Call Us (866) GO-SEE-SAM
Call Us (866) GO-SEE-SAM
Dec 21, 2022
Car accidents are on the rise across the nation, with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) confirming seven consecutive quarters of year-to-year increases in traffic fatalities since the third quarter of 2020. And in California, where car accidents are a daily occurrence that can impact even the most cautious drivers, traffic deaths have also increased significantly.
An estimated 3,246 traffic fatalities were recorded across the state of California during the first nine months of 2021. That figure represents a 17% increase from the same time period in 2020, according to recently-released NHTSA data.
While the above statistics pertain to deadly car accidents, the vast majority of motor vehicle collisions involve injuries for both drivers and passengers. When you’re injured in a California car accident, there is a limited window of time known as a statute of limitations dictating when you must file a claim for financial compensation.
Below we will look at how long you have to file your California car accident injury civil claim. We’ll also provide details on what types of damages may be included in your cash settlement and include information on how to file your claim with Dordulian Law Group’s experienced Los Angeles car accident attorneys.
A statute of limitations is legalese that indicates the deadline you have for filing a lawsuit. Specifically for civil claims, a lawsuit must be filed within a certain period of time. As a general rule, once the statute of limitations expires, you as the injured victim no longer have a valid claim for financial compensation (what’s known as ‘damages’). Unfortunately, even if you have serious and legitimate injuries which are the result of another driver’s negligence or carelessness, failing to file your claim within the standard statute of limitations can bar your ability to secure justice under the law.
That said, car accident injury victims in California typically have two years from the date of an incident to file a civil lawsuit seeking to recover financial compensation. In other words, you most likely have two years from the date that your car crash occurred to file a claim that may help you recover compensation for losses such as medical bills, lost wages, etc.
It should be noted that this standard two-year statute of limitations for California car accidents applies to bodily injuries. For property damages – meaning the impact to your vehicle, your home (if applicable), etc. – the statute of limitations is typically three years from the date of the incident.
However, as we will discuss in greater detail below, waiting to file your car accident injury claim is a bad idea for a number of reasons.
It is literally impossible to overstate the answer to the above question, which is a resounding “YES.”
Yes, you absolutely should file your car accident injury civil claim as soon as possible after the crash occurs. Why? Let’s count the ways:
Unfortunately, at Dordulian Law Group (DLG), we see a number of valid car accident injury cases where the victim waits for months or even a year or more to file a claim. This hinders our ability to recover the victim the maximum financial compensation he or she deserves.
Accordingly, it is strongly recommended that you file your California car accident claim immediately after receiving a thorough medical examination to ensure that your health and well-being are not in jeopardy.
Filing a timely civil claim for damages is extremely important. But it’s not, technically, the most critical step in the car accident injury claims process.
Step number one, under any circumstances, is to receive medical treatment after a car accident injury. Even if you feel “not too bad” or “just a little sore” after a car accident, you should absolutely undergo a complete medical examination by a licensed physician immediately after the crash occurs. Why? Again, let’s count the ways:
Car accident civil claims are filed in an effort to help the injured victim recover compensation for damages that often lead to substantial losses. These damages can be both economic and non-economic depending on the nature of your car accident injury case.
Some of the car accident damages we at DLG may attempt to pursue on your behalf include:
At DLG, our experienced and proven California car accident lawyers will fight aggressively to recover all applicable damages for your claim – including those that are often hard to prove and quantify, such as pain and suffering or emotional turmoil.
We’ve helped countless car accident victims secure maximum financial compensation for their claims, obtaining more than $200,000,000.00 on behalf of clients in settlements and verdicts.
When you’re injured in a Los Angeles, California, car accident, don’t settle for just any attorney who may jeopardize your right to a maximum cash settlement. Choose the very best car accident attorneys in California – get the DLG Advantage.
Dordulian Law Group (DLG) is a top-rated, results-oriented, and proven car accident and personal injury firm with more than 25 years of experience securing maximum financial compensation for our clients. We have helped injured drivers and passengers recover multi-million dollar cash settlements and verdicts while maintaining a near-perfect 98% success record.
DLG was founded by former Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles County, Sam Dordulian, who has extensive experience including more than 100 jury trial victories.
At DLG, our car accident injury lawyers are dedicated to fighting aggressively on your behalf to secure the maximum financial compensation you deserve.
Ready to file a claim and pursue justice through a financial damages award? Our expert attorneys are available online or by phone now.
With our No Win/No Fee Guarantee, you never have to worry about up-front costs or out of pocket expenses. If we don’t recover financial compensation in the form of a cash settlement or verdict for your car accident injury claim, you will not pay a penny for our services. Either we secure a maximum damages award for your case or you don’t pay – it’s that simple.
If you’ve suffered an injury due to negligence in a California car accident, you owe it to yourself to recover the greatest possible financial compensation available. Contact a member of our team today 24/7 via 866-GO-SEE-SAM. We’re here to answer any questions you have, to support you through the legal process from day one, and to fight aggressively on your behalf to ensure that justice is served.
Sam Dordulian is an award-winning sexual abuse lawyer with over 25 years' experience helping survivors secure justice. As a former sex crimes prosecutor and Deputy District Attorney for L.A. County, he secured life sentences against countless sexual predators. Mr. Dordulian currently serves on the National Leadership Council for RAINN.
Do you have a case? Let's find out.
