How to Maximize Your Car Accident Settlement

TL;DR: Want the biggest possible car accident payout? Document everything (and we mean everything), skip the friendly insurance calls, and talk to a lawyer before you say a word. The clock’s ticking—two years goes fast in California.

Don’t leave money on the table. California law gives you the right to recover for your injuries—but insurance companies will do everything they can to minimize your claim. Here’s how to protect your settlement from day one.

Step 1: Get Medical Attention—Even If You Feel Fine

Adrenaline is a liar. Just because you feel okay doesn’t mean you are. Insurance companies will use any delay in treatment to claim your injuries aren’t related to the accident. Get checked out immediately. Keep every receipt and follow every doctor’s order.

Step 2: Preserve the Scene

Your memory? It’ll blur in a week. But a photo—timestamped, geo-tagged—can speak louder than your words ever will. Take wide shots, close-ups, license plates, skid marks, traffic signs—everything. Get witness names and numbers. And yes, dashcam footage—seriously, everyone should have one—can be the difference between winning and losing.

Step 3: Don’t Talk to Their Insurance Company

They may sound nice. They may offer you a quick check. Don’t take it. Don’t give a recorded statement. Don’t admit anything. That vacation photo you posted from Big Sur? Insurance adjusters *will* find it. Don’t give them ammo. In fact, pause your feed altogether—yes, even that “throwback” pic.

Step 4: Know What Damages You Can Claim

It’s not just hospital bills. You may be entitled to:

Medical expenses (now and future)
Lost wages and future income
Property damage
Pain and suffering
Emotional distress
Disability or disfigurement

Most settlements take anywhere from a few months to a year. Complex injuries or insurance delays? Expect longer. But rushing costs you—often six figures.

Step 5: Let a Lawyer Handle the Hard Stuff

One client came to us after being offered just $12,000 by the other driver’s insurer. After we got involved? $275,000. And that wasn’t a one-off. We helped a Van Nuys rideshare driver turn a $7,500 lowball into $210,000—after they tried to claim her back pain was “just stress.”

We’ve handled over 3,000 car accident cases and recovered more than $1.5 billion for Californians. You’ll talk to a real attorney—not a call center rep. And you pay nothing unless we win.

Need Legal Help?

The steps you take right now could decide the outcome of your case. Don’t wait. Contact West Coast Trial Lawyers for a free consultation today.

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They know what they're doing, very well. Not only did I not make a single phone call from the day I hired them, but I also received calls from their case managers and paralegals who want to make sure my treatment was going well. They whole team took care of me. Thank you WCTL for taking full responsibility of my case and getting me an amazing settlement.

Sasan

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I can say with confidence that this team is the best in the business. . . . Dean took the time to really listen and hear me out. He assured me that he was going to move mountains because he believed in me, and he ended up doing just that. I’ve never met a more focused and passionate attorney in my life. If you’re looking for a firm that treats its clients with the utmost respect and care, calling WCTL is a no-brainer. I wouldn't think twice about working with them again in the future.

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