Car Accident Attorney Orange County

How Can a Car Accident Lawyer in Orange County Help Me?

The financial, emotional, medical, and physical toll of car accidents is hard to overstate. But if you’ve suffered injuries in a motor vehicle accident caused by negligence, an Orange County car accident lawyer from Kohan & Bablove Injury Attorneys wants to get you cash compensation.

You Need Insider Experience to Get Fully Compensated

As former lawyers for Fortune 500 and insurance companies alike, we’re one step ahead of the defense’s tactics. Our people use direct experience and knowledge to help you win big.

You Can Get Cash Compensation for Your Accident Damages

If other drivers or someone else were responsible for your injuries and medical expenses, you shouldn’t be left to fend for yourself without representation. Whether at the office negotiating table or in a courtroom, we’ll fight for your fair compensation.

You Have Questions About Your Car Accident—Our Orange County Car Accident Attorneys Have Answers

You don’t need deep pockets to get the answers to your legal questions. With us, get the help of a top-flight lawyer—and pay nothing unless we get the results you deserve from the defendant and the insurance company.

Why Do Clients Use Our Orange County Car Accident Attorneys?

A car accident is an unexpected, major life event, possibly involving multiple injuries and serious property and vehicle damage. The fallout from a wreck can cause a spiral of hurt, confusion, and even despair. And with your financial and medical future on the line, Kohan & Bablove Injury Attorneys can make the difference in whether you get compensated by the negligent party and their insurance company.

Let our law office be your legal guide on the path to financial recovery, all the way from initial, informal free consultation to the final settlement.

Our Attorneys Are Dedicated to Your Case and Your Rights

Since making the pivot from helping insurance companies to helping personal injury victims, we’ve become relentless legal advocates for our clients and their cases. We will always fight for you to secure maximum compensation for your injuries and medical bills.

Our Lawyers Have Trial Experience

Too often, car accident lawyers are willing to let their plaintiff clients accept a lesser deal, simply to avoid going to court for a personal injury lawsuit. At Kohan & Bablove Injury Attorneys, we truly care about our clients, and we’re prepared to fight for you beyond the law office and into the courtroom—and our Orange County car accident lawyers have the trial experience to prove it.

Law Office Conveniently Located in Orange County

Our proximity allows us to accept clients and handle cases throughout Southern California. Whether you’ve been injured by drivers in car accidents in Orange County, Anaheim, Irvine, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Los Angeles County, or San Diego County, we’re ready to help you seek justice for the injuries and damages you’ve suffered.

Settlement Results and Verdicts That Speak Volumes

From a $750,000 settlement for a client injured in an accident with a rideshare company to a $710,000 settlement for a client injured in a rear-end collision, we have the car accident settlement credentials that inspire confidence. The insurance and personal injury settlements we’ve won have resulted in our clients getting their lives back on track and receiving the medical care they need to recover from their motor vehicle accident.

Checklist: What Do I Do After a Car Accident?

When a motor vehicle accident poses a major setback in your life, navigating the car accident claims process can seem like a minefield to many people. Fortunately, with the help of an experienced attorney with Kohan & Bablove Injury Attorneys, you can recover a settlement from the defendant or their insurance that helps you take your life back.

Although no two vehicle accidents are the same, there are some basic steps after an accident that most share in the scope of the car accident claims process. If you or your passengers have been injured in an accident, start with these—and then give Kohan & Bablove Injury Attorneys a call for legal representation in Orange County so that you can get compensated for your losses and injuries

1. Stay at the Accident Scene and Check for Injuries

Even if you don’t feel injured, don’t move your car. If you leave the scene of the accident, you may face criminal charges for fleeing the scene of the accident. You instead need to stay at the scene of the accident and seek out medical care. Check to see if other parties involved in the accident are injured, and wait for law enforcement or medical aid to arrive at the scene of the motor vehicle accident.

2. Exchange Info with the Other Driver

If you’ve suffered catastrophic injuries or been the victim of a hit-and-run accident, this step may not be possible. But it’s still true that you’ll need to identify the at-fault party if you’re going to file a successful car accident case and determine the cause of your wreck. Our car accident lawyers can help even in complicated cases involving many vehicles and other drivers or people.

3. Report the Accident to the Police

California law requires driving accidents involving injuries, death / fatalities, or property damages in excess of $10,000 to be reported. But getting an accident report can also be important if the police officer on the scene makes a determination of fault based on the evidence, especially if alcohol was the cause that resulted in the accident.

4. Collect Evidence of the Accident’s Cause and Witness Information

When you’re planning to file a claim, you need as much information as possible. That evidence can help you get the funds you’re due when you’re hurt and suffering following your accident. Gathering evidence from the scene of the accident, such as images of the crash or surveillance footage, can support your claim and get the settlement you’re due. Other evidence may include eyewitness accounts, which can support your own recounting of the accident. Likewise, your lawyer can seek out expert witness testimony, including medical exams, reconstructions of the motor vehicle accident, and other resources.

5. See a Doctor About Your Crash Injuries

Even if your injuries seem minor—or you’re unsure whether you’ve been injured at all—it’s important to see a doctor as soon as possible after your accident to receive treatment and document the extent of any injuries for your medical record.

6. Contact the Insurance Company (Don’t Admit Fault!)

One of the earliest steps you need to take following a car accident is to contact your insurance company and report the accident. But talking with the insurance company without a lawyer present may be a mistake. Insurance companies are for-profit businesses, meaning they may work hard to reduce the value of your settlement. Because of this, they may use anything you say against you, such as apologies or claiming fault for the motor vehicle accident, even if you weren’t actually at fault. Talk to your lawyer before you make that call to the insurers.

Our Car Accident Practice Areas

An accident can catch you off guard, happening when you least expect it. When your accident was the result of factors outside your control, such as the carelessness of another driver, an accident attorney at our firm can help you seek full compensation from the insurance.

Our Car Accident Lawyers Have the Right Experience

Our attorneys have the right type of experience and resources to fight for you and provide legal representation. Some of the vehicle crash–related cases we’ve handled in the past include:

• Car accidents
• Uber accidents
• Lyft accidents
• Truck and bus accidents
• Product liability cases, like defective tires or airbags
• Motorcycle accidents
• Wrongful Death Claims for fatal vehicle accidents
• Pedestrian accidents

What Are Common Injuries Seen in Car Accidents?

When you’re involved in a car accident, even a little fender bender can hurt. Your body may be stricken, tossed around, or even crushed during a car accident, and that can lead to severe injuries and a lifetime of suffering. Even a minor accident can cause whiplash, or painful damage to the neck when you’re suddenly pushed forward.

When You’ve Been Injured, Our Law Firm Can Help

If you’re hurt in a car accident, here’s just a sample of the injuries you may have suffered because another driver was careless with your safety:

• Traumatic brain injury
• Spinal cord injury
• Whiplash
• Broken bones
• Internal organ damage
• Soft tissue damage
• Traumatic amputations

All these injuries can leave you with trauma and permanent damage. Let’s say you suffered a spinal cord injury. You may be able to improve your condition with physical therapy and surgery, but you may also be paralyzed from the point of injury down, leaving you unable to walk or use other motor controls.

Should I Still Seek Medical Attention for Minor Injuries?

Even if you feel you haven’t been injured, or only minorly injured, it’s essential that you still seek medical attention. Having this documentation is important for many personal injury cases and often, it’s the foundation for a strong case. 

You Might Not Know You’re Injured After an Accident

Internal injuries are common in car accidents but aren’t visible from the outside, save for bruising. Seeing a medical professional can ensure you don’t have medical injuries that aren’t visible to the eye. You’re reducing your risks of infection, complications, or death. Likewise, your injuries may be worsened even if they’re not life-threatening, leaving you in worse condition.

Medical professionals document injuries and causation of those injuries. Both are important to have and strengthen personal injury claims.

What Are Common Causes of Car Accidents?

After a car accident, one of the first steps you’ll take with your lawyer is determining who’s at fault for your car accident. The at-fault party and their insurance company are liable for the financial costs of your recovery, so identifying them is key. That means you’ll need to prove how they caused your accident.
Often, the cause is some form of negligence. As cell phones have become one of the most common forms of communication and navigation, many people are driving distracted by their phones or other sources. Likewise, some drivers may be negligent enough to drive while drunk, which can cause devastating injuries. The alcohol-impaired driving fatality rate increased 4 percent from 2019 to 2020,
accounting for 30 percent of California’s 3,847 fatalities.

Still others may be driving long distances or late at night. These drivers may be drowsy, and that drowsiness may make it difficult to stop on time and avoid a car accident.

Car accidents have many causes, and if you’re not sure what caused yours, talk to your car accident lawyer. No matter what the cause, we’re here to help you recover from the suffering you experienced.

How Is Fault Determined in Car Accidents in California?

When you’re hurt in a car accident, you need to know who’s at fault for your injuries. California is a fault state, which means the party who caused the accident is liable for the damages caused by the accident. Determining fault determines who pays for the losses and suffering you’ve experienced.

Determining fault can be tough, but typically fault rests on the person who acted negligently. You and your lawyer may look for evidence that the other driver wasn’t focused on the road, was drunk, or was even driving aggressively.

Determining Negligence in Car Accidents Is Complicated

These steps can be more complex and difficult if you were involved in a car accident with multiple vehicles. In these cases, the fault may lie on any of these drivers. Your lawyer may contact eyewitnesses, who can give an account of what happened. Your lawyer may even seek out an expert witness to reconstruct the scene to determine fault.

Even Single-Car Accidents Could Be Someone Else’s Fault

What if you’re injured in a single-car accident? The accident may have still not been your fault. Let’s say your airbags failed to deploy, or the airbags deployed when they shouldn’t have. In these cases, the suffering you experienced may be the fault of the manufacturer.

Always Have a Lawyer Determine if You Have a Car Accident Case

If you have any questions about fault, you can always contact a lawyer about your case. An accident attorney can gather the evidence necessary to determine fault and file a claim against the at-fault party.

What Damages Can I Collect After a Car Accident?

After a serious injury, major expense, or personal trauma, it can be difficult or even impossible to get back to normal. The suffering you experienced may stick with you for years following your accident. When that happens, you may be due funds for the damages you suffered.

Calculating Damages Is Easier with an Attorney

Unfortunately, these damages can be tough to calculate. You may not have the proper tools for the task, and calculating both compensatory and punitive damages can be complex. Without a clear idea of what your claim is worth, however, you may be left settling for less than your claim is worth. That leaves you paying out of pocket for your suffering and without the support you need for a full recovery.

You Need Full Compensation for Your Orange County Car Accident

But what damages are available, and how do you determine what they’re worth? Your lawyer can help you gather evidence that you’ve suffered the following types of damages, and they can help you calculate what your claim is worth before you ever set foot in court.

Economic Damages in Motor Vehicle Accidents

After a car accident, the bills may start piling up right away. Car accidents are expensive, and to recover, you may need significant amounts of money you don’t have. Your economic damages, or the financial toll of an accident, should be covered by the party responsible for your accident.

Medical Bills Are Just One Type of Economic Damage

In practice, you may know that repairs for your car or medical bills are your first priority. But economic damages can cover much more than this. For example, your injuries may take a long time to recover from, meaning your medical care isn’t done. You may be due funds for the future costs of your healthcare as you recover from your injuries.

Your Missed Time at Work from the Accident Counts, Too

You may also be missing weeks of work because of your injuries, or you may never be able to return to work in your former capacity. Your injuries may even require modifications to your home, such as a wheelchair ramp, or you may need household services like housekeeping or childcare assistance. All these expenses should be covered by your compensation.

Our Lawyers Will Ensure All Your Damages Are Calculated

If you’re not sure what your economic damages are worth, your lawyer can help you make these calculations. Your lawyer has the tools to add up all the damages you’ve already incurred and estimate the funds you’ll need for your economic damages. Your accident attorney’s aid can help you get the complete compensation you need for your recovery.

Non-Economic Damages in Auto Collisions

When you’re hurt in a car accident, your suffering is more than financial. For example, while a serious injury can be expensive, it’s also painful and may leave you suffering emotionally and mentally. That pain and suffering should also be compensated after your car crash, but calculating the value of your claim can be difficult.

Pain and Suffering Takes Many Forms After an Accident

Non-economic damages compensate you for the intangible toll of your accident. Damages like pain and suffering, anxiety, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium can all impact your life in major ways, and you should receive compensation for the suffering you experience. Unfortunately, calculating the value of your non-economic damages can feel almost impossible because you’re placing a price on something intangible.

Because of this, your accident lawyer will determine your claim’s value based on the severity of your injuries and the impact those damages have on your quality of life. Let’s say you lost several teeth in the accident. Repairing or replacing your teeth may be painful and expensive, but what about the embarrassment and emotional pain you feel about the way this injury changes your looks?

Fully Calculating Non-Economic Damages Requires an Attorney’s Expertise

Because this type of suffering can be so complex, you may need to speak with a lawyer to get an accurate idea of your claim’s worth. It can be easy to underestimate your claim’s value, so reach out for help getting an accurate number.

Punitive Damages and Car Accident Claims

The bulk of your damages in a car accident is meant to compensate you for your injuries and suffering, hence the name compensatory damages. But that’s not the case with punitive damages. These damages have nothing to do with the injuries you’ve suffered but instead are about punishing the person who injured you.

Punitive damages are intended to deter the negligent party from acting so negligently or intentionally harming others by creating a financial penalty for these actions. These damages can also serve as a warning to others to prevent similar actions in the future.

Punitive Damages for Car Accidents Are Rare

But these damages are not awarded in every claim. In fact, many cases are not eligible for punitive damages. Typically, these damages are awarded in cases where the at-fault party was wantonly negligent, or in cases where they intended to harm the injured party.

For example, you may have been behind the wheel when you encountered another driver experiencing road rage. In their aggression, they forced you off the road and caused an accident. Because they intended to hurt you, they may be liable for punitive damages for the accident.

Winning Punitive Damages in Car Accident Cases Is Tough

Punitive damages are not easy to seek. Because these damages aren’t readily awarded in most cases, you may need help proving you’re due punitive damages at all, as well as what your damages are worth. Speak with a lawyer about the severity of your injuries and get the full value of your claim covered, including punitive damages.

Car Accident Statistics in Orange County, California

Car accident statistics can tell us a lot about how and why car accidents happen. While they can’t prevent a crash entirely, these numbers can tell you more about car crashes and what to do when you’re involved with one.

Drunk Driving in Orange County

For example, statistics show that drunk driving is a major factor in many crashes. In 2019, nearly 1,800 drivers and passengers were injured or killed in accidents involving alcohol. Alcohol-impaired driving fatalities increased 16% from 1,180 in 2020 to 1,370 in 2021.

Speeding in Orange County

Speeding can also turn deadly fast. More than 11,000 accidents in the country were related to speeding. Of those, 53 percent of fatal accidents involved drivers who weren’t wearing a seat belt at high speeds.

These statistics only show part of the story. If you’ve been hurt or lost a loved one in a car accident, reach out for legal aid and learn more about your options following a crash. Your lawyer will focus on the specifics of your claim and what makes yours different to get you the financial recovery you’re due following an accident.

What Are the Most Dangerous Roads in Orange County?

While driving can turn dangerous in an instant, even for the most careful driver, some roads are more prone to danger than others. These roads may be older, may have more traffic, or may have other hazards that make driving dangerous.

Curious about the most dangerous roads in Orange County? Below are some roads where taking extra care behind the wheel can protect your health and safety:

• Beach Boulevard – Beach Boulevard covers a lot of ground, from Huntington Beach to Los Angeles, and because of this, it’s one of the busier streets in the county. Its many intersections and congested areas lead to severe accidents and injuries regularly.
• Ortega Highway – Ortega Highway, or State Route 74, is known for its scenic views, as well as its narrow, winding path. Because of this, visibility can be a problem, leading to severe accidents that leave drivers and passengers hurt.
• Interstate 5 – I-5 is one of the busiest roads in California, and that traffic means that accidents are unfortunately common. All it takes is one distracted driver to cause a serious accident.
• 405 Freeway – This freeway is known for its congestion, which has caused gridlock and accidents for years. That makes it one of the more dangerous highways to cross Orange County, though alternate routes may lessen the pressure on this roadway.
• Laguna Canyon Road – Laguna Canyon Road is one of Orange County’s most scenic routes, traveling through Laguna Canyon itself. While the views are beautiful, the road itself can be dangerous, due to poor visibility, drunk drivers, and other hazards. Injuries on this road are unfortunately common, but with an OC car accident lawyer on your side, you have a chance to recover.

If you’ve been in a car accident on any of these roads or for any of these reasons, you may have grounds for a lawsuit. Your car accident lawyer can help you gather evidence, calculate your claim’s value, and take your claim to court. Your lawyer can even represent you in the courtroom, giving you the legal support you need after a devastating accident.

Injured in a Car Crash? Contact a Car Accident Lawyer in Orange County

After an accident, you don’t have to accept anything less than full and fair compensation for the harm that’s been caused. An Orange County car accident lawyer with Kohan & Bablove Injury Attorneys is standing by to help you recover a maximum settlement.

An Orange County Car Accident Lawyer Here to Help

Call us at 949.535.1341 or use the form below with your contact information and a brief description of your case to request your no-obligation, free legal consultation.

Citations

CA FY22 Highway Safety Annual Report
https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/2023-05/CA_FY2022HSPAR-%20v2%20tag.pdf

California Traffic Safety Quick Stats, California Office of Traffic Safety
https://www.ots.ca.gov/ots-and-traffic-safety/score-card/