Orange County Car Accident Lawyer
A car accident can bring your everyday life to a screeching halt, but an Orange County car crash lawyer can help you get things moving again.
Car accidents occur daily in California, particularly in Orange County, because of our many high-traffic roads and highways. Plus, the tourism industry lends itself to even more drivers on the road from out-of-state.
In 2013, the California Highway Patrol reported more than 223,000 people injured and 3,104 people killed in traffic accidents. Though it’s impossible to prepare for automobile accidents, many that occur can be prevented. Unfortunately, other drivers may act negligently, leading to a serious crash.
If you are in a car accident because of another person or entity’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and property damage. However, you need an experienced Orange County car accident lawyer to ensure you receive fair and legal treatment in the process.
Common Causes of Car Accidents in California
The causes of car accidents can range from another person’s negligence to bad weather and poor road conditions. Some of the most common causes of car accidents in California include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Distracted driving
- Alcohol-impaired driving
- Drug-impaired driving
- Texting and driving
- Adverse weather and road conditions
- Driver error
- Speeding
Any number of elements can cause a car accident. It’s important you are aware that if it’s possible your injuries are because of someone or something else, an experienced Orange County car accident lawyer at Dickson, Kohan & Bablove can help. Reckless or negligent driving can leave you struggling to pick up the pieces, but our firm can help.
Injuries Caused by Accidents in Orange County
Injuries that result from car accidents can vary just as much as the causes of accidents themselves. These injuries can range anywhere from minor bumps and bruises to those that affect you and your family for the rest of your life.
When facing serious and long-term injuries, it’s crucial that you have a qualified Orange County car accident lawyer on your side to help get your life back into a position to move forward. Some of these injuries can include short-term injuries such as broken bones and whiplash or long-term injuries such as brain damage and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Even short-term injuries can have lasting complications and effects. Whiplash, for example, can last weeks or even months, especially if not properly treated. When you need to rest, you may struggle to work your normal hours or as many hours, causing you to miss out on income you need.
Seeking Compensation for Injuries
It isn’t easy dealing with the pain of injuries by themselves, but when you’ve been involved in a car accident, you have much more to handle. The entire process can become overwhelming, especially if you attempt to navigate it alone.
When seeking compensation, you will need to provide evidence that the other driver acted negligently or recklessly, his or her actions caused the accident, and that you suffered harm and should receive compensation as a result.
Making sure you are pushing for the compensation you need is vital. If you forget a major expense or leave off any non-economic damages, you could end up with a smaller settlement than you deserve.
Handling compensation after a collision is a process that often requires the knowledge of an Orange County car crash attorney. Get in touch with someone who is familiar with state law and dealing with insurance adjusters and defense lawyers.
Types of Damages Recovered in Car Accidents
The types of damages that may be recovered for you in a car accident can go well beyond just covering the ride to the emergency room. Consider the tremendous effect that even one injury can have on your entire life.
Types of damages that you may recover can include not just compensation for medical bills now and in the future, but also time off from work, loss of your job or employment, loss of enjoyment and the ability to participate in activities you once enjoyed, disfigurement, temporary or permanent disability, and many others.
These typically fall into two categories: economic damages, which are your monetary losses like property damages and bills, and non-economic damages, which are damages to your quality of life that account for the suffering you were put through.
Economic damages may not be too difficult to calculate on your own. If you have kept all the bills for your expenses together, it’s a matter of totaling up the costs. When including non-economic damages, though, it can be more complicated. Pain, after all, cannot be measured in dollars and cents. These damages often must be calculated by an attorney because they are subjective and difficult to prove.
Negligence Laws Can Affect Your Claim
When you speak to your car accident lawyer in Orange County, be sure that you are also prepared to prove that you were, for the most part, blameless in your accident. California practices “comparative negligence,” which means that your fault in the accident will be considered when it comes time to award compensation.
If you were partly negligent, your percentage of blame will be factored in to your compensation, and you will only receive a part of your compensation. For example, if you were found 30 percent at fault for your accident, you would only receive 70 percent of your award.
This is especially useful to the defendants. They won’t want to cover your full award, and they’ll take every opportunity possible to devalue your claim. Call an experienced attorney to help you maintain the full value of your claim.
Dealing with Insurance Companies
Most drivers trust that the insurance company will cover any injuries as well as the vehicle that is damaged in a car accident, especially if it occurs due to someone else’s negligence. However, this isn’t always the case.
Unfortunately, some insurance companies are notorious for paying out as little as possible, and if you’re battling the other driver’s insurance company, it’s even more difficult to get what you need and deserve. These insurance companies will use every tactic possible to prevent a payout for your settlement.
Insurers may put the blame on you for your own accident. Under California’s comparative negligence laws, blaming you for even part of the accident may mean a smaller settlement for them to pay out. Without the right representation, your claim may be devalued.
An Orange County car accident lawyer at Dickson, Kohan & Bablove is experienced and familiar with dealing with the professionals on the other side who don’t have your best interests in mind. Rather than risk dealing with injuries and damage alone for the rest of your life, let us handle the professionals and make sure you receive fair compensation.
An Orange County Car Accident Lawyer at DKB Can Help
It’s easy to think you can navigate the aftermath of a car accident by yourself. However, accidents and injuries are complex matters that are difficult to manage alone, especially when you are already facing your injuries, medical expenses, and the trauma of the accident itself.
When you work with an Orange County car accident lawyer from our office, you are getting not just an aggressive litigator but also a passionate car accident attorney who can help you through your accident.
If you have been in a car accident, you can’t afford to wait or attempt to deal with it alone. Call Dickson Kohan & Bablove, LLP at 1-844-404-2400 or fill out the contact form below.