comparative fault

April 14, 2023

When Do I Need to Think About Comparative Fault in My Vista Personal Injury Case?

After any kind of serious accident or situation in Vista in which another party’s negligence or intentional wrongdoing causes a personal injury, it is important to think about filing a claim for compensation. Depending upon the cause of the injury, and the type of accident or circumstances in which the injury occurred, it may be possible to file an insurance claim to seek compensation before considering a personal injury lawsuit. At other times, it may be necessary to begin thinking immediately about a civil lawsuit under California law. If you have done any initial research into personal injury cases in Southern California, you might have come across the term “comparative fault” or “comparative negligence.”

When does the issue of comparative fault apply to a personal injury case? Our Vista personal injury lawyers can clarify.

Comparative Fault or Comparative Negligence Involves the Plaintiff’s Liability

February 4, 2022

What is Comparative Fault in an Oceanside Car Accident?

by Walton Law Firm

After an Oceanside car accident in which another motorist is at fault, you should be thinking about your options for filing a claim for financial compensation. For most injury victims in motor vehicle collisions, the first step in seeking compensation is filing an auto insurance claim. Auto insurance claims can be filed as first-party claims through an injured person’s own auto insurance policy, or as third-party claims through the at-fault motorist’s auto insurance policy. When an auto insurance claim does not result in sufficient compensation, an injured person will often move on to file a car accident lawsuit. However, in some cases, the defendant will attempt to reduce his or her liability by raising the issue of comparative fault.

What is comparative fault, and how can it impact your payout in an Oceanside car accident claim?

Understanding Damages in a Car Accident and the Effect of Comparative Fault

December 25, 2020

How Can Comparative Fault Affect the Outcome of My Personal Injury Lawsuit in Carlsbad?

by Walton Law Firm

If you were injured in an accident in Carlsbad or in another incident that resulted in a serious personal injury, you may be thinking about your options for seeking financial compensation. If you were harmed in a motor vehicle collision, you could be eligible to seek financial compensation by filing an auto insurance claim before you need to move onto thinking about a lawsuit. Or, if you were injured at work, you could be eligible to obtain medical benefits and money to cover lost wages by filing a workers’ compensation claim. For other types of accidents, the first step may be to file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault party.

Whether you have already gone through another claims or benefits process, or you are getting started quickly on your personal injury lawsuit, it is important to understand how comparative fault may affect the outcome of your lawsuit.

What is Comparative Fault?

January 24, 2020

Should I File a Claim if I Was Partially at Fault for My Rancho Bernardo Motorcycle Accident?

by Walton Law Firm

Getting hurt in a motorcycle crash in Rancho Bernardo can be devastating. When motorcyclists are involved in collisions with cars or trucks, the motorcyclist often is the one who sustains particularly severe injuries. As the Insurance Information Institute (III) explains, “motorcycles are by their nature far less crashworthy than closed vehicles,” making motorcyclists more vulnerable in the event of an accident. While motor vehicle drivers often are at fault for motorcycle crashes in Southern California, motorcyclists can also bear some responsibility for the collision. If you were involved in a motorcycle accident and you think you may have been partially to blame, you may be wondering: Should I still file a claim even if I am partially at fault?

Generally speaking, it is extremely important to file a claim even if you think you may bear some responsibility for the crash. Yet perhaps even more importantly, you should know the proper steps for moving forward with your claim to give yourself the best chance at obtaining full compensation for your losses.

Do Not Admit Fault—Even if You Think You Might be Partially to Blame

November 1, 2019

Comparative Fault and Vista Car Accident Lawsuits

by Walton Law Firm

If you are in a car accident in Vista and file a lawsuit against the negligent driver, how will your case be impacted if the defendant says you are partially to blame for the accident? This question concerns “comparative fault,” which is sometimes known as contributory negligence or contributory fault. In short, when a plaintiff files an accident claim against the responsible party, that defendant can raise the issue of comparative fault as a defense to avoid paying the plaintiff the full amount of compensation he or she is seeking. While each state has its own laws concerning comparative fault, it is important to know that a plaintiff in California can still recover damages even if the court says the plaintiff is partially to blame.

We want to tell you more about California’s comparative fault law, and to explain how it may affect a car accident lawsuit in Vista.

California Follows a Pure Comparative Fault Rule