Car accident cases

What I do in a car accident case

The first days matter most. Vehicle damage gets repaired, intersection cameras overwrite on loops measured in days, and the other driver's insurer starts building its file immediately. When you call, I move on the evidence — photos, event data recorder ("black box") preservation, camera canvassing, witness statements — while you focus on medical care.

From there the case follows the process I describe honestly on the How Cases Work pages: complete the medical picture, value the case on real numbers (here's the math), demand fair payment, and litigate if the insurer won't be reasonable. I prepare every case to be tried; insurers price that in.

Issues that decide car crash cases

• Coverage archaeology. The at-fault driver's policy is only the start — employer liability if they were working, the vehicle owner's policy, umbrella coverage, and your own underinsured-motorist coverage often matter more than the obvious policy. Bring your auto policy to the consultation; I'll read it.
• Comparative fault. California reduces your recovery by your percentage of fault — so adjusters assign you one, whatever the facts. Fault allocation is an argument to be won, not a verdict to accept.
• Injury documentation. Gaps in treatment become "they weren't really hurt." Prompt care and following the plan is both good medicine and good evidence.
• Rideshare & delivery vehicles. Uber/Lyft periods, DoorDash and Amazon-branded vans bring commercial policies and coverage-phase fights that change case value dramatically.

What it costs

Nothing up front — contingency fee, no attorney's fee unless there's a recovery, with costs explained in writing before you sign (details). If there is no recovery, you are not asked to repay the case costs the firm advanced, as long as the written agreement’s conditions are met (among them, following the firm’s advice and staying with the firm to the end of the case); if they are not met, you may owe those costs. The consultation is free either way, and if you don't need a lawyer, I'll say so.

Common questions

The crash wasn't my fault but their insurer denies liability. Now what?

Denials are opening positions, not rulings. Physical evidence, vehicle data, camera footage, and witness accounts can overturn them — but only if that evidence gets preserved fast. This is the single best reason to involve a lawyer early rather than after negotiations stall.

The other driver was uninsured. Do I have any case?

Often yes — through your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, which exists for exactly this. Claims against your own insurer are still adversarial and still get valued and negotiated; having counsel matters there too.

Should I talk to their insurance company first?

You're not required to, and a recorded statement rarely helps you. Read what the adjuster is really doing before you take that call.