Santa Ana Car Accident Lawyers
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Our Santa Ana Car Accident Lawyers Help Injured Victims Understand Their Legal Options
Santa Ana is the county seat of Orange County, California, and is the second-most populous city in the county, after Anaheim. According to the 2020 United States Census, Santa Ana had a population of 309,441, with 76.7 percent of residents being Hispanic or Latino, 29.7 percent being white alone, 11.9 percent being Asian alone, 8.8 percent being two or more races, 1.0 percent being Black or African American, 0.9 percent being American Indian and Alaska Native alone, and 0.2 percent being Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander.
The Census reported that 48.6 percent of Santa Ana is female, with 10.0 percent of residents being 65 years of age and older, 25.0 percent being under 18 years of age, and 6.4 percent being less than 5 years of age. The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) reports that there were 36 fatal and injury accidents in Santa Ana in 2020 that included four motorcycles, 14 pedestrians, and one bicyclist.
There were 14 alcohol-involved crashes in Santa Ana in 2020, resulting in 258 driving under the influence (DUI) arrests and no cases involving drinking drivers under 21 years of age, while four crashes involved drinking drivers 21-34 years of age. The OTS reported that two crashes were speed-related, 10 were nighttime crashes (9:00 p.m. – 2:59 a.m.), and five were hit-and-run accidents.
The Santa Ana Freeway connects Los Angeles to the southeastern suburbs and is composed of Interstate 5 (I-5) and United States Route 101 (US 101). Major junctions of the Santa Ana Freeway include Interstate 405 (I-405) in Irvine, California State Route 133 (SR 133 or CA 133) in Irvine, California State Route 261 (SR 261 or CA 261) in Irvine, California State Route 55 (SR 55 or CA 55) in Tustin, California State Route 22 (SR 22 or CA 22) and California State Route 57 (SR 57 or CA 57) in Orange, California State Route 91 (SR 91 or CA 91) in Buena Park, Interstate 605 (I-605) in Downey, Interstate 710 (I-710) in Vernon, and I-5, Interstate 10 (I-10), US 101, and California State Route 60 (SR 60 or CA 60) in Boyle Heights as well as US 101 and California State Route 110 (SR 110 or CA 110) in Los Angeles.
There are several other much smaller local roads on which motor vehicle accidents can also occur in Santa Ana. Other common dangerous roads in Orange County include the Ortega Highway or State Route 74 (SR 74 or CA 74), Beach Boulevard on California State Route 39 (SR 39 or CA 39), Laguna Canyon Road, Interstate 405 (I-405), Alicia Parkway, and Bristol Street.
Car accidents can potentially cause injuries and even death. People can suffer many kinds of devastating injuries that may lead to significant and possibly lifelong expenses.
When you suffer an injury or your loved one is killed in a traffic accident caused by the negligence of another driver, consider seeking legal assistance. A Santa Ana car accident lawyer can review your case and tell you whether you’re eligible to pursue compensation for your injuries and other losses.
Arash Law’s experienced team of attorneys can review your case to assess how you may be able to pursue compensation that reflects the extent of the losses you incurred in a car accident. If you have a valid claim, our Santa Ana car accident law firm could also help negotiate a settlement on your behalf and, if necessary, prepare your case for trial.
Time is often of the essence in personal injury cases, which is why reaching out for legal help early on may be helpful. State law only provides a limited amount of time for filing an injury claim, so a person who waits too long can potentially lose their right to seek damages.
A farm worker, suffered multiple broken bones and other orthopedic injuries resulting from an auto accident where the defendant driver attempted to make a left turn in front of our client in heavy fog.– ARASH KHORSANDI
California Car Accidents By The Numbers
The California Highway Patrol’s 2019 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS) report stated that 3,737 people were killed and 269,031 people suffered an injury in motor vehicle accidents in California. This total included 187,211 injury crashes and 3,438 fatal crashes.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention further reports that traffic crash deaths in California involved $49 million in medical costs and $5.79 billion in work loss costs for a total of $5.83 billion in total losses. $3.4 billion of these costs were motor vehicle occupants, $1.3 billion was pedestrians, $911 million was motorcyclists, and $205 million was bicyclists.
The OTS also reported that traffic fatalities decreased 5.1 percent from 3,798 in 2018 to 3,606 in 2019, alcohol-impaired driving fatalities decreased 4.5 percent from 1,116 in 2018 to 1,066 in 2019, and motorcycle fatalities decreased 9.4 percent from 523 in 2018 to 474 in 2019. However, 50 percent of all drivers killed in motor vehicle crashes tested positive for legal or illegal drugs, an increase of 8 percent from 2018.
While pedestrian fatalities decreased by 0.6 percent from 978 in 2018 to 972 in 2019, pedestrian fatalities involving people 65 years of age and older increased by 1.9 percent from 218 in 2018 to 222 in 2019. The Department of Transportation (DOT) reported that California had 3,847 fatalities in motor vehicle accidents in 2020, which was the highest total since 3,884 in 2017.
What To Look For In A Santa Ana Car Accident Lawyer
If you’re on the hunt for a lawyer, you may be wondering how to assess whether you’d like them to handle your car accident case. When a person is seeking legal representation for a car crash, a few of the things they may want to keep in mind include:
- How much of a lawyer’s practice is actually dedicated to personal injury law? Does personal injury account for 100 percent of their cases? If a law firm advertises other areas of practice on its website, how much of its time is dedicated to personal injury cases?
- Does an attorney have any experience with a case similar to yours? Our Santa Ana car accident lawyers can tell you about similar cases they have handled in the past. You can ask them how those cases were resolved and the types of compensation their past clients pursued.
- How good will the lawyer be at communicating with the client during the case? You will want to know if you can get answers to your questions while a case is ongoing. Arash Law maintains constant communication with our clients, providing regular updates on their cases as we make progress.
Why Work With Arash Law For Your Car Accident Claim
If you’re seeking legal assistance after being injured in a car accident, consider consulting Arash Law. Over the years, our attorneys have helped clients in Santa Ana and across California pursue car accident cases.
The process will begin with a no-obligation initial consultation to discuss your case. Our firm can also come to you at your home or hospital room if you are unable to visit our office. Your initial consultation is completely free.
If you have a case, we can assist with filing a claim and preparing your case. We can then negotiate a settlement with insurance companies on your behalf. If these negotiations prove unproductive, we may study the feasibility of taking your case to court.
How Will A Santa Ana Car Accident Lawyer Be Able To Help Me?
People who are injured in minor accidents causing little more than minor property damage with no injuries probably will not need a lawyer. Any person who does suffer an injury or significant property damage, however, may need to seek compensation for medical bills and other accident-related losses.
If you have a valid claim, a Santa Ana car accident lawyer at Arash Law can help in the following ways:
- Independently investigate your accident and obtain all of the evidence relating to the crash, such as police reports, eyewitness statements, video and photo surveillance from the scene, and more.
- Obtain medical records and work with professionals to estimate the potential value of your losses.
- Negotiate with the insurance company of the liable party with the aim of agreeing on a settlement that covers your accident-related expenses.
- Prepare your case for a full trial if necessary to continue pursuing compensation.
Establishing Grounds For A Car Accident Claim
When people suffer injuries in motor vehicle accidents, they may be eligible to pursue compensation for their losses. A traditional car accident case is going to involve a victim claiming that another driver breached their duty of care, and a breach of duty can include any of the following actions:
- DUI of drugs or alcohol
- Distracted driving
- Illegal turns
- Reckless driving
- Speeding
- Failure to yield
The list above is only a partial list of possible causes of car accidents. Most people will have valid injury claims when they can prove another driver was at fault for their accident.
Even when the fault seems clear in a car accident, disputes regarding liability may arise. For example, this may occur when multiple at-fault parties cannot agree on each entity’s share of responsibility in causing a crash. It also needs to be noted that other drivers are not always the cause of car accidents, as certain vehicle malfunctions may make a part manufacturer liable for a defective part, or a governmental entity could be liable for a dangerous road that causes a crash.
Since insurance companies may be working with limited information when conducting their initial investigation into your accident, any settlement offers you receive early on may not fully reflect the extent of your losses. Accepting such offers may mean you forfeit your right to pursue compensation for the same crash, which may be an issue if you end up incurring other accident-related expenses down the line.
In these scenarios, it may be helpful to have a lawyer assist with disputes and review the settlement offers you receive. By independently investigating your accident, they may form a better idea of how much compensation you may need to pursue to align with your needs.
How Much Will My Car Accident Claim Be Worth?
One of the most common questions the Santa Ana car accident attorneys get at Arash Law concerns how much a case will be worth, which can be difficult to answer because so many variables can impact what is pursued. Some of the most common factors that can influence the potential value of a car accident claim include:
- Income you lost while you were incapacitated.
- How your injuries affect your future earning capabilities.
- Home modifications to accommodate your injuries.
- Lifelong disfigurement, scarring, disability, or the loss of a bodily function.
Arash Law can help estimate the value of your losses and negotiate a settlement accordingly. If such discussions fail, we could prepare to take your case to trial.
What People Can Do After A Car Crash In Santa Ana
There can often be incredible amounts of confusion following any car accident in California, so people will need to know which steps they must take as soon as possible. There are a number of important actions that car accident victims can take. Here are a few examples:
Seek Medical Attention
After any crash, a person must always seek medical attention, even when they do not think they have suffered an injury. It is important to remember that many injuries have delayed symptoms, and people who visit doctors days or weeks after accidents can run into problems proving their injuries were related to their crashes. Proper medical treatment is of the utmost concern for a person’s long-term health.
Contact A Lawyer
During your free initial consultation, the team at Arash Law can listen to what happened, review the evidence you have on hand, and help you understand what your rights and options are. Seeking assistance from Santa Ana car accident lawyers early on can help you manage the immediate tasks you may have to accomplish after your accident, such as communicating with the insurance company of the negligent driver.
File An Insurance Claim
People who suffer injuries in car accidents can file claims with the insurance companies of the negligent drivers, but they should be prepared for a potentially complex and lengthy process to pursue compensation. A skilled personal injury lawyer can assist with checking whether you have a valid claim, filing it within the applicable legal deadlines, drafting and sending a demand letter to the at-fault party and their insurance company, and negotiating a settlement on your behalf.
File A Lawsuit In Court
If settlement negotiations fail, injured car accident victims may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit in a California civil court. People may want to have an attorney’s help when filing a lawsuit because lawsuits involve a series of court proceedings that could potentially present challenges to those unfamiliar with litigation.
Common Kinds Of Car Accident Injuries
The first concern most people have when they hear about a car accident is whether anybody was hurt. There is little doubt that most car accidents have the potential to cause injury to people, and the question will be how severe the injuries are.
Many different factors can dictate the severity of injuries in accidents, including the speeds at which vehicles are traveling, the sizes of the vehicles involved, and many other factors. The following are some of the most common kinds of injuries stemming from California car accidents.
Spinal Cord Injuries
An injury to the spinal cord will involve damage to the bundle of cells and nerves, sending and receiving signals from the brain to and from the rest of the body. Such injuries may be the result of direct injuries to the spinal cord itself or from damage to the tissue and bones (vertebrae) surrounding the spinal cord. Damage may result in temporary or permanent changes in sensation, movement, strength, and body functions below the site of an injury. An incomplete spinal cord injury involves a spinal cord still transmitting messages to and from the brain to the rest of the body, while a complete spinal cord injury has no nerve communication and motor function (voluntary movement) below the site where the trauma occurred.
Spinal cord injuries may cause symptoms such as numbness, tingling, a loss of or changes in sensation in the hands and feet, paralysis, weakness or inability to move any part of the body, pain or pressure in the head, neck, or back, loss of movement, loss of bladder and bowel control, unnatural positions of the spine or head, difficulty breathing, problems walking, and changes in sexual function.
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)
A TBI is an acquired brain injury occurring when a sudden trauma causes damage to the brain. A TBI can be the result of a person’s head suddenly and violently hitting an object or an object piercing their skull and entering brain tissue. Symptoms of TBIs can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the extent of damage to the brain. People with mild TBIs may remain conscious or experience a loss of consciousness for only a few seconds or minutes, but other symptoms of mild TBI can include headaches, confusion, lightheadedness, dizziness, blurred vision or tired eyes, ringing in the ears, bad taste in the mouth, fatigue or lethargy, behavioral or mood changes, changes in sleep patterns, and trouble with memory, concentration, attention, or thinking.
People with moderate or severe TBIs may show the same symptoms but can also have headaches that get worse or do not go away, suffer from repeated vomiting or nausea, convulsions or seizures, have the inability to awaken from sleep, suffer dilation of one or both pupils in the eyes, weakness or numbness in the extremities, slurred speech, loss of coordination, and increased confusion, restlessness, or agitation.
About half of severely head-injured TBI patients require surgery to remove or repair hematomas (ruptured blood vessels) or contusions (bruised brain tissue). Common disabilities associated with TBIs include problems with cognition (thinking, memory, and reasoning), sensory processing (sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell), communication (expression and understanding), and behavior or mental health (depression, anxiety, personality changes, aggression, acting out, and social inappropriateness).
Some cases can also involve intracranial hematoma (ICH), which involves several types of blood clots in or around the brain. Different types of ICH are classified based on their location in the brain, and the types can range from mild head injuries to very serious and potentially life-threatening injuries, and different types of ICH include epidural hematoma, which occurs when a blood clot forms underneath the skull but on top of the dura, the covering that surrounds the brain; subdural hematoma, which occurs when a blood clot forms underneath the skull and underneath the dura, but outside of the brain; contusions or intracerebral hematoma, which is a bruise to the brain itself causing bleeding and swelling inside of the brain around the area where the head was struck; and diffuse axonal injuries (DAIs), which are usually caused by shaking of the brain back and forth.
Broken Bones Or Fractures
Fractures are bone breaks resulting from forces exceeding the strength of the osseous tissue in the bone. Many fractures stemming from excessive external forces will be traumatic fractures. Certain fractures do not need too much time to heal, but other kinds of fractures may require surgery or lead to long-term disabilities. Serious fractures might require reconstructive surgery as well as the insertion of pins, plates, and screws that also require longer hospital stays, rehabilitation, and sometimes additional surgeries.
Fractures may range in severity from minor inconveniences requiring very little medical intervention to severe and life-threatening injuries that can take months to years for a person to reach complete recovery. Bone fractures generally include simple fractures and compound fractures. Simple fractures or closed fractures are broken bones that remain within the body and do not penetrate the skin. Compound fractures or open fractures, on the other hand, are broken bones that penetrate through the skin and may expose the bone and deep tissues to the exterior environment.
Needless to say, compound fractures are much more serious than simple fractures because they can involve complications with deep infections caused by open wounds. There are other types of fractures, such as comminuted fractures that involve bones broken in at least two places. Transverse fractures happen when a bone breaks perpendicular to its length, meaning the fracture pattern is a straight line running in the opposite direction of the bone. Oblique fractures involve bones breaking at angles. Spiral fractures happen when a bone is broken with a twisting motion, creating a fracture line wrapping around the bone and looking like a corkscrew. Avulsion fractures involve small pieces of bone tearing off from the main bone because of the application of extreme force to ligaments or tendons.
In construction accidents, injured workers may suffer more than just a single broken bone, and fractures can prevent them from returning to work for months or even years. Severe fractures can lead to a recovery period that may be a very long and painful process requiring physical therapy, rehabilitation, and additional surgeries. In some cases, these injuries can be so severe that a victim is unable to return to work in any capacity, potentially leading to significant financial hardship.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Common kinds of soft tissue injuries include whiplash, contusions, sprains, tendonitis, bursitis, stress fractures, strains, and tenosynovitis. Repetitive strain injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, can also be soft tissue injuries.
Amputations
An amputation is the removal of a limb by trauma, medical illness, or surgery. A surgical measure is usually employed to control pain or a disease process in the affected limb. Upper extremity amputations can include partial hand amputations involving the removal of part of the hand, wrist disarticulations involving removal of the hand after separating it from the lower arm at the wrist, below-the-elbow amputations involving removal of part of the lower arm by cutting across the bones of the lower arm, elbow disarticulations involving removal of the lower arm after separating it from the upper arm at the elbow, above-the-elbow amputations involving removal of the lower arm, elbow, and part of the upper arm by cutting across the upper arm bone, shoulder disarticulations involving removal of an entire arm after separating it from a shoulder, and forequarter amputations involving removal of the arm and part of the shoulder.
Internal Organ Injuries
An internal injury is one of the most dangerous types of injuries because when such injuries do not receive immediate treatment, they can cause serious complications or even death. Common kinds of internal injuries may include brain bleeds, broken ribs, pneumothorax involving a rib puncturing a lung, abdominal aorta aneurysms in which the stomach is compressed during an accident and causes a rupture of the abdominal aorta, internal organ injuries, ruptured spleens, and internal bleeding.
Many of these kinds of injuries may be considered catastrophic because they can result in lasting impairments or disabilities. Victims might be eligible for compensation if their injuries lead to lifelong disabilities.
Even when injuries do not necessarily cause lifelong problems, they might still lead to significant financial burdens in the short term. People who are injured may be eligible to pursue compensation for related costs, depending on their case details.
Common Causes Of Car Accidents
Car accidents in the Santa Ana area have a wide variety of possible causes. Most crashes stem from driver negligence, and common examples of driver negligence include, but are not limited to:
- Distracted driving
- Driver fatigue or drowsy driving
- Aggressive driving
- Drunk or drugged driving
- Speeding
- Tailgating
- Dangerous lane changes
- Failure to yield
- Inclement weather
- Unsafe lane changes
- Improper turns
Not all of these causes necessarily involve other drivers. In certain cases, contributing factors to a car accident may include:
- Automobile Defects — Vehicle manufacturers or suppliers may be responsible for injuries caused by defective parts under product liability actions.
- Mechanics — People who improperly repair cars and cause injuries could be liable.
- Alcohol Providers — California Civil Code § 1714 states that “the furnishing of alcoholic beverages is not the proximate cause of injuries resulting from intoxication, but rather the consumption of alcoholic beverages is the proximate cause of injuries inflicted upon another by an intoxicated person.” The code basically absolves all bars and restaurants of legal liability for accidents caused by drunk drivers, but two important exceptions concern accidents caused by drunk drivers who are minors. In these cases, people who provide alcohol to minors at private premises may be liable, and businesses that sell alcohol to minors might also be liable.
It can be difficult for a person to know who a claim should be filed against, which is one scenario where they can consider seeking legal guidance. Experienced car accident lawyers can help identify the proper liable party and take appropriate action.
Settlement in a motor vehicle accident; client suffered internal injuries.– JUDD ROSS ALLEN
Is California Considered A No-Fault State?
There are several states in the nation that are considered no-fault states, meaning that people must turn to their own insurance companies to cover their losses. California, however, is an at-fault state, meaning that people responsible for causing motor vehicle accidents may be responsible for covering a victim’s damages.
With a valid claim, car accident victims could seek compensation from a negligent party up to the limits of their insurance policy. When damages exceed the limits of an insurance policy, a person may be able to file a lawsuit against the driver directly.
It is important to remember that California is a comparative negligence state, which means that injured victims found to be partially at fault for a crash could have their award reduced by their own share of negligence. For instance, a plaintiff who is awarded $100,000 in a car accident but is found to have been 20 percent at fault will have their award reduced by $20,000 and ultimately recover $80,000.
Possible Defendants In A Santa Ana Car Accident Case
Most car accident cases will be fairly clear-cut instances of one driver being at fault and that driver being responsible for damages. There are certainly cases, however, that can be complicated by multiple drivers being liable for injuries or even other parties being at fault.
Drivers in California may have uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage that covers damages in the event that another driver does not have enough insurance to cover liability obligations. When you work with Santa Ana car accident lawyers, they can investigate every possible source of compensation given the circumstances of your case. For example, you may be able to file a claim against a local government for faulty road design, faulty traffic signals, or other forms of negligence.
Impact Of The Statute Of Limitations On Car Accident Cases
California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1 establishes that any action for injury to, or for the death of, a person caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another person must be filed within two years of the date of an accident. The time limit is known as the statute of limitations, and it can impact how your case will be handled. Failing to file a lawsuit within the statute of limitations generally means you forfeit your right to pursue compensation in court. Some exceptions may apply, which our Santa Ana car accident lawyers can clarify for you.
This is one reason why you may wish to get an attorney involved early on. Doing so could give them enough time to guide you through the claims process and, in the event that settlement negotiations fail, assess whether filing a lawsuit is necessary in your case.
Types Of Compensation For Car Accidents In California
When it comes to what injured victims can pursue through car accident cases in California, compensatory damages typically come in two forms: economic damages and non-economic damages. Economic damages are tangible costs people can calculate and prove, while non-economic damages are far more subjective and generally do not have financial value.
Examples of these damages include:
- Medical Expenses — Medical bills are one of the most common kinds of damages in these cases, as most injured car accident victims are going to have some expenses relating to their medical care. There is a wide variety of medical bills, too, that can include ambulance transport, emergency care, hospitalization, time in the ICU, surgical procedures, physical therapy, medication, medical equipment, and many more. When a person requires medical care in the future, those costs could also be factored into a car accident claim.
- Lost Income — People who suffer a severe injury may be unable to return to work. Even when they are cleared to return to work, their injuries might restrict what they can do. Some people may have to accept lower-paying jobs because of their impairments, and some people may be unable to find work at all. Lost income aims to compensate people for these issues.
- Non-Economic Damages — Non-economic damages cover non-pecuniary losses. Common kinds of non-economic damages include pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, emotional trauma, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of consortium, and inconvenience.
The potential amount of compensation that an injured victim may pursue can vary depending on the circumstances surrounding their accident. Arash Law may work with economic and financial experts to support its estimates, which our lawyers may then use to help clients seek compensation.
Schedule A Free Initial Consultation With Our Santa Ana Car Accident Lawyers
If you were recently injured in a car accident caused by another’s negligence, you may face challenges when trying to pursue compensation for your losses. Arash Law is ready to learn how we may assist you through a free case review. Our team of skilled car accident lawyers in Santa Ana can help investigate your case and, if you have a valid claim, assist in pursuing the compensation that may be available to you. You can call us for a free initial consultation at (888) 488-1391, or you can contact us online.
Our Santa Ana car accident law firm serves many surrounding areas of Santa Ana, including Orange, Tustin, Garden Grove, Tustin Foothills, Fountain Valley, Irvine, Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Stanton, Westminster, Fullerton, Placentia, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, and Yorba Linda. You can also consult our car accident lawyers to discuss crashes that take place elsewhere in California.
