Car Accident Lawyer in Thousand Oaks & Westlake Village

Proving Liability in a Thousand Oaks or Westlake Village Car Accident

Determining who’s at fault in a car accident isn’t always simple. At The Swanson Law Group, we don’t rely on assumptions or take the insurance company’s word for it—we dig deep. Our team thoroughly investigates to uncover the truth and protect your right to full compensation.

Under California Civil Code § 1714, anyone who fails to exercise ordinary care in managing their vehicle can be held legally responsible for the harm they cause, even if their actions weren’t intentional.

In other words, if someone drives recklessly, distracted, impaired, or otherwise negligently, they can be liable for your injuries.

To prove liability under California law, we focus on four essential legal elements:

1. Duty of Care: Every driver is expected to operate their vehicle responsibly, obeying traffic laws and taking reasonable precautions to avoid harming others.
2. Breach of Duty: A driver breaches this duty by engaging in unsafe behaviors, such as speeding, texting while driving, running red lights, or driving under the influence.
3. Causation: We must show that the other driver’s negligence directly caused the collision and your injuries.
4. Damages: Finally, you must have suffered real losses—such as medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, or pain and suffering—due to the crash.

Our Case Results Speak for Themselves

While every case is unique and outcomes can never be guaranteed, here’s a glimpse of what we’ve accomplished for past clients:

• $8.87 Million Verdict: Rear-end collision involving a semi-truck and passenger vehicle, resulting in serious injury.
• $6.25 Million Confidential Settlement: After four years of litigation, we secured a life-changing result in a complex personal injury case.
• $5 Million Recovery: Our founder, Ben Swanson, played a key role as co-counsel in a major auto accident case with catastrophic injuries.
• $4.4 Million Jury Verdict: Our client suffered a neck injury in a car accident. The insurer offered
• $440,000—we took it to trial and won ten times that amount.

What Is My Car Accident Case Worth in California?

Determining the value of your case requires a detailed assessment of your injuries, how they’ve impacted your life, and the financial losses you’ve suffered. The Swanson Law Group takes a strategic, evidence-based approach to evaluating your claim.

Key factors we consider include:

• The severity and long-term impact of your medical condition
• Whether you’ll require ongoing treatment or rehabilitation
• Income lost due to missed work—both now and in the future
• How your injuries have affected your daily life, relationships, and emotional well-being

To build the strongest case possible, we work with medical specialists, economists, and other experts to ensure that every element of your damages is accurately documented.

Types of compensation available in California car accident claims may include:

See how we go to bat for you!

To get an idea of how we operate, here is an excerpt of a letter our car accident lawyers in Thousand Oaks sent to an insurance company:

“Got your letter. Your company has had more than enough information to reasonably determine that the value of this case far exceeds the available policy limits of your insured. Attached are my last two one-level fusion surgery cases that the carriers allowed going to a jury. Neither case had a wage-loss component and both verdicts were over 3.8M. This letter will serve as my client’s final policy-limits demand. It expires in 15 days. I appreciate that we live in different spheres. One of the habits that most carriers develop is to undervalue cases until it is too late. Capitalizing on this mistake has allowed me to obtain financial freedom. Attached is a good illustration. Lauren is now dealing with a neck fusion case. My opening demand at mediation next month will be $7.5M. Will you be the latest Lauren? Fail to meet my demand if you wish to find out.”