Auto Accident
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.
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.
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.
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.
Who Has the Right of Way?
| September 25th, 2017
The Federal Highway Administration found that more than 50 percent of fatal or injury-causing auto accidents occur at or near intersections in the U.S. Whether you’re driving in a rural, suburban, or urban area, you’ll likely pass through many intersections on the way to your destination. Because intersections pose such a high risk for drivers, it’s vital to know the right of way rules for when you encounter other vehicles, motorcyclists, bicyclists, or pedestrians. Some common rules that all drivers should keep in mind include:- Drivers at four-way stops get right of way in the order they arrived. Some drivers are confused by who has the right of way at four-way stops. The order is determined by who arrived at the stop sign first or who was next in line first. If you’re unsure, yield to the vehicle on your right.
- Flashing yellow lights indicate right of way but to proceed with caution. Some traffic lights will flash yellow or red late at night or if they’ve been damaged. If you’re approaching an intersection with flashing yellow lights, you have the right of way, but you should proceed cautiously. If you have flashing red lights, come to a complete stop.
- Crossing guards determine right of way in school zones. If you’re driving through a school zone, pay close attention to the crossing guard. He or she determines who gets right of way, regardless of stop signs or traffic signals.
Auto Accident Compensation
| September 4th, 2017
Auto accidents are traumatic in many ways. They can cause victims to suffer painful, disabling, and even life-threatening injuries. But for some victims, the injuries they suffer are just the beginning of the complications they’ll face after their accidents. Getting treated for car accident-related injuries can be expensive, and more serious injuries lead to higher hospital bills. To make matters worse, many victims suffer injuries that cause them to become temporarily or permanently disabled. That means they can’t go back to work for months, years, or even for the rest of their lives. At Berg Injury Lawyers, our California car accident lawyers fight for the rights of injured victims to get compensation for:- Medical bills – The costs of transportation to the hospital in an ambulance, emergency surgery, prolonged hospital stays, and physical rehabilitation are expenses that you may not be able to pay for on your own.
- Lost wages – Your job is your livelihood, and your paycheck keeps you and your loved ones fed, clothed, and sheltered. When you lose your paycheck because of a severe injury, you may resort to spending your savings or even declaring bankruptcy to keep your head above water.
2 Common Mistakes that Can Jeopardize an Injury Claim
| July 31st, 2017
Injuries caused by car, truck, boat, and motorcycle accidents can leave victims facing expensive medical bills and months without the paychecks they depend on. Unfortunately, many victims are stuck paying out of pocket after accidents that weren’t their fault—especially when they’re not aware of the tactics insurance adjusters use to reject their claims or reduce their settlements. At Berg Injury Lawyers, our California personal injury attorneys work hard to protect victims like you from insurance adjusters who want to deny your right to compensation. But we also know that it can be difficult for victims to get money they deserve if they make common mistakes like these:- Waiting too long to see a doctor after the injury occurs – Insurance companies are skeptical of most claims—especially when victims wait days, weeks, or even months to get their injuries examined. We tell clients to go to the doctor right away to protect their health and rights to compensation.
- Admitting fault to police, the other driver, or on social media – Injury accidents can be confusing and leave you in shock, confused, and disoriented. It is common for victims to have hazy or even inaccurate memories of the moments leading up to accidents. Admitting fault can disqualify accident victims from receiving compensation—even if evidence later proves you didn’t cause the accident.
Holding Your Money Hostage
| June 26th, 2017
Imagine if you went to the bank to withdraw your hard-earned money, only to discover the bank is holding it hostage. No matter what you do, the bank refuses to give you a dime, and the law is on their side. Sounds like a nightmare, but accident victims who sign with the insurance company too soon may go through something very similar. If you’ve been in a serious car accident, chances are the insurance company will reach out to settle your claim before too much time has passed. They do that in the hopes that you’ll settle for less than you might get with an attorney, because once you sign, there’s no going back for more money later. That’s why it’s so important that you get an experienced San Francisco car accident attorney on your side before speaking with the insurance company. At Berg Injury Lawyers, we can determine what your case is actually worth, and we’ll fight for every dollar you deserve. If you’ve been injured in a car accident, call us today for a free, no-obligation consultation. We’ll review your case at no cost, and if we take on your case, you’ll get our No Fee Guarantee®, which means if you don’t win, you pay nothing. Contact us today.What Is Fair Compensation?
| May 25th, 2017
One question you should ask yourself after a serious car accident is, “What is fair compensation for my injuries?” The answer may seem obvious, but in actuality, it’s quite complicated. There are a number of factors to consider that you may not be aware of, such as the current costs of follow-up medical testing or the number of days you’re going to be out of work during your recovery. Even our personal injury attorneys, who have been handling similar cases for years, spend a significant amount of time working to find an answer to that question. That’s why the worst words an accident victim can say to the insurance company is “that seems fair.” Insurance companies love it when an accident victim utters those words, because it means they will take much less than they truly deserve. It is vitally important that you not sign anything from the insurance company until you’ve spoken with an experienced San Francisco car accident attorney. It could be the difference between winning big and leaving a lot of money on the table. If you’ve been injured, call our San Francisco car accident lawyers today for a free, no-obligation consultation. We’ll review your case at no charge. And if you become a client, you’ll get our No Fee Guarantee, which means that if you don’t win, you pay nothing. Contact us today.The Power of Spin in Personal Injury Cases
| May 1st, 2017
If we learned anything from the recent presidential election, it is that truth is subjective and facts hold less weight than we thought. All it takes is a kernel of doubt for people to believe almost anything. In its more benign forms, it’s called spin. Every political candidate knows the power and necessity of spin, and so do insurance companies. If you’ve been injured in a car accident and aren’t taking the insurance company’s first offer, chances are you have a lawyer on your side. That might seem like a reasonable decision considering your injuries, but to the insurance company, it’s an act of war. They’ll pull out their full arsenal of legal resources to try and minimize your claim. One way they can do that is to try and prove you’re not as injured as you claim. For that, they often turn to social media. Let’s say after months of physical therapy, you finally get out of the house to spend the day with friends. Although you’re still in a great amount of pain and distress, you post to social media that you had a great day at the park, the fair, or the mall. The insurance company may use that innocent post against you if your case goes to trial. That’s why it’s important that you refrain from social media until after your personal injury case is complete. It could make all the difference. To learn more about what you should and shouldn’t do after your car accident, call our experienced San Francisco car accident attorneys today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
