DOWNEY CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEY

Top-Quality Auto Accident Attorneys Representing Victims in Downey, CA

Each year, many innocent people in Southern California are injured in auto accidents. Indeed, car accidents remain one of the most common causes of serious injuries in our state. Crashes happen in every community. According to data collected and released to the public by the California Highway Patrol (CHP), in 2014 there were more than 1,600 motor vehicle collisions in the city of Downey alone. In all, those crashes resulted in at least 952 injuries and 12 reported fatalities.

If you were hurt in a collision, you have the right to reasonable recompense for your losses. Unfortunately, the major insurance providers make a concerted effort to reduce the amount of settlement offers. Our committed Downey auto accident attorneys at Fisher & Talwar assist hurt people in taking legal action. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with our legal firm right away to schedule a free case review if you or a member of your family was injured in a collision in Los Angeles County.

Who is Liable for Car Accidents in California?

The state of California operates under a comparative fault legal standard. This means that the party (or parties) that caused an accident through negligence will be held financially responsible for the crash. Most often, motor vehicle accidents are caused by negligent drivers. Though, there are certainly some exceptions to that rule. Driver negligence comes in many different forms, with some of the most common examples being:

Running a red light;
Running a stop sign;
Failure to yield;
Following too closely;
Speeding;
Unsafe lane changes;
Distracted driving; and
Intoxicated driving.

If you believe that another driver caused your accident through their unsafe conduct, it is imperative that you consult with an experienced Downey car accident attorney who can investigate your case. Your attorney will be able to put together the evidence needed to support your legal claim.

What You Need to Know About the Statute of Limitations

For most personal injury claims, the state of California has a two-year statute of limitations. This means that you have two years from the date of your Downey, CA car accident to file your legal claim. There are very limited exceptions to this rule. Beyond the statutory requirement, it is also simply better to get your claim started as soon as possible after your crash. You should not wait to take action; consult with a qualified Downey car accident attorney as soon as possible.

Injured Car Accident Victims Deserve Fair Compensation

Under California law, injured victims are owed compensation for the full value of their damages. This means that you are entitled to financial relief for both monetary losses and noneconomic damages. Sadly, in practice, the big insurance companies make recovering full compensation difficult. To protect your interests, you must be able to properly document your damages. If you are unable to prove your damages, you will be unlikely to recover the fair compensation that you rightfully deserve. Our top-rated Downey car accident attorneys can help. Depending on the circumstances of your claim, we may be able to get you money for:

The damage to your vehicle;
All emergency medical bills;
All other related medical expenses;
Physical therapy;
Mental health counseling;
Long-term disability (LTD);
Lost wages;
Loss of future earning capacity;
Pain and suffering;
Mental anguish;
Disfigurement;
Loss of limb;
Loss of life enjoyment; and
Wrongful death damages.

Four Tips for Dealing With Insurance Adjusters

For the most part, car accident claims are defended by insurance companies. You may be dealing with your own insurance company, or the insurance company of another California driver; regardless, you need to keep your guard up. You should not rely on the insurance company for guidance. Remember, the insurance company that you are seeking compensation from is the opposing party in your case. The company will be looking out for its own profits, not your best interests. With this in mind, you need to be ready to deal with insurance adjusters. Here, our experienced Downey car accident attorneys share our top four tips for dealing with insurance company representatives:

Never admit fault for the accident. It is not your job to determine who was or was not at fault for the crash. You have no obligation to give an opinion on this question.
Do not speculate. Insurance adjusters are trained to try to get you on the phone so that you can simply talk about your crash. These conversations may seem casual, but they are not. You should not answer any speculative or opinion-based questions.
Do not sign a release for your medical records. Your insurance company may ask for your full history of medical treatment. The company does not necessarily have a right to access all of this information. They are looking for a reason to deny your claim. Do not sign anything without first consulting with an attorney.
Work through your lawyer. You should not deal with the professionals at the insurance company on your own. Insurance adjusters are highly trained, and they are trying to protect the financial interests of the company. You can and should deal with insurance adjusters directly through your Downey car accident attorney.

Examples: SUV Drives Through Storefront

An elderly SUV driver gave patrons of a shopping center quite the start when she drove her car through a clothing boutique, an empty store space, and a deli. The accident occurred on the morning of March 25th, 2013 in Fair Oaks, California.

Video surveillance from one of the stores that the woman drove through shows her vehicle slowly driving into a parking spot, before quickly thrusting forward and through the clothing boutique’s shop windows. After driving through the glass of the store’s windows the vehicle made a sharp left turn, drove through a wall into an empty storefront and through another wall into a deli. Upwards of 40 people were in the deli at the time of the crash and a few people were in the boutique but, amazingly, no serious injuries were reported.

The elderly driver and her husband, who was a passenger in the SUV, suffered minor scrapes, but are expected to be okay. The cause of the crash remains under investigation, but it appears from video surveillance that the driver mistook the gas for the brake.

Fortunately for All, No Major Injuries

The fact that nobody was hurt when the woman drove through the shops is a good thing for everyone involved. Not only were unsuspecting patrons saved from injury, but the driver of the vehicle was also saved from a personal injury lawsuit. The fact that a driver is elderly is generally not a defense to injuries caused as a result of driving a car through a store or crowd of people. Drivers of any age can be found liable for injuries caused by their negligence or recklessness behind the wheel.

The Risk of Injuring Others

When the driver of a vehicle plows through a store or crowd of people, anyone injured by the collision has the right to seek monetary compensation from those responsible for the injury. This kind of compensation is known as “damages”, and can be awarded for pain and suffering, medical expenses, the cost of physical therapy, and, if an injury is serious enough that it prevents a person from working, lost earnings/wages.

After an Accident

After a person is injured by someone operating a motor vehicle, medical attention should be sought immediately. As soon as injury victims are able, they should then contact a local car accident lawyer and should refrain from giving statements to accident, insurance, and police investigators until an attorney is consulted.

Investigators will no doubt have several questions for injury victims, but waiting to speak with an attorney in no way hurts an investigation and actually helps ensure that any statements made by victims are understood and reported as accurately as possible. Another reason it is a good idea to speak to an accident lawyer is that, historically, those who work with an attorney are more likely to recover damages than those who don’t. Unfortunately, this is because insurance representatives know that people don’t know enough about the law to pursue all of the damages they may be entitled to, and use the fact that victims are unrepresented by counsel to talk them into lower settlement offers.

Source: https://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/2013/03/26/2021981/

Why You Can Always Afford Legal Help

At Fisher & Talwar, our top-quality Downey car accident lawyers take on all personal injury claims on a contingency fee basis. What does this mean for you? It is simple: There are no attorney’s fees unless we help you recover money. When you hire our car accident lawyers, there are no upfront costs and no out-of-pocket expenses. We are so confident in our ability to win or successfully settle your cases that we are more than happy to take on all the risks of pursuing your legal claim.

Common Car Auto Accident Injuries

One of the many things that make California car accident claims challenging is that the resulting injuries can vary widely, both in their kind and their level of severity. It is not always easy to predict how serious the injuries will be just by looking at the resulting crash. There are cases in which people walk away from rollover accidents with little more than a scratch. Yet, there are also cases in which a seemingly minor fender-bender results in a devastating head or neck injury. If you were injured in a crash, you are entitled to full compensation for your specific damages. Our Glendale car accident lawyers can help. We have handled legal claims involving virtually every type of injury, including:

Broken and fractured bones;
Severe joint damage;
Concussions or traumatic brain injuries (TBIs);
Psychological trauma;
Deep cuts and lacerations;
Soft tissue damage, including whiplash;
Internal injuries, including organ damage;
Spinal cord damage; and
Partial or total paralysis.

The California Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Claims

The state of California has a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims. Essentially, this means that you have two years from the date of your Glendale, CA crash to initiate your lawsuit. To be clear, your claim does not need to be fully resolved within that period. However, if you have not filed a claim by that time, you will likely lose out on your right to recover compensation. There are very limited exceptions to this rule. To protect your rights, you should speak to a Glendale auto accident lawyer as soon as possible after your collision.

How Do You Prove Liability for a California Car Accident?

California car accident claims are governed by the state’s comparative fault rules. As fault is based on negligence, injured victims must prove that another party acted in an unsafe manner and that those unsafe actions were a causal factor in the accident. In the overwhelming majority of cases, auto accidents are caused by negligent drivers. Unfortunately, in far too many cases, opposing drivers will refuse to admit their own culpability. In fact, they may even outright lie to responding police officers or to the insurance company. Injured car accident victims should work with a top-rated Glendale auto accident attorney who can investigate the crash and put together the evidence needed to prove fault. In car accident cases, negligence comes in a variety of different forms. Some of the most common examples include:

The running of a red light or stop sign;
Failure to yield to oncoming traffic;
Following another vehicle too closely;
Speeding or driving too fast for road conditions;
Making an unsafe lane change;
Failure to maintain lane interrigy;
Distracted driving;
Drugged driving;
Drunk driving; and
Manufacturer negligence.

You Deserve Fair Compensation

After you prove liability, your Glendale auto accident claim will move forward to the issue of damages. To get full compensation, it is imperative that you work with a lawyer who can properly document your losses. You will only be able to recover money for your injuries if you can prove the existence and value of your damages through strong supporting evidence. Insurance companies know full well that proving damages is a difficult task. Insurers work aggressively to try to reduce the value of car accident injury claims. Do not let them get away with it. Never accept of lowball settlement offer from the insurance company. You have a legal right to obtain money for the full value of your losses. This includes compensation for:

Repairs to your car;
Ambulance fees;
Emergency room fees;
Other medical bills;
Costs related to rehabilitation;
Lost current and future wages;
Long-term disability (LTD);
Pain and suffering;
Emotional distress;
Disfigurement;
Loss of a limb;
Loss of lifestyle enjoyment; and
Wrongful death.

You Can Afford a Car Accident Attorney in Glendale, CA

Many Glendale car accident victims worry that hiring a top-quality personal injury attorney is just too expensive. This is an understandable concern, but you do not have to worry: At Fisher & Talwar, we take on all car accident claims on a contingency fee basis. This means that we will advance any expenses required to pursue your legal claim. Further, we will only collect our attorney’s fees if we win or successfully settle your Glendale car accident case. Our legal team wants to put money back into your pocket, not take anything out of it.

No Attorney’s Fee Unless We Get You Money

You pay nothing upfront when we take on your case. Since we work on contingency basis, you only pay if you get money. This allows you to focus on treatment and recovery from your accident, while we focus on what we do best.

If you are worried that the attorney fee might not be worth it, then consider the following:

In most situations, the settlement amount negotiated by your attorney is two to three times higher than any money received by an injured person who is not represented by an attorney.

If you are not sure whether or not your claim is worth hiring an attorney for, please give us a call and we will give you free consultation and assist you in evaluating your case.

Free Consultation

Were You Injured in a Car Accident in Downey, California?

We can help. At Fisher & Talwar, our top-rated car accident attorneys in Downey have extensive experience handling complex personal injury claims. If you or a loved one was hurt in a Southern California auto accident, please call us today at (213) 891-0777 to set up your free initial consultation.