Every day, our law firm receives numerous calls from individuals who have been involved in car accidents and do not know where to turn. They are uncertain if they can receive any coverage from an insurance agency or if they will have to eat the losses and pay the debts themselves. Fortunately, our lawyers are incredibly skilled and know the best methods for winning car accident lawsuits. Our team of Costa Mesa car accident lawyers at the Downtown LA Law Group will strive around the clock to succeed with your claim. You should not be expected to cover your own debts if you were a victim of a car accident; the negligent party should cover your damages.
Car Accident Details
A car accident can happen at any time. You may be in traffic on the freeway when someone rear ends you, or you may be traveling through an intersection when someone outright ignores a stop sign and broadsides you. If you were not responsible for the crash, you have a better chance of pursuing legal action and receiving fair compensation for the damages. Other reasons that car accidents happen include:- Drunk driving
- Fatigued driving
- Reckless or careless driving
- Using a cell phone while behind the wheel
- Running stop signs and red lights
- Tailgating
- Ignoring right of way laws and turning left into oncoming traffic or turning into intersections and crosswalks without looking
- Speeding
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A car accident can result in various types of injuries to you, no matter how fast you are traveling. You could be hit in such a way that you are pinned and unable to escape. Even a simple broken ankle in a car accident can lead to other devastating consequences. Some of the injuries you may suffer from car crashes include:- Torn muscles
- Nerve damage
- Broken bones
- Dislocations and fractures
- Sprains
- Closed head injuries and traumatic brain injuries
- Concussion
- Internal organ damage
- Severed limbs
- Crushing injuries
- Puncture wounds
- Knee and hip injuries
- Spinal cord damage
- Paraplegia and quadriplegia
- Coma
- Death
What To Do After A Car Crash
Car crashes can be very confusing and frightening experiences, especially if you were injured. The majority of individuals may forget what to do in the immediate aftermath and may not take any steps to gather evidence. In some cases, people have simply left the scene without even getting the name of the responsible party. It is important that you follow these steps after a car crash to ensure that you’re on the best track when it comes to filing a claim.- Go to the emergency room or go to the doctor as quickly as you can after the accident. Some people may not want to get medical help because they do not feel that they are injured, but some injuries are masked by adrenaline and do no manifest until later. If you delay treatment, it can be viewed as a red flag by the insurance agency.
- Take photos of your injuries to showcase how bad the damage was and how severely you were affected.
- Take pictures of the damage to your car, the other individual’s car, and the scene of the accident to help establish how the crash occurred and who was at fault.
- Keep copies of the medical report, doctor’s notes, paramedic notes, and the police report to show what authority figures determined about the accident and your injuries.
- Request statements from eyewitnesses who saw the accident or ask for testimony from any passengers who were involved in the crash. They can help establish fault, especially if there were numerous individuals who saw the incident occur.
- Record the necessary information from the other driver, such as his personal details, contact information, insurance information, and more (such as his company if he were driving commercially).
- Reach out to a skilled car accident lawyer in Costa Mesa who can handle your case for you and who will be available at once to give you the advice you need. We can immediately recommend you to a doctor and get some of the crucial evidence you will need for your case.
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How To Value Your Car Accident Claim
The worth of your case will be determined by the insurance agent – he will primarily weight the effect your injuries had on your life and career. For example, if you suffered serious damages that left you bedridden and unable to continue working for months after the incident, your case would likely be worth much more than if you simply suffered a broken ankle and could still make it to work as little as a week after the accident. The agent will also consider your age and type of job, as well as how much of the accident was your fault. Individuals who were found to be partially responsible for the crash will have their settlements reduced. There is no calculator that allows agents to determine the value of your case. You can provide medical bills and expenses, estimates from the mechanic, pay stubs, and more to give an idea of what you are owed, but ultimately, the agent will come up with a figure. It is wise to have a lawyer who will negotiate a better deal from the insurance agent, as the companies are primarily concerned with protecting their profits and not paying out large sums. You have a much better chance of winning a lawsuit if you have an attorney on your side who can fight for your deserved compensation.Earnings From A Car Accident Lawsuit
A car accident lawsuit can net you a fair amount of compensation for your damages. Our lawyers will strive to bring you coverage for everything you need. You should not be expected to pay for the damages if you were the victim of a crash – the liable party should be held responsible. We’ll see to it that you earn the following:- Medical bills (surgery, hospitalization, physical therapy, medication, future medical treatments)
- Missed wages at work (as well as future missed wages because of recovery time or medical treatments)
- Property damage (vehicular damage, personal items that were lost)
- Pain and suffering (anxiety, PTSD, fear, emotional trauma)
- Punitive damages (handed out in times of gross negligence or when the party intended to cause harm)
- Wrongful death expenses (if a loved one passed away in the incident, which can result in funeral and burial costs, reimbursement of lost wages and expected savings and inheritance, loss of consortium, coverage of pre-death medical bills, coverage of pre-death pain and suffering of the victim, and more)
Time Limit To File A Claim
In California, you have 2 years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit to collect damages stemming from a car accident. Personal injury lawsuits cannot be filed past the 2 year deadline unless you meet certain requirements. For example, if you were under the age of 18, you do not have to adhere to the statute until you turn legal age. You may also have been mentally or physically incapacitated after the crash, such as in a coma or in intense psychological pain, and could not reliably sue; your statute would begin once you return to health. The defendant also can influence the statute of limitations. In the event that he left the state or traveled outside of the country, the time limit would not resume until he returned. This prevents him from escaping any legal consequences just because he is not around.Call (213) 389-3765 to set up a free, no obligation consultation to find out if you have a case.
If you feel that you need assistance filing a claim before it’s too late, contact our firm. We’ll make sure your evidence doesn’t get lost or corrupted and that everything is submitted on time. Our Costa Mesa Car Accident lawyers will not put your case in danger of being rejected because it was late or wasn’t filed within the necessary deadline.