Best Car Accident Lawyers in Sacramento: If you are involved in a car accident, you need the help of a Sacramento car accident attorney to help you navigate the complex legal system and understand the laws applicable to your case. We have prepared a list of the best lawyers in the city so that you can access the best legal services.
We have also included a guide to car accident laws in California and things to consider when choosing the perfect attorney for your case.
Also Read: All Accident Lawyers Guide
10 Best Car Accident Lawyers in Sacramento
01. Sukhtej Atwal
California Bar Status: Active
Year of Admission to the California Bar: 2015
Law School Attended: Barry University Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law
Why are they on our list?
Sukhtej Atwal is a top-notch attorney who consistently appears on local and state best attorney lists. He has represented numerous clients and secured six # and seven-figure verdicts and settlements in personal injury cases. His firm’s notable recoveries include $4.8 million in a motorcycle accident case involving multiple product liability claims, $3.6 million in a motorcycle-car collision case, $2 million in a truck accident case, and $900,000 in a car crash case.
Notable facts and recognitions:
# Member of the California Consumer Lawyers
# Member of the American Association for Justice
Practice areas:
# Personal injuries
# Wrongful death
# Product liability
02. Joseph J. Babich
California Bar Status: Active
Year of Admission to the California Bar: 1980
Law School Attended: University of California, San Francisco School of Law
Why are they on our list?
With over 37 years in the legal field, Joseph J. Babich has achieved millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for his clients. Noteworthy cases include a $16 million settlement for catastrophic injuries from a truck accident, a $1.8 million verdict for long-term injuries due to a rental vehicle owner and trucking company’s negligence, and a $1.1 million settlement for a motor vehicle side collision. Babich is certified in civil trial advocacy by the National Trial Advocacy Board and is dedicated to pursuing justice for his clients.
Notable facts and recognitions:
# Past President of Sacramento Consumer Lawyers
# Former member of the California Board of Consumer Attorneys
# Awarded Advocate of the Year by Sacramento Consumer Attorneys
Practice areas:
# Personal injuries
# Wrongful death
# Car, motorcycle, and truck accidents
Also Read: All Accident Lawyers Guide
03. Brooks Cutter
California Bar Status: Active
Year of Admission to the California Bar: 1985
Law School Attended: Stanford Law School
Why are they on our list?
Brooks Cutter is a highly respected attorney in his field, having served as a faculty member at Spence Trial Lawyers College. He has been lead counsel and part of the plaintiffs’ steering committee in high-profile cases, including actions against Medtronic Inc. and Johnson & Johnson. His notable achievements include a $240 million settlement in a class action lawsuit against a medical equipment manufacturer. Cutter is also active in the community, volunteering for Trial Lawyers Care and serving as co-chair of the Capital Campaign Committee for WIND Youth Services.
Notable facts and recognitions:
# Named Lawyer of the Year by the Capitol City Trial Lawyers Association
# Received the Presidential Award of Merit from the California Consumer Attorneys
# Former President of the Capitol City Trial Lawyers Association
# Ranked among the top 100 trial lawyers nationally
Practice areas:
# Major personal injuries
# Medical negligence claims
# Car, truck, and motorcycle accidents
04. Lucas Ellis
California Bar Status: Active
Year of Admission to the California Bar: 1976
Law School Attended: University of California, Berkeley School of Law
Why are they on our list?
Lucas Ellis is renowned for securing record verdicts and settlements in personal injury cases. He is a recognized authority in the legal community, often lecturing and chairing educational seminars on trial practice. His significant victories include a $22 million verdict in a bicycle accident case and $5.5 million in a car-truck crash. Ellis has also consulted and co-authored numerous books with California Continuing Education of the Bar.
Notable facts and recognitions:
# Named among the Top 25 Product Liability Lawyers in California by the National Trial Lawyers Association
# Named among the Top 100 Trial Lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers Association
# Vice President of the California Trial Lawyers Association
# Member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum
Practice areas:
# Car accidents
# Motorcycle accidents
# Breach of contract
05. Priscilla Parker
California Bar Status: Active
Year of Admission to the California Bar: 2013
Law School Attended: Northwestern University of California School of Law, Sacramento
Why are they on our list?
Priscilla Parker has resolved and litigated hundreds of cases, securing several million dollars in compensation for her clients. Consistently featured on top state and local attorney lists, Parker has held leadership positions in the legal community. Her notable cases include a $1.2 million settlement in a motorcycle accident and a $1.3 million settlement in a rear-end motor vehicle accident case.
Notable facts and recognitions:
# Fluent in English and Cantonese
# President of the Sacramento Asian Pacific Bar Association
# Member of the Capital City Trial Lawyers Association
Practice areas:
# Personal injuries
# Wrongful death
# Traffic accidents
Also Read: All Accident Lawyers Guide
06. Larry Q. Phan
California Bar Status: Active
Year of Admission to the California Bar: 2012
Law School Attended: University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law
Why are they on our list?
Larry Q. Phan has secured millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for over one hundred personal injury victims. His largest victories include $1.1 million for a client rear-ended by a city plow truck, a $406,000 verdict in a motor vehicle accident case, and $250,000 for a rear-end collision with a passenger truck. Phan is consistently ranked among the top attorneys in the state and is highly active in the legal community.
Notable facts and recognitions:
# Fluent in English and Vietnamese
# Member of the California Consumer Lawyers
# Member of the Silicon Valley Asia-Pacific Bar Association
Practice areas:
# Construction accidents
# Product liability
# Traffic accidents
07. Eliot M. Reiner
California Bar Status: Active
Year of Admission to the California Bar: 1989
Law School Attended: University of California, Davis School of Law
Why are they on our list?
Eliot Reiner has over 30 years of experience as a personal injury attorney, including early work for insurance companies that informed his current practice. His notable recoveries include $35 million for a truck-bus collision, $2 million for a wrongful death truck accident, and $1.5 million for a client injured in a car-bus accident. Reiner is highly regarded in the legal community for his track record and expertise.
Notable facts and recognitions:
# Member of the City of California Trial Lawyers Attorneys
# Named among the best lawyers of 2018 by Sacramento magazine
# Better Business Bureau Member
Practice areas:
# Personal injuries
# Construction accidents
# Traffic accidents
Also Read: All Accident Lawyers Guide
08. Catia Saraiva
California Bar Status: Active
Year of Admission to the California Bar: 2004
Law School Attended: University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law
Why are they on our list?
Catia Saraiva has dedicated her legal career to advocating for personal injury victims. With numerous high-value settlements and verdicts, her notable cases include a $9.8 million verdict in a bus stop crash case, a $3.6 million verdict in a rear-end collision case and a $1 million verdict for a motorcycle accident involving a Comcast van. Saraiva is active in the community and a member of the American Trial Lawyers Association and the Luso-American Foundation.
Notable facts and recognitions:
# Selected by The National Trial Lawyers: The 40 Best Under 40 Years Old
# Recognized as one of Northern California’s leading young attorneys by San Francisco magazine
# Nominated for California Consumer Attorneys Lawyer of the Year and Trial Lawyer of the Year Awards
# Fluent in English, Portuguese, and Spanish
Practice areas:
# Personal injuries
# Product liability
# Traffic accidents
09. Kirill B. Tarasenko
California Bar Status: Active
Year of Admission to the California Bar: 2012
Law School Attended: Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
Why are they on our list?
Kirill B. Tarasenko has won over 350 cases for injury victims in his decade-long career. Known for his aggressive approach and swift case resolution, Tarasenko’s recent recoveries include $700,000 in a rear-end collision case, $605,000 in a motorcycle accident, $577,000 for a football player hit by a pickup truck while riding a bicycle, and $480,000 in an automobile collision case.
Notable facts and recognitions:
# Worked in the Office of Legal Affairs of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
# Member of the American Association for Justice
# Studied abroad in Moscow and Australia and worked in Congress
Practice areas:
# Car accidents
# Bicycle accidents
# Personal injuries
Also Read: All Accident Lawyers Guide
10. Wendy C. York
California Bar Status: Active
Year of Admission to the California Bar: 1993
Law School Attended: University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law
Why are they on our list?
Wendy C. York has achieved multiple multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements and has participated in several high-profile personal injury cases. Notable achievements include co-leading a case resulting in an $87 million settlement for UPS drivers in a state class action lawsuit, a $3 million verdict in a nursing home abuse case, a $1.1 million verdict in a dangerous road construction
site case against Tehama County, and a $2.7 million settlement in a motorcycle accident case. York is active in various bar associations and contributes to non-profit organizations such as CANHR and FATE.
Notable facts and recognitions:
# Sacramento Defender of the Year Award from the Capitol City Trial Lawyers Association
# Finalist for Consumer Attorney of the Year Award from Consumer Attorneys of California
# Member of the Board of Directors of Women Lawyers of Sacramento
# Member of the Executive Committee of Plaintiffs against Johnson & Johnson / Ethicon
Practice areas:
# Personal injuries
# Nursing home abuse
# Car accidents
How to File a Car Accident Lawsuit in California
Car accidents are one of the most common causes of personal injuries in California. Therefore, you should have information that can help you if you or your loved ones are ever involved in a car accident. Below is a guide to the Car Accident Laws in California.
California Statute of Limitations
If you are involved in a traffic accident in California, you must take action against the defendant within two years of the date of the accident. This period is also known as the statute of limitations. If the person involved in a traffic accident subsequently dies due to the accident, the statute of limitations begins to run from the date of death.
If you are involved in a traffic accident, you must inform law enforcement within 24 hours if anyone is injured or killed. You must also report each collision to the DMV within 10 days of the accident if it caused more than $1,000 in property damage or if it caused injury or death.
In some exceptional circumstances, the limitation period may be changed or suspended for some time. Some of the most common is if the plaintiff was mentally disabled or a minor at the time of the accident or if the defendant had left the state before a lawsuit could be filed.
The statute of limitations in these cases will begin or resume once the plaintiff’s disability is removed, he or she becomes an adult, or when the defendant returns to the state.
Sometimes you may need to comply with additional requirements to take action against the negligent party. For example, if you are suing a government agency, you must file an administrative claim with that agency within six months from the date of injury. They will respond to you within 45 days of receiving the claim. If your claim is denied, you can file a lawsuit within six months from the date of the denial. Otherwise, you can file a case within two years from the date of the accident.
California Laws for Car Drivers
- Vehicle registration requirements. You must register your vehicle in California to drive in the state. If you are purchasing a new vehicle, you must transfer ownership within 10 days. If you are selling your vehicle, you must inform the DMV within five days. If you have a vehicle registered in another state, you must register it in California within twenty days of becoming a resident or getting a job.
- Insurance requirement. You must carry proof of insurance with you at all times while driving. If you are involved in a car accident, you should show it to the other drivers involved in the collision. The insurance must cover $15,000 for a single death or injury, $30,000 for the death or injury of more than one person, and $5,000 for property damage.
- Safe driving requirements. You should avoid driving too close to other vehicles, staying in other drivers’ blind spots, and driving directly next to other vehicles. You should always monitor your blind spots, be aware of the following vehicles, and understand road conditions to maintain your speed and adjust your headlights accordingly.
- Seat belt use requirements. You and your passengers should wear seat belts while driving to avoid injuries and fines. Every child under two years of age must travel in a rear-facing child restraint system. Children under eight years old must travel in a child restraint system in the rear seat.
- Alcohol and drug requirements. If you drive in California, you consent to a blood, breath, or urine test to determine your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level if a law enforcement officer suspects that you are driving under the influence of alcohol. If you refuse, your license will be suspended or revoked. If your BAC is greater than 0.08%, you will be charged with driving under the influence. of alcohol in California. But because alcohol and drugs react differently in everyone’s system, you can also be arrested for driving under the influence if you were severely impaired but your BAC was within the normal range.
How to identify a fault in a traffic accident
If you were injured in a traffic accident, the party responsible for causing the accident pays the damages. This is because California is a completely blamed state. You may need the help of a Sacramento traffic accident attorney to determine who is the responsible party for causing the accident to avoid suing the wrong person, agency, or corporation.
The amount of compensation you receive is determined under the comparative negligence rule. It states that the total amount of the claim is deducted from the plaintiff’s percentage of negligence in causing the accident. For example, if you were 30% responsible for causing a traffic accident, you would only be entitled to receive 70% of the total claim amount.
If you were more than 50% responsible for causing the accident, you may still be able to recover compensation because California applies the pure comparative negligence rule. Therefore, if you were 80% responsible for causing the accident, you would still be able to recover 20% of the total amount claimed.
How can a lawyer help you?
An experienced Sacramento car accident attorney can help you build a strong case to obtain the maximum settlement or verdict possible for you. They will identify defendants, hire experts, collect witness testimony, and acquire evidence on your behalf to create strategies to win the case.
They will take care of all the legal tasks. They will help you file your insurance claim, keep track of all important deadlines, negotiate with the insurance company, and help you decide if the settlement amount offered is appropriate.
If you conclude that you do not want to settle, your Sacramento car accident attorney will take the case to trial and represent you before the judge and jury.
How to Find the Best Car Accident Lawyer in Sacramento, CA
A lawyer can make or break your case. Therefore, you must hire the most appropriate attorney for your case. Here are some things to consider before making your final decision.
- Payment structure. Most Sacramento car accident lawyers charge on a contingency fee basis. This means that if you win the case, they will keep a percentage of the compensation as fees. But if you don’t win anything, you won’t be charged anything.
This percentage can vary from attorney to attorney and may increase if the case goes to trial. You should always analyze the fee structure and additional charges involved, if any, before making the final decision.
- Experience in trials and traffic accidents. You should ask your attorney about his or her experience in car accidents. You should also know how many claims you have successfully taken to trial. An attorney with a lot of experience in traffic accident cases and a good trial record will not allow you to accept a settlement for less than what your case deserves. Hiring a Sacramento traffic accident attorney who has a long track record of winning verdicts in traffic accidents will encourage the insurance company to offer the best settlement amount possible to avoid costly and lengthy trials.
