Accident Lawyers in Sacramento, CA

At Goyette, Ruano, & Thompson, in collaboration with Peacock Law Firm, we are committed to providing top-notch legal services to individuals who have suffered personal injuries as result of an accident. Our combined expertise ensures that our clients receive comprehensive representation and support to pursue their personal injury claims effectively.

Comprehensive Case Evaluation: Our team, including counsel from Peacock, will conduct a thorough evaluation of your case. This includes assessing the extent of your injuries, determining liability, and analyzing the potential value of your claim.

Legal Strategy Development: Based on our evaluation, we will develop a tailored legal strategy designed to achieve the best possible outcome for your case. This strategy may involve negotiation, mediation, or litigation, depending on the specifics of your situation.

Gathering Evidence: We will gather evidence to support your claim, including medical records, accident reports, witness statements, and expert testimony if necessary. This evidence is crucial for building a strong case and maximizing your chances of success.

Negotiation with Insurance Companies: Our skilled negotiators will handle all communications with insurance companies on your behalf. We will work to reach a fair settlement that adequately compensates you for your injuries, medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Litigation Support: If a fair settlement cannot be reached through negotiation, our attorneys are prepared to take your case to court. We will provide aggressive representation in the courtroom, fighting tirelessly to protect your rights and interests.

Client Communication and Support: Throughout the legal process, we will keep you informed and involved every step of the way. We understand the stress and uncertainty that can accompany a personal injury claim, and we are here to provide you with the support and guidance you need.

Contingency Fee Basis: We understand that pursuing a personal injury claim can be financially burdensome, especially when you’re dealing with medical bills and lost income. That’s why we handle personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you don’t pay any legal fees unless we win your case.

If you’ve been injured due to the negligence of another party, don’t hesitate to contact Goyette, Ruano, & Thompson for experienced and dedicated legal representation. Let us help you pursue the compensation you deserve for your injuries and losses.

Areas Of Practice

As a California public safety official, you know your job is dangerous. Every day you suit up, you risk suffering an injury. You do this to protect residents all across California. You know the risks but you take them anyway because that is what you have been trained to do. Yet, safety officials, like firefighters and police officers are often injured in other ways that have nothing to do with their jobs. When you suffer an injury in a truck accident, who will stand up for your rights? Who will fight to make sure you get the compensation you need?

For over 20 years, the truck accident lawyers at Goyette, Ruano, & Thompson have been helping injured public safety officials after devastating truck accidents. We know that workers’ compensation claims are not enough. They do not cover all injury expenses and rarely give you enough to make ends meet. You and your family do not deserve to struggle financially after a serious and catastrophic truck accident. That is why we fight aggressively for our injured clients every step of the way.

Truck Accidents

Across the United States, more than 8.5 million large commercial trucks operate on the roads. Many of those trucks drive through California, delivering goods and supplies to residents and businesses in Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, Riverside, Los Angeles and throughout Orange County. To do this, they often travel hundreds of miles a day.

When a large commercial truck driver makes a mistake or drives carelessly, they can put themselves and others in danger. After all, a fully loaded big rig can weigh as much as 80,000-pounds. The average police car, for example, weighs under 5,000-pounds. As such, when a commercial truck gets into an accident, the police officers, firefighters or civilians involved often suffer the majority of the injuries.

When a California public safety official is involved in a truck accident, they can suffer serious and life-threatening injuries. These injuries may prevent them from fully enjoying their life or returning to their jobs. In many cases, truck accident injuries can mean the end of their entire career. That is why police officers, firefighters, and other public safety officials need a law firm on their side from the very beginning.

At Goyette, Ruano, & Thompson our attorneys can help you recover compensation for truck accidents involving:

  • Truck driver negligence
    • Truck driver fatigue
    • DUI or drug use
    • Speeding
    • Distracted driving
  • Trucking company negligence
    • Improper maintenance of vehicles
    • Breaking FMCSA rules & regulations
    • Improper driver training
  • Shipping company negligence
    • Improperly loaded cargo
    • Excessive weight
  • Truck manufacturer negligence
    • Defective parts or accessories
    • Tire blowout

Building Your Truck Accident Case

At Goyette, Ruano, & Thompson we are not afraid to go toe-to-toe with large trucking companies and insurers, and we work tirelessly to build a solid case for our injured California public safety officials.

Some of the ways we build your case may include:

  • Examining police reports
  • Reviewing medical records
  • Interviewing eyewitnesses
  • Collecting and preserving black box data
  • Gathering physical evidence
  • Visiting and investigating the accident scene
  • Examining vehicle damage
  • Employing accident reconstruction teams and industry experts

Success Litigating Truck Accident Cases

Proving liability and negligence in a truck accident case takes considerable experience and skill. Trucking companies and their insurers often fight aggressively to reduce their liabilities. At Goyette, Ruano, & Thompson our track record of success speaks for itself. We know how to hold negligent truck drivers and trucking companies accountable for their negligence.

Here are some of our successful verdicts and awards.

  • $1 Million — Navy officer who was hit by a dump truck while riding his bike
  • $812,000 — Public safety officials hit by a food company truck

As a California public safety official, you vowed to serve and protect the citizens in your community. This means putting yourself in harm’s way to apprehend criminals, put out fires, and rescue injured accident victims. This makes you one of the unsung heroes in our country. Yet, what happens when you suffer an injury in a bus accident? Who will protect you and your family during this critical time? Who will be there to look out for your interests?

Public safety officials face different obstacles after a bus accident. In the blink of an eye, they may suddenly find that they are unable to return to work in their profession again. As such, they need a law firm on their side that can help them collect the compensation they need after a devastating bus accident.

For over 20 years, the bus accident lawyers at Goyette, Ruano, & Thompson have represented injured police officers, firefighters, EMTs, first responders, and their families after tragic bus accidents. Bus accidents in Sacramento, San Bernardino, Riverside, Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange County and throughout California are complex and require a law firm with the experience and resources needed to tackle these difficult cases.

Bus Accidents in California

Did you know that bus accidents occur at an alarming rate in California? This is due in part to the fact that California has many different types of buses on the roads at all times. In fact, some of the country’s worst bus accidents occurred right here in California.

For example, numerous buses operate in Orange County and Los Angeles, including:

  • Metro Buses
    • Metro Local (painted orange) – offers frequent stops along major city streets
    • Metro Rapid (painted red) – offers expedited travel on city streets
    • Metro Express (painted blue) – offers stop service along city’s freeways
    • Metro Silver – bus rapid transit connecting South Bay and the San Gabriel Valley to Downtown L.A.
    • Metro Orange Line – runs from North Hollywood to Warner Center in Woodland Hills
  • Dash – LADOT’s transit fleet serves 30 million passengers a year
  • Commuter Express – reliable bus service to Downtown
  • School buses
  • Airport buses

Numerous buses and trolleys operate in San Diego County, including:

  • UC San Diego Blue Line Trolley – runs from American Plaza to the San Ysidro border with multiple stops along the way
  • Sycuan Green Line Trolley– runs from 12th and Imperial to Santee
  • Orange Line Trolley – runs from Arnele Avenue in El Cajon to the Courthouse
  • Rapid City Buses – run various directions and routes throughout the day, including from Downtown San Diego to 30th and Adams, as well as to the airport
  • Bus Route 992 – takes you from the airport to the Santa Fe Depot in Downtown San Diego in just 10 to 15 minutes; from there you can connect with all major transit options, including 3 trolley lines, 3 Rapid bus lines, the COASTER, and Amtrak
  • COASTER – a commuter rail service operating in central and northern San Diego County
  • Rapid – a high-frequency limited stop bus that gets you to major attractions and destinations in San Diego quickly

Numerous buses and trolleys operate in Riverside County, including:

  • RTA City Buses – this fleet of 339 buses serves all parts of Riverside County, including Anaheim, Corona, Highgrove, and San Bernardino
  • RapidLink Gold Line – offers express service between Riverside and Corona

Numerous buses and trolleys operate in San Bernardino County, including:

  • OmniTrans buses – Omnitrans buses run through San Bernardino Valley and connect the cities in the community together
  • sbX Green Line – runs 15.7 miles along E Street Corridor from Cal State University San Bernardino to Loma Linda University

These buses can cause horrific accidents and injuries when bus drivers do not use caution. Even when they do drive carefully, the bus company may have acted negligently and failed to properly maintain its fleet. When this occurs, they can face liability for the accident and the injuries involved.

Did you know that common carriers are subject to special laws and regulations that may be different from other types of vehicles? As such, it is important to choose a law firm that understands California’s common carrier laws and their differences.

At Goyette, Ruano, & Thompson, our California bus accident attorneys understand the complexities of filing a third-party lawsuit against a bus company or against the government entity that is responsible for the fleet.

Bus Accident Lawyers You Can Trust

Our California bus accident lawyers begin by meeting with you to discuss your injuries, your work, and your accident. We want to get to know you, so we can determine how best to help you through this ordeal. Our main goal is to protect your rights to compensation, so you can put your life back together again after a serious bus accident.

While every attempt is made to settle your case out of court, we are passionate litigators and are not afraid to take your case to trial if it is in your best interest. We prepare all our cases as if we are going to trial, so you can rest easy knowing that we are ready to handle whatever the future may bring.

Police officers, firefighters, first responders, and other public safety officials often need to perform their jobs on the streets. They may help direct traffic, lend aid to injured victims, or assist citizens on the streets of Sacramento, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, and throughout Orange County. When other drivers fail to use caution on Los Angeles streets, they may hit safety officers, causing them horrific and life-threatening injuries.

Pedestrian accidents are unfortunately common and many California public safety officials lose their lives in these tragic accidents every year. When a pedestrian accident occurs, California public safety officials and their families deserve to have someone on their side fighting for them and their rights.

For the last two decades, the pedestrian accident lawyers at Goyette, Ruano, & Thompson have been working to help public safety officials after devastating injury accidents. We believe in protecting those who protect us. We know that after a pedestrian accident, workers’ compensation claims are never enough to pay all of your losses. That is why we fight aggressively for police officers, firefighters, EMTs, first responders and other public safety officials from the start. We can help you file a claim to recover the money you need and hold the negligent party responsible.

Pedestrian Accidents

Pedestrian accidents in Sacramento, Los Angeles and Orange County are on the rise. This is in large part due to the increase in distracted driving, coupled with aging infrastructure. According to the Los Angeles Times, 579 different Los Angeles intersections were deemed problematic and 48 were designated as extremely dangerous. In Koreatown, for example, more than 400 pedestrians were injured over the last several years.

From 2012 to 2016, more than 14,230 pedestrians were injured in Los Angeles pedestrian accidents. Sadly, an additional 439 pedestrians lost their lives in those years — many of them California safety officers.

When a California public safety official is involved in a pedestrian accident, they often suffer life-threatening injuries. These injuries often result in permanent disabilities, as well as a lifetime of pain and suffering. In many cases, pedestrian accident injuries may result in the end of their career, making it impossible for officials to support themselves and their families. That is why police officers, firefighters, and other public safety officials need a law firm on their side who understands the long-term consequences they may face.

A pedestrian accident can result in a wide range of injuries, including:

  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Burns
  • Disfigurement
  • Amputation
  • Fractures
  • Back and neck injuries
  • Internal organ damage

Filing a Pedestrian Lawsuit in California

When a California public safety officer suffers an injury in a pedestrian accident, they often turn to their workers’ compensation policies to pay for their expenses and lost wages. However, this is often not enough, especially because pedestrian accident injuries are often severe and life-threatening. When this happens injured police officers, firefighters and first responders must file a personal injury lawsuit to help them collect the money they need. Negligent drivers that hit pedestrians should be held accountable for their carelessness.

Unfortunately, proving negligence after a pedestrian accident is never cut and dry. It often involves an extensive investigation. This can take time and resources. As such, injured officers and first responders need a law firm on their side with considerable experience filing pedestrian lawsuits in California. They need someone who can skillfully negotiate with insurance companies and who isn’t afraid to take your case to trial if necessary.

Did You Suffer an Injury in a Pedestrian Accident?

At Goyette, Ruano, & Thompson, we know how devastating pedestrian accident injuries can truly be. We know that first responders, firefighters, and police officers may find themselves facing long-term disability, impairment, and unemployment as a result of their injuries. That is why we fight aggressively for them and for their families.

California public safety officials, like police officers, firefighters and first responders have a dangerous job. You put yourself in harm’s way every day to protect the residents of the state of California. When you suffer an injury, who is there to protect you?

Police officers and public safety personnel who suffer injury in a car or motorcycle accident the line of duty may not get the money through workers’ compensation they need to cover all their losses. This puts an extraordinary financial burden on their friends and families while their loved one recovers. In many cases, their lives may not be the same after a devastating auto or motorcycle accident. When this happens, who can you turn to to protect your rights and ensure that you have the money you need?

For over 20 years, the injury attorneys at Goyette, Ruano, & Thompson have been here to help. We represent injured law enforcement officers, firefighters, first responders and other public safety officers and their families after a devastating auto or motorcycle accident. We know that workers’ compensation claims rarely provide enough money. That is why we work with injured safety heroes to help them file necessary injury claims. This is our specialty because we believe in protecting those who protect us, in their time of need. We are an aggressive and experienced law firm who understands the needs of safety members and their families.

Car & Motorcycle Accidents

Police officers, firefighters and first responders spend a large part of their day on the streets of Southern California, including the streets of San Bernardino, San Diego, Riverside, Los Angeles, Orange County and throughout Californiaia. Roads are often clogged with traffic at all hours of the day and night. California safety employees put their lives in danger when traveling on freeways & city streets while responding to emergencies.

When another driver hits you, you may suffer serious injuries and permanent disabilities. A motorcycle or car accident can result in a wide range of injuries, including:

  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Burns
  • Disfigurement
  • Amputation
  • Fractures
  • Back and neck injuries
  • Internal organ damage

Filing a Lawsuit in California

When a safety officer suffers an injury while on the job, they may be eligible to collect workers’ compensation for their injuries. However, this is rarely enough to cover all expenses and damages, especially when injuries are severe. Fortunately, injured police officers, firefighters and first responders have another option. They can file a third-party personal injury lawsuit against the negligent driver to help pay for damages. These types of personal injury claims help the officer get the money to pay for medical expenses, lost wages, loss of future earnings and pain and suffering.

When filing a third-party lawsuit, you must prove liability and negligence. At Goyette, Ruano, & Thompson, our injury lawyers will investigate all aspects of your case to determine who is at fault and liable. We will review police records, interview eyewitnesses and meet with physicians when building your case. We may even employ accident reconstruction teams to help prove who is to blame for your accident and your injuries.

Success Litigating Car & Motorcycle Accident Cases

Proving liability and negligence is never easy. That is why you need an experienced personal injury attorney who’s experienced in these matters on your side from the start. At Goyette, Ruano, & Thompson, our attorneys know how to aggressively pursue compensation for our clients. Our track record of success speaks for itself. Here are some of our successful verdicts and awards.

  • $2.3 Million – Police Officer who suffered wrist injuries after a motorcycle while on duty Los Angeles County, Calif.
  • $2 Million – Parole Agent who suffered neck and back injuries after an automobile accident at an intersection in Fresno, Calif.
  • $1 Million – Firefighter’s father-in-law injured at an intersection on Highway 1 in San Luis Obispo, Calif. by a driver who ran a red light.
  • $950,000 – California Highway Patrol Officer injured in vehicle accident in Riverside, Calif.
  • $699,000 – California Correctional Officer injured in vehicle accident.

Did You Suffer an Injury in an Auto or Motorcycle Accident?

If you suffered an injury in an auto or motorcycle accident, we can help. At Goyette, Ruano, & Thompson, we represent public safety members when they suffer an injury in an accident. We offer a free initial consultation to help you explore your legal options after suffering an injury. We know you dedicate your life to protecting others. Yet, when you suffer an injury you need someone to protect you. We are proud to offer legal help to our law enforcement professionals, firefighters, and first responders who have been injured in the line of duty. Call us today!

California bike accident fatalities hit a 25-year high recently. Across the state, 3.9 bike accident fatalities occurred per million residents — the highest in the nation. Even more cyclists suffer serious and debilitating injuries in bike accidents across Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, Riverside, Los Angeles, and Orange County. In fact, more fatal bike accidents occurred in Los Angeles County than in any other county in the state. Orange County ranked third for most fatal bike accidents. The reason is threefold: a rise in bicycling, increased distracted driving, and a consumer shift towards large vehicles, such as trucks and SUVs.

Unfortunately, police officers, first responders, and California public safety officials may suffer serious injuries in bike accidents. When they do, they need someone on their side that can fight for them and their rights to compensation.

For over 20 years, the bike accident attorneys at Goyette, Ruano, & Thompson have helped injured California public safety officials and their families seek justice after a bike accident. We believe in aggressively protecting those who dedicate their lives to protecting others. We know that workers’ compensation benefits are never enough to pay for all your expenses after a bike accident. We also know that many bike accidents happen when officers are off-duty. That is why we work to identify negligent parties quickly, so we can help you file an injury claim. Our lawyers work on a contingency basis. That means that injured California firefighters, police officers, first responders and their families do not pay us anything unless we collect money for you. It’s that simple.

Bike Accidents

Drivers in Sacramento, Orange County San Bernardino, San Diego, Riverside, Los Angeles and throughout California have a responsibility to share the road with pedestrians and cyclists. When they fail to do so, they can cause horrific accidents.

Because of their low profile, bicycles do not offer their riders much protection. There is nothing between them and the pavement below. During a car accident, cyclists often suffer severe and life-changing injuries, including:

  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Fractures
  • Soft tissue injuries
  • Disfigurement and amputation
  • Internal organ damage
  • Burns

Due to the severity of these injuries, injured California public safety officials often need more compensation than their workers’ compensation benefits provide. When this occurs, they need a law firm on their side that can help them file a lawsuit against the negligent driver.

Experience Matters in Bike Accident Cases

At Goyette, Ruano, & Thompson, our bike accident lawyers understand that cyclists face an uphill battle when trying to collect compensation. The legal system and insurance companies are often biased against cyclists. They may even try to pin some of the blame back on you or assert that you are not as injured as you claim to be.

Our injury lawyers build solid cases to help our clients collect maximum compensation because we leave no stone unturned. We start by aggressively investigating all angles of the bike accident to help establish negligence. We then work with your medical team to determine the full extent of your injuries so we can understand how those injuries may impact your overall health and future. Lastly, we work with experts in a variety of fields, including forensics and accident recreation to clearly establish liability.

Our law firm has the resources needed to tackle complex bike accident cases — and win. Our track record of success speaks for itself. Recently, we obtained a $1 Million award for a retired Navy officer who was hit by a dump truck while riding his bike. He suffered serious rib, back and shoulder injuries but was eventually able to return to work.

Did You Suffer Injury in a Bike Accident?

If you suffered an injury in an bike accident, it is important to know where you can turn for help. You deserve a law firm on your side that can fight aggressively for your rights to compensation. At Goyette, Ruano, & Thompson, we have offices in both southern and northern California and represent public safety members after they have suffered a serious injury in a bike accident.

Personal Injury Resources

Personal Injury Attorneys

If you need a Personal Injury attorney contact our office to schedule your case evaluation. Call us today at 916 851 1900 or fill out the form below.

Victoria Gutierrez
Victoria Gutierrez

Attorney at Law

Mark Peacock

Attorney – Of Counsel

Derek Ulmer, Civil Litigation Attorney
Derek Ulmer

Partner