Car Crash Lawyer Los Angeles

California law states that vehicle owners must be financially responsible for accidents they're involved in. The state's insurance code requires that every vehicle is covered with a minimum of $15,000 for the death of or injury to one person, $30,000 for the death of or injury to more than one person, and $5,000 for property damage. 

In the event of an accident, a motorist must have proof of insurance readily available. However, many drivers may wind up in an accident with a driver who does not have any insurance at all or is not carrying the appropriate amount of insurance. This has significant consequences for your ability to get compensated for those injuries.

California law requires that insurance companies offer uninsured motorist bodily injury as well as underinsured motorist coverage. The purpose of these insurance types is to help protect in the event of injuries and property damage caused by a motorist who did not have insurance or who did not have sufficient insurance. Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage will cover expenses up to the maximum cap on the policy. Underinsured motorist coverage may be used to make up the gap between your actual damages and the underinsured insurance coverage. While insurance companies must offer this coverage, you are not obligated to take it, although you must decline these kinds of insurance in writing.

As a car crash lawyer in Los Angeles can tell you, it is always beneficial to communicate about your accident to the police. If the accident involves injuries or property damage, you must report the accident. California vehicle code requires that any person involved in a car accident make a written report to the California Highway Patrol or to the police department responsible for the district where the accident happened if the accident resulted in anyone's death or an injury within 24 hours of the accident. 

If you call 911 and an officer comes to the scene, that person should be prepared to create a written report. You must additionally file a motor vehicle accident report with the DMV within 10 days from its occurrence if it involved the injury of a person, death of a person, or property damage greater than $750. 

The accident report may become an important piece of evidence in your personal injury claim filed by your car crash lawyer in Los Angeles. It includes information such as the date, time and location of the accident, the addresses and names of the drivers and anyone hurt in the accident, insurance details, and an explanation of injuries and property damages.

Personal injury victims are protected under the law to recover damages that they suffered because of the negligence of other people. Damages are divided into two different categories, economic and non-economic damages. 

Economic damages are easier to tally and argue for in court because you have actual proof that these are the damages you have incurred. Economic damages include lost earning capacity, past and future medical costs, vehicle repair or replacement expenses, lost income, loss of the use of property, burial expenses in the event of a death, or loss of business or employment opportunities. 

Non-economic damages are much more difficult to tabulate but may include inconvenience, pain and suffering, emotional distress, disfigurement, inconvenience, and loss of consortium, companionship, or affection.

Following an accident, you should take prompt action to file a lawsuit with the help of a car crash lawyer in Los Angeles. A car crash lawyer in Los Angeles can gather evidence in your legal claim and file a lawsuit on your behalf. Share all details of the accident with your lawyer right away, as these can be harder to remember as time passes. You may also want to seek medical treatment at the same time. Your lawyer can use this information to bolster your claim, prove your injuries, total your medical expenses, and demonstrate that you are taking the accident seriously. 

Furthermore, you must file your lawsuit within the statute of limitations. If this time limit passes before you file a complaint against the at-fault driver, the case will be dismissed. For property damage cases in California, you have no more than three years from the date of the accident to file a suit. In injury cases, you have a maximum of two years to file a lawsuit. 

There are some rare considerations in which the statute of limitations may be extended or tolled. This includes situations in which the plaintiff cannot find the defendant, there is a reasonable delay in the discovery of someone's injury tied to the accident, or the defendant is in prison. 

You may need to file a claim more quickly in the event that one of your liable parties is a government entity. For example, you may argue that the government is responsible for the condition of a road or a guardrail that malfunctioned and left you with serious injuries. 

You should take action immediately because you have no more than six months from the date of an accident to file a lawsuit. Determination of liability is one of the most important things that your lawyer can help with. There are many different examples of negligence that can contribute to an accident such as speeding, distracted driving, disobeying traffic signals or laws, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or following too closely. In each of these circumstances, you need the support of a qualified attorney to help you.

If you decide to hire a personal injury lawyer, you should sit down with them in a meeting in their office first. Your attorney will likely request that you bring some evidence about the claim to their office, such as police reports, medical records, and details from eyewitnesses. Your attorney will then review this information to determine if there is enough evidence to successfully move forward with a claim. Since personal injury attorneys accept cases on a contingency fee basis, they are often very discerning about whether to take your claim. 

A personal injury lawyer receives a percentage of your settlement or trial outcome, rather than a fee you pay to them or an hourly rate, which means they must be very careful about the cases they take on, and they must have a great deal of confidence in the decisions they make.

Setting up a meeting for an initial consultation is an excellent first step to take toward recovering compensation, since this is your chance to decide what qualities are most important in your injury attorney. A car crash lawyer in Los Angeles will walk you through the process for compensation recovery and discuss some of the potential challenges that may come up in your case, such as identifying the other party, negotiation challenges with your insurance company, or someone else blaming you for the accident or for overestimating your injuries. 

If you find yourself in need of a car crash lawyer in Los Angeles, look no further than Morgan & Morgan. As the country’s largest personal injury law firm with over 35 years of experience and $20 billion recovered for victims, we are uniquely qualified and capable to handle even the hardest of cases.

To get started, all it takes is less than a minute to contact us for a free, no-obligation case evaluation. You can learn about your legal options and decide what’s best for you.