Riverside Car Accident Lawyers

Car Accident Claims in Riverside

This page is for people hurt in a car crash in Riverside or elsewhere in Riverside County. The Ledger Law Firm has attorneys licensed in California, and the firm takes calls and form requests from the Inland Empire. Its California office is at 5160 Birch Street, Suite 200, Newport Beach. The first step is a free case evaluation, and you can ask for it now by phone or with the form below.

Call (800) 300-0001

The firm works on a contingency fee: the fee is a percentage of what is recovered. If there is no recovery, you owe no attorney fee, but you may still be responsible for court costs and case expenses.

What to do after a Riverside car crash

Check for injuries and call 911. The California Driver Handbook says to stop at the scene of a collision, and a responding officer can write a report.
Get checked by a medical provider as soon as you can. Delay can make it harder to show what the crash did to you, and some injuries are slow to show.
Gather proof while it is fresh: photos of the damage and the roadway, the information for every driver involved, and the names and numbers of people who saw what happened.
Look at the DMV rule on reporting. The California DMV says an SR 1 report goes to the DMV within 10 days when someone is injured, however slightly, or killed, or when property damage is above $1000. The DMV accident reporting page has the details.
Report the crash to your own insurer and keep a folder with every bill, letter and repair estimate.

Riverside area crashes

Riverside is a county seat where several major routes meet, and the claims people bring come from many kinds of roads.

Crashes on the 91, 60 and 215 freeways, which are Interstate 215 and State Routes 91 and 60, including collisions at merges and interchanges.
Crashes on Interstate 15 and the roads that feed it from the Riverside and Corona area.
Intersection crashes on major streets such as Magnolia Avenue and University Avenue.
Crashes near the University of California Riverside and in the downtown area, involving students, pedestrians and cyclists.
Crashes with commercial trucks on the freeways that carry freight through the region. See our page on truck accidents.
Crashes with an uninsured driver or a driver with too little coverage.

Who may be at fault and how fault is shared

Blame for a crash can be spread across several people. In a multiple vehicle collision, each driver, an employer, a vehicle maker or a public agency may be part of the story, and the insurers often point at one another.

California uses pure comparative fault. If you were partly responsible, you can still bring a claim, and the amount you can recover goes down by your share. For example, a finding that you were 40 percent responsible would reduce your damages by 40 percent.

The deadline to file

Personal injury

Under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, a lawsuit for an injury caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another person must generally be filed within two years.

Damage to property

A claim for harm to a vehicle or other property generally has three years.

A city, county or other public body

A different, shorter clock applies if a public body may be responsible. Government Code section 911.2 sets six months, counted in the usual case from the day of the crash, for presenting a written claim. There are exceptions, so bring your dates to an attorney soon.

What a claim can include

A claim after a crash can include payment for medical care, income you lost, repair or replacement of your vehicle, and the pain and disruption you went through. What a claim is worth depends on your injuries, your records and the insurance involved. The firm does not promise a result.

Talking to an insurance company

Tell your own insurer about the crash promptly. The insurer for the other driver may ask you to give a recorded statement or may offer a fast payment, and it makes sense to speak with an attorney before you agree to either. The California DMV states the minimum liability limits as $30,000 for injury or death to one person, $60,000 for more than one, and $15,000 for property damage (DMV insurance requirements). If your losses are larger, ask about the uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage on your own policy.

How the free case evaluation works

You reach us by phone or by the form and tell us what happened.
We ask about your injuries, the insurance and the date of the crash.
We tell you whether the firm can help, and there is no charge for that conversation.
If you choose to go ahead, the firm gathers the evidence and talks to the insurers, and you decide on every offer.

The fee

Riverside car accident FAQ

The crash involved several cars on the freeway. Who is responsible?

It depends on the facts. A report, photos and witness accounts help show the order of events, and more than one driver can share fault.

Do I have to report the crash to the DMV if nobody was badly hurt?

The DMV says a report is due if anyone is injured, however slightly, or if property damage is more than $1000, so many crashes are covered. Check the DMV page above or ask us.

Can I ask the firm about a crash if I live in Riverside County?

Yes. Call or send the form. The firm has attorneys licensed in California and will tell you whether it can help.

What if the other driver left the scene?

Tell the police and your insurer right away. Your own uninsured motorist coverage may apply, so keep your policy and all records.

Who is licensed in California

The attorneys of the firm licensed in California are Emery Brett Ledger and Sabrina Sabbagh. The Ledger Law Firm was founded in 1998 by Emery Brett Ledger. Its California office is at 5160 Birch Street, Suite 200, Newport Beach, CA 92660.

More on this site

Call The Ledger Law Firm at (800) 300-0001 for a free case evaluation.

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