$11.7 Million in Traffic Wrongful Death Case
A Contra Costa County jury has awarded $11.7 million to the family of a man who died on a badly maintained stretch of county road while trying to…
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If you’re hurt in a car accident, you need to talk to a California auto accident attorney.
The period following an auto accident can be extremely stressful. Between injuries, medical bills & expenses, lost wages, physical & emotional pain and suffering, and damage to your vehicle, there’s so much going on it’s often overwhelming.
The California car accident lawyers of GJEL are here to help navigate you through this difficult time.
Our experience in auto accident litigation is extensive. The attorneys of GJEL will:
- Help you get proper medical treatment
- Assess your accident
- Examine medical evidence evaluating injuries
- Calculate losses
- Help maximize the compensation you recover
Our accident attorneys are here to explain your legal options, counsel you on the best way to proceed, and do everything in our power to minimize the stress you’re feeling following your accident.
Should you contact an injury lawyer after your car accident?
Motor Vehicle accidents account for a significant portion of California’s personal injury and wrongful death claims. While many accidents share similar characteristics, each one has unique details and deserves to be investigated thoroughly to ensure a complete financial recovery.
For minor accidents, it’s quite possible you don’t need an attorney. However, even if it turns out you don’t need to hire a lawyer, consultations are always free. If you’re in doubt, use our contact form or give us a call and ask.
The more severe the accident, the more likely you are to benefit from the counsel of an experienced auto accident attorney. Adjusters and insurers may try to take advantage of victims who are not represented by an attorney experienced in California accident law. Insurance companies aren’t in business to look out for your best interests and it’s rare that the victim of a serious accident will “come out ahead” in an injury settlement without consulting a lawyer.
We’re here to answer your questions. If we think you need a lawyer, we’ll tell you why. If we don’t think you need a lawyer, we’ll tell you that too. Either way, you’ll have all the information you need to make your own decision.
If you do end up hiring us to represent you, there will be no upfront fees or advance payments required. If you recover nothing, you owe us nothing. We’re here to get you the best result possible and we work on a contingency fee basis.
GJEL Has Unparalleled expertise in handling car accident cases
We’ve won thousands of automotive injury cases and boast a success rate of over 99 percent.
We’re known throughout the state of California for our expertise, and other firms routinely refer their large and complex cases to us.
Here are two recent cases we’ve successfully litigated for our clients:
$1,750,000 Recovery From A Car Accident
A couple was rear-ended by a large pickup truck while driving on I-80. The woman, 52-years-old, was killed in the accident. The defendant argued that the woman’s husband, who was driving at the time of the accident, was largely responsible for the accident because he had been in the process of changing lanes when the rear-end collision took place.
Jim Larsen and the auto accident attorneys at GJEL deposed all available witnesses, including the California Highway Patrol officers responsible for investigating the accident. Thanks to a detailed investigation, GJEL was able to confirm that the husband was not involved in a lane change at the time of the collision and that the fault was solely that of the other driver. Using the testimony of the husband and three adult children, GJEL was also able to show the loving relationship that each had with the accident victim.
With the help of expert testimony and physical evidence, GJEL established that it was the severity of the impact by the defendant’s truck that generated the force resulting in the fatal accident.
GJEL successfully recovered $1,750,000 for the victim’s husband and adult children.
$6,500,000 Jury Verdict
A 16-year-old was permanently injured in a rollover accident resulting from a collision with a mound of dirt that had been inadvertently left in the middle of the roadway by a Hayward construction company.
The accident occurred on North Mines Road in Livermore when Todd Andrews struck a dirt mound and careened into a divider. His car rolled three times before coming to a stop.
GJEL’s Luke Ellis represented Andrews’ stepparents in the ensuing lawsuit, attempting to recover medical fees and damages for their stepson’s life-changing injuries.
At trial, a jury awarded the couple $6.5 million, with attorney Ellis successfully proving a number of violations on the part of the construction company, the city, and the general contractor and engineering company involved in the project.
Click Here to See more successful verdicts and settlements
See What Our Previous Clients Have To Say:
In addition to recovering over $950 + million for injured clients and their families, here’s what some of our clients had to say about their experience:
A List of The Most Common Types of Auto Accidents
There are several common types of accidents that often result in serious injuries for the parties involved.
These are some of the cases we deal with most frequently.
Rear-End Accidents
A rear-end accident occurs when a driver collides with the vehicle in front of them. These types of accidents can range from minor to extremely severe, depending on the speed at which the vehicles were moving and the exact circumstances under which the accident occurs.
In most instances, the driver of the vehicle that rear-ends the other car is at fault, with these types of collisions often occurring because a driver was following too closely or was not paying attention. However, if the driver of the vehicle that gets rear-ended was reversing at the time of the collision, it’s possible that driver could be found responsible for the accident.
T-bone Accidents
Also known as side-impact collisions, a “T-bone” occurs when the side of a car is hit by the front or rear of another vehicle. These broadside collisions can often result in severe injuries for both parties.
Sideswipe Collisions
A sideswipe accident is when the side of one vehicle collides with the side of another vehicle, typically while both cars are traveling in the same direction. Common causes of sideswipe accidents are drivers failing to check their blind spot prior to changing lanes and drivers in parked vehicles re-entering moving traffic without first ensuring the lane is clear.
At low speeds, sideswipe collisions may only result in cosmetic damage, but at high speeds, the injuries can often be significant and severe.
Head-on Collisions
Head-on accidents occur when two vehicles collide directly with each other while going in opposite directions. Even at modest speeds, head-on collisions can result in severe injuries or death.
Single Vehicle Crashes
Single vehicle accidents involve only one vehicle and can be the result of a collision with a stationary object or of veering off the motorway. These accidents can occur due to driver error resulting from factors such as intoxication or fatigue, or can happen as the result of external factors like unsafe road conditions or inclement weather.
Rollover Accidents
A rollover accident occurs when one of the vehicles is overturned as a result of either a collision or departure from the roadway. Rollover accidents are typically severe, resulting in substantial injuries and possibly death.
Hit and Run Accidents
Hit and run accidents can be any type of accident in which one of the drivers involved in the collision decides to flee the scene. Hit and runs are defined by the driver leaving the scene of the accident without providing contact information and can result in a ticket (at a minimum) and possibly criminal charges.
Statistics About Car Accidents in California
Car accidents are all too common. According to Traffic Safety Facts released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were an estimated 6.3 million police-reported crashes last year.
Those collisions resulted in 2.44 million people injured on America’s roads. Many of which were due to negligence.
Here are some other alarming statistics about automotive accidents in the United States and California:
- 35,092 people lost their lives nationwide last year as the result of a vehicular accident
- Almost half (48%) of all fatally injured vehicle occupants were not wearing their seatbelt at the time of the accident (2015)
- 29 percent of all traffic fatalities in the United States involve alcohol (2015)
- California had 4,382 drivers involved in fatal accidents during 2015
- 955 of California’s fatal accidents occurred while the driver was speeding
- 914 of California’s fatal accidents occurred while the driver was intoxicated
(Sources: National Traffic Stats, CA Traffic Stats)
California Car Accident Guide & Frequently Asked Questions
Below is a collection of articles that will help you take the proper steps following a California car accident. If you have been involved in an auto accident in California we invite you to contact us for a free case review.