Car Accident Attorney In Sacramento, CA
While car accidents are an unfortunate but common occurrence for the millions of drivers on the road daily, they can also have potentially devastating consequences. Injuries, medical bills, damage to the car and other property, and trauma can follow accident victims for years or even decades. That’s why a Sacramento auto accident attorney can be such an important partner if someone hit you or injured you while on the road.
Filing a claim can often be complex. From understanding who was responsible for the accident to knowing what steps to take and how to protect yourself, no one involved should be alone in the process. When working with an auto accident attorney, Sacramento residents can rest easier knowing that they will have a fair chance at justice and potential compensation.
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Common Causes Of Car Accidents In Sacramento
While vehicle accidents can occur for a variety of reasons, below are some of the most common causes of car accidents in Sacramento:
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Of course, these are far from the only causes of car accidents. Our car accident attorneys can help you sort through these potential causes in a situation where a split second can make a dramatic difference.
Berg Wins 60x
Insurance Company’s Offer in Auto Accident Case
Berg Injury Lawyers obtained a recovery worth SIXTY TIMES the insurance company’s original settlement offer in an auto accident case.
Our client suffered a significant neck injury in a crash caused by another driver who made an illegal U-turn in front of him. He required two cervical fusions because the hardware used in the first procedure failed. Our client was offered a settlement by the insurance company prior to hiring Berg Injury Lawyers, which he did not accept. The representation by Berg Injury Lawyers helped him settle for 60x what he was offered prior to hiring our law firm.
Insurance companies are in the business of making money, not giving it away—which means they will offer you as little compensation as they think they can get away with, even when you have a rock-solid claim with the other party obviously at fault. When you hire a lawyer, you are protecting your rights and knowing your own value.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Hire A Car Accident Attorney?
When a car accident occurs, it’s only a matter of time before insurance companies get involved. The costs, from property damage to potential medical bills, are just too significant. Unfortunately, because insurance companies work to maximize their profits, they will look for reasons to minimize any payment to car accident victims.
Hiring a Sacramento auto accident attorney ensures that you don’t have to take on insurance companies by yourself. Instead, the lawyer can represent your best interests, providing you with a higher chance of gaining financial compensation and justice.
The right legal partner can also help in a variety of other areas. For example, they communicate with the police on your behalf, ensuring that you don’t accidentally or wrongly admit fault when no liability exists. They will help you gather evidence necessary for a potential legal proceeding and help you get everything in order before the California time limit for car accidents expires two years after the incident.
How Long After A Car Accident Can You File A Police Report?
California requires anyone involved in a car accident to report it to the local police department or the California Highway Patrol within 24 hours. If you called 911 and an officer arrived on scene, they will file the report on your behalf.
In addition, drivers must file an accident report to the California Department of Motor Vehicles within 10 days if the crash resulted in an injury or death, or if it caused more than $1,000 in property damage.
You should obtain the police report in Sacramento in case you need it for legal purposes. You can request it in writing from the Sacramento Police Department or by visiting the city’s police station on Freeport Boulevard. The cost to obtain the report is $5, and the person requesting it needs to be either someone directly involved in the accident or their legal representative.
When Should I Report The Car Accident To My Insurance Company?
Shortly after the accident, your insurance company may contact you to ask for a settlement. It’s in their best interest to settle the claim quickly and at the lowest possible cost, so avoid signing or verbally agreeing to anything.
Instead, let your car accident lawyer manage any communication with the insurance on your behalf. If you haven’t already hired a qualified attorney, the first time the insurance company contacts you is the perfect time to do so.
How Can I Protect Myself After A Car Accident?
If you’re in a vehicle accident in Sacramento, the first and most important step is to ensure your health. Call 911 if you can at the scene, and follow up as quickly as possible with a trusted doctor for a medical exam. If physically able, gather information at the scene to make sure the police and any other entities have the most accurate picture of the accident possible.
After that, protecting yourself requires a more long-term view. Get in touch with a lawyer to ensure you are fully and accurately represented in any conversations with law enforcement and insurance claims adjusters.
When Should I Call A Sacramento Auto Accident Lawyer?
The best time to call an auto accident attorney is shortly after the accident and before communicating with your car insurance company or law enforcement beyond the scene. The attorney can help you know what to say, what to document, and can even take over those interactions for you.
Don’t wait longer than necessary. Your insurance company will likely contact you quickly, or Sacramento law enforcement may follow up. Use these events as prompts to get legal representation.
What I Do If I Have A Car Accident With An Uninsured Driver?
In California, about 17% of drivers don’t have car insurance. If you’re hit by an uninsured driver, report the accident to police and then consult with an attorney. They can help you pursue compensation through your own policy (e.g., uninsured motorist coverage) or through other means.
Where Do Crashes Happen Most Often in Sacramento?
Car accidents in Sacramento frequently occur at busy intersections and along high-traffic roadways. Some of the most accident-prone areas include the intersection of Watt Avenue and Highway 50, the I-80/I-5 interchange, and stretches of Stockton Boulevard and Florin Road. Congested traffic, distracted driving, and high speeds often contribute to crashes in these areas of Sacramento. If you were hurt in a crash at one of these hotspots—or anywhere else in Sacramento—Berg Injury Lawyers can help protect your rights.
A Car Accident Lawyer Can Help Determine Liability
When you’ve had a car accident, determining liability will be crucial to potentially sue for damages. Your attorney can help you work through all the details to determine who was at fault and what that means for potential compensation.
California follows at-fault and comparative negligence laws. That means you can still recover damages even if you were partially at fault—just reduced proportionally to your level of responsibility.
Your lawyer will help build this case through evidence, reports, witness statements, and expert opinions.
To prove liability, your attorney will demonstrate these four elements:
Types Of Car Accident Injuries
It’s crucial to understand not only the causes of car accidents but also their consequences, particularly the types of injuries that commonly result from these incidents. Here’s a look at some of the most frequent injuries sustained in vehicle collisions:
- Whiplash and Neck Injuries: Often resulting from rear-end collisions, whiplash occurs when the head is suddenly jerked backward and then forward, straining the neck muscles and ligaments.
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs): TBIs can range from mild concussions to severe brain damage. They are caused by a blow or jolt to the head, especially in high-impact collisions.
- Broken Bones: The force of a car accident can easily break bones—ribs, arms, legs, ankles, and wrists are among the most commonly fractured.
- Lacerations and Bruises: Sharp objects like glass or metal can cause cuts and lacerations, while the force of impact can lead to severe bruising.
- Back and Spinal Cord Injuries: From herniated discs to paralysis, spinal injuries can be devastating and often require long-term medical treatment.
- Internal Injuries: Blunt trauma can injure internal organs such as the lungs, liver, or kidneys, sometimes leading to life-threatening internal bleeding.
- Psychological Trauma: PTSD, anxiety, and depression are common among accident victims and can severely affect daily life and relationships.
The severity and type of injury can vary greatly depending on the specifics of the accident. Whatever the injury, a car accident lawyer from Berg Injury Lawyers can assist with making sure you receive the compensation you deserve.
Types of Accidents in Sacramento
Sacramento’s heavy traffic from commuters and travelers leads to serious accidents every day. Knowing what type of crash you were in helps you understand your injuries and what compensation you deserve.
Head-On Collisions
When two cars collide front-end to front-end, it causes one of the worst types of accidents. Head-on crashes happen when drivers cross the center line because they’re distracted, tired, or impaired. Both cars are speeding toward each other, creating a massive impact that can destroy the vehicles and seriously hurt everyone inside.
Victims likely face severe injuries like brain trauma, spinal injuries, chest and stomach injuries, and broken bones. Treatment is usually intense and long and often includes emergency surgery, weeks in the hospital, and months of physical therapy.
Rear-End Crashes
When one vehicle strikes another from behind, it may seem like a minor incident, but rear-end crashes can cause serious injuries and complications. These accidents are common at traffic lights, in slow-moving traffic, or when drivers follow too closely.
More serious rear-end crashes can result in back injuries, head trauma, and damage to internal organs. In many cases, victims often discover that their injuries are more serious than initially apparent, requiring ongoing medical care and affecting their ability to work.
Wrong-Way Accidents
When drivers travel in the wrong direction, they create extremely dangerous situations that often end in catastrophic crashes. These accidents typically happen on freeways, highway ramps, or one-way streets, frequently involving drivers who are impaired, confused, or experiencing medical emergencies.
The impact on victims is usually severe because both vehicles are moving toward each other, doubling the forces generated during the collision. Survivors often endure traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, severe fractures, and internal injuries that require immediate emergency care and long-term rehabilitation. The physical and emotional recovery can take years and may never be fully complete.
Multi-Vehicle Collisions
These crashes involve several cars and usually start with one collision that causes others. They can happen during rush hour, in construction zones, or when inclement weather makes it difficult to see. With multiple cars involved, determining who’s at fault gets complicated, as several drivers and insurance companies are involved.
Your injuries depend on how you got hit. They may be minor if you were barely touched or severe if you were caught between multiple cars. These chaotic crashes often leave people anxious about driving again.
Rollover Accidents
These happen when cars flip onto their sides or completely over. Rollovers occur during sharp turns at high speed, when a car gets hit at certain angles, or when drivers lose control and go off the road. SUVs, vans, and trucks roll over more easily because they’re top-heavy.
Rollover injuries are often severe, potentially causing head and brain injuries, spinal damage, broken bones, and cuts from broken glass. The violent flipping can also be traumatic, and you might need counseling to cope with the experience.
Side-Impact Collisions
These happen when one car hits another from the side, often at intersections. They’re common when drivers run red lights, don’t yield, or misjudge traffic signals. Car doors don’t protect you as much as the front or back of the car, so you’re more likely to get hurt.
You could break ribs that damage internal organs, hit your head on the side window, or hurt your hips and pelvis when the door gets pushed in. Recovery often means multiple surgeries and months of rehab. Some people end up permanently disabled.
Drunk Driving Accidents
Drunk driving is a serious problem in Sacramento. One 2024 study listed Sacramento as the city with the second-highest DUI rates per 1,000 drivers in the U.S. When someone suffers harm because of an intoxicated driver’s poor decisions, they have the right to demand compensation for the injury-related costs they’ve suffered.
Rideshare Accidents
California is one of the busiest states in the nation for rideshare services like Uber and Lyft. However, as with any transportation service, accidents can happen while riding in an Uber or Lyft vehicle. When this happens, injured passengers are often confused and unsure of what to do next, especially if they need compensation.
Steps To Take After A Car Accident In Sacramento
When you are in an auto accident, it can be difficult to think straight. Keep in mind that your priority should be your health, the safety of those around you, and your future well-being. These steps can help to keep those priorities in order while also protecting your personal rights and maximizing your potential to get justice down the road.
Call 911: If anyone is injured or there is serious damage to vehicles or property, call 911 right away. The police will compile an accident report which serves as a record of your accident, and emergency responders can begin treating injured victims at the accident scene.
Check For Injuries: While waiting for medical first responders to arrive at the scene, check yourself and any passengers for potential injuries. If no one in your vehicle seems seriously hurt, check others involved in the crash as well.
Gather Information: With immediate needs taken care of, start to gather and compile as much information as you can:
- Write down all the details you remember about the accident and anyone else involved.
- Take pictures of vehicle damage, injuries, and the scene.
- Get names, contact details, and insurance info of other parties and witnesses.
Get A Medical Checkup: Even if you think you don’t need it, a medical checkup can uncover internal injuries that may not develop until after the accident. Keep any receipts and records for potential later use.
Contact An Attorney: With the immediate steps taken care of, it’s time to get in touch with an experienced Sacramento auto accident attorney. They will help organize information, gather quotes, secure statements, and protect you in insurance negotiations.
Local hospitals and clinics in Sacramento that can handle car accident-related injuries include:
4001 J St.
Sacramento, CA 95819
7500 Hospital Dr.
Sacramento, CA 95823
4301 X St.
Sacramento, CA 95817
According to California’s Transportation Injury Mapping System, the number of car accidents in Sacramento has been troubling in the past few years. In 2022, 3,511 crashes resulted in injuries in the city.
Of those 3,511 crashes:
- 226 resulted in serious injury
- 71 were fatal
- 560 involved alcohol
- 51 involved drugs
- 202 involved distracted driving
- 1,673 involved speeding
Sacramento is a Vision Zero City, which means the city set a goal to eliminate traffic fatalities by 2027. Nonetheless, accidents still happen today.
CBS News reported in June 2025 that a multi-vehicle crash near downtown Sacramento sent a man to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries that later proved fatal. And in July 2025, Yahoo! News reported that a person was in critical condition after an accident involving a pickup truck and a sedan in Sacramento County.
It’s important to always be aware of the possibility of a crash and take the requisite precautions when driving, including always buckling up and driving as defensively as possible.
Schedule A Free Consultation With Berg Injury Lawyers
When you’ve had an auto accident, working with the right legal professionals can make all the difference. Berg Injury Lawyers has helped victims of car accidents in Sacramento for more than 45 years, from dealing with insurance companies to filing personal injury lawsuits if needed.
Our No Fee Guarantee® means you only pay if we win your case. We’ll help you navigate the legal system, manage paperwork, and pursue the compensation you deserve. If you had a car accident, schedule a free consultation today.
Visit our office at 2277 Watt Ave 2nd Floor, Sacramento, CA 95825
