If you have recently been injured in a car accident, it is important that you speak with an attorney about your legal options. Even if you think that you are likely not owed any money due to the circumstances of your crash, it is important to have a lawyer evaluate your situation before you commit to a plan of action or inaction. Far too often, injury victims are under the impression that they are not owed any money as a result of the harm they have suffered. In reality, because California extend protections to injury victims so effectively, many injury victims are owed compensation even if they are partially to blame for the circumstances that led to their harm.
Pure Comparative Negligence – Why Does It Matter?
As an experienced San Fernando Valley, CA car accident lawyer – including those who practice at Unidos Legales – can explain in great detail, California is known as a pure comparative negligence state. Comparative negligence states, unlike many other states, allow injury victims to recover compensation from others even if they were partially to blame for what happened to them. A small minority of states don’t effectively allow injury victims to recover compensation if they were partially to blame for their harm. Many states allow injury victims to seek compensation from others who are partially responsible for their harm, as long as an injury victim is not more than 50% to blame for their injuries.
California is among the few states that allows injury victims to pursue compensation from others who were partially responsible for their harm, even if a victim was 99% to blame for what happened to them. Granted, it is not always a good idea to invest time and resources into seeking compensation for an accident that was almost entirely one’s own fault. But, injury victims are afforded this option nonetheless.
What Does This Mean for You?
If you have been injured in an accident, you may be able to seek financial damages from others who were involved or somehow influenced the cause of your crash. Most of the time, injury victims are entitled to compensation if those who were responsible for their harm caused their injuries due to negligence, recklessness, or intentionally dangerous conduct. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. For example, an auto parts manufacturer may be held liable for harm after manufacturing a defective auto part under a strict liability theory of law which does not require an injury victim to prove that the manufacturer was negligent.
The nuance of personal injury lawsuits can be complex and intimidating. Thankfully, you do not need to explore your legal and financial options alone. Working with an experienced attorney can help to ensure that you receive the maximum amount of compensation that you are owed under the law. Also, working with an attorney can help to relieve a great deal of stress because they can handle the heavy lifting of your legal situation while you focus on recovering for the injuries you sustained as a result of a crash.