Jeffrey Johnson has written novels and movies in addition to legal analyses of eminent domain and immigration law. His experience in writing engaging fiction makes him uniquely capable of making the most dry and academic legal topics interesting (or as interesting as possible).
Jeffrey Johnson, J.D.
Jeffrey Johnson has written novels and movies in addition to legal analyses of eminent domain and immigration law. His experience in writing engaging fiction makes him uniquely capable of making the most dry and academic legal topics interesting (or as interesting as possible).
Adam has resided at the intersection of legal and journalism for two decades. An award-winning journalist and legal strategist, he’s covered high-profile trials in Florida.
After law school, Adam and spent two years clerking for a U.S. District Court judge. He researched and wrote legal precedent in published opinions on behalf of the Court.
He has been an editor, columnist and journalist at the Miami Herald, The Dallas Morning News, The Oregonian, Golf Digest, FindLaw.com and other media outlets.
He lived in Colombia and Argentina teaching legal English to attorneys and law students. He is also a Spanish-language subject matter expert.
An avid waterman, he surfs and scuba dives frequently.
Reviewed
Adam Ramirez, J.D.
Adam has resided at the intersection of legal and journalism for two decades. An award-winning journalist and legal strategist, he’s covered high-profile trials in Florida.
After law school, Adam and spent two years clerking for a U.S. District Court judge. He researched and wrote legal precedent in published opinions on behalf of the Court.
He has been an editor, columnist and journalist at the Miami Herald, The Dallas Morning News, The Oregonian, Golf Digest, FindLaw.com and other media outlets.
He lived in Colombia and Argentina teaching legal English to attorneys and law students. He is also a Spanish-language subject matter expert.
An avid waterman, he surfs and scuba dives frequently.
Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.
All the great things about San Diego—the beautiful beaches, lovely climate and great tacos—won’t seem so great if you’ve been in a car accident. Being injured or having your car totaled will ruin your day no matter where the accident happens.
If you’ve been in a wreck, an experienced lawyer can help get you back to enjoying yourself as soon as possible. We’ve put together a list of the best car accident attorneys in San Diego to help you find reliable legal help. We’ve also included some advice on how to choose the right attorney for your unique needs.
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Best Car Accident Attorneys in San Diego
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Other California Car Accident Lawyers
Filing a Car Accident Lawsuit In California
As a driver in California, it’s important to know the rules of the road. Being aware of the laws in California can keep you from getting a ticket even if you haven’t been in a car accident. If you have been in an accident, knowing the laws concerning fault and insurance in California can help you determine if you need to find a car accident lawyer after your crash.
California Statute of Limitations
A civil statute of limitations is the amount of time allowed after an injury for the injured person to sue the responsible party. Different types of injury have different amounts of time allowed, and injuries from a car accident will almost always fall under the category of personal injury statutes of limitations.
Generally, California allows two years from the injury to file a lawsuit. If you haven’t filed your claim within two years, you will very likely have missed your opportunity.
California Laws for Car Drivers
In most states, drivers are required to carry a minimum amount of car insurance in order to be able to register and drive a car. California is no exception.
These amounts are the minimum you need to be able to drive in the state, but they’re probably not enough coverage if you’re actually involved in a serious accident. The costs of recovering from an injury may be difficult to predict, but you’re probably aware of what even a used car costs these days…and it’s a lot more than $5,000.
Some other driving laws unique to California include:
- Child Seats. California requires that children be in a car seat longer than most other states. Any child under four feet, nine inches tall and under eight years of age has to be in a car or booster seat. If they’re not, the driver can face a $100 fine for the first offense and higher fines for subsequent violations.
- Phones While Driving. California does not allow using your phone while driving at all if you’re under 18—this includes hands-free systems. Drivers over 18 years old can only use hands-free systems and are prohibited from using phones with their hands while behind the wheel.
Identifying Fault for a Car Crash
California is a “fault” state for car insurance.
When a driver is found to be responsible for an accident, anyone harmed—through injury or damage to their property—can sue that driver. Most often, rather than suing, the injured person will simply place a claim with the insurance company of the at fault driver
An agreement of who is actually at fault is reached by the insurance companies of the drivers involved. They will look at evidence like the scene of the accident or the police report, but the insurance adjusters from each company will ultimately decide who’s to blame and, therefore, whose insurance has to pay.
How Can An Attorney Help You?
The best car accident lawyers in San Diego can help by letting you focus on recovering after a car crash. After even minor accidents, most people need some time to recover. Making sure that you and your passengers get treatment for any injuries and dealing with damage to your vehicle is more than enough for anyone to deal with.
Add in trying to investigate the crash to determine fault, talk to the insurance companies involved, calculate damages and decide if and when you need to consider filing a lawsuit and it can be overwhelming. A good attorney can take many of these concerns off your plate so you can focus on the essentials.
A good attorney also has experience dealing with the courts and insurance companies. This means that they can identify a fair offer and negotiate to get you the most compensation possible with knowledge that the average driver doesn’t have.
How to Find the Best Car Accident Lawyer in San Diego, CA
There are good and bad ways to find car accident lawyers. You could just try calling numbers you see on billboards. You could see if you can find an actual phone book and just pick your attorney based on who has the biggest ad.
Or you could find an attorney by using referrals. If this fails, you can start with an internet search. Remember, though, that you’ll need to know what to look for in a good car accident lawyer so that you can find the best fit for your case.
- Seek Referrals. An excellent place to start when looking for a car accident lawyer is to ask for referrals from friends, family and colleagues. There’s a good chance that you know more than one person who has needed a lawyer in an accident case. When you find someone who has a referral, ask them specifically what they liked about working with the lawyer.
- Ask About Expertise. Ask lawyers that you are interviewing what their expertise is. While some lawyers specialize in car accident cases exclusively, others are generalists who practice personal injury law dealing with other cases such as workers’ compensation. You can work with either, but you do want to make sure that a generalist has worked on a lot of car accident cases and be sure that they know the ins and outs of the insurance game.
- What Do They Charge? San Diego car accident lawyers should work on contingency. This means that there are no up-front costs and the attorney only gets paid if they get you paid. Most contingency arrangements are for between 25-40%. This means that if they get you a settlement or verdict at trial for $10,000 they keep between $2,500 and $4,000 depending on the terms of their representation.
- Do They Have Courtroom Experience? Well over 95% of car accident lawsuits settle without going to trial. If your case doesn’t settle, though, you’ll be in trouble if your lawyer has never tried a case or cross-examined anyone or made a closing argument. Making sure that your lawyer has skills inside the courtroom and can help you in a few different ways. Not only does a skilled litigator stand a better chance of winning your case, but they might also encourage the other side to settle to avoid facing them in court.
Methodology
To come up with the Best Car Accident Lawyers in San Diego in 2024, Forbes Advisor considered many factors. Forbes Advisor’s mathematical module considers and weighs the information collected to calculate a specific rating and reviews these results to find the best attorneys in a given practice area.
Within the model, we take into account factors that legal professionals and consumers value in an attorney’s qualifications. After assigning weighted scores to hundreds of data points, we narrowed the field down to our top choices based on:
- Legal experience
- Special licenses & certifications
- Ethics and bar disciplinary measures
- Legal thought leadership
- Education & employment background
- Scholarly lectures & writings
- Awards & honors
Forbes Advisor collects public data from a variety of sources, including state bar associations, court records and other published sources on the internet. This information should not be considered comprehensive, however. It might not include additional relevant information on an attorney’s legal skills and experience.
Each lawyer listed here has their own merits. Bear in mind that our list relates to these lawyers’ legal backgrounds, but does not evaluate their personalities or their knowledge of the law. One attorney may be more suitable than another for your specific legal situation.
One thing that can’t be quantified, though, is the rapport you establish with your attorney. Personality goes a long way when teaming up with an attorney, especially when going through a potentially difficult legal situation. These rankings should serve as a reference and potential starting point in your search for the right lawyer for you and your legal concerns.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the average settlement for a car accident in California?
Car accident cases across the United States generally settle for amounts between $14,000 and $28,000, averaging $21,000. This amount can and will vary depending on the unique details of each case.
How long does an insurance company have to settle a claim in California?
In the state of California, insurance companies have 85 days total to settle a car insurance claim after it is filed. Delays may occur if you have serious injuries that linger or disputes in the claim that must be addressed. The insurance company must notify you of delays in writing.
