CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEY IN LOS ANGELES, As an accident victim, your top priority should be healing from your accident, not disputing with an insurance adjuster
Do I Need a Los Angeles Car Accident Attorney?
Our Zero Fee Guarantee means our clients aren’t charged a cent in legal fees unless we make a recovery. There will be no hidden conditions and no hidden fees for your personal injury case!
Our car accident lawyers in Los Angeles are ready to help you! We understand the challenges that can arise after a crash, and we fight to get accident victims the justice they deserve. Time may be limited to file a claim, so ACT NOW. Call an accident attorney at Wilshire Law Firm today at (866) 877 4189 or fill out our online contact form.
Why Do Car Accidents Happen?
With features like autonomous braking, lane-keep assist, and forward-collision warning hitting the market over the past two decades, it’s clear that car manufacturers are investing in technologies that prevent accidents and keep drivers and passengers safer. In fact, vehicles may be safer than they’ve ever been before! However, despite the many accident prevention measures introduced over the past 20 years, more than 7.2 million vehicle accidents were reported to police in the United States in 2016, a 15% increase over the previous year. Even though vehicles might technically be safer now, driving a car is still quite dangerous. Driver error is a common cause of car accidents in Los Angeles. Car accidents tend to take place for the following reasons:
- Distracted Driving – Distractions are everywhere. Cell phones, conversations with passengers, or even changing the radio station can lead to a Los Angeles car accident.
- Driving while intoxicated – Fatal crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver accounted for 29 percent of all traffic fatalities in 2017.
- Recklessness – Speeding contributed to more than 10,000 traffic fatalities in 2016, the highest figure since 2012.
- Poor/Unsafe Road Conditions – Strong rains and stiff wind can play a part in vehicle accidents. Cars may hydroplane, slip out of control, or suddenly veer into another vehicle’s path due to adverse conditions. Furthermore, roads that are not adequately maintained by government authorities can contribute to car accidents.
- Mechanical Defect – When a car is designed, built, or sold with defective parts or not maintained properly, an auto accident can occur due to a mechanical malfunction.
Regardless of the cause, we have an auto accident attorney who can help you. Contact a personal injury lawyer from Wilshire Law firm today to discuss the cause of your vehicle accident, and to find out if you have a legitimate car accident case.
What are the Most Common Accident Types?
Here are some of the most common types of motor vehicle accidents:
- Head-on collisions
- Rear-end collisions
- Side-impact or T-bone collisions
- Sideswipe accidents
- Low-impact collisions
- Single-car accidents
- Pile-up / multi-car accidents
- Left-turn accidents
- Intersection accidents
- Merging accidents
- Failure to yield accidents
- Rollover accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Hit and run accidents
Following a severe car crash, accident victims usually deal with vehicle damage and property loss. However, the damages tend to be much more severe than that. Catastrophic injuries can alter a car accident victim’s life forever.
What Are the Most Common Injuries from Car Accidents?
In 2016, nearly 3.2 million people were injured in motor vehicle crashes, according to the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Even low-impact and low-speed accidents can cause serious injuries.
Some of the most common car accident injuries include:
- Whiplash
- Spinal cord injury
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Internal bleeding
- Broken bone(s)
- Amputation
- Road rash / cuts
- Emotional distress
Many car accident victims may not immediately feel any injuries after an accident. This is due to the adrenaline rush that most accident victims experience. If you have been involved in a car accident, it’s essential to seek prompt medical attention to determine the true extent of your injuries.A Los Angeles car crash attorney at Wilshire Law Firm, along with our extensive network of medical, investigative, and other experts, can help put accident victims on their path to recovery. You and your family deserve the best legal representation possible for your car accident injury, and this where our auto accident lawyers in Los Angeles can help!
How Can I Reduce The Risk Of Having An Auto Accident?
There are precautions drivers can take to reduce their risk of getting into an accident. If you’re looking to keep yourself and everyone else safer on the road, follow this advice.
- Keep your vehicle roadworthy. Not keeping up with your car’s maintenance schedule can lead to big trouble down the line. You should also use the NHTSA’s to verify that your vehicle has no known safety issues.
- Avoid drugs and alcohol. Just like the cars they ride in, drivers need to remain roadworthy, too. Drivers should be well-rested and in “good driving condition” before getting behind the wheel, and that includes being sober.
- Be a defensive driver. Drivers should be aware of those around them. They should watch out for other vehicles that are speeding, maintain a safe distance from other cars, and look out for any potential safety hazards on the road.
- Keep your eyes on the road. Drivers should turn off their cell phones, lower the radio volume, and remove any other distractions that may prevent them from focusing on the road.
Keep in mind that even if you are careful, you can still be the victim of a car accident. If you are, make sure to call an experienced Los Angeles auto accident lawyer who can help you file a personal injury claim and secure compensation for your losses.
What Should I Do After an Automobile Accident?
When a car crash occurs, it always takes the people involved by surprise. Nevertheless, it’s essential to be prepared. There are specific steps that accident victims should take to protect their physical health and legal rights.
If you have been involved in a car accident, we recommend taking the following steps:
- Don’t panic. Move all vehicles and any damaged property out of the roadway, if possible.
- Check for injuries. Evaluate the people involved in the accident for injuries and call for emergency medical services as required. Even drivers who don’t think they are seriously hurt should be examined by a medical professional as soon as possible.
- Call the police. Ask the police to create a detailed accident report for your records. You should also request an ambulance, if necessary.
- Exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver(s). Don’t admit liability at the scene or when speaking with the other party’s insurance company.
- Begin collecting evidence. Use your cell phone to take pictures of the damage, along with the accident scene as a whole. Get the contact information of any witnesses and gather any debris that may have broken off from your vehicle in the accident.
- Consult with the car accident lawyers at Wilshire Law Firm. With more than $750 million recovered for clients, the exceptional personal injury attorneys at Wilshire Law Firm utilize proven legal strategies to get car accident victims the compensation they deserve.
A dedicated car accident attorney in Los Angeles can be the difference between winning or losing your case!
What Compensation Can I Receive After A Car Accident?
If you have been injured in a car accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence or recklessness, you should look for the best car accident lawyer Los Angeles has to offer. Only a skilled negotiator and litigator will be able to get you maximum monetary compensation for your losses.
The actual cost of a seemingly minor accident can quickly become expensive. Car accident injuries can take months, even years, to fully heal, lost wages and other expenses can begin to pile up.
If you were injured in a crash caused by someone else, you may be entitled to the following compensation:
- Specific damages – Past and future medical bills, lost wages, lost earning potential, necessary home or vehicle modifications, repair / replacement services such as childcare or home and vehicle maintenance, etc.
- General damages – Physical pain and suffering, loss of consortium, emotional distress, etc.
And what’s the most important key to successfully proving your car accident claim? Identifying the liable party or parties and proving their fault. This is where it’s essential to work with a top Los Angeles auto accident lawyer, as it can be difficult to either prove liability as well as the full extent of the damages that occurred.
Depending on your personal injury case, many parties may be found liable for the damages you have suffered, including:
- Other drivers
- Vehicle owners
- Driver employers (if a driver was on the clock)
- Manufacturers / shipping companies / retailers / marketers
One complicating factor in a car accident claim is determining what happens if you were partially at fault for your accident. California deals with this scenario through a system called Pure Comparative Fault. Also known as Pure Comparative Negligence, this system reduces the compensation awarded to car accident victims by the degree of their fault in the accident.
For example, if you are determined to be 20% at fault for an accident, then the total compensation awarded to you will be reduced by 20%. Call a Los Angeles automobile accident lawyer to get clarification on Pure Comparative Fault.
If the at-fault driver doesn’t have car insurance, this may also impact your case. Unfortunately, there are many drivers here in California who are either uninsured or underinsured. Some insurance industry studies place the percentage of uninsured drivers in California at more than 15%.
Due to the high number of uninsured drivers, it’s recommended that you carry uninsured motorist insurance. With this coverage, if you’re hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver, you can recover damages directly from your insurer instead of filing a claim with a third party. Without underinsured / uninsured motorist coverage, you might not be able to recover any damages that result from your accident.
What Is The Statute Of Limitations On A Car Accident In Los Angeles?
In most cases, the statute of limitations for filing a personal injury claim is two years from the accident date. Still, many complicating factors can either shorten or lengthen the time that a victim has to file a claim following an accident.To protect your claim, you should retain the services of the best Los Angeles car accident lawyer you can find to ensure that you receive the maximum compensation you deserve.
How Can An Experienced Car Accident Lawyer At Wilshire Law Firm Help?
After a car accident, dealing with the other party’s insurance company can make all the difference between a successful claim and an unsuccessful one. A Los Angeles car crash attorney at Wilshire Law Firm will use their extensive experience dealing with insurance companies to get you the best settlement possible in your case. We know all the tricks insurance companies use to minimize their payouts, and we have developed proven legal strategies for getting our clients paid.
With hundreds of millions of dollars recovered for our clients, our compassionate, client-first approach is proven to get results. To find out how we can help you, contact Wilshire Law Firm today at (866) 877-4189 or fill out our online contact form.