{"id":109330,"date":"2026-01-31T01:37:54","date_gmt":"2026-01-31T01:37:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dklaw.com\/?p=109330"},"modified":"2026-01-31T01:52:28","modified_gmt":"2026-01-31T01:52:28","slug":"car-accident-settlement-not-wearing-seatbelt-california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dklaw.com\/es\/the-fine-print\/car-accident-settlement-not-wearing-seatbelt-california\/","title":{"rendered":"What&#8217;s My Car Accident Settlement Worth If Not Wearing A Seatbelt?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"dklaw-section dklaw-hero dklaw-hero__blog align wp-block-dklaw-hero-blog has-background has-primary-beige-background-color\"><div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\"><div class=\"dklaw-breadcrumbs align wp-block-dklaw-breadcrumbs\"><a href=\"https:\/\/dklaw.com\">Home<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/dklaw.com\/es\/the-fine-print\/car-accident-settlement-not-wearing-seatbelt-california\/\" class=\"current\">What&#8217;s My Car Accident Settlement Worth If Not Wearing A Seatbelt?<\/a><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n\t{\n\t  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n\t  \"@type\": \"BreadcrumbList\",\n\t  \"itemListElement\": [\n\t\t  {\n\t\t\t\t\"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t\t\t\t\"position\": 1,\n\t\t\t\t\"name\": \"Home\",\n\t\t\t\t\"item\" : \"https:\/\/dklaw.com\"\n\t\t\t},{\n\t\t\t\t\"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t\t\t\t\"position\": 2,\n\t\t\t\t\"name\": \"What&#8217;s My Car Accident Settlement Worth If Not Wearing A Seatbelt?\",\n\t\t\t\t\"item\" : \"https:\/\/dklaw.com\/es\/the-fine-print\/car-accident-settlement-not-wearing-seatbelt-california\/\"\n\t\t\t}\n\t  ]\n\t}\n\t<\/script><\/div>\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What&#8217;s My Car Accident Settlement Worth If Not Wearing A Seatbelt?<\/h1>\n\n\n<div class=\"dklaw-hero__blog-meta align wp-block-dklaw-hero-blog-meta\"><div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n<div class=\"dklaw-taxonomies align wp-block-dklaw-taxonomies\"><a href=\"https:\/\/dklaw.com\/es\/learning-hub\/?_topics=behind-the-law\" rel=\"nofollow\">Behind The Law<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/dklaw.com\/es\/learning-hub\/?_topics=know-your-rights\" rel=\"nofollow\">Know Your Rights<\/a> <\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-primary-gray-color has-text-color\">Reading Time: 7 Minutes<\/p>\n\n<\/div><span>January 31, 2026<\/span><span>Michelle Lysengen<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/dklaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/car-accident-settlement-not-wearing-seatbelt-california.jpeg\" alt=\"close-up of a seat belt buckle inside a vehicle with beige colored seats\" class=\"wp-image-109331\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dklaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/car-accident-settlement-not-wearing-seatbelt-california.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/dklaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/car-accident-settlement-not-wearing-seatbelt-california-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/dklaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/car-accident-settlement-not-wearing-seatbelt-california-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/dklaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/car-accident-settlement-not-wearing-seatbelt-california-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/dklaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/car-accident-settlement-not-wearing-seatbelt-california-18x12.jpeg 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"dklaw-section dklaw-toc alignfull wp-block-dklaw-toc\"><div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n<div class=\"dklaw-toc__sidebar align wp-block-dklaw-toc-sidebar\"><div class=\"dklaw-toc__sidebar-menu\"><h4 class=\"dklaw-toc__sidebar-toggle\">Jump To<\/h4><ul><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n<div class=\"dklaw-card align wp-block-dklaw-card has-background has-primary-black-background-color\"><div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-primary-white-color has-text-color\">Every 4 minutes.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-primary-white-color has-text-color\">On average, every 4 minutes someone picks up the phone and calls us for help. That kind of trust says everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-button-phone\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-primary-yellow-background-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"tel:8002010265\">800-201-0265<\/a><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"dklaw-toc__blocks align wp-block-dklaw-toc-blocks\"><div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n<div class=\"dklaw-toc__block align wp-block-dklaw-toc-block\"><div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<p>You&#8217;re injured. You weren&#8217;t wearing your <a href=\"https:\/\/dklaw.com\/the-fine-print\/buckle-up-for-national-seat-belt-day\/\">seatbelt<\/a>. And now you&#8217;re terrified that one mistake cost you your entire case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In California, you can absolutely still recover compensation for your injuries. The other driver caused the accident. That fact doesn&#8217;t disappear because you forgot to buckle up. What changes is the math.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your settlement gets reduced by a percentage based on how much not wearing a seatbelt contributed to your specific injuries. For most California cases, this reduction falls somewhere between 1% and 30%, depending on what injuries you sustained and whether a seatbelt would have prevented them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list is-style-arrow-list\">\n<li>California follows &#8220;pure comparative negligence,&#8221; meaning you can recover damages <a href=\"https:\/\/dklaw.com\/the-fine-print\/car-accident-settlement-partially-at-fault-california\/\">even if you share some fault<\/a>. Not wearing a seatbelt reduces your settlement but does not eliminate it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The landmark case<a href=\"https:\/\/law.justia.com\/cases\/california\/court-of-appeal\/4th\/4\/737.html\"> Housley v. Godinez<\/a> established that defendants must prove through expert testimony which specific injuries would have been prevented by seatbelt use.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Unlike states such as Missouri (1% cap) and Oregon (5% cap), California has no statutory limit on seatbelt-related reductions. Juries decide the percentage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ejection injuries see the highest reductions because seatbelts directly prevent ejection. Injuries unrelated to seatbelt protection, such as broken ankles from pedal impact, may experience no reduction.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"dklaw-toc__block align wp-block-dklaw-toc-block\"><div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can I Still Get Compensation If I Wasn&#8217;t Wearing a Seatbelt in California?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes. California uses what&#8217;s called pure comparative negligence. This means you can recover damages even if you were partly responsible for your own injuries. The court simply reduces your award by your percentage of fault.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Violating <a href=\"https:\/\/california.public.law\/codes\/vehicle_code_section_27315\">Vehicle Code 27315<\/a> (California&#8217;s seatbelt law) doesn&#8217;t mean you caused the accident. The drunk driver who ran the red light? Still 100% responsible for hitting you. Your seatbelt violation only matters when determining how much worse your injuries became because you weren&#8217;t buckled in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The courts made this crystal clear in Housley v. Godinez back in 1992. The defendant has the burden of proving two things: first, that you should have been wearing a seatbelt; and second, through expert medical testimony, exactly which injuries you would have avoided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That second part is crucial. Insurance companies can&#8217;t just wave their hands and claim your injuries would have been less severe. They need actual biomechanical experts to analyze the crash dynamics, your body position, and the specific mechanism of each injury.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"dklaw-toc__block align wp-block-dklaw-toc-block\"><div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Much Will the Insurance Company Reduce My Settlement?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This is where things get complicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You&#8217;ll see claims floating around that &#8220;typical reductions are 1-5%.&#8221; The truth? That number has no authoritative source. In Housley v. Godinez, the jury assigned a 30% reduction. Some cases see less. California law sets no maximum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What actually determines your reduction:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Injury type matters most.<\/strong> Ejection injuries face the steepest reductions because seatbelts directly prevent ejection. Research published in the<a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC7790715\/\"> World Journal of Emergency Medicine<\/a> found that unbelted occupants have significantly higher rates of hospital admission, ICU stays, and surgical intervention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The crash dynamics matter.<\/strong> A head-on collision involves different forces than a T-bone or rear-end impact. Medical experts analyze whether a seatbelt would have changed the injury outcome for your specific crash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Some injuries have zero connection to seatbelts.<\/strong> Broke your ankle when the floorboard crushed your foot? A seatbelt wouldn&#8217;t have helped. Suffered chemical burns from a ruptured fuel line? Same thing. These injuries should face no reduction at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s say your claim is worth $200,000 before any reduction. If experts determine the seatbelt would have reduced your injuries by 15%, you&#8217;d recover $170,000 instead of $200,000. Still substantial. Still life-changing money.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"dklaw-toc__block align wp-block-dklaw-toc-block\"><div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Which Injuries Get Reduced the Most?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Not all injuries are created equal when it comes to the seatbelt defense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Highest reductions (ejection injuries):<\/strong> When an unbelted occupant gets thrown from the vehicle, the connection between seatbelt absence and injury is undeniable.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.iihs.org\/research-areas\/seat-belts\"> NHTSA data cited by IIHS<\/a> shows that lap-shoulder belts reduce fatal injury risk by 45% for car occupants and 60% for SUV occupants. Ejection-related injuries face the most significant reductions because the causation is so direct.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Moderate reductions (head and chest trauma):<\/strong> Studies in<a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/25671580\/\"> Traffic Injury Prevention<\/a> found traumatic brain injury rates dropped from 10.4% to 4.1% when seatbelts were used. Insurance adjusters will argue for moderate reductions on TBI, facial injuries, and chest trauma cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Minimal or no reduction (lower extremity injuries):<\/strong> Your legs and feet exist below the seatbelt&#8217;s protection zone. Crush injuries, ankle fractures, and knee damage often have no causal connection to seatbelt use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s what makes this interesting from a legal strategy standpoint: peer-reviewed research published in<a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC8467267\/\"> Frontiers in Public Health<\/a> notes there are &#8220;no published standards or systematic approach&#8221; for quantifying how seatbelt non-use contributed to a specific claimant&#8217;s injuries. This lack of standardization gives your attorney room to challenge inflated reduction claims.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"dklaw-toc__block align wp-block-dklaw-toc-block\"><div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Do Insurance Companies Weaponize the Seatbelt Defense?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Adjusters love this defense. They&#8217;ll use it to pressure you into accepting less money before you&#8217;ve even hired a lawyer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Their playbook is predictable:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They lead with shame. &#8220;You weren&#8217;t wearing a seatbelt, so you caused your own injuries.&#8221; This framing ignores that someone else caused the accident. They&#8217;re banking on your guilt overwhelming your judgment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They inflate the reduction percentage. Without expert testimony, they&#8217;ll throw out numbers like &#8220;50% reduction,&#8221; hoping you don&#8217;t know that such a drastic cut requires significant proof.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They are pressuring for an early settlement. Before you&#8217;ve had time to consult experts or understand your true injury prognosis, they want you locked into a lowball offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What you should never do: admit to the adjuster that you weren&#8217;t wearing a seatbelt. Let your attorney handle that conversation. What you say in early conversations can and will be used against you later.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"dklaw-toc__block align wp-block-dklaw-toc-block\"><div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Steps Should I Take to Protect My Settlement?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Document everything from day one. Photographs of the accident scene. Medical records. Your own notes about how you&#8217;re feeling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Get an attorney who understands medical causation. The seatbelt defense lives or dies on expert testimony. You need someone who can retain biomechanical engineers and medical specialists to challenge inflated reduction claims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don&#8217;t accept the first offer. Insurance companies test your desperation. That initial number represents what they hope you&#8217;ll take out of fear and confusion, not what your case is actually worth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And for what it&#8217;s worth,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ots.ca.gov\/grants\/occupant-protection\/\"> California seatbelt compliance sits around 96.2%<\/a>. Despite that high rate, 780 unrestrained occupants died in traffic crashes in 2023. You&#8217;re not alone in this situation. Plenty of good people make this mistake.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"dklaw-toc__block align wp-block-dklaw-toc-block\"><div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Bottom Line<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Not wearing a seatbelt complicates your case. That&#8217;s real. But it doesn&#8217;t destroy it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The person who hit you is still responsible for the accident. California law acknowledges this by allowing you to recover damages even when you share some fault. Your settlement gets reduced, yes. But reduced isn&#8217;t eliminated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What matters now is getting the right legal team in your corner. Someone who can challenge inflated reduction claims, retain the right medical experts, and fight for every dollar you deserve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>DK Law handles seatbelt cases across California. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re wondering what your specific case is worth, <a href=\"https:\/\/dklaw.com\/contact\/\">call for a free consultation<\/a>. No fee unless we win.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"dklaw-author align wp-block-dklaw-author has-text-color has-primary-black-color has-background has-tertiary-blue-background-color\"><div class=\"dklaw-author__block\"><div class=\"dklaw-author__image\" style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/dklaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/michelle.jpeg);\"><\/div><div><p class=\"dklaw-author__block-about\">About the Author<\/p><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading is-style-heading-serif\">Michelle Lysengen<\/h4><h6><\/h6><p>Michelle is a content specialist at DK Law and creates content that highlights company events and breaks down complex legal topics into digestible, engaging content. She earned her B.A. in Marketing from California State University, Fullerton.<\/p>\n<div class=\"dklaw-author__social-icons\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/michelle-lysengen\/\"><svg width=\"17\" height=\"17\" viewBox=\"0 0 17 17\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><g clip-path=\"url(#clip0_5702_21335)\"><path d=\"M15.7416 0H1.25508C0.561133 0 0 0.547852 0 1.2252V15.7715C0 16.4488 0.561133 17 1.25508 17H15.7416C16.4355 17 17 16.4488 17 15.7748V1.2252C17 0.547852 16.4355 0 15.7416 0ZM5.04355 14.4865H2.52012V6.37168H5.04355V14.4865ZM3.78184 5.26602C2.97168 5.26602 2.31758 4.61191 2.31758 3.80508C2.31758 2.99824 2.97168 2.34414 3.78184 2.34414C4.58867 2.34414 5.24277 2.99824 5.24277 3.80508C5.24277 4.60859 4.58867 5.26602 3.78184 5.26602ZM14.4865 14.4865H11.9664V10.542C11.9664 9.60234 11.9498 8.39043 10.6549 8.39043C9.34336 8.39043 9.14414 9.41641 9.14414 10.4756V14.4865H6.62734V6.37168H9.04453V7.48066H9.07773C9.41308 6.84316 10.2365 6.16914 11.4617 6.16914C14.015 6.16914 14.4865 7.84922 14.4865 10.034V14.4865Z\" fill=\"#08368B\"\/><\/g><defs><clipPath id=\"clip0_5702_21335\"><rect width=\"17\" height=\"17\" fill=\"white\"\/><\/clipPath><\/defs><\/svg><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<div id=\"form\" style=\"--bg-image: url(\/wp-content\/themes\/dklaw\/img\/dklaw-form-bg.jpg);\" class=\"dklaw-section dklaw-cta dklaw-cta-form alignfull wp-block-dklaw-cta-form has-background has-primary-beige-background-color\"><div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns has-primary-black-background-color has-background is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column dklaw-cta-form__bg-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading dklaw-cta-form__heading has-primary-white-color has-text-color\">DK <em>All the way<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"dklaw-section dklaw-section__logos align wp-block-dklaw-logos\"><div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"dklaw-logos align wp-block-dklaw-logos-repeater\"><div class=\"dklaw-logos__logo\"><img src=\"https:\/\/dklaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/form-award-1.svg\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"NAOPIA Badge\"><\/div><div class=\"dklaw-logos__logo\"><img src=\"https:\/\/dklaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/form-award-2.svg\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Nation's Top One Percent Badge\"><\/div><div class=\"dklaw-logos__logo\"><img src=\"https:\/\/dklaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/form-award-3.svg\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Multi Million Dollar Advocates Forum Badge\"><\/div><div class=\"dklaw-logos__logo\"><img src=\"https:\/\/dklaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/form-award-4.svg\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Lawyers of Distinction Badge\"><\/div><div class=\"dklaw-logos__logo\"><img src=\"https:\/\/dklaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/form-award-5.svg\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Badge\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"dklaw-cta-form__subheading has-primary-white-color has-text-color\">From Your Case to Compensation, we take your case <em>all the way.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\"><div class=\"dklaw-form align wp-block-dklaw-form\"><div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading dklaw-form__heading\">Schedule a Free Consultation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"dklaw-form__subheading has-primary-green-color has-text-color\">Get Expert Legal Advice at <strong>Zero Cost.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<\/div>\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t<form id=\"dklaw-form\" class=\"dklaw-form__form\" role=\"form\" aria-label=\"Free Case Review Form\" data-redirect=\"\/ty\/thank-you\/\">\n\t\t<div class=\"dklaw-form__form-grid\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"dklaw-form__form-field\">\n\t\t\t\t<label for=\"firstName\">First Name<\/label>\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" id=\"firstName\" name=\"firstname\" placeholder=\"First Name\" value=\"\" aria-required=\"true\" required>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"dklaw-form__form-field\">\n\t\t\t\t<label for=\"lastName\">Last Name<\/label>\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" id=\"lastName\" name=\"lastname\" placeholder=\"Last Name\" value=\"\" aria-required=\"true\" required>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"dklaw-form__form-field\">\n\t\t\t<label for=\"email\">Email<\/label>\t\t\t<input type=\"email\" id=\"email\" name=\"email\" placeholder=\"Email Address\" value=\"\" aria-required=\"true\" required>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"dklaw-form__form-field\">\n\t\t\t<label for=\"phone\">Phone Number<\/label>\t\t\t<input type=\"tel\" id=\"phone\" name=\"phone\" placeholder=\"Phone Number\" value=\"\" aria-required=\"true\" required minlength=\"14\">\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"dklaw-form__form-field dklaw-form__form-checkbox\">\n\t\t\t<input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"terms\" value=\"\" name=\"allow_texting\" aria-describedby=\"terms-note\" checked>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<label for=\"terms\" id=\"terms-note\">By checking this box, you expressly consent to receive calls, text messages, and emails from DK Law regarding your inquiry, including communications sent using automated technology. You authorize contact during or outside traditional business hours and even if your phone number appears on any federal or state Do Not Call registry. Your consent is not required as a condition of obtaining legal services <a href=\"\/terms-conditions\/\" style=\"text-decoration:none\" target=\"_blank\">View our Terms &#038; Conditions<\/a><\/label>\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"cf-turnstile\" data-sitekey=\"0x4AAAAAACM74PWhFrQ4Zb-D\" data-theme=\"light\" data-appearance=\"interaction-only\"><\/div>\n\t\t<div id=\"success__message\"><\/div>\n\t\t<div id=\"success__error\"><\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"dklaw-form__form-field text-center\">\n\t\t\t<button type=\"submit\" class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button has-primary-yellow-background-color\" aria-label=\"Get Started\">Get Started<\/button>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"dklaw-form__privacy\">\n\t\t\t<svg width=\"15\" height=\"16\" viewBox=\"0 0 15 16\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n\t\t\t<path d=\"M13.8389 2.81263C11.816 2.66105 9.9218 1.86947 8.48736 0.555789L8.11956 0.202105C7.97244 0.0673681 7.77014 0 7.56788 0C7.36559 0 7.16329 0.0673681 7.01617 0.202105L6.64837 0.555789C5.21393 1.86947 3.31973 2.66105 1.29681 2.81263C0.892223 2.84631 0.57959 3.14947 0.57959 3.52V5.55789C0.57959 9.8358 3.11744 13.8105 7.18168 15.9158C7.29203 15.9832 7.43915 16 7.56788 16C7.69658 16 7.82531 15.9663 7.95405 15.9158C12.0183 13.8105 14.5561 9.8358 14.5561 5.55789V3.52C14.5561 3.14947 14.2435 2.84631 13.8389 2.81263ZM11.3378 6.33262L7.29203 10.5095C7.16329 10.6442 6.94261 10.6442 6.81388 10.5095L4.20247 8.00001C4.07373 7.88211 4.07373 7.69685 4.20247 7.57896L4.84612 6.98948C4.97485 6.87159 5.15876 6.87159 5.28749 6.97264L6.74032 8.13475C6.86905 8.2358 7.07134 8.2358 7.20007 8.1179L10.1609 5.35578C10.2896 5.23789 10.4919 5.23789 10.6206 5.33894L11.2827 5.89473C11.4482 6.02947 11.4482 6.21473 11.3378 6.33262Z\" fill=\"#131314\"\/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"\/privacy-policy\/\"><span>Your Privacy, Our Priority<\/span><\/a>\n\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" id=\"ga4_client_id\" name=\"ga4_client_id\" value=\"\">\n\t\t<\/div>\t\t\n\t<\/form>\n\n\t<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"dklaw-section__small-padding-bottom dklaw-section dklaw-cta dklaw-cta-promise alignfull wp-block-dklaw-cta-promise has-background has-primary-white-background-color\"><div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center has-primary-black-background-color has-background is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:75%\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-primary-white-color has-text-color\">At DK Law we&#8217;re with you &#8211; <em>all the way.<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"dklaw-cta-promise__underline has-primary-white-color has-text-color\">Get a Free Consultation with our experts today!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-flex-end is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-button-phone\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-primary-yellow-background-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"tel:8002010265\">800-201-0265<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-outline is-style-outline--1\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-primary-white-background-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"#form\">Free Case Consultation<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Not wearing a seatbelt doesn\u2019t bar recovery in California. Learn how the seatbelt defense affects fault, damages, and claim value.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":109331,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"What's My Car Accident Settlement Worth If Not Wearing A Seatbelt?","_seopress_titles_desc":"Not wearing a seatbelt doesn't kill your California car accident case. Learn how the seatbelt defense works and what your claim might still be worth.","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"practice_area":[],"topics":[125,114],"class_list":["post-109330","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","topics-behind-the-law","topics-know-your-rights"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dklaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109330","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dklaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dklaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dklaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dklaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=109330"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dklaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109330\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dklaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/109331"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dklaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=109330"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dklaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=109330"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dklaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=109330"},{"taxonomy":"practice_area","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dklaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/practice_area?post=109330"},{"taxonomy":"topics","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dklaw.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topics?post=109330"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}