Auto Accident Attorneys in Santa Barbara

Safeguarding you through the legal process if you have been injured in a car crash

The attorneys at Pulverman & Pulverman, LLP in Santa Barbara represent people who have been seriously injured in automobile accidents throughout Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. We help people who have been injured in many types of car accidents, including:

Truck accidents
Distracted driving accidents

Negligence and products liability

When dealing with a car crash, some lawyers only consider the other driver’s fault and spend their time defending their client against claims of comparative fault (see our personal injury overview). As civil trial attorneys with decades of experience handling all types of accidents and injury claims, we understand that other factors may be at play besides the other driver’s negligence. A defect in either automobile — from a design defect that causes a vehicle to rollover or explode, to manufacturing defects in the brakes, tires, seats or airbags that fail at a critical moment — can cause an accident or turn an otherwise minor incident into a major catastrophe resulting in serious injuries or wrongful death.

Uninsured motorists and underinsured motorists in California

California law requires every driver to carry liability insurance with minimum amounts of:

$5,000 for property damage
$15,000 for injury or death to one person
$30,000 for injuries to multiple people arising out of a single automobile accident

These amounts are nearly always inadequate in any type of serious injury, and many Southern California drivers are not carrying any insurance at all. In these cases, if you have Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage, then your own insurance company may be liable to compensate you. Similarly, if your damages exceed the other driver’s policy limits, your Underinsured Motorist (UIM) coverage may apply. Legal representation is highly recommended even when dealing with your own insurance company, because your interests are not necessarily in line with the interests of your insurance company.

Among the verdicts and settlements we have achieved for our clients in car accidents are:

$1,000,000 mediated settlement with a driver carrying minimum limits of coverage ($15,000). An additional $985,000 in underinsured motorist benefits was recovered (policy limits).

$1,100,000 settlement for a man who was rear-ended by an underinsured motorist with a $25,000 liability policy. An additional $1,075,000 was recovered under the underinsured motorist policy.

$815,000 settlement for a man who suffered a herniated disc with an underinsured drunk driver who paid $15,000. An additional $800,000 was recovered under an underinsured motorist policy.

Fighting for the best possible recovery for our clients

When handling car wreck cases, our attorneys conduct a thorough investigation of every crash and identify all of the responsible parties to hold them accountable and achieve the best possible recovery for our clients. We try cases against:

Negligent defendants and their insurance company lawyers
Major automotive manufacturers

State and county governments who fail to maintain the roads properly
Our clients’ own insurance company

Aggressive representation on your car accident claims in Santa Barbara, California

If you or someone you love has been injured in an automobile accident in Santa Barbara or the surrounding areas, call Pulverman & Pulverman, LLP at 805.259.3581 or contact the firm online to schedule a free consultation.

Mr. Martin Pulverman is the most amazing Attorney I have ever met. He is kind, caring and compassionate…I know all things you do not think of when thinking about an Attorney, but he is. I feel so blessed to have found him when I did. He worked on my case for almost 3 years, and I was able to connect with him 7 days a week, he always made me feel like a priority. His staff was truly top notch; they were always prompt and professional. I would recommend his services to anyone; he is truly one in a million!

– Karrie Hubbs 5.0 rating ★★★★★

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- Martin E. Pulverman Raymond J. Pulverman
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Our Office
- 1307 State Street
  Second Floor
  
  Santa Barbara, California 93101
  Phone: 805.259.3581
RECENT VERDICTS AND SETTLEMENTS
- $4,375,772 Arbitration award to a man severely injured as a pedestrian after being abandoned on the side of Highway 101 at 2 a.m. He was struck and injured 20 minutes later by a hit and run motorist and lost a leg and survived a lengthy coma. His arbitration award was against his girlfriend who was negligent for abandoning him on the side of the road. She disputed any liability and blamed him for being drunk. The award was reduced by 50 percent because of his intoxication.
- $3,204,934 Verdict for a man who sued an insurance company for its unreasonable refusal to settle his claim for $100,000 (policy limits). The jury determined that the insurance company acted in bad faith and the court entered a judgment for the injured plaintiff. $2,200,000 Action against international cruise line for injuries suffered on an on-shore excursion based on negligent supervision of the shore excursion provider.
- $2,000,015 Mediated settlement for a man who suffered a crushed foot in a head-on collision in the desert. $2,000,000 Jury verdict for a female motorist hit by a truck on US 101. She sustained fractures to her pelvis, femur, tibia and fibula requiring surgery. $2,000,000 Recovered for a motorcyclist who was hit by a truck and sustained orthopedic and traumatic brain injuries.
- $1,250,000 Mediated settlement for a man injured in a motorcycle accident causing a broken foot, clavicle and punctured lung. Dispute over the extent of the injuries complicated by a previously undiagnosed diabetic condition. This represented the policy limits. $1,187,704 verdict on behalf of a bicyclist who sustained shoulder, knee and rib injuries by a truck driver who violated the bicyclist’s right of way.
- $1,100,000 Settlement for a man who was rear-ended by an underinsured motorist with a $25,000 liability policy. An additional $1,075,000 was recovered under the underinsured motorist policy. $1,010,866 A pedestrian walking out of a store in San Luis Obispo is struck by a motorist entering a parking space hitting the gas instead of the brakes causing a broken leg.
- $1,000,000 Mediated settlement for a man with a fractured pelvis injured in a freeway collision with a driver carrying minimum limits of coverage ($15,000). An employer paid an additional $735,000 for a total policy limit of $750,000. An additional $250,000 was recovered in underinsured motorist benefits (policy limits). $1,055,000 Mediated settlement for a young woman who suffered a fractured knee in the parking lot of an oil change service facility. $1,100,000 settlement for a motorcyclist who sustained a fractured tibia, fibula and ribs when he was struck by a car exiting a driveway. $1,100,000 settlement for a woman who sustained a mild traumatic brain injury as a passenger in a single car collision. $1,051,250 Plaintiff/passenger suffered a fractured femur from a high speed rear end collision. Plaintiff/driver suffered lacerations from flying glass. Defendant contended he suffered a seizure and alleged the sudden unanticipated emergency defense and was diagnosed with epilepsy.
- $815,000 Settlement for a man who suffered a herniated disc with an underinsured drunk driver who paid $15,000. An additional $800,000 was recovered under an underinsured motorist policy. $500,000 Mediated settlement for policy limits for a woman who broke her hip in a rear-end accident. The defense contended the injury existed before the accident and initially offered $51,000.
- $410,645 Mediated settlement in a motorcycle crash causing a rotator cuff injury. Disputed over pre-existing medical conditions. $235,000 Mediated settlement for a woman who slipped and fell on water at an auto dealership near a water fountain. $74,277 Verdict for a woman injured in an intersection accident. Dispute over the force of impact. The defense offered $30,000 forcing a trial. The court also awarded $28,547 in costs.
- $600,000 Settlement for a woman who sustained a shoulder injury in an intersection collision with a driver who ran a red light.
- $1,000,000 settlement for a motorcyclist who injured his leg by a car pulling out of a parking lot. $1,000,000 settlement for a motorcyclist who injured his leg by a car exiting a shopping center parking lot. $1,000,025 recovered for a woman who injured her shoulders and arms in an intersection crash.