SACRAMENTO CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEY
CALL: (916) 476-9781
Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer Michael Rehm provides representation to those injured in auto accidents. In 2014, according to the California Office of Traffic Safety, there were 9,747 accidents in Sacramento County. So, unfortunately, accidents are a part of our everyday life. The reality is however, even with the common nature of accidents, for most of those involved in one, many questions arise right away. Several common questions are:
- Do I need to report this accident to the DMV? It depends. As of 2017, the current law is that you must report any auto accident to the DMV that either resulted in one of two things: a personal injury; or
property damage of $1000 or more. The limit recently changed from $750 to $1000.The accident must be reported within 10 days by submitting an SR-1 form to your local DMV. - Who pays for my property damage or my injury? That depends on who is at fault and what type of insurance you have. If you have liability insurance, and the other party is deemed at fault, the other party’s insurance will take care of your medical bills or property damage. If you have collision coverage, your insurance company will pay for your medical bills or property damage, no matter who is at fault. Your medical insurance should also cover any medical bills you gave regardless of fault. If you have liability coverage, and you are deemed at fault, your insurance company will not pay for your damages. This is a bare bone run down of the law. Concepts like fault and insurance coverage are not always agreed upon by the two parties and this is where an attorney can make a real difference.
- What if the other party does not have insurance? In this situation, you would look to your own uninsured motorist coverage. Most standard liability or collision policies have uninsured motorist coverage, and this should be the basis for a recovery of your bills. You can also look for other insurance policies that may be in existence aside from the other driver’s personal policy which does not exist. For example, if the driver does not have any auto insurance, but is driving for work related purposes, the employer’s coverage may apply.
Car accidents can lead to soft tissue injuries, spinal injuries, brain damage and death. If you, or a loved one, have been injured in an auto accident, do not give any statements to the other sides insurance company, and get help as soon as possible. For more information on the how to proceed after being involved in a car accident, contact Michael Rehm at (916) 476-9781.
Resources:
What To Do After An Accident
Sacramento County Court
California DMV SR-1 Form