Aggressive Lawyers Representing Car Accident Victims in Salinas and the Vicinity

Reliable legal services focused on maximizing your claim

As Californians, we take our cars for granted, until the unthinkable happens: some careless or reckless driver makes an unsafe maneuver that causes a crash and the actions of a few short seconds have lifelong consequences. If you’ve been seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident in Salinas, Watsonville, Santa Cruz or Monterey, the personal injury lawyers at Rucka, O’Boyle, Lombardo & McKenna are prepared to help. For more than 35 years, we’ve helped injured parties throughout the Central Coast of California recover full, fair compensation. We understand how stressful the days and months following a traumatic crash can be. We take the emotional burden off your shoulders and work aggressively to deliver the results you deserve.

Common causes of accidents along the Central Coast

To obtain compensation for your auto accident, you must prove that someone else was responsible for the crash. Most often, the fault for a car crash lies with a negligent driver. The greatest areas of concern throughout California tend to be:

  • Distracted driving — Using a cellphone to talk or text is the most egregious example of distracted driving, but drivers also take their attention off the road by reaching for objects, adjusting the car’s audio system, grooming, engaging with passengers, eating and drinking.
  • Reckless driving — Speeding, or going too fast for conditions, tops the list of concerns, along with unsafe passing, weaving in and out of traffic, making illegal U-turns, running red lights or stop signs and failing to yield the right of way.
  • DUI/DWI — Impaired driving, whether due to alcohol or drugs, makes it more likely that a driver will perform an unsafe maneuver that puts innocent lives at risk.

Our geographic area also has specific concerns. According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, in 2015, Monterey County was the worst in California for the number of underage drivers who had been drinking prior to causing a fatal accident. Also in 2015, Santa Cruz County was the deadliest in the state for bicyclists, with 199 fatalities.

In addition to driver negligence, accidents often result from poor road conditions and a defect in a motor vehicle part, such as the electronic ignition or brakes. We thoroughly investigate the facts of your crash to identify the at-fault party and hold that person accountable.

Why you need an experienced attorney managing your auto accident case

Even when a person is seriously injured, there is no guarantee of fair compensation. The plaintiff must be able to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that another party (usually a negligent driver) was at fault. But that party usually has a bank of insurance company lawyers working diligently to deny the claim or pay out the least amount possible. In your case, you can expect the defense attorneys to use a variety of tactics that can include:

  • Accusing you of causing the accident or at least contributing to it through your own negligence
  • Blaming another party who might not even be named in the action
  • Denying that your injuries are as severe as you claim
  • Denying that the crash caused your injuries

Asserting your claim in the face of determined opposition requires experience, legal knowledge and skill. When you retain our services, you get a law firm with the resources and the commitment to pursue the compensation you deserve.

Contact our aggressive car crash lawyers in Salinas, Watsonville, Santa Cruz and Monterey, CA

Rucka, O’Boyle, Lombardo & McKenna provides reliable counsel and aggressive representation in auto accident cases throughout the Central Coast. We charge no upfront legal fees, and you only pay us when you collect damages through a settlement or court verdict. Call us at 831-443-1051 or contact us online today to schedule a free consultation. Se habla español.