Car accident victims often find themselves in an unfortunate situations physically, emotionally, and financially. After a car crash, the victim could be looking at property damage, which is enough to deal with. More importantly, bodily harm and emotional distress surround the whole ordeal. Depending on the severity of it all, a small fortune could be required to get back to a semblance of everyday life.

Injured in a SoCal Crash and Want the Best Lawyers?

Explaining Car Insurance

This is the Ultimate Guide to Compensation for SoCal Motoring Accidents. While car insurance is meant to compensate for car accident cases, it’s often not straightforward. If you don’t have a dedicated and competent attorney on your side, medical expenses, lost wages, etc., can begin to stack up and land you in years of financial trouble.

Client Focused

At Ehline Law Firm, we serve our clients in Los Angeles by providing legal representation at the center. Car accidents may often look similar, but they are not the same.

Therefore, adept auto accident lawyers must acknowledge the uniqueness of each situation while capitalizing on legal expertise for your benefit.

Contingency Fee Basis

Our personal injury law firm works on a contingency basis, which means you don’t pay us anything unless we win your case. Additionally, we offer a free consultation at the onset to review the details of your car accident, understand your position, and communicate your options.

Call Immediately

We encourage you to schedule a session with one of our auto accident lawyers in Los Angeles, CA, today by calling (833) LETS-SUE.

How Los Angeles, CA Car Accident Attorneys Help You

Car accidents in Los Angeles tend to be followed by a battle between victims and insurance companies. These firms are supposed to take a humanitarian approach and support victims. However, they’re more concerned with profits, which means they’ll try to avoid paying a dime, even in the face of serious injuries.

Is experience the Equalizer?

Allow an experienced car accident attorney from Ehline Law Firm to be the difference maker in helping you recover compensation as quickly as possible. Regardless of how the car wreck unfolded, our experience with auto accident cases makes us well-suited to protect your interests.

We Care About Car Accident Victims

Whether you’re suffering from abnormal or common car accident injuries, we will never treat you as a number or a source of revenue. Our compassion and dedication to our clients are where our brand of personal injury law differs from the rest.

Your needs lie at the center of everything we do. After car accidents happen in Los Angeles and potential clients reach out to us, it’s not just about finding the shortest route to filing a successful personal injury claim.

There’s also the matter of actively listening to your concerns, insecurities, and queries about the situation as we aim to bring you clarity and peace of mind throughout the ordeal.

Proving Liability in Los Angeles, CA Car Accident Claims

One of the most essential elements of winning a car accident case is proving liability beyond the shadow of a doubt. Personal injury attorneys tend to have three objectives concerning this burden of proof.

The negligent driver:

• Had a duty of care while operating a motor vehicle
• Neglected to act per the said duty of care established

Additionally, the resulting car crash must’ve resulted from the neglect abovementioned. Once all this is established, your Los Angeles car accident lawyer must link the accident and the injuries you received. This also means establishing that immediate medical attention was required as a result.

What Kind of Motor Vehicle Accidents Do We Handle?

After having been in a car accident, you likely don’t have the presence of mind to be battling with an insurance company for what you are entitled to. Unfortunately, without Los Angeles car accident attorneys, that’s precisely what many victims must deal with.

Lowball Settlement Offers

Sometimes, these companies strategically avoid personal injury lawsuits altogether by offering what seems to be a fair settlement at the onset. Not only are you likely being grossly underpaid, but you’re possibly even giving up the ability to seek any further compensation in the future.

Instead of doing it alone, let a Los Angeles car accident attorney from Ehline Law Firm fight the battle on your behalf. Here’s a look at some accident types we’ve demonstrated proficiency in dealing with.

Drunk Driving Accidents

Unfortunately, many car accidents are caused because irresponsible drivers choose to use the roadways under the influence of alcohol. This impairs the ability to function effectively behind the wheel, often leading to injuries for unsuspecting and innocent parties.

However, we ensure they are held accountable for any auto accidents they cause that harm our clients.

Head-on Collisions

As you can imagine, a head-on car accident is a devastating ordeal. These are some of the most severe cases; catastrophic injuries often characterize them. Many fatal car accidents you may hear about in Los Angeles, CA, fall under this category.

Get Justice

If any such collision harmed you or a loved one, allow our law office to seek justice.

Hit and Run Accidents

Hit-and-run car accident victims have an adamant time since holding the negligent driver accountable can be challenging. Nevertheless, we recommend that you speak to one of our personal injury lawyers to find out your options in such a situation.

Rollover Accidents

Due to the forces at play and the nature of rollover accidents, they can also lead to hefty medical bills and even death in many cases. It’s not uncommon for people involved in these kinds of car accidents to end with some permanent issues.

Whether the problem was distracted driving or something else, there’s no reason why you should be made to suffer because of someone else. Let an Ehline Law Firm auto accident lawyer in Los Angeles stand up for your rights.

Side Impact Collisions

Depending on the side of the car that takes the impact, the driver or passenger can become severely injured. Depending on the circumstances, it could even be both. Our team is prepared to help you ensure you recover the property damage and medical expenses associated with the severe injuries you or a loved one may have suffered.

Speeding Accidents

It’s well known that drivers who are moving too quickly often cause accidents because of their lack of control over their vehicles. If any such car crash has led to damage to your person or property, contact us for a consultation as soon as possible.

Rear-end Collisions

These kinds of motor vehicle accidents are not supposed to happen since drivers are meant to maintain a safe distance from each other even when there’s heavy traffic present. Not doing so may have led someone to hit the rear end of your vehicle.

Front?

While they may not be as problematic as head-on collisions, the rear-end variation still poses an injury risk and leads to vehicular damage. Our legal team is well-equipped to tackle this kind of scenario.

Parking Lot Accident

You would think a car accident would not happen in a parking lot. However, whether because of speeding, a lack of alertness, or another reason, a parking lot is sometimes the site of an accident scene in Los Angeles, CA.

Typical Causes of Los Angeles Car Accidents

Car accident attorneys deal with a plethora of cases that feature a host of different variables. If nothing else, it has been proven that there are numerous reasons that these collisions happen.

Some of these are as follows:

• Speeding
• Distracted driving
• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Tailgating
• Driving inexperience
• Maintenance issues
• Weather
• Road hazards
• Lane splitting.

Regardless of what may have led to the accident, you’re not supposed to be dealing with the aftermath of a problem when someone else caused it. We’re committed to ensuring you have a personal injury attorney with your best interests at heart.

Are You Required to Have a Car Accident Lawyer?

Until this point, we’ve advised you several times to retain the services of a Southern California car accident lawyer. Though you may be considering it, you may also want to know the legal requirement.

Technically You Can Self Represent

Technically speaking, car accident laws do not stipulate that personal injury cases require a lawyer to proceed. However, you may want to think twice before you go down the road of the preceding one entirely.

The other party’s insurance company will not play nice, and you can bet you’ll be facing a lawyer on the other end.

Even if the way the accident unfolded would make it obvious who’s at fault, you may still get no compensation because you didn’t know how to deal with the tricks used on the other end.

Sharing Risk and Reward?

Remember that you do not need to worry about how you will pay us for your car accident case, considering we do this all on a contingency basis.

What Kind of Questions Should You Ask Your Los Angeles, CA, Car Accident Attorney?

Don’t simply believe a lawyer can defend your case well because of a job title. Not only are you encouraged to verify any accolades that your lawyer may have, but you should also ask the necessary questions to maximize the value you get from the engagement.

Here are some of the questions you need to be asking:

• How long have you been handling personal injury cases?
• Have you dealt with any cases like mine? If yes, have you frequently done so?
• What can be done to maximize the chances of a successful outcome?
• What is your plan to seek fair compensation without taking the case to trial?
• What is your estimate of how long it will take for my issue to be resolved?
• What resources does your company employ to ensure my topic is thoroughly researched and put together well?
• You can use these as more of a baseline, but if anything you need clarity on ever comes to your mind, feel free to ask about it.

California Car Accident Laws to Remember

One of the undeniable benefits of having a car accident lawyer in your corner is the ability to navigate complexities. California car accident law has many of them, and it won’t take long to see why you need a legal professional on your side. Here’s a look at three of the main staples.

Liability

Liability lies with the negligent party, but the state of California uses what is known as the rule of pure comparative negligence. In other words, you may be worried about being able to claim compensation if you know that you are partially to blame for the accident.

More About Pure Comparative Negligence

While California won’t outright stop you from getting any compensation, you will find yourself in a situation where the damages you can recover are based on the proportions of fault each party bears.

So theoretically, if you are the victim but are somehow 80% responsible for the accident, you could still receive a settlement award totaling 20% of the compensation that could be awarded if you did not fault in the matter.

Fault-based Insurance

Your car accident claim will be based on California’s fault-based approach. First, it mandates that anyone operating a motor vehicle must have the required insurance coverage to do so. Instead of filing claims directly with the negligent party, they are filed with the party’s insurance company.

Nevertheless, there is a bit of an exception to the rule. It will be allowed if the circumstances necessitate bringing a lawsuit forward instead of a claim.

Statute of Limitations

This is an important concept even beyond the confines of personal injury law. Typically, if an incident is to be handled legally that requires a claim or case submission, this cannot be done indefinitely.

There is a time beyond which the submission will no longer be accepted. This is your statute of limitations. In California, you must submit your claim for two years following your auto accident. If there is a property damage-only claim, you are allowed three years.

Don’t Blow Your Time to File a Claim

You must file within this time. Only under extenuating circumstances will any exception be made for you to file your claim after that.

We advise anyone who is a car accident victim to start the process as soon as possible. This makes case-building more practical and increases the likelihood of a successful outcome.

What to Do Immediately After Car Accidents in Los Angeles

After you’ve been in a car accident in Los Angeles, CA, you may find yourself feeling shaken up and unsure of how to proceed. Unfortunately, this is happening at a time when you need to exercise some of the best decision-making possible since you could affect your claim negatively otherwise.

Pay attention to the information provided below and do your best to follow through on each point.

Prioritize Medical Treatment

Thankfully injury victims have well-staffed and comprehensive medical outlets for treatment after a car accident. Medical care needs to be one of the things at the top of your list. After all, you can never tell the true extent of your injuries after a car accident without proper observation.

Many injured victims feel okay, not knowing they have internal bleeding or other serious complications. Apart from the care you get, medical bills are generated from the medical facility visit, which can be used in the future when attempting to seek compensation.

Gather All Evidence Possible

Evidence is a big part of the case that your car accident lawyer will build on your behalf. While much comes from an investigation by law offices, some are also based on the data you can gather from the scene after the accident.

Therefore, assuming you can move around after the auto accident, try to gather as much relevant data as possible.

Some great places to start include the contact information of any parties involved in the accident, contact details of any eyewitnesses, pictures of the state of the vehicles and the people involved, images of crash positioning, skid mark footage, etc.

If you’re trying to paint a picture that will lead to your getting a fair settlement, the more sound evidence you have to fit your narrative, the better.

Avoid Speaking to Any Insurance Company and Do NOT Admit Fault

You may think that insurance companies don’t become a worry in a claim until your car accident lawyer submits a settlement request to insurance claims adjusters.

However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. You may notice that the negligent party’s car insurance representative wastes no time contacting you to determine how you’re doing.

While it may seem like a noble gesture, it’s an attempt to get you to slip up and indicate you’re not doing badly so that information can be used against you in the future.

Similarly, you may be offered an early settlement, which is woefully insufficient since you don’t know the extent of your damages.

Even if you haven’t reached out to a Los Angeles car accident attorney yet, tell the insurance company that you’re only willing to speak in the company of your lawyer.

Ensure a Police Report Is Completed

This is another crucial element in the building of any case. You would be surprised how much weight the police report holds in the entire legal process. Therefore, it’s impossible to overstate the extent to which you must ensure you file a statement with the police.

In many cases, a police officer is called to the scene. You can usually provide your statement on the spot. However, this may not be the case due to your condition or for some other reason.

If so, ensure you visit the relevant police station based on the location of the accident as soon as possible and make your report.

Call Your Los Angeles, CA Personal Injury Attorney

Reaching out to a reputable personal injury law firm should also be on your list. Beyond the free consultation, you get a host of insights that help you ascertain how to bolster your case.

Ideally, you want to use car accident lawyers like those at Ehline Law Firm, who has been at the center of car accident cases, giving a certain desired level of expertise.

Types of Compensation Available for Victims in a Los Angeles Car Accident Case

Car accident lawyers in Los Angeles, CA, are paramount to ensuring that the at-fault party that has wronged you pays a fair settlement. Doing so means considering more than just the amount of money you spent at the hospital or the damage to your car.

The damages claimed from a Los Angeles car accident fall under economic and non-economic damages. The former tends to be a bit easier to put a price tag on since the values are based on receipts and other data sources, allowing an exact number to be derived.

Non-economic damages, while paid over financially, do not have an established monetary value and tend to be based on quality-of-life issues arising from the accident.

Medical Bills

Whether you had mild or severe injuries, any money that had to be spent getting medical treatment because of the accident falls under this category. Ambulance payments, physical therapy, medicines, surgery, etc., are good examples.

Note that car accident lawyers factor in what you would’ve already spent on your medical bills and future costs based on the course of treatment prescribed.

Property Damage

It doesn’t take truck accidents to cause damage to your vehicle. Even without an obscenely harsh impact, the negligent party in the equation may leave your car needing a new paint job, bodywork, etc.

Additionally, if the property on your person or car were damaged, that would be factored in here.

Lost Wages

Lost income is often synonymous with injuries from car accidents in Southern California. Experienced Auto accident attorneys are very proactive here by considering the amount of income you have already lost plus any additional income you won’t be able to make because of the state you’ll be in based on your prognosis.

This element of the settlement is essential. Why should you be unable to earn your usual paycheck because of someone else’s negligence?

Wrongful Death

A wrongful death lawsuit may be a part of the equation as well. Unfortunately, those involved in car accidents in Los Angeles, CA, sometimes have severe injuries that end fatally.

Wrongful death cases tend to be brought to attorneys by family members of the deceased party. The damages here can take different forms.

From a non-economic standpoint, for example, there’s the grief that the family is dealing with from losing a loved one. Economically, the person may also have been the primary breadwinner in the household, which would leave survivors deprived.

We Fight Harder

A Los Angeles car accident lawyer is ready to fight for whatever may be applicable to ensure you get the maximum compensation possible.

We understand that no price tag could ever heal your emotional wounds or bring your loved one back, but we are determined to ensure that you don’t have to suffer financially too.

Loss of Consortium

Broken bones, paralysis, traumatic brain injuries, or other severe conditions may leave a married individual unable to meet the intimate demands of the marriage. When this is the case, the affected spouse may file a claim for loss of consortium.

Punitive Damages

Though the term “accident” is used, sometimes the entire ordeal is not as accidental as it may initially appear. For numerous reasons, defendants may have maliciously caused the damages they did.

Of course, this requires your attorney to prove that malice was at play. While getting punitive damages benefits you, this is one of the only payouts that are less for your benefit and more to teach the aggressor a lesson.

The intention is to discourage such behavior in the future if a similar situation to the one being reviewed should ever present itself.

Pain and Suffering

There’s typically physical pain associated with accidents in Los Angeles, CA. Perhaps lost wages result from the unbearable pain that the victim now feels consistently as a part of the recovery process.

In any event, this is non-economic damage that aims to compensate the victim for the mental anguish and physical agony that follows the car crash.

Common Los Angeles Car Accident Injuries

After dealing with so many accident cases in Los Angeles, CA, we have compiled a list of the most common injuries associated with the phenomenon.

If you don’t want to take our word for it, consider that 40,669 accidents occurred that led to injury or death in 2021, and these are the most prevalent ones.

Head Injuries

These are often very concerning, mainly because of their potential for permanent damage. Blunt force trauma or violent, sudden head shaking may lead to concussions or traumatic brain injury. Either of these, as well as other head injuries, can severely hamper your ability to function.

Spinal Damage

Like head injuries, spinal damage can present the possibility of permanent disabilities. Many Los Angeles drivers who have visited law offices after spinal car accident trauma found themselves partially or fully paralyzed temporarily or permanently.

Broken Bones

The impact of an accident also presents the possibility of broken or fractured bones. These are painful, and the recovery process often puts the victim out of commission.

Road Rash

Los Angeles roads have been the scene of numerous road rash incidents. You’ll most likely see this happen in a pedestrian or motorcycle accident. Victims are flung from the impact point, and their skin is dragged along the ground, causing lacerations, cuts, etc.

Whiplash Injuries

When the head violently snaps after the impact of an accident, the neck finds itself in an awkward position that can injure the upper spinal area. Pain and temporary loss of function may occur in less severe cases.

On the more severe end of the spectrum, whiplash injuries can have permanent effects or even lead to death.

Scarring or Disfigurement

Accident victims may find themselves scarred after the injuries suffered. Disfigurement is also possible ranging from wrong markings to severed body parts.

Wrongful Death

Reckless driving sometimes leads to death for victims. This may be from injuries that worsen up to the point of treatment or beyond or from an impact so severe that death occurs almost immediately.

How Can You Increase Your Chances of Gaining Maximum Compensation After a Los Angeles Car Accident

Your best bet to maximize your chances of a fair settlement after a car accident in Southern California is to avoid professing fault to other parties while ensuring that you listen to the advice of your attorney.

Los Angeles, CA Car Accident FAQ

How Long Do I Have to Report a California Car Accident?

The statute of limitations in Los Angeles and other locations in California is two years. You get three years for claims only featuring property damage.

Are Car Accident Lawyers Expensive in Los Angeles?

You don’t need to worry about what a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer costs since cases are taken on a contingency fee basis.

What if I Have No Catastrophic Injuries and My Accident Is Minor?

Insurance claims are still possible in Los Angeles for accidents you may consider minor. You never know how serious your claim is until you’ve had an attorney look it over.

Can Being a Partially at Fault Party Affect My Car Accident Claim?

Yes. Since Los Angeles is located in a pure comparative fault state, you can only claim up to the percentage of fault attributed to the other party.

Is Getting a Los Angeles Auto Accident Attorney Worth It?

A Los Angeles accident attorney knows all relevant legal nuances and can help you to recover medical expenses, lost wages, and more!

What Is the Best Time to Call Personal Injury Lawyers After Car Accident in Los Angeles, CA?

If you’ve been in an auto accident, call your attorney immediately!

Schedule a Free Consultation Today with One of the Best Southern California Auto Accident Lawyers!

Ehline Law Firm is among the best in Los Angeles for all personal injury cases. We put you at the center and will fight to no end to ensure you receive a fair settlement.

Contact us at (833) LETS-SUE to schedule a free case evaluation today!