Get free legal advice from a top car accident attorney in Los Angeles. Call 310-997-0904 now for a free consultation. We are here to help. Get a Fast, FREE, and Confidential Case Consultation Today!
A car crash can happen to anyone – and these days it seems that only a car accident attorney in Los Angeles is on your side to help you pursue the compensation that you deserve without cheating you out of your hard-earned money (unlike your insurance company, motor vehicle lawyers are getting paid for helping you out – not the other way around).
Your auto insurance company, other parties involved in a road accident, their insurers, even corrupt police officers… All seem to have rallied against you to minimize your car accident and personal injury claim.
Luckily for you, there’s still an option to obtain the compensation you need to cover medical bills, lost wages and lost capacity, pain and suffering, and a variety of other car accident damages available in your particular case. And that option is: seek the legal advice of a Los Angeles car accident attorney.
Fact: there are over 7.75 million motor vehicles registered in Los Angeles alone (and over 26 million licensed drivers across California!). That means the number of registered motor vehicles in LA exceeds the county’s population! That also means that the risk of getting into a car accident in Los Angeles is ridiculously high.
Our best car accident lawyer in Los Angeles – Howard Craig Kornberg, an AV-rated auto collision attorney (the highest rating given to attorneys for their legal trial skills and ethical standards) – has provided you with this handy guide to understand California car accident laws and maximize your insurance claim if you ever get into a motor vehicle accident in LA.
DEADLINE TO FILE A LOS ANGELES CAR ACCIDENT CLAIM
Los Angeles car accident victims need to be aware that there is a limited amount of time for them to file their claim. The California personal injury statute of limitations is two years from the date an injury occurs. This gives car accident victims a two-year window with which to file a claim against the driver who allegedly caused the incident. The statute of limitations, if you are injured by an employee of a government entity, requires that you must file a written government claim with the proper government agency within 6 months.
However, it is important to point out that this statutory deadline does not apply to claims involving insurance carriers. Most insurance companies require that a claim be reported very soon after the crash occurs. If a claim made to the insurance carrier is delayed, this can result in a denial of compensation to the injury victim.
At the Law Offices of Howard Craig Kornberg, our Los Angeles car accident lawyer will get to work investigating the incident and ensuring that your claim is filed on time with the appropriate entities.
TYPES OF COMPENSATION AVAILABLE FOR CAR ACCIDENT VICTIMS IN LOS ANGELES
There may be various types of compensation available to victims of car accidents in Los Angeles. At the Law Offices of Howard Craig Kornberg, our Los Angeles car accident attorney is regularly able to help clients recover various types of compensation. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- Full coverage of all past and future medical bills arising as a result of the crash
- Past and future lost income and earning capacity if a victim cannot work while they recover
- Property damage expenses
- General household AND out-of-pocket costs
- Pain and suffering damages
- Loss of quality of life damages
The total amount of compensation available for a Los Angeles car accident claim will vary depending on the facts and circumstances surrounding each particular situation. Factors that can affect how much they claim is worth including the severity of the injuries. The number of medical expenses, whether you have permanent injuries or require hospitalization or surgery, how much each party was at fault for the incident, and insurance policy limits.
MOST COMMON CAR ACCIDENT INJURIES IN LOS ANGELES
The car accident lawyer in Los Angeles at the Law Offices of Howard Craig Kornberg have experience helping clients who have sustained a range of injuries, including catastrophic and permanent injuries. We regularly help those who have sustained the following:
- Broken bones
- Spinal Trauma
- Disk Herniation
- Burn Injuries
- Surgical Orthopedic Injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Concussions
- Open and closed head and body wounds
- Other severe back and neck injuries
- Whiplash
- Severe scarring from lacerations or puncture wounds
- Internal organ damage or internal bleeding
- Crush injuries or amputations
- PTSD
We also help clients who have sustained significant emotional and psychological trauma as a result of the accident and their injuries. We work to recover compensation for all of our clients’ physical and non-physical injuries.
Car accident statistics in Los Angeles and the U.S.: FACTS and STATS
If you regularly drive your car in Los Angeles – while commuting to and from work or traveling – be warned that the risk of becoming a victim of a motor vehicle accident is extremely high.
If you don’t take our word for it, check out these rather disturbing and shocking car accident statistics in Los Angeles and the U.S. overall.
- Fact #1: between 35,000 and 40,000 Americans die in road accidents every year.
- Fact #2: an additional over 2.3 million U.S. citizens are injured or disabled in motor vehicle accidents annually (the injuries that require expensive medical treatment and can negatively affect an individual’s earning potential).
- Fact #3: car accident deaths per year among children under 15 total over 1,600, while nearly 8,000 teenagers and young adults ages 16-20 get killed in road collisions every year.
- Fact #4: about 10 million motor vehicle accidents of all kinds, including minor collisions and fender benders, occur in the U.S. every year.
- Fact #5: road accident statistics show that of every 1,000 car crashes, three involve fatalities.
- Fact #6: auto insurance companies estimate that an average American will file a car accident claim about once every 18 years in a lifetime.
- Fact #7: motor vehicle accidents cost the U.S. over $230 billion per year or an average of over $800 per every U.S. citizen.
- Fact #8: every year, more than 1.1 million motorists are arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI), and more than 10,000 Americans die in DUI road collisions involving an alcohol- or drug-impaired driver.
- Fact #9: texting and driving (and using a cell phone while operating a vehicle) lead to over 1.6 million car accidents annually. Distracted driving results in more than 390,000 Americans suffering injuries and damages.
- Fact #10: aggressive and reckless driving may be responsible for the vast majority of all car accident deaths in the U.S.
- Fact #11: head-on collisions are the deadliest type of motor vehicle accidents in the U.S., accounting for over 4,000 auto accident fatalities per year, or over 10% of all fatal traffic collisions in our country.
- Fact #12: motor vehicle fatalities in Los Angeles have been steadily rising in recent years, with the number of traffic deaths in 2017 exceeding 2016 car accident deaths by over 20%.
- Fact #13: over 50,000 Los Angeles residents sustain injuries in car crashes every year.
- Fact #14: hit-and-run road accidents account for nearly 10% of all fatal traffic collisions in California. In fact, the state has more hit-and-run car accidents than any other state in the nation.
Common car accident myths: DEBUNKED
Sure, looking at the above-mentioned car accident statistics in Los Angeles and the U.S. can make your hair stand on end, but believing in these common car accident myths can be just as scary (and even deadly).
Our best car accident attorney in Los Angeles – Howard C. Kornberg at the Law Offices of Howard Craig Kornberg – is going to debunk some of the most common and most dangerous myths about motor vehicle accidents in the U.S.
Myth #1: The police will determine who is at fault
No, they won’t. Contrary to the popular belief, the police arrive at the scene of a car accident not to determine who is at fault. They are there to write a police report, which will later be used by either a judge or insurance companies to determine liability and evaluate damages.
In-car crashes where the police believe one of the parties was driving under the influence or committed a crime, the suspect may be taken into custody on suspicion of drunk driving or other felonies, misdemeanors, or crimes for further investigation.
Our Los Angeles car accident lawyer Howard C. Kornberg, who has helped victims of car accidents recover more than $70 million in verdicts and settlements the past three decades, says that while police reports are great, writing down your own notes, taking photos, and even recording videos at the scene of the traffic collision is critical to improving your chances at collecting maximum compensation for your injuries and damages.
Myth #2: You and the other party can work it out without a third party
Settling a car accident without the help of an auto accident attorney is a serious mistake. Many people, who wonder “should I get an attorney after a car accident?” but choose not to, risk getting their personal injury claim denied or reduced significantly.
Only an experienced personal injury lawyer, in cooperation with a savvy team of independent investigators and medical professionals, can determine liability in a car crash, evaluate the full cost of your injuries and damages, and craft a personalized strategy to help you win the compensation that you truly deserve.
Never should you ever communicate with the other driver for reasons other than taking down his contact and insurance information? Many victims of road collisions tend to admit fault willingly or unintentionally right after a car accident due to shock, which, in turn, can nullify their chances of obtaining compensation. That’s why it’s highly advised to consult an attorney before you say anything to the other driver or even your insurance company.
Myth #3: Your insurance company is your friend and can help you
Any insurance company is anything but your friend. And it’s definitely not here to HELP (if insurers truly cared about their policyholders and pursued their interests, they wouldn’t profit, and, therefore, wouldn’t be able to exist).
You have to understand this once and for all: your insurance company will do whatever it takes to minimize the cost of your car accident claim. Never go straight to your insurer for evaluation of your injuries and damages. Chances are your insurance company will conduct an unfair and biased investigation to reduce the payment of your claim.
Instead, get a free consultation from a Los Angeles car accident lawyer who would work day and night to assess your damages and injuries fairly and thoroughly, and handle the claim on your behalf having your best interest in mind.
Myth #4: You can’t sue the other driver for injuries later
Some car crash injuries don’t manifest themselves until days or weeks have passed after a road accident. That doesn’t mean, however, that just because you didn’t file a car accident claim immediately after the collision, you won’t be able to sue the other driver for your injuries and damages later.
As long as your claim meets the criteria under California’s statute of limitations and as long as your injuries have been well-documented by a doctor, you are able to start legal action against the other party and seek compensation for your injuries and damages days, weeks, or even months after the auto accident in Los Angeles.
Myth #5: Hiring a motor vehicle accident attorney is useless and a waste of money
On the contrary, by NOT hiring a car accident lawyer in Los Angeles you risk getting into legal and financial trouble if the other driver or his/her insurance company has proof that you were at fault for the collision (and you have no viable evidence to dispute their verdict and settlement).
Sure, you don’t necessarily need a motor vehicle accident attorney to handle paperwork relating to a minor car crash. But in serious car accidents, especially those involving injuries or fatalities, being legally represented by a reputable and results-driven law firm such as the Law Offices of Howard Craig Kornberg is the key to success.
Q: How much do car accident attorneys charge?
A: If you’re concerned about Los Angeles car accident attorney fees, don’t be. We only get paid if we win your case. Attorneys collect a pre-determined contingency fee of the settlement or verdict.
Our lawyers advance all costs and fees associated with pursuing legal action on your behalf, ensuring your recovery and spending as many hours as needed to handle your case and help you collect economic and non-economic damages.
Our Los Angeles car accident lawyer will NEVER ask you to finance your own case or charge you by the hour when investigating your case, consulting you, negotiating with other parties on your behalf, filing a lawsuit, and litigating your case in court.
Thanks to this fair and client-friendly strategy, Law Offices of Howard Craig Kornberg holds the reputation of one of the most reputable law firms in California with some of the best car accident attorney in Los Angeles.
Howard C. Kornberg, an award-winning lawyer with the AV Preeminent rating as a trial lawyer, has won over $100 million in verdicts and settlements for his clients in his over 35 years of experience.
Claim your compensation for a car accident today by calling our Los Angeles offices at 310-997-0904 or fill out this contact form for a free case evaluation.
