Know What to Do After Experiencing a Car Accident
Car accidents often happen in Los Angeles, CA, which can be challenging to deal with. Things can get messy after a car accident. You have to talk to insurance companies and figure out legal information, which can be confusing and overwhelming.
Learning all about car accidents and managing the aftermath will greatly help you make the right decisions. In addition, getting help from a Los Angeles car accident attorney can help ease the process.
Quick Summary:
- Car accidents have a lot of misconceptions. For example, the police don’t decide who caused the accident, and the people involved can’t sort it out themselves.
- After a car accident, it’s crucial to see a doctor again, keep your documents in order, tell your insurance company, prevent future accidents, know your rights and consider legal action if needed.
- In California, you have two to three years to file a claim after a car accident, or you might lose your chance to get compensation.
- If you’re in a car accident, you might get money for medical bills, lost income, damaged property, loss of companionship, wrongful death, and punitive damages if it’s severe.
- Car accident attorneys in California typically work on a contingency fee basis, meaning they only get paid if you win your case. The fee is between 30% to 40% of the compensation you receive.
It’s crucial to act fast after a car accident because evidence can vanish, people might forget what happened, and there are time limits for filing cases.
This article will discuss what you should do after a car accident and how much a car accident attorney will cost you.
What are Some Common Misconceptions About Car Accidents?
Car accidents happen often and bring some misunderstandings that can make things harder for people involved.
Knowing how to deal with what happens after a car crash is crucial. Let’s look at some common misunderstandings about car accidents:
The police have a say on who is at fault.
False. The police don’t decide who caused the car crash. But if they think a driver is drunk, they might arrest them to check more.
The parties involved in the crash can settle the issue themselves.
False. You must tell the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) immediately if you’re in a car crash. Your insurance agent or lawyer also must send a report called an SR-1 to the DMV.
The DMV has to keep a record of every crash according to the law.
You cannot file a claim on your injury that you got days or weeks after the collision.
False. Some injuries might show up on your body long after a crash. Late injuries can be valid if your claim fits California’s statute of limitations.
What Should You Do After Recovering From a Car Accident?
Getting better after a car accident means more than just healing physically. You also have to deal with the legal, money, and emotional issues that come after.
Here are things to think about once you’ve recovered from a car accident:
Seek Follow-Up Medical Care
It’s necessary to see your doctor again, even if your first injuries don’t seem major. Some injuries might show up later or cause problems later on.
Keeping track of your medical care is crucial if you need to make a legal claim later.
Gather and Organize Documentation
Gather and sort out all evidence about the accident, like police reports, medical papers, insurance letters, and receipts for accident costs.
Keeping these papers organized will help if you want to make a legal claim or talk with insurance companies later on.
Contact Your Insurance Company
Tell your insurance company about the accident right away. Provide them the correct information about what happened, but don’t say it was your fault or guess who to blame.
Your insurance company will help you with the process of getting money for repairs or medical bills.
Take Preventive Measures
Think about what happened during the accident and see if anything like distracted driving, bad roads, or problems with your car might have caused it.
Stop more accidents from happening by driving carefully, taking care of your car, and not doing risky stuff while driving.
Stay Informed and Updated
Keep learning about what you can do if you’re in a car accident and how insurance claims work.
Pay attention to new rules or laws that might change how things work for you.
Consider Legal Action
If the accident was someone else’s fault, you might get money for medical bills, lost wages, damaged property, and how much pain you went through.
A Los Angeles car accident attorney can tell you if it’s a good idea to sue for your injuries and help you with the legal stuff.
Is There a Deadline to Filing a Claim on a Car Accident?
Yes, there’s a time limit, called the statute of limitations, for filing a claim after a car accident in California.
Under California law, you have two years to file a personal injury case, as stated in the California Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1.
Additionally, the California Code of Civil Procedure section 338 gives you three years to file a claim for a vehicle crash.
If you don’t file a lawsuit within this time, you might lose your chance to seek compensation for your injuries and losses from the car accident.
What Compensation is Available for Victims of a Car Accident?
People who experienced car accidents in Los Angeles, CA, might get different kinds of compensation, depending on what happened and how badly they were hurt or affected.
Here are some common types of payment for car accident victims:
Medical Expenses
You can get compensation to pay for medical bills from the accident.
That covers emergency care, hospital stays, surgeries, medicine, therapy, medical tools, and continued treatment for injuries you got in the accident.
Lost Wages and Income
You can get compensation for the wages you’ve missed if you can’t work because you got hurt from the accident.
That includes the money you couldn’t earn while you’re getting better and any money you might not make in the future because of your injuries.
Property Damage
People hurt in accidents might get compensation to fix or replace their car and anything else damaged in the crash.
That includes fixing the car, replacing the items inside, and repairing other damaged things from the accident.
Loss of Consortium
If the accident leads to losing closeness, support, or intimacy with a spouse or family member, the injured person or their family might get money for this loss, known as compensation for loss of consortium.
Wrongful Death Damages
Surviving relatives might receive money to cover funeral costs, financial support loss, the absence of companionship, and other damages if a car accident leads to the death of a family member due to wrongful death.
Punitive Damages
If the person responsible for the accident acted recklessly, they might have to pay punitive damages to punish them and prevent others from doing the same.
How Much Do Car Accident Attorneys Charge in a Case?
In California, car accident lawyers usually operate on a contingency fee basis, meaning their fee is based on the case’s outcome. If they win and you get compensation, they take a percentage, usually 30% to 40%, of what you receive.
However, if you don’t win, you don’t owe them anything. The exact percentage might vary based on how complex your case is and its chances of success.
There are some factors that can affect the contingent fee. These things include:
- How complicated your case is
- How long the case might last and how much work it will take
- The lawyer’s experience, skills, and track record
- Where the lawyer’s office is and where your case will be heard
- How many people are involved in your case
- How successful the lawyer has been with past cases
Get Help From Our Los Angeles Car Accident Attorney Today!
Recovering from a car accident is tough, but you can make progress by taking proactive steps and getting the proper support.
If you’ve had a car accident in Los Angeles, having a competent car accident attorney by your side is crucial.
Our team at Abogado Maximo is here to help. Our lawyers have the skills and commitment to ensure you are treated fairly and get the compensation you should.
Don’t face the legal process alone – let us help you through this hard time and fight for what’s right. Contact us for a free consultation today!
