Newport Beach Car Accident Lawyers
Newport Beach Car Accident Lawyers You Can Trust
If you have suffered injuries in a car crash, you need a reliable lawyer to protect your legal rights. Many drivers and insurance companies are often involved in even the most “simple” car accident case.
When a company or a third party is involved in the case, there are even more insurance companies and lawyers, and the injury victim’s legal rights can easily get overlooked. Our dedicated Newport Beach car accident lawyers are here to fight for your rights.
We will help you understand what is happening at every step of the claims process. Learn more about Newport Beach car accident statistics, the lasting effects of car accident injuries, the compensation you deserve for your injuries, and who may pay for your accident-related losses. Schedule a free consultation with a car accident lawyer in Newport Beach by calling (888) 488-1391.
Our client was driving with his wife and son on a two-lane highway when a drunk driver crossed the double yellow lines, causing a head-on collision that claimed the life of a loving wife and mother.– Arash Khorsandi
Newport Beach Car Accident Statistics
According to Orange County’s Healthier Together program, the OC had a lower rate of car accident fatalities than either California or the United States as a whole between 2016 and 2018. The news is not all good, however. There were still 7.2 road fatalities per hundred thousand Orange County residents during that time. This statistic was also a slight increase from prior years.
And in addition to these fatalities, thousands of victims suffered all sorts of injuries. Some of these were devastating disabilities that permanently changed the course of the victim’s life – and their family members’ lives, as well. Even minor injuries can leave victims with ongoing pain, discomfort, and financial losses for years to come. This fact is why it is so important to hold negligent drivers accountable for the damage they cause.
Car Accidents Can Leave Victims Permanently Disabled
For too many injury victims, a car accident is a disabling experience. Serious car accidents can leave a victim unable to ever work again – or even perform simple tasks, like eating or getting dressed. These devastating losses affect every area of a victim’s life. It takes a significant amount of compensation to pay for all the many losses they experience. Here are a few of the injuries that are most likely to lead to permanent disabilities:
Traumatic Brain Injuries
The brain is the most vital organ in the entire body. It controls every aspect of life, including the most basic functions of breathing and keeping your heart beating. The brain is also one of the most vulnerable organs in the body. Though the skull and various other layers protect it, it can still be damaged all too easily in a car accident.
Even minor brain injuries can leave a victim with lingering headaches, dizziness, or cognitive difficulties (such as confusion and forgetfulness). More serious brain injuries can cause devastating disabilities. A traumatic brain injury could leave a victim in a coma. When they awake, the victim could not remember even their family members.
They will almost certainly be out of work for a time – or even for the rest of their life. They might need full-time nursing care. These losses are costly, both on a financial and emotional level. Brain injury victims are entitled to compensation for their economic and non-economic losses.
Spinal Cord Injuries and Paralysis
The spinal cord is another delicate organ that can be injured all too easily in a car accident. If the spinal cord or column is bruised or strained, the victim could suffer paralysis or lost range of motion for weeks or even months. More serious injuries can result in permanent paralysis. The victim might be in a wheelchair for the rest of their life.
While this does not prevent every victim from working, many physically demanding jobs simply cannot be performed from a wheelchair. Paralyzed injury victims are entitled to compensation for the cost of retraining in a new career. Suppose the victim is left unable to return to any type of gainful employment. In that case, he or she may be able to recover compensation for all the wages they could have earned between the date of the accident and their expected retirement age.
Amputations
Amputations have clear definitions under existing disability law, which makes it easier for victims to prove the extent of the loss that amputation has caused in their life. However, it is still important to work with an experienced car accident lawyer who can prove the value of your unique pain and suffering after an amputation. There are many ways that a car accident can lead to amputation.
If your limb is crushed in the accident or deprived of blood flow for too long, doctors might be unable to save it. Some amputations become necessary after lengthy treatment in the hospital. Whatever your situation, you are entitled to compensation for all the medical bills resulting from amputation after a car accident. You are also entitled to compensation for the decreased quality of life you must endure after the amputation.
Even Injuries You Recover From Can Leave Lasting Damage
Not all car accident injuries are as dramatic as amputation or paralysis. But even minor injuries that seem treatable can leave a victim with pain and suffering for years to come. Injury victims are entitled to compensation for the ongoing emotional losses they will suffer in the future.
Here are some of the most common non-economic losses that car accident victims endure after their initial medical treatment:
Scars and Disfigurement
It is not uncommon for car accident victims to have long-term physical reminders of their injuries. You might have a scar from being cut by glass or scars from a surgery that was necessary to repair broken bones. Perhaps you lost a toe. There are many ways that a car accident can permanently alter your body.
Even if they can still play, their skills will be affected. They will also have to deal with the emotional losses of a disfigured body. It can take a significant amount of compensation to pay the victim for these serious, ongoing losses.
Ongoing Pain and Suffering
Finishing your medical treatment or physical therapy does not mean that you will never be in pain again. Many injury victims experience soreness, aches, and discomfort for years to come. Long-term pain is especially common with soft tissue injuries (like sprains and strains) and neck injuries (like whiplash).
You must get all the medical care you need to reduce your ongoing symptoms. Some pain, however, does continue long after an accident occurs. You are entitled to compensation for this pain. You are also entitled to compensation for the emotional suffering it causes.
A General Decrease In the Overall Quality Of Your Life
The emotional suffering associated with car crash injuries is often worse than the physical pain they cause. Even something as simple as losing sleep can affect all areas of your life. You could miss work, which could cause worry about your job performance.
The stress of losing sleep and worrying about work could lead to a fight with your partner – or even cause you to be short-tempered with your children. Many car accident victims find that their lives are affected in various ways due to their injuries. You are entitled to compensation for these emotional losses as well as your lost quality of life.
Largest motorcycle settlement in Tulare County in 2021; client suffered spinal and wrist injuries.– Judd Ross Allen
Who Pays for Car Accident Injuries?
The person legally at fault for causing your accident also has a legal obligation to compensate you for your injuries. The fact that someone else is responsible for your losses is why it is important to work with an experienced injury lawyer who knows how to find all potential defendants in a car accident claim.
If you just file a claim with one driver’s insurance company, you could miss out on compensation that you deserve for your injuries. The experienced motor vehicle accident attorneys at Arash Law led by Arash Khorsandi, Esq. investigate all of our cases thoroughly to identify all parties who have a legal obligation to pay our clients. Some defendants may not be at the scene of the accident at all. Learn more about the individuals and companies who can be found liable for car accident injuries:
Another Driver
All drivers owe a duty of care to everyone else on the road. This duty requires them to operate their vehicles with “reasonable prudence.” If they do not act as a reasonably prudent driver would in the same circumstances, they can be found negligent. Drivers have a legal obligation to pay for the property damage and injuries they cause through their negligence.
This potential liability is why California (like other states) requires all drivers to carry auto insurance with minimum liability coverage. This requirement ensures that negligent drivers can compensate people they injure. Sometimes negligence is obvious. If a driver is impaired or violates traffic laws, this is usually enough to establish that they were at fault for an accident.
But liability is not always this clear. Sometimes it is not clear who has the right of way. In these circumstances, a driver’s insurance company could try to say that someone else was at fault and deny your claim altogether. Two or more drivers can also share liability. The insurance company could even try to blame you for the accident.
These tactics can reduce the amount of compensation that the insurance company has to pay you. You do not have to fight back against these tricks on your own. Arash Khorsandi and his award-winning experienced car crash lawyers at Arash Law know how to fight back and prove who was at fault for causing your injuries.
The Vehicle’s Owner
Have you ever let a friend or family member borrow your car? Most of us have at one time or another. In this case, your auto insurance policy can still cover accidents caused by someone who had permission to drive your vehicle. This third-party coverage ensures that auto insurance is available to accident victims – even if the driver is not the car owner.
This rule is also important when accidents involve work vehicles that an employee drives. The employer’s auto insurance policy usually will not list every employee as a covered driver. But so long as the employee did have permission to use the work vehicle, the employer’s auto insurance policy is likely to cover any injuries the employee causes.
An Employer
Your employer might also have to pay for your car accident injuries. Workers ‘ compensation coverage could apply if you were on the job when the accident occurred. You do not have to be in a work vehicle. You also do not have to be officially “clocked in.” If you are injured while running a work errand in your vehicle, this your employer’s workers compensation policy may provide you with benefits.
Workers’ compensation coverage can become complicated in these circumstances. Suppose you have a separate claim against the driver who caused the accident. In that case, the workers’ compensation carrier could seek reimbursement for the losses it paid that a settlement with the other driver’s insurance company compensates you for. It is always important to hire an injury lawyer to protect your legal rights, especially when you have a workers’ compensation and personal injury claim.
An Auto Manufacturer
Some auto accidents are the result of vehicle defects. Auto manufacturers are responsible for injuries caused by the defective vehicles they sell due to strong American consumer protection laws. These cases can involve complicated technical issues. The injury victim’s lawyer must prove what the defect was, how it caused the accident, and how the accident led to the victim’s injuries.
Different legal issues tend to arise in defective vehicle cases. You need a car accident lawyer who has specific experience handling product liability cases in these circumstances. Our experienced injury lawyers have an entire network of expert witnesses.
We know how to prove complicated technical issues involving the minute inner workings of complex vehicles. Our experts know how to testify in court and persuade a jury. We work closely with our experts to present a compelling case that a defective vehicle caused your injuries so that you have access to all the compensation you are legally entitled to.
FAQ About Newport Beach Car Accidents
You will probably have many questions after being involved in a car accident. Our Newport Beach personal injury attorneys have prepared this guide to answer some of the most common questions we hear regarding auto accidents. Of course, we cannot answer all your questions here, and we cannot give you any legal advice specific to your case. This fact is why it is so important to schedule your free consultation with one of our Newport Beach car accident lawyers as soon as possible.
Every driver on the road is legally responsible ("liable") for damages and injuries they cause. An injury victim has a civil claim against a negligent driver, and this gives them the legal right to compensation for all of their injuries and losses. The law requires drivers to carry auto insurance to ensure that funds are available to pay these costs. After an accident, the first step is to file a claim against the negligent driver's insurance company.
But what happens if the insurance company denies your claim, the driver has no insurance, or there is not enough coverage to pay for all of your losses? The injury victim is still entitled to compensation in these situations. If the insurance company wrongfully denies your claim or refuses to make a fair settlement offer, your lawyer may advise you to file a lawsuit against the negligent driver.
Filling a lawsuit allows you to take your case to court and let a jury decide what your injuries are fairly worth. You might also have other claims against other defendants aside from the negligent driver’s insurance policy. The experienced injury lawyers at our firm will find all possible defendants, claims, and insurance policies that are available to you to ensure that you do not miss out on any compensation you are legally entitled to.
Some injury victims choose to handle their legal claims. You certainly have the right to do so, but this is not always in your best interest. Several factors are involved in why injury victims with lawyers consistently receive higher settlements than those who handle their claims without legal advice. Here are just a few of the most common reasons why this is the case:
- An injury lawyer can tell you what your claim is worth.
- An injury lawyer knows how to prove the full value of your pain and suffering in court - and use this information to secure a fair settlement offer.
- An injury lawyer knows how to find all potential defendants and prove all your legal claims to ensure that you do not miss out on any compensation you deserve.
- An injury lawyer can stand up to the insurance company (and its army of lawyers) to protect your legal rights from lowball settlement offers, shifting the blame, and other common tactics.
- An injury lawyer will not let your rights get lost in the shuffle when multiple defendants, multiple insurance companies, and multiple lawyers are involved in a complex case.
It is important to hire an accident lawyer as soon as possible. The other party can use what you blurt out on the accident scene against you. Critical evidence can be lost if your lawyer does not act quickly.
And while the statute of limitations might seem far away, your lawyer will need time to thoroughly investigate your case with enough time to prepare court filings before that deadline passes. The sooner you hire your car accident injury attorney, the better protected your legal rights will be.
Every case is different. You are entitled to compensation for your specific pain and suffering in your unique circumstances, so you need an experienced car accident lawyer to evaluate your case and tell you what is fair for you. Insurance companies do not like to do this much work. They like to use a simple mathematical formula that calculates pain and suffering based on the value of your medical bills.
This method is not a fair way to look at each case. A victim with few medical bills could still have incredibly painful injuries. And a victim who went to the hospital will have significant medical bills, but they might not experience lingering pain and discomfort after being discharged.
Each victim is entitled to whatever compensation is fair for their unique pain and suffering. Of course, the insurance company will not tell you that you are entitled to more compensation, so all victims should hire their accident attorney to evaluate their case and give them a fair assessment of its value.
Yes! California law follows comparative negligence rules, which means that each person is liable for their negligence. It is not unusual for more than one person to be at fault in a car accident. Two or more drivers might each have been negligent. A bicyclist or pedestrian might be crossing against a light.
A single driver might be only partly at fault for the accident in these circumstances. Insurance companies assign a percentage of fault to each party to determine what portion of your losses they must pay. For example, suppose a driver was 80 percent at fault for hitting you, but you were 20 percent at fault for crossing the street outside of a sidewalk. In this case, the law entitles you to 80 percent of your total losses
As you can see, when you are partly at fault for causing an accident, the law reduces your compensation. This fact is why insurance companies often try to blame the victim for at least part of their injuries. When they do, it does not mean you are at fault, and it is important to get a legal opinion from your injury lawyer, who is actually on your side.
(Remember, the insurance company works for the other driver.) Our car accident lawyers will determine whether you were at fault in any amount, what that amount should be, and what compensation you deserve from the defendant for their portion of negligence.
Nothing! (Or at least, as little as possible.) Anything you say to the insurance company can be used against you when it comes time to settle your claim. Claims adjusters and insurance lawyers know just how to twist a person’s words against them. You do not want to give them any possible chance to hurt your case.
As soon as you notify the other driver's insurance company that you have a lawyer, they cannot contact you about the claim. All communications must go through your attorney's office. This rule protects you from saying anything the insurance company could use against you.
It is important to understand this right because many insurance companies will ask you to give a recorded statement about the accident during their first call to you. You do not have to do this. Simply let them know that your lawyer will be contacting them about the accident. Arash Khorsandi and his legal team at Arash Law will take it from there.
One of your lawyer’s most important jobs is to identify who was at fault (“liable”) for causing your swimming pool accident. The person who caused your injuries has a legal obligation to compensate you for them, so it is important to identify all potential defendants in a personal injury lawsuit. A defendant could be an individual or a company.
There could be multiple defendants who have multiple insurance policies to cover the pool. Our experienced Sacramento pool injury lawyers know how to find all defendants and prove their negligence in a court of law. Common defendants in a personal injury case involving swimming pool accidents include what follows.
Speak With a Newport Beach Car Accident Attorney With an A+ Rating From the B.B.B
A quick internet search for “Newport Beach car accident lawyers near me” will show you many positive reviews of our reputable California injury firm. We work hard to get results for our clients, and we will fight for your legal rights, too. Our experienced legal team has collected over 500 Million dollars for clients across the Golden State.
We work in Newport Beach and throughout Orange County. Our legal team also serves clients in Los Angeles, Sacramento, Riverside, Bakersfield, Santa Barbara, San Jose, San Diego, Fresno, Sherman Oaks, San Francisco, and throughout California. Call (888) 488-1391 or contact us online today to schedule your free consultation. Remember, we never charge any legal fees unless we win your case.
