When people think of car accidents, they usually have an image of multiple cars crashing into one another, whether at intersections or on the highways. They remember being rear ended or struck as they were exiting a driveway. However, many clients call us when the only car involved in the crash was their own. These single car accidents are quite common and can happen for any number of reasons. Just because another car did not hit you does not mean you cannot pursue compensation from a responsible party. Our team of expert lawyers at Downtown LA Law Group in Los Angeles has been taking care of car accident claims of all varieties for many years, and we are perfectly at ease with single car accident lawsuits. We promise to work around the clock to win your case and will get you the settlement you deserve from the liable entity.

How Single Car Accidents Happen

Not all car crashes involve direct impact with another vehicle. Single car accidents can be equally as devastating and result in severe injuries. Some of the most common circumstances surrounding single car accidents can be found below.

• Vehicle Defect: Some cars may have internal problems that cause them to malfunction and crash. There are usually news releases detailing recalls of cars that have faulty brakes, for instance. Others have been found to have defective radiator hoses, which can lead to overheating.
• Road Obstructions and Hazards: There may be some objects in the road that cause you to swerve around them, such as discarded construction equipment, fallen trees, downed power lines, and more. Further, there may be hazards that the city was responsible for fixing, such as obstructed views of street signs, roads that are too narrow, lack of cleanup from spills, and more.
• Negligent Party: If a driver, cyclist, pedestrian, or other party simply pulls out in front of you or swerves past you, it may cause you to veer out of the way to avoid an accident. Although the other individual was not directly involved in the crash, he could be said to have contributed to it, if not caused it to happen.
• Striking an Individual or an Animal: Hitting a pedestrian or animal does not involve another car, and the aftermath can be problematic no matter what the situation.
• Improperly Secured Material: Trucks of varying sizes, cars, and SUVs may transport material on their roofs or in their beds. These materials can range from lumber and pipes to sand and bricks, and in some cases, even other smaller vehicles, animals, and more. If these materials are not properly strapped down and secured, they can fall from the truck, causing injuries.

The amount of injuries you can receive from any of these kinds of accidents, as well as many more, is very high. You may suffer various broken bones, closed head injuries, concussions, internal organ damage, nerve damage, sprains, abrasions, gashes, scarring, spinal cord damage, neck damage, severed limbs, paralysis, and more.

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Reach out to a skilled lawyer to take the necessary steps to pursuing compensation from the party who contributed to your accident.

Legal Details

Single car accidents can be messy if you do not know who to sue. However, there are numerous options available depending on the circumstances of your accident. For example, if you were in a car with someone who crashed into a pole after losing control, you could take action against the individual’s insurance company. An overloaded truck can be the result of negligent dock or yard workers, the driver, or the company for allowing or requesting the driver take the load. Any accidents stemming from that overload can be the fault of the company. Similarly, the same can be said of road hazards caused by construction companies that contribute to crashes. Problems with streets and road signs can be attributed to the government responsible for maintaining them. It may be the duty of the city to ensure all street signs are visible, and you could take action against the city if you crashed because there were no signs that indicated a hazard, a turn, or to stop or yield. A defect with the vehicle can, of course, result in a lawsuit against the manufacturer for producing cars that may malfunction and cause accidents. No matter whom the responsible party is, if you were involved in a crash, you should contact our law firm to file a lawsuit and get coverage for all the damages you suffered.

Steps to Take after a Car Accident

Despite only being in a car accident with your own vehicle, there are still similar steps that you should take to ensure that you are safe and will have a fair chance at acquiring compensation from a claim. First and foremost, you should seek medical treatment to gauge your injuries and receive help. Paramedics can treat you at the scene of the crash or transport you to the hospital for more pressing procedures. You should ask for a copy of the notes and make sure the bills arrive in a timely manner. Some people may not feel as though they need medical help or that they were not hurt; if you were not injured, you cannot file a personal injury claim, and waiting too long between the accident and pursuing medical treatment can cause the insurance agent to cast doubt on the extent of your damages. You will need ample evidence of the accident if you were not at fault. You should take pictures of what caused the crash, such as the faulty load of a truck, the obstructed sign on the road, a hazard in the street, or anything else that contributed to the crash. You also will have to take pictures of your injuries and the damage to your vehicle. If there were any eyewitnesses who saw the accident happen, you can ask them for their testimonies and statements. Further, you can request a copy of the police report to further establish who was at fault and whether or not another party acted negligently.

Find out more about how we can help you. Call (855) 339-8879 to speak with a representative now.

Finally, you should reach out to a Los Angeles car accident attorney who can file a lawsuit against the responsible party. We’ll walk you through the legal process and will help you get what you deserve.

How an Attorney Helps

For claims that do not result in bodily harm, you may find it simpler and more cost effective to handle the situation by yourself. Usually, these accidents were minor and caused damage to your vehicle or made you miss work because of the time spent at the scene of the crash. You may also have trouble making it to work thereafter. You should take the mechanic’s estimate for how much it will cost to fix your car and any pay stubs you have and present them to the insurance agent so you can show exactly how much you should be given; generally, these amounts are much lower than what medical bills would cost, and the insurance agent has little room to argue or negotiate. You may not need an attorney to get what you need. However, with cases involving physical injuries, you should always enlist the help of a lawyer. The insurance agent will likely deny your claim and state that you were not as hurt as you said or that you were at fault for the accident and should not expect anyone else to cover the damages. You may be too hurt to deal with all the ensuing headaches that come with legal action, and the increased stress can lengthen the time it takes you to recover. Moreover, you may simply lack the necessary legal experience and knowledge needed to effectively negotiate a fair deal from the insurance agent. Call an expert car crash lawyer in Los Angeles for more assistance.

Establishing Negligence

Personal injury lawsuits are filed on the basis of negligence, or the action or inaction of another party that contributes to an incident of some kind. There are four points of negligence that must be proven; they are:

• You were owed a duty of care by the defendant to be kept safe and out of harm’s way
• The duty of care was breached in some manner
• The breach caused an accident or incident of some kind
• The accident caused you to suffer actual physical harm

The physical harm caveat is important, as you will not be able to file a personal injury claim without suffering injuries. You will have to show that a reasonable individual would not have acted in such a manner. For example, if a truck driver did not have his load properly strapped down and a log fell from the bed, causing you to crash, it could be easily argued that the truck driver and company were negligent. Additionally, if one stop sign at a 4-way stop intersection had been taken down and the city had been slow to replace it, you could point to the city as being negligent. An attorney will be able to help you file a lawsuit for your single car accident.

To speak with a Los Angeles brain injury lawyer, call (855) 339-8879.

Restitution from a Single Car Accident

Some people may be uncertain how much they could potentially earn from a single car accident lawsuit, but merely because only you were involved in the crash does not mean you cannot target a responsible party and receive rightful compensation. The degree of fault of another party can highly influence how much money you receive and what is covered in your claim. Our team of expert lawyers at the Downtown LA Law Group will work hard to bring you coverage for the following:

• Medical expenses, including surgery costs, hospitalization fees, ambulatory transportation, medication costs, physical therapy fees, future medical procedures, and more
• Property damage to your vehicle and any personal belongings you had in the car at the time of the accident
• Lost wages from days in which you missed work because of the accident and future lost income from impending absent days because of recovery time and other factors
• Emotional pain and suffering, such as PTSD, fear, anxiety, psychological stress, mental trauma, and more, stemming from the circumstances of the accident
• Punitive damages, which are handed out in the event that a responsible party is grossly negligent in his duties; these damages are difficult to win, however, as they are usually viewed as excessive and unnecessary, so only a talented car crash lawyer will be able to acquire them for you
• Wrongful death expenses stemming from the death of a family member or loved one who was in the vehicle at the time of the crash; these expenses including funeral and burial fees, pre-death medical bills, pre-death pain and suffering, loss of expected inheritance an savings, loss of consortium, and more

With the help of our attorneys, you can earn the maximum compensation available under the law. Contact our firm today to get started.

Deadline for Your Lawsuit

Personal injury lawsuits have a statute of limitations of 2 years in the State of California. If you wait too long to file a claim, you will be barred from receiving compensation for your damages. It is important you take legal action or approach the insurance company as quickly as possible so that you are not prevented from getting the coverage you need. You should be aware, though, that the statute of limitations can vary depending on the circumstances of your case and the intended target for the lawsuit. For example, if you were underage at the time of the accident, the statute would not begin counting down until the day you turned 18 years old. Further, if you were severely injured and physically or mentally unable to pursue a claim, the deadline would be suspended until you returned to a functional, healthy state. Claims against government agencies are usually subject to a reduced statute of limitations. These statutes are usually within the 180 to 300 day range. It is extremely important that you reach out to an attorney to determine if you are eligible for any exceptions to the statute of limitations and to find out just how much time you have to file a lawsuit. You should always be aware of the time frame you’re working with, and our lawyers in Los Angeles can make sure you’re always within those parameters.

Our Firm: Here for You

Downtown LA Law Group is one of the premier law firms in Los Angeles, and we have years of experience with car accident claims. We know the best methods to winn your case and bringing you the compensation you deserve. We will fight for your rights against the responsible party and will negotiate the best settlement possible from the insurance agency. If the agent is being particularly resistant or does not wish to pay our your claim, we are willing to take your case to court to show that you deserve every penny in front of a judge and jury. Call us at (855) 339-8879 today to set up a free legal consultation with one of our lawyers. We’ll tell you what we believe we can earn for you, and we’ll tell you about our zero fee guarantee, which promises that you won’t pay any out of pocket expenses for our services – we won’t get paid unless and until we win your case. Get in touch with our lawyers today at Downtown LA Law Group. We are available around the clock to take your call.