California Car Accidents Questions & Answers
Q: who would be at fault for an accident with an unprotected left turn?
If at a traffic light there are two cars on opposite sides of the street both making left turns and a car from behind one of the turning cars decided to go around and then hits the turning car from the opposite side of the road who would be at fault for the accident.
The car from behind would have most, if not all of the fault, assuming everyone agreed on the facts as described. The car turning left from the opposite side may also have some fault as it could have had a clear view of the oncoming vehicle and might have been able to yield to avoid the collision.
Q: MR. LIGHT WHAT IF I DIDNT HAVE INSURANCE ON MY CAR AT THAT TIME?
Lack of insurance has nothing to do with who is at fault. If the other party is at fault, lack of insurance will only affect your ability to recover pain and suffering damages if you pursue a personal injury claim. You will only be able to recover economic damages (medical expenses, property... Read more »
Q: WHERE CAN I FIND AN ATTY. FOR WHAT I BELIEVE IS INSURANCE FRAUD?
This young guy hit my car CLEARLY at fault & admitted it. the insurance paper showed his policy had expired He told me that he would talk to his mother to get my car fixed. His mom is an insurance agent. the calls that were supposedly from a claim adjuster were not the # was from his moms office... Read more »
Unclear if you are injured from a collision or just want property damage repaired. The remedy for establishing who is at fault in a collision is a lawsuit. If you want your property damage repaired, file in Small Claims. Bring photos of the damage, and of the scene. Bring copies of the... Read more »
Q: Hi ,I wanted to find out at what time I should contact my insurer .In the back of my car ,hit the Kia car . Bogumil
KIA Optima he was a loaned TURO Corona CA .I suffered a loss with this hit .I have pictures of the car and all date of the person managing Kia .This event took place at Riverside CA ,three a days ago
We’re sorry to hear of your accident. From your info, I’m not sure if you were hit from behind or you hit someone from behind. In any event, if you were hit from behind, you need to exchange information and you need to take pictures of any damage. If you got hit from behind and sustained any... Read more »
Q: Gave dog away 3 months ago but no paperwork filed. Now Dog caused a motorcycle accident. Who is responsible for damages
Only proof we have is text messages stating they were willing to give dog a new home. And post on facebook showing we were giving him away.
Unclear how a dog caused a motorcycle accident. If this was a biting incident, the owner is strictly liable. If the person in control of the dog is not an owner, then the injured person would need to prove that the person in control was negligent, while the owner would still be strictly liable.... Read more »
Q: Guy cut me off while turning into driveway which caused me to fall and hit his car, driver made false insurance claim
Drive told Insurance that I hit his car while he was parked, I have witnesses that say otherwise, only thing is I have no bike insurance for bike nor a bike license, as I've owned it for a month, does this hurt me or what would happen?
In Barstow, California
If you are hurt, contact a personal injury attorney to pursue a claim on your behalf. Since you were uninsured, you can only recover your economic damages - no pain and suffering.
If you have property damage only, file suit in Small Claims court. Bring your witnesses and... Read more »
Q: When a driver has an accident, resulting in generallyt minor property damage, but leaves the scene of the accident
is that considering a criminal offense, felony or ??
if there is ANY damage the law requires you to stop per VC 2002... known as Hit and Run...........a minor accident would no doubt be a misdemeanor
Q: i had a lawyer for my personal injury since 2016 they have done nothing to make a effort in keeping in conact with me
when i have asked them to push cause i have been done waiting about this case after a year had went by they didnt want to do anything they wanted to sit and wait. if i had tried to call them they would take a message and it would be months before i have a response. now that i am in 2019 and mind... Read more »
You can look around for a lawyer to take over your case. The lawyers will share the fees, which may make it hard for you to find a lawyer to take over. Usually, personal injury attorneys do not charge for a case evaluation, so it may be worth your time and effort to make some calls.
Q: I am being sued for a vehicle I have never owned. What do I need to do to make this go away?
I received a Summon and responded by filling out form PLD-PI-003 denying all allegations, filed (Los Angeles Country Superior Court House) and registered forms before mailing to Attorney. I received a 2nd Notice (Request for Admission) and responded by denying all allegations. I once again, filling... Read more »
Sounds like you need to hire an attorney. You have the opportunity to defend yourself and prove that you have no liability. You are blowing it by not responding to interrogatories in a timely fashion.
Q: does releasing uninsured motorist destroy right to claim under my umi policy
It's difficult to understand your question. What / why are you "releasing uninsured motorist"? I would strongly urge you to get an attorney well versed in personal injury matters (assuming you were injured) because you could do something to jeopardize your case. And the insurance companies love it... Read more »
Q: Am I liable to pay for someone else DUI fees and other fees when registering a salvage title car?
My brother just bought a used car from a site like Craigslist. He went to go register it and found out it has DUI fees and other penalties from the original owner(I have a picture). Is he really liable to pay those?
No contact was signed besides a bill of sale and they did have the title on... Read more »
It depends on the terms of the contract.
Q: False statement was made and ammended, what happens next?
I got in an accident where a friend of mine was driving my car with me in it. This friend didn't have a license and I was listed as the driver. The insurance company found out I wasn't driving because of the other person who was involved in the accident. They asked for a follow up statement.... Read more »
more info needed.
I personally would not want you to talk to the ins co or anyone else!!!!!
I think you should have a lawyer to talk on your behalf.
You can only get yourself in trouble for giving false info to a police officer.
your lying won't change liability if... Read more »
Q: If an unlicensed driver was driving my car with me in it and someone hits them am I at fault?
Insurance company called, I claimed to be the driver and didn't mention it in my statement. It was the other driver's fault for hitting me. And there was very minimal damage to both vehicles (fender dented & bumper was broken) When the other driver reported, I got a call back from the insurance... Read more »
You are derivatively liable for the negligence of the person driving with your permission. Your liability is limited to $15k/person, $30k/accident, $5k property damage.
You might also be liable for negligent entrustment of the vehicle to someone who was not qualified to drive. Your... Read more »
Q: My son was involved in an accident two weeks ago He was not at fault agreed by both parties insurance here's the problem
The other party insurance is saying their client have a cap of $5000 for damages. repairs for his car will go over that so
how is that my son's problem? besides waiting two weeks for them to respond with the claim, now they're acting like
he's liable out of his pocket for repairs... Read more »
yes this is a problem now that CA has allowed $5000 in PD coverage for low income drivers. need to go through your son's insurance and pay deductible if that is an option, then you will get back a pro rata of deductible.
option #2 take the case to small claims court for $45 takes 2 months,... Read more »
Q: car dealers lied to me, what can I do?
In December 2018 I bought a used 2016 Honda Pilot from a toyota dealership. I wanted to be sure the car was in good condition so I asked numerous times if the car was in an accident. They reassured me it was in perfect condition. I purchased the vehicle and am currently financing it. However, it... Read more »
More info is needed to properly evaluate your case.
What you are doing is the same as asking a doctor to diagnose your problem over the phone when you say I have a stomach ache, can you cure me and what will it cost?
However, it is always a good idea to contact a local attorney... Read more »
Q: Can I make a small claim on a used car fraud?
In December 2018 I purchased a used 2016 Honda pilot from a Toyota dealership, which I am currently financing. I asked on three seperate occasions, before signing any paperwork, if the car had been in any previous accidents and was told repeatedly that the car has NOT been in any accidents and is... Read more »
yes, you can make small claims complaint and you can also contact local police.
they will probably say it is civil but you would argue it is fraud.
you can also contact your legislative members for assistance if the police won't assist you........including city council, congressman,... Read more »
Q: Can i file a fraud claim for a used car incident?
I am financing a used car and was told it had never been in any previous accidents. However, I found out the car in fact has been in an accident that left the hood caved in. This is hurting my trade in value and I'd like to know if i can file for fraud or false claim and get a full refund.
Each of these things are possible depending on just how bad the prior damage is. If it's a few thousand, you are likely in small claims for the difference in the trade in value you get compared to what you should have received. IF it's a lot more, then you may end up with a potential unwind of the... Read more »
Q: arrested for vehicular manslaughter on atv but blood results for alcohol came back normal, what happens next?
arrested for vehicular manslaughter with suspesion for dui but blood alcohol level was normal but someone did end up dying in the crash, what happens to the driver? how long does a case like this usually take?
Driving a atv and it crashed or tipped and everyone was thrown out, no one in... Read more »
It could be over tomorrow. It could go through trial and appeals and take years. Every case is different. What happens to the driver depends on the facts of the incident, which you haven't shared.
Q: Over two years ago I was hit by a car from behind I was on a bicycle their insurance denied my claim can I still Sue
The police report says it was my fault because I veard into the driver's Lane. the officer didn't take into consideration that the law that passed about the three foot buffer when passing a bicyclist on the road here in California and that law passed in 2014 this happened 2016. How can I go about... Read more »
much more info needed.
however, there is a 2 year statute of limitations.........thus 2 yrs from the day of the accident you can still file a summons and complaint.........
you can try to get the police to reconsider the report but probably better off to have a lawyer get involved... Read more »
Q: What happens if you dont have insurance and are at fault for an auto accident?
My 18 yr old niece got in an Accident and was found at fault. She had no insurance and no DL at the time. she took no photos and cant rember the Accident because she lost consciousness and suffered a concution, one of the other drivers also did not have insurance and got an lawer and she recived a... Read more »
If she was at fault like you say then you really need to find out how much damage was done to the other car and find out if anyone was hurt. That will determine her financial liability. The fact that the other party got an attorney means the other person most likely was injured. If the other party... Read more »
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
