The Best Car Accident Lawyers In Mountain View, California

Mountain View was founded in 1849 as a stagecoach stop between San Francisco and San Jose. A train station opened in 1864, and, thanks to the city’s prime location beside the bay, Mountain View became a regional center of trade despite its small size. Mountain View remained sparsely populated until the mid-1900s when facilities like NASA’s Ames Research Center attracted an influx of new residents. In 1950, the population was 6,600, and by 1970, it had boomed to 54,100. Now, it’s also the headquarters for several tech leaders, including Google and Intuit.

Today, Mountain View is home to 82,376 people and offers a diverse downtown area, thriving arts scene, rich history, and desired location in the Bay Area.

Living In Mountain View

If you are looking for an easygoing metropolitan environment, Mountain View is just the place. Boasting a walkable city center, Downtown Mountain View is a favorite destination for locals and visitors alike. Restaurants in the area offer an array of international flavors, from Latin American tapas at Cascal, to French and Italian fusion at La Fontaine, to Israeli-inspired dishes at Oren’s Hummus.

Looking for entertainment? With a capacity of 22,000 people, Shoreline Amphitheater hosts festivals and live music from various genres, including country, folk, rock, and pop. At the Center for the Performing Arts, you can see musicals, comedies, and dramas from production companies like the Peninsula Youth Theatre and the Tony Award-winning TheatreWorks Silicon Valley.

Technology is integral to Mountain View’s past and present. To learn about the city’s role in electronic advancement, visit the Computer History Museum for thought-provoking exhibits and hands-on activities in the Learning Lab. For aviation history, the Moffett Field Historical Society Museum displays WWII artifacts and restored aircraft and offers tours of the airfield.

Mountain View is beloved by residents for its proximity to Silicon Valley, quality school system, and many attractions, which helps explain why housing costs average $1,880,600, even higher than in neighboring San Mateo and San Jose.

Intro To Car Accident Issues In California

Motor vehicle accidents, more commonly called car accidents, happen every day. In 2020, there were 35,766 car crashes in the United States, 38,824 of them resulting in deaths. Car accidents can be minor, like a fender bender at a stop sign; or major, like a multi-car pileup on a foggy interstate. It seems we Americans are always in our cars, and sometimes, mistakes get the better of us and our vehicles.

If you are in a serious car accident, you may want to consider contacting an experienced lawyer in your area who can help you through the settlement process and look after your interests. Lawyers who practice in this area often specialize in certain types of accidents (like truck accidents), or in related areas like product liability (faulty car design/manufacture), or DUI/DWI.

Do I Need A Lawyer For Car Accident Issues? Are There DIY Options?

Sometimes a car accident won’t require the help of an attorney. There are lots of DIY options you can use to help you navigate this legal issue. In the case of a car accident, you can probably handle your accident case on your own if:

• Damage to cars, property, or other vehicles was minor
• You were not at fault and your insurance company agrees to cover your losses
• There were no injuries caused by the accident

There are resources are available to help you settle a car accident claim on your own. Resources might include options like damages calculators, getting multiple repair estimates to show insurance adjusters, using Kelley Blue Book or other online sources to establish the pre-accident value of your car, and more. If the coverage doesn’t add up, or the other driver’s insurance company offers a settlement that is too low, you might want to consider getting legal help.

How Do I Know If An Attorney Is Licensed In California?

A great place to start your Mountain View car accident attorney research is the State Bar of California website. You’ll find information about whether your attorney has an active license and when they were licensed, as well as whether that attorney has ever been disciplined or had their bar membership temporarily revoked.

How Do I Interview Car Accident Attorneys In Mountain View?

If your accident was costly, complicated, or you or others were seriously injured, it might be a good idea to get an attorney to represent you. However, not all attorneys are the right fit for you and your case. You’ll want to consider whether the attorney is familiar with the driving conditions in your area, experienced in your type of accident, has a good track record, good reviews (either personal to you or from online sources you trust), and has a payment system you understand and can afford. There are some key questions you should make sure you know the answers to before you hire an attorney including:

• What’s their experience with motor vehicle accidents? What settlements or verdicts have they won recently?
• How do they communicate with clients? Do they answer questions themselves, or is it an associate or paralegal you will be communicating with? Phone, letter, email, text?
• Who else in the firm will work on your case? How will it be billed? What is the bill rate for the various team members like paralegals, junior attorneys, clerks, and others?
• What is the fee structure? Is this a contingency fee, hourly billable, or flat fee?

Then, make sure you feel comfortable. Can you talk openly to the person representing you? Your accident attorney will be involved in your life for a while, so make sure you can communicate constructively and honestly with them.

Driving And Transportation In Mountain View

As you drive through Mountain View, you will not only see a thriving city center, but also stunning natural views. Locals enjoy the scenery as they travel on coastal roads or along Stevens Creek Trail, where biking, jogging, and walking are the preferred modes of transportation.

Mountain View’s beautiful outdoor spaces attract many visitors, which can make the roads crowded. Unfortunately, this has resulted in a high occurrence of bicycle-related accidents compared to cities of similar size. The city has responded by forming a Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee that promotes bike-friendly facilities and community advocacy.

More Mountain View Resources

Mountain View offers a variety of support for those in need of legal services. Refer to the Superior Court of Santa Clara for information about the courts. Various divisions of the court specialize in different types of cases. You can contact the court responsible for your case during regular business hours.

Downtown Superior Court
191 N 1st St
San Jose, CA 95113
408-882-2100

Hall of Justice
190-200 W Hedding St
San Jose, CA 95110
408-808-6600

Santa Clara Courthouse
1095 Homestead Rd
Santa Clara, CA 95050
408-556-3000

Santa Clara Public Defender
120 W Mission St
San Jose, CA 95110
408-299-7700