries vary in severity from mild and inconvenient, with a lost paycheck and a single hospital bill, to life-altering catastrophic injuries or fatalities. Common injuries in car accidents include:

Fractures
Head injuries/traumatic brain injuries
Back injuries
Neck injuries
Soft-tissue injuries to shoulders, knees, wrists, or ankles
Internal organ damage and thoracic injuries
Spinal cord damage
Burns
Lacerations, bruises, and abrasions
Facial trauma

Whether it’s a single broken bone that prevents a prompt return to work or a life-long disability, injury victims deserve compensation when another driver’s carelessness or reckless driving causes the accident. If the accident ends in wrongful death, a wrongful death case can recover compensation for close family members.

What to Do After a Car Accident in Chula Vista

The moments after a car accident are the most terrifying a human being can experience. It’s difficult to keep a cool head after a traumatic crash but if you can use your phone—or ask an uninjured person to use it for you while you wait for help—you can protect yourself and your loved ones. Your phone becomes an important tool by allowing you to do the following:

Call 911 to report your accident and request an ambulance
Take photos of the damaged vehicles
Photograph the accident scene, being sure to include anything relevant, like debris in the road, an intersection, or a traffic light
Photograph your injuries if they’re visible
Add the contact information of the other driver(s) and any eyewitnesses
While you wait for rescue, record your own statement about what happened while it’s fresh in your mind because trauma can make remembering difficult later

At the hospital, have a complete evaluation and tell the provider about minor symptoms and injuries as well as your major or obvious ones. Then, ask for a detailed written report. Keep your medical report, police report of the accident, and medical bills and call the Chula Vista car accident lawyers at Haffner & Morgan before talking to insurance representatives who may not have your best interests at heart.

What Type of Compensation is Available for Auto Accidents?

The person at fault for the accident is liable for damages if they didn’t take reasonable care to prevent injury, such as disregarding traffic laws, running a red light, or texting while driving. In some cases, your car accident attorney could discover that the manufacturer of a defective auto part or a lax road maintenance crew is responsible for your damages.

A successful car accident claim in Chula Vista could help you gain compensation for the following:

Your medical expenses plus compensation for upcoming expenses if you need further treatment or physical therapy to complete your recovery
Lost income and future income loss
Lowered earning capacity if the injury caused a disability
Pain and suffering
Loss of pleasure in life, lowered life quality, disfigurement, loss of limb, and traumatic amputation are all non-economic damages you can claim if they apply to your case

All drivers owe a duty of reasonable care to prevent injury to others. If someone breaches this duty and the result is an injury with damages, the injured party deserves compensation for their losses.

How Does Comparison Negligence Work in California Car Accident Insurance Claims?

California’s car accident laws operate on a pure comparison negligence insurance system. This allows car accident injury victims to recover compensation even if they share fault for the accident. The insurer subtracts their percentage of fault from their payout. This law falls under California Code CIV 1714 which states:

“Everyone is responsible, not only for the result of his or her willful acts, but also for an injury occasioned to another by his or her want of ordinary care or skill in the management of his or her property or person, except so far as the latter has, willfully or by want of ordinary care, brought the injury upon himself or herself.”

Under this law, if an accident victim claims $100,000 in damages but an insurance adjuster finds them 25% at fault for the car accident, they can reduce their payout to the victim to $75,000. While this law benefits those who truly contributed to the cause of the accident, it also incentivizes insurance companies to assign undue fault to a victim in order to protect their profits. An experienced car accident attorney in Chula Vista defends a client against these and other tactics like insurance company delays, devaluing, and wrongfully disputing or denying claims.

Will I Need to Go to Court for a Car Accident Claim?

The vast majority of car accident claims settle out of court when your accident attorney uses the evidence from their investigation to prove liability and sends a demand package to the appropriate insurance company with compelling evidence. In the event that they don’t offer an ample settlement, your attorney is more than ready to argue the case in court to secure your compensation. Only about 5% of car accident injury cases in California require a lawsuit.

What is the Statute of Limitations of Car Accidents in California?

If the insurance company uses bad faith policies to deny your claim or makes a lowball offer, your Chula Vista car accident attorney at Haffner & Morgan will file a lawsuit before the statute of limitations runs out. California places a 2-year limit on filing car accident cases in court.

Car Accident Recovery Tips

Recovering from a car accident can feel overwhelming. That’s why it’s important to hire a skilled car accident lawyer to manage your case while you work on your recovery. Some important tips for maximizing recovery after a serious car accident include doing the following:

Carefully follow your doctor’s instructions and attend every appointment and followup
Keep a pain journal detailing your pain level each day so you can track your progress
Get plenty of rest but also engage in whatever mild physical activity your doctor recommends to keep your blood circulating to aid in healing
Eat a balanced diet and keep well-hydrated
Don’t hesitate to see a therapist if you experience post-accident anxiety, depression, PTSD, or sleep problems

In many cases, you can recover compensation for expenses related to emotional care after a devastating car accident.

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Contact The Chula Vista Car Accident Lawyers at Haffner & Morgan Today

At Haffner & Morgan, we understand how difficult it is to navigate the legal system and insurance claims when you’re feeling vulnerable after a car accident. Let our Chula Vista law team advocate for you through every stage of the process to maximize your financial recovery while you focus on your physical recovery. Contact an attorney at Haffner & Morgan, LLP for help today. You shouldn’t have to do this alone.

Client Testimonial: 5/5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

“This is your go to team in case of an accident! Haffner and Morgan are both amazing attorneys, strongly recommended. They explained the entire process very well and every phone call and email were returned quickly. I’m very happy to have worked with them and will definitely keep in contact for the future. Thank you again!”

Jeanette M.

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