Los Angeles Car Accident Lawyer

What You Should Do After a Car Accident

One of the first things that should be on your mind after a car accident is getting all the information you can from the other parties. The following is a list of everything you should document. Then, you can relay all the information to your car accident attorney. As a result, you build a strong case that will support you in receiving as much money as possible. Always get more information rather than less. The following is what information you should obtain from other drivers in the accident:

• Contact information of any other drivers involved in the accident.
• Insurance policy information of other drivers part of the accident.
• License place number of other cars involved.
• Photos of the other cars involved.

Besides the information mentioned above, you should also gather the following:

• Information and details about the auto accident. Also, include information like the location of the accident and what lane every driver was in before it. Furthermore, find out what direction every driver was heading in and what the speed of the vehicles was.
• Contact information for any witnesses present. Their eyewitness accounts can significantly reinforce your claim.
• A copy of the official police report. You will usually be able to obtain a copy at the scene. However, remember to be as accurate as you can be. If you cannot get a police report at the scene, we will order one for you. If you do not, the information may be used against you.

How to Choose a Los Angeles Car Accident Lawyer

The auto accident lawyer you decide to work with has to understand how to navigate personal injury claims. This is someone whom you will develop a working relationship with and be able to count on. Also, whatever questions you may have should be quickly answered by them.

A great Los Angeles auto accident lawyer will aggressively fight for your rights. Insurance providers will try to pull various tricks to reduce or eliminate compensation. It is common for them to offer a tiny amount, hoping you will take the bait. They do this to increase their profits. However, they will be offering you much less than what you deserve. So, if you agree to their offer, you waive your right to receiving any additional compensation. Furthermore, you can no longer be involved in any future litigation. You must hire a qualified, determined, and capable car accident attorney in Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles auto accident lawyer you work with should understand personal injury law. Also, it should be the focus. At Nakase Law Firm, we know individual injury cases very well. We help many victims of auto accidents get compensation as much as possible. We have cemented ourselves as a leader in southern California when it comes to this area.

Information You Need When Speaking to a Los Angeles Car Accident Lawyer

When you contact a Los Angeles auto accident attorney, they will ask you a few simple questions. So, make sure you have compiled the information ahead of time. However, that is all right if you cannot get all the information together. A qualified Los Angeles car crash lawyer will investigate your accident.

Prepare information for the following questions:

• Where did the accident take place?
• Did you obtain the contact details of the at-fault driver?
• What is the name of the road you were driving on? Also, in what direction was the other driver going? Finally, which lane were you and the other driver in?
• What was your speed? Also, what was the at-fault driver’s speed?
• What were the circumstances that led to the accident? Was either one of the cars defective or malfunctioning?
• Did you obtain the insurance details of the at-fault party?
• Were police at the accident scene? If so, did you file a report with them?
• Were there any witnesses to the accident?
• Did you take any photos?
• What kind of injuries did you sustain from the accident? Did you have to get rushed to the hospital afterward? Also, did you receive any treatment?

Get Medical Attention and Call a Lawyer After Being in a Los Angeles Auto Accident

If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident, get medical attention as quickly as possible. This should be at the top of your list of priorities. You should never put off getting treatment, even if you have a minor injury. There may be an issue that appears trivial or benign to you. However, it may be a more severe problem than you realize. Head straight from the accident to the hospital or a doctor as soon as you can. Besides ensuring you’re all right, you create documented evidence of injuries. Also, if you delayed treatment, the at-fault driver’s insurance provider may argue that your injuries were not from the accident.

Remember, Get yourself checked out by a qualified medical professional once you can. However, if you have a severe injury, immediately get to the hospital.

Mistakes People Make When Filing Car Accident Claims

People will sometimes wait to hire a Los Angeles car crash attorney. Also, they may talk to the at-fault driver’s insurance provider. Unfortunately, this could lead to recorded statements that make you look bad. They can be used to get your claim denied. Furthermore, it can be used against you in court! So, even if the other driver is at fault if you say something incorrectly, it can be used to make the accident look like your fault.

People sometimes also need to obtain more information while at the accident. People will sometimes not ask for the other driver’s insurance details. Even the police are sometimes not called. These decisions will make it difficult to ensure there is a proper investigation.

Also, people occasionally forego getting treated for their injuries. Ignoring any damages you may have sustained will hurt you and your claim. This is why you should follow through with any treatment your doctor suggests. This can act as proof for your claim. If you decide to decline medical treatment, you will have a difficult time getting compensated. Unfortunately, insurance providers will deny you were ever injured in the accident.

Is It Difficult to Get Compensated After a Los Angeles Car Wreck?

No matter who you are, you have a right to get compensated if you sustain injuries in a car accident. However, how much, if anything, you receive will depend on the strength of your case. Also, it will depend on whether the other driver has liability insurance. Every accident is different. There are various circumstances in each one. You may be fortunate for everything to go smoothly.

Let’s take a look at an example. Let’s say the other driver’s liability insurance is $15,000. Also, your injuries are above that figure, given all the hospital bills and new expenses you have. As a result of this, you may get the insurance policy limit. You could obtain a lawsuit loan to assist in paying for your expenses when necessary.

Another issue is the statute of limitations on filing a claim. If you postpone filing an auto accident claim, you may have trouble filing a personal injury claim.

In California, the statute of limitations is two years. That means you have two years to file a claim if you have an injury from a car accident. However, there are a few notable exceptions. These include medical malpractice claims and claims against the government and where minors sustained injuries.

Remember, you need substantial evidence supporting your claim as quickly as possible. Avoid letting two years go by since your car accident without speaking with a car accident lawyer. If you do, you will find getting insurance providers to settle a case difficult. Also, the longer you wait, the more difficult it becomes to prove your injuries are because of the accident. When you wait too long, locating the witnesses to the accident can become challenging.

What Does It Cost to Hire a Los Angeles Car Crash Lawyer

You do not have to pay anything unless we win your case. As a result, there are no upfront costs to you. We will not get paid anything if we don’t win your case. So, we work on a contingency fee basis. Therefore, we only collect fees if you successfully receive a settlement.

Most Common Types of Los Angeles Car Accidents

Our clients have been involved in several common types of car accidents. The following are the ones we see most often.

Low-Speed Collision Accidents

These motor vehicle accidents occur when a car is driving under 10 MPH and gets into an accident. The usual injury from this type of accident is whiplash.

Frontal Collision Accidents

This type of auto accident occurs when the front of a vehicle collides with something. This could be a wall, tree, animal, or something else.

Read-End Collision Accidents

This common accident is when a car is hit from the rear. This is the most commonly-occurring car accident. The at-fault driver is typically the one who collided with another vehicle from the back. Also, the usual reason for this accident is because something distracts a driver.

Side Collision Accidents

This type of accident occurs when the side of a car is hit by another motor vehicle. Common injuries that are seen with this type are concussions and broken bones.

Compensation Due to Negligence

When a driver is deemed negligent, they have injured another driver. Therefore, if you find yourself in this situation, you will likely receive compensation for medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and pain and suffering. To ensure your negligence claim is successful, you will have to give proof of the following:

Duty Owed by the Defendant

You will have to demonstrate that the at-fault driver owed a duty. Usually, they owe a duty to behave reasonably in terms of care. Let’s take a look at an example. Doctors must give medical care that other doctors nearby would also be expected to provide.

Breach of Duty

Once it’s demonstrated that the at-fault driver owes a duty, you must prove they breached it. A breach of duty is typically something a jury decides. The at-fault driver would breach their duty to you if their actions resulted in you getting an injury.

Causation

A breach has to be what caused you to get injured. Also, it has to be seen as having occurred directly to you. So, causation is established if you would not have been injured if it weren’t for them. Also, you must prove that the at-fault would have realized their actions would end in an injury. However, the determination of foresight is something a jury will decide.

Damages

You will have to show proof of damages. This means you must prove you have sustained injuries because of how the at-fault driver acted. So, you can show your hospital bills or other similar expenses.

You must prove these are the usual legal elements to ensure a negligence claim.

Benefits of Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer

Depending on your accident’s severity, you may become physically injured, emotionally injured, and unable to work. Whatever the consequences of being in a car accident are for you, you will benefit a great deal by hiring a personal injury lawyer. A personal injury lawyer is someone who can be integral to you getting a huge settlement. They will assist you in getting the most compensation.

The following of some of the critical benefits of hiring a personal injury lawyer:

1. Your settlement amount will be much higher. Sure, you could attempt to negotiate with your insurance company. However, only an experienced personal injury attorney knows the tricks and manipulation tactics they will try to use. As a result, professional lawyers can get maximize your settlement amount. Also, they will learn how to calculate the dollar amount of your injury. Given that information, they can then work towards getting you a higher settlement amount.
2. If you go to court, you will generally have to pay upfront. When representing yourself, you have to fork over the money from your pocket. As a result, you could be dishing out thousands of dollars with no guarantee that you will ever see that money again. So, you could turn a bad situation into a nightmare. A professional personal injury lawyer will work on a contingency fee basis. This means you do not have to pay any court fees. You will only pay anything if your attorney wins the settlement.
3. You probably need to become an expert in the law. Sure, you may know some basic legal tactics. However, a qualified personal injury attorney has the training and experience to know what to do at a greater depth and scope. Their expertise can prove to be invaluable to you. This is one of the most significant benefits of hiring a personal injury lawyer.
4. You will most likely need help to keep up with all the laws in a given city. Laws change all the time. A personal injury lawyer will ensure they stay updated on legal changes. That means they will have the latest information to help you win a case. You can provide a better outcome when you have one working for you.
5. Lawyers are expert negotiators. You need to know how to handle insurance adjusters to have a good outcome. Remember, after you get injured in a car accident, you will get phone calls from insurance companies. Injury lawyers have the experience that helps them navigate complex conversations. Also, they will understand what is important to divulge and what should not be said.

Today, you need to hire a personal injury attorney. This person will provide the guidance necessary to get the compensation you deserve.

Questions Regarding Personal Injury Cases

It is always stressful to be involved in a car accident. You will want to reduce as much pain and suffering as possible. Trying to figure out how to pay medical bills can be anxiety-provoking. How will you cover all physical therapy costs or other incidental damages? When you have qualified lawyers from Nakase Law Firm working on your case, you will get the compensation you are owed.

How Do I Know If I Need a Lawyer?

You may think that what the insurance company initially offers you is money. However, it will cover only some of the associated costs. Fortunately, a personal injury lawyer has experience handling cases like yours. They will review all your medical reports, which helps understand how much your recovery will cost. Also, they will check how your injuries will impact your ability to generate income. So, if you have injuries because of another driver, you should speak with an attorney immediately.

Are Personal Injury Lawyers Expensive?

It is a common myth that hiring a personal injury lawyer is expensive. So, some forego even looking into hiring one. After a motor vehicle accident, you may be unable to work and generate income. As a result, you will want to avoid paying attorney fees. However, most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. You only pay them if they win a settlement for you. When you win, their fees are taken out of the settlement itself.

Never, at any point, do you need to pay anything out of your pocket. Also, you can receive a free consultation before hiring a lawyer. They will usually let you know if they are confident they can win the case. They will not take it on if they do not feel like they can.

What Are the First Steps I Should Take?

Before speaking with a lawyer, you should take down all the information you can about the accident. This includes the day and time of the car crash and where it took place. Also, note what kind of injuries you sustained and how long you could not work and make money. It would be best if you also described how your injuries changed how you live. Write down all the activities you are unable to do anymore. Your memory may seem crystal clear now but will fade with time. Also, you want to make sure that you are stating facts. You can keep adding to your list as you remember more things. Once you feel your list is complete, provide it to the attorney you hired.

The road to recovery from car accident injuries is lengthy and challenging. The same is true for a settlement case. It may be tempting to accept the initial offer an insurance company makes. However, you will get far more if you hire a car accident attorney to review your case and help you get what you deserve.

Essential Things to Remember Following An Auto Accident in Los Angeles

Car accidents in Los Angeles sometimes occur in a flash. Both you and the other driver may sustain injuries and be in a daze. However, you need to do your best to stay clear-headed afterward. Once you can, contact Los Angeles auto accident lawyers with the experience to get help.

If you have been in a motor vehicle accident, there are a few essential things you should remember:

Obtain As Much Information As You Can

After making sure you are not seriously injured, you should write down as much information as you can about the accident. This would include the contact details of the other driver, as well as their license plate. Also, jot down the contact information of any witnesses to the accident. All this information can be beneficial to the lawyer working on your case.

Avoid Discussing the Accident

Unless it’s the police or your attorney, avoid discussing the accident with anyone else. You can talk to your insurance company, but you must be careful what you say. Remember that whatever you say can be used against you. This is because you want to avoid lowering your settlement amount. Also, you want to avoid getting your claim denied altogether.

Record Details About the Scene of the Accident

Taking photos of the accident scene can prove to be solid evidence for your case. It can prove invaluable in a court of law. If you can access your smartphone, you can take photos and videos of the whole scene. When taking pictures, get every angle in your photos, especially the damaged vehicles. Also, capture the weather, road conditions, and the area at large. To strengthen your case, you want to maintain proof of what the scene was like.

Contact a Car Accident Lawyer

A car accident attorney will prove invaluable if you have been in an auto accident. Speaking with an auto accident lawyer as soon as possible would be best. They can protect your rights and aggressively fight to get you the settlement you deserve. They will consider the injuries you sustained and the damages to your car. Also, qualified lawyers will thwart attempts by insurance providers to get you to agree to a low settlement.

Hold Onto All Bills and Receipts

You should keep all bills, receipts, and documents about your injuries and damages. Also, any correspondence from the at-fault driver, attorneys, and insurance companies should be held onto. All of this can provide evidence of the financial losses you incurred. Also, it demonstrates what the actions of others were.

So, the most critical takeaway is to call a car accident lawyer and collect as much information about the accident as possible. You want to avoid waiting for someone like your lawyer to do this for you. When you work with Los Angeles auto accident lawyers, you simplify the process of winning the settlement you deserve.