Los Angeles Car Accident Attorney
Page Contents:
LA County Auto Accident Attorney
While some auto crashes may be considered minor, the effects may not be. Potential
injuries may not present themselves right away, leading a person to believe
they
are fine when they are not. Even if you feel like you were not hurt,
sometimes
it
takes a few days for your body to feel the full extent of
the
accident—time
which
can potentially be critical to your chances of
successfully
seeking damages
from
the party responsible for the crash.
If you were involved in a car accident, it may be important for you to contact a
professional injury attorney
as soon as possible. A
car accident lawyer serving the Los Angeles region
can help you deal with expensive medical costs as a result of your incident. If someone
else was responsible for your accident, they can be held liable and may
have
to
compensate
you for your expenses.
Auto accident injuries can be life-altering, but we can help you get justice. Schedule
a free consultation with our Los Angeles car accident lawyer by
calling
(626) 323-8351 or contacting us online. Se habla español.
California Auto Accident Statistics
The following statistics are sobering in that they highlight the severity of car
accidents within California and the rest of the United States:
- Each year there are over 5 million crashes in the United States
- Traffic accidents injure over 2 million individuals each year
- California traffic accidents injure over 200,000 drivers every year
Unfortunately, insurance companies are in business to maximize their shareholder’s
value, not the amount of compensation a plaintiff wishes to recover after
a
serious
injury. They are not focused on identifying all of one’s potential
injuries
and
damages,
which is why it is important to consult with a
Claremont
and Pasadena auto accident lawyer.
Common Causes of Car Accidents in Claremont
Compared to the rest of California, Claremont is a particularly dangerous place when
it comes to deadly car crashes. In 2014, Claremont saw nearly double the
number
of
fatal accidents and more than twice the number of fatalities
per
100,000
residents
as the rest of the state, as well as nearly three
and
a half times
the number
of
fatal accidents involving people under
the influence
of alcohol.
Some of the
most
common causes of these accidents besides
alcohol or drug intoxication
include:
Getting into a car accident can cause serious, long-term injuries. Anyone who is
injured in a car accident and believes it was due to someone else’s negligence
may
want to contact a
Claremont and Pasadena car accident lawyer
today, as an experienced attorney can help guide them through their legal options.
How to Prove Liability for a Car Crash in California
In order to receive compensation, the injured party in a California car accident
case must prove that the defendant acted negligently. Under California
state
civil
law, negligence consists of four basic requirements:
- Duty of care
- Breach of duty
- Causation
- Damages
Duty of Care and Breach of Duty
When a driver gets behind the wheel of a car, they assume a duty of care towards
everyone around them to avoid foreseeable risks of injury. This element
is
typically
fairly easy to establish in a personal injury case. The injured
party must also
prove
that the defendant acted carelessly or broke some
sort
of law while driving
and,
in doing so, failed to fulfill their duty
of care.
This is often a question
of fact
that the injured party can help
prove by
calling on witnesses who saw
the accident.
Causation and Damages
To meet this element, the injured party must prove that the driver’s negligence directly
caused the car accident that injured them. Two types of causation—actual
and
proximate—must
be proven. Finally, the injured party must show that
they suffered
damages as
a
direct
result of the car accident. Damages
can
include physical,
emotional,
and
economic
injuries, such as medical
wages,
pain, and suffering,
and lost income.
Individuals
can get in touch with a
Claremont
and Pasadena car accident lawyer today for help with proving any of these elements.
Legal Rights After a Collision
Most auto accident claims are based on the negligence of the driver that caused the
accident. The job of a skilled California car accident lawyer is to prove
a
plaintiff’s
case. This requires demonstrating all the elements of the
driver’s
negligence.
A
dedicated California car accident lawyer must understand
every
aspect of an
individual’s
accident: how it occurred, why it occurred,
the
parties
at fault,
the extent of
their
injuries, and one’s recovery
options.
This knowledge
allows
a weathered car
accident
lawyer serving
the Los Angeles
region to determine
a
plaintiff’s best option.
Wrongful Death Cases
In a fatal car accident where the individual killed was a family member, spouse,
or other loved one, certain surviving parties have a right to seek justice
through
the assistance of a California car accident lawyer. Spouses, relatives,
and
dependents
of the decedent have a right to sue. Even if the individual
who caused
the accident
is charged with a criminal penalty, they have
a
right
to sue in
civil court and
be
compensated for their loss.
Pursuing Compensation for Losses
In fatal car accidents, there are damages that the estate can recover and damages
that surviving family members can recover. Losses typically attributed
to
the
estate
include funeral expenses, hospital and medical bills for
the
deceased
individual’s
final illness or injury, and lost income. This
includes
the potential
income the
deceased party would reasonably have
been expected
to earn in the
future, had
he
or she survived. Losses typically
attributed
to the surviving
family members
can
include the value of household
services,
loss of anticipated
financial support,
and
loss of love, community,
attention,
affection, moral
support, and guidance.
Potential Recoverable Damages
In auto accidents, the legal system generally classifies damages into two categories:
property and personal. Damages to one’s property include costs related
to the
vehicle, towing, vehicle storage, appraisals, property damaged
by the accident,
repairs,
as well as damage to personal belongings and
replacement costs.
Damages
classified
as personal could include one’s
loss of wages, hospital
costs,
ambulance
services,
emergency room supplies,
physical aids and appliances,
physical therapy,
medical
staff, transportation,
pain and suffering, and
permanent
disability.
What to Do After an Out-of-State Car Accident
With so many drivers and vehicles out on the roads in California, it is hardly
unheard of to get into an accident. However, Californians
also
like
to travel, and sometimes that travel takes them and their vehicles
out
of
state,
where accidents can and do still happen.
So
what should a
California driver do when they get into an
accident
out of state?
The Role of Insurance
When it comes to insurance, the matter will proceed in a very similar way as it would
if the accident had happened in California. Most states are tort
or
fault
states,
meaning that the insurance company of the at-fault driver will pay for any damages. This applies to both the driver that is insured and
any other parties or vehicles that were damaged.
Before fault can be fully determined by the insurance company, the company will send
an adjuster to determine the extent of injuries and damages. Many insurance companies have adjusters throughout the entire country, but some
do not, so the amount of time this process takes could vary wildly. If
that
is
the
case, those involved in the accident may have to remain in
the state
where
the accident
occurred, even if they are unhurt or their
car is not
damaged
enough
to prevent
them
from going home.
Filing a Claim
Furthermore, if the California driver was injured and wants to file a personal injury claim for compensation, the case will need to be heard in the state the accident
happened in. This can be challenging not just because of the distance
the
plaintiff
may have to travel, but also because California attorneys
are
often only
licensed
to work in California.
This means the plaintiff will likely not be able to use them. Instead, an attorney
will need to be hired that is licensed to work in the state where the
accident
happened.
While many attorneys will be able to work long-distance
through
emails
and phone
calls with a driver, the case can become complicated
if
the
California
driver has
to appear in court to provide testimony.
None of this means that a California driver should not make an out-of-state claim
if another driver was at fault and they were seriously injured. It may,
however,
mean trips out of state will be required to file the claim and
see it through.
Car accidents can be the cause of severe, life-altering injuries. Fortunately, though,
a Los Angeles car accident lawyer can help you if you suffered injuries
as
a
result
of someone else’s negligence.
Contact an experienced attorney
today to start pursuing the compensation you deserve.
Whether you were injured in a rear-end crash or a head-on collision, our Los Angeles car accident attorney can provide compassionate, results-driven
representation. You owe our firm no legal fees unless we help you
recover
compensation,
so call (626) 323-8351 or contact us onlinetoday!
