Auto Accident
Beware of These Common Insurance Company Traps After Your Auto Accident
| November 12th, 2018
Insurance companies spend big money every year on advertising campaigns that are designed to make people think that they’re on their side and that they freely give money to policyholders and victims when they need it. Unfortunately, the opposite is true in most cases. Insurance companies are in business to make big profits, and paying out settlements and claims isn’t part of that business model.
If you or someone you love was recently hurt in an auto accident that was caused by another driver’s negligence, filing a claim for compensation can help you get money for your medical bills and lost wages. But insurance companies rarely agree to pay victims what they deserve without a fight. In fact, insurance companies have teams of adjusters whose primary job is to find ways to reduce or deny payments.
They accomplish that by using the following tricks and traps against innocent victims:
- Offering an initial settlement—The physical shock of an auto accident can quickly be replaced with financial shock, especially when your injuries put you out of work for a long period of time. Insurance companies count on victims’ desperation by offering lowball settlements—and when victims accept, they forgo their chance to pursue additional compensation.
- Getting you to admit fault for the crash—Offering lowball settlements isn’t always enough, as many insurance companies seek to pay victims no compensation at all. They attempt to achieve that by getting victims to admit full or partial fault for crashes, even if it means twisting their words or quoting them out of context.
Having an experienced California auto accident lawyer on your side can help you avoid these common traps. Call Berg Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation.
3 Steps to Take After an Auto Accident
| September 24th, 2018
Car crashes are ranked as one of the most traumatic experiences that a person can endure. Unfortunately, almost everyone will be involved in at least one or two car accidents in their lives—including drivers who always follow traffic laws.
At Berg Injury Lawyers, our California car accident attorneys are here to help anyone who was hurt in a crash that was caused by someone else’s negligence. But we can only help victims after they contact us. That’s why we believe it’s important for drivers throughout the Golden State to know what steps to take after crashes to best protect their health and their rights to compensation.
The three essential steps that all crash victims should take include:
- Calling 911—Getting in touch with emergency responders immediately after a crash accomplishes two things: it makes it easier for you and other victims to get medical treatment, and it creates an official police record of the crash.
- Getting medical attention—Whether you travel to the hospital right away via ambulance or you visit a doctor soon after the accident, getting treated by medical professionals helps address any injuries right away and creates a medical record of your injuries and their severity.
- Contacting a lawyer—The police have created a report of the crash and your injuries have been treated. Now it’s time to get legal representation on your side. The insurance company is already building its case against you, but a lawyer may be able to help you level the playing the field.
We’re ready to take your call and start fighting for your rights. Call today for a free consultation.
2 Reasons to Call a Lawyer Right Away After an Auto Accident
| July 23rd, 2018
If you were recently hurt in a car crash, you’re probably under a lot of stress and trying to juggle several different things at once, including getting medical treatment and planning when you can return to work.
But one of the most important things you can do after an accident that wasn’t your fault is contact an experienced California car accident lawyer—and the sooner you do it, the better.
While personal injury claims in California are still valid up to two years after the date of the accidents, you should never wait that long to get a law firm on your side. In fact, you should consider calling a lawyer within days—if not hours—of the crash to maximize your chances of getting compensation.
Here’s why:
- Evidence can quickly disappear. To get the money you deserve, you or your lawyer must prove to the insurance company that you weren’t at fault for the crash. Evidence, including crash scene debris, traffic camera footage, or witness statements, can help support your case. But the longer you wait to call a lawyer, the more difficult it will be to obtain that evidence.
- The insurance company will have more time to build a case against you. Insurance companies don’t want to pay out big settlements, even to innocent victims. That’s why they have teams of adjusters who work hard to reduce or deny claims. The longer you wait to get a lawyer, the more of a head start you give the insurance company.
Berg Injury Lawyers is ready to take your call to find out how we may be able to fight for your rights. Get in touch with us today for a free consultation.
Summer Road Trip Safety Tips
| June 4th, 2018
The unofficial start of summer is here, and the official beginning is only a few weeks away. For many families, that means it’s time to prepare for the annual summer vacation—and that often involves a road trip.
California is a great place for road trips, as there are countless sights to see and things to experience both in the state and in nearby areas. But it’s important to remember that road trips pose new and unique risks for drivers, especially when they’re not used to driving long distances with multiple passengers on board.
At Berg Injury Lawyers, our California auto accident lawyers know that one of the the best ways to prevent serious accidents is to be aware of their most common causes and the most effective safe driving tips and techniques.
You can reduce your family’s risks this summer by following these suggestions:
- Stop if you feel sleepy, drowsy, or fatigued. Driving while drowsy is a serious problem that is linked to serious accidents. Drivers on road trips often feel the need to push themselves to drive for long stretches of time, but doing so can be dangerous. If you feel tired, pull over and rest or switch drivers.
- Reduce or eliminate distractions as much as possible. Road trips can be far more distracting than ordinary trips, especially when children are passengers in your vehicle. You can reduce the potential for distractions by keeping kids occupied with games, activities, and devices.
Unfortunately, not all drivers will follow these tips over the summer. If you or someone you love get hurt in a crash that wasn’t your fault, we’re here to help. Call today for a free consultation.
Avoid These Common Post-Auto Accident Mistakes
| May 14th, 2018
At Berg Injury Lawyers, our California car accident attorneys are always ready to begin building injury claims on behalf of victims like you. And while we strive to take over every aspect of claims so that our clients can focus on their recoveries and spending time with their families, we also know that the things victims do in the minutes, hours, and days after their crashes can affect their chances of getting compensation.
Avoiding a few common mistakes after your crash can make a big difference in the strength of your claim. Those mistakes include:
- Admitting fault for the crash—Whether you’re speaking to a police officer at the accident scene, the other driver, an insurance adjuster, or even posting on social media, admitting fault for your crash at any time can jeopardize your ability to pursue compensation. Even if evidence later proves you weren’t at fault, you still may be unable to get the money you deserve.
- Waiting too long to see a doctor—Ideally, you should see a doctor or go to the hospital right away after an auto accident. In addition to receiving medical attention to treat your injuries and rule out serious complications, your visit will also create a medical record that can serve as valuable evidence for your claim.
You should also never exaggerate or downplay your injuries or wait too long to contact an experienced law firm, as the statute of limitations for filing a claim may run out.
Get the help you deserve today. Call our office for a free consultation to find out how we can help.
How Can a Lawyer Help After an Auto Accident?
| March 5th, 2018
No one should have to deal with the aftermath of an auto accident alone. It’s important to reach out for help in a variety of ways. Seeing a doctor as soon as possible after your accident can help you get the treatment you need, while speaking with friends and family members about what happened and what you’re dealing with can help you better handle the accident’s aftermath psychologically and emotionally.
In addition to protecting your physical and mental health, it’s also important to protect your legal rights. Auto accidents can be expensive, especially when they cause victims to suffer injuries that keep them out of work for long periods of time. However, getting full compensation can be difficult—and some victims don’t get any compensation for accidents that weren’t their fault, leaving them to pay for expensive medical bills out of their own pockets.
A California auto accident attorney at Berg Injury Lawyers wants to change that. For more than 30 years, we’ve helped injured victims like you by:
- Proving fault for the accident – Successful auto accident claims begin with proof that the victim didn’t cause the crash. We can investigate the crash scene and collect evidence from a variety of sources to leave no doubt about who caused your crash.
- Negotiating to get you the money you deserve – Insurance companies are often reluctant to pay victims full compensation. Instead, they frequently offer “lowball” settlements. If we handle your case, we’ll calculate how much you’re owed, and we’ll fight to get you maximum compensation.
Trust our experience and our desire to win against big insurance companies who profit from denying victims the damages they deserve. Call today for a free consultation.
2 Tactics Insurance Companies Use to Reduce Claims After Car Accidents
| February 5th, 2018
At Berg Injury Lawyers, we work to protect our clients from insurance companies every single day. It’s no secret in America that insurance companies are billion-dollar corporations. They occupy giant skyscrapers and spend a significant amount of money on advertising. What many people don’t know, however, is that insurance companies don’t always pay victims the money they deserve—even after auto accidents.
One of the first things our California car accident lawyers do when we take on new clients’ cases is warn them about common insurance company tactics that are used to reduce or even nullify the amount of money they owe to victims. Those tactics include:
- Getting victims to admit fault for crashes – Insurance adjusters are often in frequent contact with victims, and it’s not necessarily because they’re concerned about their well-being. It’s because they want to obtain a statement where victims indicate they may have partially or fully caused their accidents, but that can jeopardize a victim’s claim.
- Getting victims to accept lowball settlements – Adjusters also take advantage of victims when they’re in a state of shock after their accidents, especially when victims begin to realize how much their accidents will cost them. Initial settlement offers may seem appealing at first, but they’re rarely enough to cover all accident-related expenses.
Having an attorney on your side after an auto accident can help you spot the insurance company’s tactics. It’s our goal to get you the money you deserve. Call today for a free consultation, and get our experience on your side.
3 Common Causes of Auto Accidents
| January 8th, 2018
At Berg Injury Lawyers, we’ve helped many car accident victims over the years, and we’ve learned that a wide variety of factors can lead to crashes. But when it comes to primary causes of accidents, only several seem to be prevalent in most of the claims we handle—and three are present in far more crashes than others.
To protect yourself, your loved ones, and other drivers, it’s important to be aware of these three common causes of car crashes and why they increase your risks:
- Speeding – Exceeding the speed limit disrupts the flow of traffic, makes you more likely to lose control of your vehicle—especially on sharp turns or dips—and increases your stopping distance, making you more likely to rear-end other vehicles.
- Driving while impaired – Getting behind the wheel while under the influence of drugs, alcohol, and even some prescription medications can be extremely dangerous. Those substances can impair your vision, judgement, and fine motor skills. They may even affect your ability to stay awake.
- Driving while distracted – Distraction has always been a concern for drivers, but the usage of smartphones has made it an epidemic in California and throughout the world. Taking your eyes and mind off the road can be deadly, even if it’s just for a split second.
Our California auto accident attorneys know how to build strong claims for people who were hurt in crashes, and we’re ready to put our experience to work for you, too. Call today for a free consultation.
Traveling This Winter? Follow These Winter Driving Tips.
| December 11th, 2017
At Berg Injury Lawyers, we know that people in our neck of the woods don’t have to worry as much about inclement weather-related crashes as people in other parts of the country. After all, one of the biggest perks of living in California is the year-round mild weather and sunny skies.
But California isn’t snow and ice-free, especially at higher elevations. And many surrounding states get plenty of snowfall and ice accumulation. That can be a dangerous combination for drivers from the Golden State—particularly if they’re not used to the way snow and ice can affect their vehicles’ handling and responsiveness.
If you’re planning on driving in an area where snow and ice are possibilities this winter, do your best to follow these winter driving tips to reduce your risks:
- Maintain proper PSI in your tires – Modern tires are effective at gripping the road in all but the most extreme conditions, but that’s often contingent on them being inflated properly. Check your vehicle’s manual to determine the correct PSI for its front and rear tires, and make sure they meet the manufacturer’s specifications.
- Keep your gas tank at least half-full – Although rare, gas lines in vehicles can freeze, causing them to stall or even become seriously damaged. The last thing you want is to experience car troubles in the middle of a snowstorm. Keeping your car’s gas tank half-full helps prevent this problem from occurring.
Following these tips can reduce your risks, but they can’t eliminate them—especially when other drivers on the road aren’t cautious. If you were hurt in an accident caused by a negligent driver, our California auto accident lawyers are here to help. Call today for a free consultation.
Car Accident Risks Increase When Daylight Saving Time Ends.
| October 23rd, 2017
When daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 5, clocks will go back one hour. For most people, this means a welcome hour of extra sleep and a brighter, sunnier start to their days. But for others, it could result in serious and even life-threatening car accidents.
Studies show an increased risk of auto accidents when clocks change for both the beginning and end of daylight saving time. In the spring, the increased risks are a result of drivers losing an hour of sleep and being more fatigued behind the wheel.
In the fall, the reasons are more multi-faceted. The increased risks of auto accidents result from:
- Anticipation of the time change. The change in time is often accompanied by changes in behavior. There may be an increase in the number of intoxicated drivers on the road when daylight saving time ends, especially as more drivers get behind the wheel late at night or early in the morning.
- Inability to adapt to reduced visibility. The end of daylight saving time means earlier sunrises and earlier sunsets. Drivers who are used to heading home from work with plenty of light may suddenly find themselves driving home in total darkness.
Pedestrians are also at a higher risk for being involved in accidents after the end of daylight saving time, as they may be less likely to follow safety precautions.
No matter when your accident happened, the California car accident lawyers at Berg Injury Lawyers want to speak with you. We know what it takes to build strong claims, and it’s our goal to help you. Call today for a free consultation.