An Orange County Car Accident Attorney Can Protect Your Rights.
Car accidents happen every day. Whether you’re responsible for causing an accident or find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time, car accidents are something that all drivers should be prepared to face. Many people purchase auto insurance coverage to protect themselves if they’re ever involved in an accident, but not everyone knows their rights in car accident cases. The laws surrounding car accidents can be complex, and it’s easy to feel confused and overwhelmed. Luckily, a car accident lawyer can help you navigate the legal system.
A car accident lawyer at JSM Injury Firm APC can ensure your rights are protected. We work on a contingency basis, which means we don’t get paid unless you receive a car accident settlement or verdict. We know what steps to take after a car accident, and we’ll help you get the compensation you deserve for your injuries and other losses.
Why Should You Hire A Personal Injury Lawyer After an Orange County Car Accident?
Negligence is an essential component of personal injury cases. This includes car accident cases.
In some states, which use the “no-fault” model, it doesn’t matter who caused a car accident: a victim’s own insurer is still responsible for providing compensation for their medical bills and other such losses resulting from their accident.
California is like most states. In California, if you are injured in a car accident resulting from the negligence of another party, you can seek compensation for your losses by filing a claim to collect from their insurance company. You may also file a lawsuit and seek damages in court if the negligent party does not have insurance or if their insurer will not offer a fair settlement.
How a Southern California Car Accident Attorney Helps You Recover Compensation.
A car accident attorney can help you establish who was responsible for your accident (the negligent party) and prove they were legally obligated to do all they could to prevent injury to others on the road. The negligent party’s insurance company will likely attempt to paint the car accident in a different light, so it’s up to you and your car accident lawyer to prove the negligent party’s fault.
An accident attorney from JSM Injury Firm APC can help you understand how negligence works in cases involving car accidents. Proving negligence after a car accident can be a complicated process. It often means matching the events leading up to the accident with California laws on negligence and liability, which can be confusing and stressful. A car accident attorney at JSM Injury Firm APC can assist in the following ways:
- Investigating the accident to identify the negligent parties
- Gathering evidence and coordinating with witnesses to prove negligence
- Accounting for the full extent of your compensable injuries and losses
- Filing a claim or lawsuit with supporting evidence showing why you are eligible for compensation
If you were injured in a car accident caused by another driver, speak with a car accident attorney at JSM Injury Firm APC. We can review the details of your case and let you know if you have a strong compensation case. We know the laws surrounding car accidents and can help you understand your rights during this process.
Common Car Accident Causes in Orange County.
A car accident is the last thing any driver wants to experience. Car accidents can happen on any type of road or highway, and collisions can be caused by many factors, including:
When drivers are distracted, they often fail to pay attention to the road or surrounding cars. This can lead to dangerous decisions that cause car accidents.
Heavy rain, snowstorms, and high winds can contribute to poor visibility, which can be dangerous for all drivers on the road. Weather conditions can also cause roads to become more slippery than usual, increasing the chance of a car accident.
Defective parts in a car's design can contribute to car accidents when they malfunction while a car is in motion. Although other motorists tend to be the negligent parties responsible for accidents occurring, accidents can also happen when the designers and manufacturers of vehicles are careless.
Using a cell phone while driving is illegal in many areas, but it remains one of the leading causes of car accidents and fatalities. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicates smartphone ownership has contributed to an increase in the rate of accidents caused by distracted drivers.
Alcohol impairment causes many deaths per year and many more injuries. When a driver consumes too much alcohol and gets behind the wheel, it puts themselves and everyone else on the road at risk of a car accident.
Many car accidents happen because drivers fail to recognize when they're too exhausted to drive. If you feel drowsy or unfocused while driving, it's important to pull off the road and take a break. You can also ask a passenger to help keep you alert or take over driving for you. The CDC warns that driving while fatigued can sometimes be as dangerous as drunk driving.
If an individual drives too fast for current traffic conditions or fails to adjust their speed when conditions change, it can lead to hazardous situations for other drivers on the road. Reckless driving is illegal in all 50 states, but drivers often get behind the wheel of a car while impaired and engage in reckless behavior.
If one or more drivers engage in intimidation tactics or perform other risky maneuvers because they are angry, it can lead to dangerous situations that put other drivers' lives at risk. When a driver deliberately attempts to harm another person with their car, it's a form of aggressive driving and a crime.
The contingency fee system serves to ensure our clients do not take on an additional financial risk by hiring us to represent them. We only accept payment if we successfully recover compensation for you first. If you do not get paid, we do not get paid. This incentivizes us to provide you with the strongest representation possible.
Car accident cases can be complicated, but having an experienced car accident attorney can help you understand your legal options. The JSM Injury Firm APC has helped many clients seek compensation for their injuries, and we work on a contingency fee basis. If we do not win your case, you do not owe us anything!
Speak with a car accident attorney at JSM Injury Firm APC if you’ve been injured in a car accident caused by another driver’s negligence. We know the laws surrounding car accidents and work on a contingency basis, which means we don’t get paid unless you do. We can review your case and let you know what you might be entitled to receive for your injuries, property damage, medical expenses, and other losses. A car accident lawyer from our firm will help protect your rights after an accident.
Can You Sue Someone For Minor Injuries After a Car Accident in Orange County?
Yes, you can sue the other driver for car accident injuries if their negligence caused your injuries, even if said injuries are not particularly serious. You may also file a claim against the at-fault party’s insurance company if they carry sufficient coverage. Keep in mind that just because you did not break a bone, suffer permanent injury, or sustain serious injuries at the scene of the accident in a minor car accident, doesn’t mean you did not suffer an injury.
Many types of injuries caused by car accidents do not appear immediately. You may suffer back, neck, shoulder, or other injuries in the hours and even days after an accident. For this reason, it is important that you seek a doctor for evaluation. Car accident injuries can be significant, even in “minor” car accidents. Seeing a doctor as soon as possible after an accident will ensure you receive any treatment you may need. It will also help you demonstrate to an insurance company that your injuries resulted from your accident, and you deserve to be compensated accordingly
Scheduling a consultation at a car accident law firm in Orange County, CA before working with an insurance company directly is also wise after being injured in a collision. A car accident lawyer from JSM Injury Firm APC can help determine what you’re entitled to receive for your injuries. If you are uncertain about pursuing a claim, call us at 949-404-4826 to speak with a car accident lawyer at our personal injury law firm.
How Long After a Car Accident Can Symptoms Appear?
Symptoms of some injuries can take days or weeks to appear. You may be suffering from whiplash if you feel neck pain, experience headaches, or have difficulty concentrating after a car accident. Because symptoms can manifest later on, it’s important to consult a doctor immediately after a car accident, even if the injury does not seem serious at first.
Though some injuries may not seem serious immediately after a car accident, you should see a doctor to determine the extent of your injuries. A doctor can help you recover faster and know when it is safe to return to work. Depending on the type of injury, you may have periods of downtime that warrant workers’ compensation benefits or unemployment benefits if you are unable to work.
When you speak with a doctor or nurse, give them as much information about the accident as possible, including the date of the car accident, where the car accident took place, whether you feel physical pain or emotional distress since experiencing the car accident, and so forth. Car Accident Lawyer Near Me
How Long Does a Car Accident Case in Orange County Take?
Car accident lawsuits can take several months or years to resolve, depending on the nature of your injuries and your personal injury attorney. Many factors go into how lengthy your car accident case may take, such as:
- The extent of your injuries.
- How much time you need to recover from the auto accident and your injuries.
- Whether there are any liens on your case, such as liens from health insurance or workers’ compensation claims.
- Any mediations, pretrial hearings, and other legal options that may slow down the process of resolving a car accident claim.
- The insurance company’s willingness to negotiate a settlement.
- Whether liability for your car accident claim is clear or disputed.
- If you have a lengthy commute, a long-term disability due to your injuries, or any other factors that affect your ability to work and earn.
You can find more information about how long your car accident claim may take by calling us. If you were injured in an auto accident caused by someone else’s negligence, please contact JSM Injury Firm APC, handling car accident cases in Southern California, for a free consultation with a car accident attorney. Click here to schedule a free consultation.
Types Of Compensation For Car Car Accident Injuries.
Compensation in personal injury claims is called damages. Generally, there are two main forms of compensation available to car accident victims. One is called special damages and the other is called general damages. Furthermore, in rare cases, you may also be entitled to punitive damages.
Special damages typically cover the cost of repair to your car, other property damage caused by another driver, and any medical expenses related to the auto accident. This also includes compensation for the loss of wages you suffered while recovering from your injuries. To prove up special damages, you need to produce evidence for all your property damage, medical bills, and lost wages.
General damages include compensation payments for your pain and suffering following a car accident. This can be very subjective. It is not easy to assign a dollar value to such intangible losses For this reason, it is very important that you speak with a car accident attorney to maximize your chances of receiving full compensation for all your damages.
Punitive damages are awarded in exceptional cases, usually involving a driver whose negligence was particularly egregious. In most cases, punitive damages can only be awarded if there is evidence that the other party behaved with a deliberate disregard for your safety. If you have been injured in an auto accident caused by another party’s negligence, call us for a free consultation with an auto accident lawyer. We can provide you with more information about your personal injury claim. Car Accident Lawyer Near Me
What Information Should You Bring to Your Car Accident Lawyer?
Your Southern California personal injury attorney will request certain information relating to your car accident case when you first meet with them. It’s a good idea to bring the police report, if there is one available. If there is no police report, ask witnesses for their contact information so you can speak with them later when you have an attorney handling your case. Bring any photos or other evidence showing the scene of the accident and your injuries after a car accident. You should also bring any relevant medical records from the hospital or clinic where you were treated after the car accident.
Your attorney may also ask for the following information:
- Basic Info-Basic personal information, including your full name, date of birth, address, and phone number.
- Accident Info-Details about the car accident, including where it happened and how severe the car accident was.
- Witness Info-The full names, addresses, and phone numbers of witnesses to the car accident.
- Defendant Info-Details about the other party, including their full name, address, phone number, and insurance information if possible.
- Insurance Info-The name of the insurance company and policy number for your vehicle.
- Your car accident lawyer will also need to know more about your medical history, including any previous injuries.
If you were not given an accident report number by the police at the scene of the accident, bring your driver’s license and a copy of any traffic citations if you were cited for a violation.
If you were injured in an auto accident caused by someone else’s negligence, please contact JSM Injury Firm APC for a free consultation with a car accident attorney today at 949-404-4826.
Steps Car Accident Victims Should Take After Car Accidents.
Take the following steps after a car accident to ensure your legal rights are protected:
- Get to a safe spot away from traffic, check yourself and any passengers for injuries, and call the police to report the accident.
- Get the contact information of any witnesses and make sure they stay at the scene to give their details to law enforcement officials. Law enforcement officials are responsible for investigating car accidents.
- Get the other driver’s name, address, license number, and insurance information. This may be difficult if the driver flees the scene of a car accident after causing damage to another person’s vehicle or injury to a third party. If the other driver leaves the scene of a car accident before you can obtain information, you should notify law enforcement officials immediately about the accident and provide them with the details you have.
- Avoid making any statements to witnesses or other individuals involved in the accident that may suggest you are responsible for the accident occurring.
- Get medical attention immediately for any injuries. You may have injuries you are not aware of, so it’s important to consult a doctor as soon as possible.
- Take photos of your car accident scene and vehicle damage to ensure you have proof of the car accident for your insurance company and later in court.
- Do not speak with the insurance company without a car accident lawyer present. The insurance company may try to get you to admit fault for the car accident or sign away your rights in some fashion. It’s important to know that you do not have to speak with the insurance company at any time during the claims process unless you are represented by an attorney. You can contact a car accident lawyer from our firm to represent your interests in negotiations or settlement discussions.
- Always consult an experienced car accident attorney at a reputable law firm, like JSM Injury Firm APC, if you’ve been injured in a car accident. Our firm has recovered millions in compensation for our clients. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means you don’t owe us anything unless we recover money damages for your injuries or loss.
An injury attorney at JSM Injury Firm APC will gather evidence to prove the accident was not your fault, and that you should be reimbursed for related expenses, pain, and suffering. Car accident attorneys use this evidence to negotiate a settlement with the responsible party or litigate in court if negotiations fail.
How To Deal With The Insurance Company Following An Automobile Accident Injury
You should assume that all communications with the insurance company are being recorded and can be used in court. Often an insurance adjuster will do anything to get you to sign a release and accept money. The insurance company is not your friend, even if the adjuster is polite and sounds compassionate. They have one goal – to pay you as little money as possible.
Here is why you should speak to an auto accident injury lawyer before talking with the insurance company:
- The insurance company will try to trick you into settling for less than your claim may be worth.
- The insurance company will attempt to settle your auto accident case for as little money as possible by offering you a low ball settlement or wrongfully denying the claim altogether.
- The insurance adjuster will ask questions that aim to get you in a position where they can accuse you of lying. The insurance adjusters do this by making it look like your answers are inconsistent with what you have already told them.
- The insurance company adjuster will ask you questions about your injuries and damages that could be used to make it look like you are lying in court.
You should speak to an auto accident attorney at JSM Injury Firm APC before you communicate with the insurance company about your personal injury claim.
The Insurance Company Will Fight Your Auto Accident Case.
The responsible party and their insurance company will use various strategies to defeat your claim. The most common of these strategies include:
The insurance company will delay your claim and hope you will give up. They will look for every reason to deny your claim or make low-ball car accident settlement offers. They understand that car injury victims need money for their injuries. They know that the accident victim likely has piling medical bills, is out of work, and is going through serious pain and suffering. An insurer may plan to drag the claim out for months, or even a year or more, in hopes that you will give up and accept less money out of necessity. This is why you should hire a personal injury lawyer. An experienced car accident lawyer can not only speed up the process of getting the insurance company to pay your claim, but also prevent or reverse any denials in your case.
Insurance adjusters working for the insurance company are trained to deny claims from day one. By denying your claim, an insurance company can save money instead of paying fair compensation. This alone should be a strong enough argument to encourage you to hire a car accident lawyer in Orange County, CA. An experienced car accident lawyer will not only help you get the money you deserve for your car injury claim, but also keep you from settling for an unjust amount.
Insurance adjusters are trained to answer questions in such a way that their clients will get the best result. This results in car accident victims receiving incomplete or incorrect information from insurance adjusters, which could have an adverse effect on their case. Guard against these tactics by enlisting the help of a qualified car accident attorney in Southern California.
The insurance company will say it was your fault that you were involved in a car accident. If you are 100% at fault, the insurance company does not have to pay you. It can be difficult to prove the other driver was at fault, but it is definitely possible. Cases with disputed liability are highly-contested and usually lead to personal injury lawsuits.
California follows a pure comparative negligence law, which says the value of your case will be diminished by the percentage of fault attributed to you. For example, if you are deemed by the insurance company to be 50% responsible for the car accident, and your case is worth $100,000.00, the insurance company will only pay $50,000.00. This is the insurance company will do everything they can to place as much fault on you as possible.
The insurance company will seek to minimize how serious your injuries are. They will hire “medical experts” that get paid to say you’re not as seriously injured as you claim. This is difficult to overcome without the help of a professional car accident lawyer.
Insurance companies will dispute whether the treatment you received for your injuries was appropriate, or even whether the injury was related to the car accident at all. Alternatively, they will argue that your medical bills are inflated or that the treatment options recommended by medical doctors were not necessary. A car accident lawyer can help you demonstrate why the treatment you received was appropriate given the extent of your injuries. Insurance companies will do whatever they can to reduce their payments. This is why you need to hire a car accident attorney. A car accident attorney can help ensure the insurance company does not take advantage of you and that you receive the compensation you deserve. Insurance companies are well-equipped to fight car accident injury claims, so it is important to hire a car accident attorney with experience handling cases like yours. Hiring a car accident lawyer is often the only way to ensure you are fairly compensated for your injuries.
Consult With A Proven Car Accident Law Firm in Orange County, CA.
If you were in a car accident, your initial reaction might be to get medical treatment and move on with your life. But if you aren’t careful, the injury can cause life-changing damage that is expensive to treat or may not be treatable at all.
Car accident injuries can cause temporary or permanent disabilities, which in turn can affect your income. If you are unable to work due to your injury, missing out on income can cause your family to struggle financially. This is where you need a car accident lawyer fighting for you.
Car accident lawyers understand the ins and outs of personal injury law and will help you get the compensation you need. They know how to handle insurance companies and can ensure your injuries are properly diagnosed. This will help you receive the best possible compensation for your injuries. Car accident lawyers can also help prevent insurance companies from taking advantage of you. While their primary goal is to settle your claim for fair compensation, they will also ensure the insurance company does not take advantage of you.
JSM Injury Firm APC will help protect your rights in case of an accident by negotiating a settlement with the responsible parties and/or filing a claim against them. This may cover medical bills, pain, and suffering, time missed from work, lost wages, and future costs of living with a disability or permanent injury.
Contact a car accident lawyer at JSM Injury firm APC for your free case evaluation by calling 949-404-4826, or click here to schedule a free consultation.
Jamal carried Jamal carried my case for almost two years of hard work and dedication. Not only was he there as my attorney, but he took the time to get to know me as a person which I truly appreciated. He was kind, responsive and extremely knowledgeable. For a case that my first attorney offered 30,000 and told me to take it because that’s what I was worth, to Jamal and his team getting a total of 250,000, I am so thankful for them. This was more than just a car accident, but a life changing issue that Jamal properly fought for. I will be forever thankful.