How to File a Car Accident Claim in California?

After an accident, the first priority is getting medical treatment. However, medical treatment isn’t free, and medical bills can quickly start to add up. In some cases, victims cannot work to cover those bills. In other cases, even if they can continue to work after their treatment, the expense is more than they can handle. Regardless, victims shouldn’t have to face financial burdens resulting from another person’s reckless or careless actions.

At Kash Legal, we believe that our clients deserve fair and maximum compensation for the pain and losses they’ve suffered because of another party’s carelessness. Our skilled and trusted team of lawyers has dedicated themselves to helping our clients find the financial relief they need by aggressively pursuing their right to compensation.

The 3 Steps to File a Car Accident Claim in California

Filing a personal injury claim isn’t always an easy process. Most of the time, it can be complicated because insurance companies want to avoid paying compensation as much as possible. Therefore, they will look for the slightest error or mistake to help limit their liability or deny your claim entirely.

This is why accident victims benefit from working with a dedicated and skilled car accident lawyer that understands personal injury law and how insurance adjusters operate. Having a trusted lawyer in your corner gives you the space to focus on your recovery as they guide you through the three steps of filing a car accident claim and aggressively pursuing your right to full and fair compensation.

Step 1: Establishing Grounds for Legal Action

To pursue a personal injury claim or lawsuit in California, your attorney must take the information given to them to establish your legal right to file the claim. Having legal grounds to file for compensation means you must:

Be directly connected to the lawsuit’s subject (the at-fault driver). This generally means proving that the at-fault driver directly caused or significantly contributed to the accident because of their action or inaction.
Be a legal entity. A legal entity means being a person or entity (company, government, organization, etc.) with legal status.
Have legal capacity. Legal capacity refers to the ability to be able to understand and undertake the task of pursuing legal action. Minors and adults who are mentally incompetent because of age, illness, or infirmity don’t have legal capacity.

An experienced attorney understands how to establish legal grounds to pursue compensation. They can take the heavy load of fighting for your right to compensation.

Step 2: Determine the Legal Venue

A legal venue is where you’re going to file your claim. A claim must be filed in the county where:

The majority of witnesses are located or where the injury occurred
The defendant lives or has their principal place of business
You live or have your principal place of business

There may be more than one venue that is appropriate for your case. Your lawyer can advise on which venue is best.

Step 3: File Your Claim Within the Statute of Limitations

A statute of limitations refers to the allotted time you have to file your claim to help preserve evidence and protect your right to file a claim. Once the statute of limitations has passed, you lose your right to file a personal injury claim. In California, you have two years from the date of the injury to file your claim.

Hire a Trusted and Talented Car Accident Lawyer Today

Pursuing a personal injury claim can be a lot to handle, especially if you’ve been gravely injured and your health and other responsibilities require most, if not all, of your focus. That’s why Kash Legal is proud to provide our clients with trusted legal advice and services that give them the confidence to focus on themselves, knowing that their claim is in good hands.

Our dedicated team of lawyers will fight for your right to compensation, even if it means going to trial. We believe in helping injured accident victims find successful outcomes for their claims and in holding negligent parties accountable for their actions. Schedule a consultation by calling (888) 527-4128 or filling out our contact form.