Have you ever been involved in a car accident in Los Angeles? In the rush of events, it becomes challenging to make a rational decision. How should you deal with the change of circumstances after a crash? How do you seek compensation for the damages? What happens to the vehicle? What happens to the at-fault driver? Should you contact your insurance company right away? A lot of questions cross through a mind.
To make sure you don’t make bad decisions in a hurry, hiring a car accident attorney can be helpful. His job is to ensure the victim gets the maximum possible compensation by fighting all the forces like the insurance company, defending party, and others.
Here is some basic knowledge on hiring a Los Angeles car accident lawyer.
Statute of Limitation
According to the motor vehicle stats of Los Angeles, there is a vast number of registered vehicles in Los Angeles, making it 7.75 million motor vehicle owners.
Like in every other state and country, Los Angeles also maintains a stature of elimination when filing a car accident lawsuit. California provides car accident victims two years to file a car accident lawsuit starting from when the injury is discovered (as a repercussion of the car accident).
If the injury is caused by an employee of a government entity, for instance, if the accused driver was driving a government vehicle when the accident happened, the plaintiff is granted a period of 6 months to file a written government claim.
This statute of limitation does not apply if the defendant’s party is an insurance company. If you want to use an insurance company for a car accident, the claim must be filed immediately after the crash. Any delay in suing the insurance company may result in losing your rightful compensation. A car accident attorney works its best to turn the case in your favor in such adverse situations.
Types of Car Accident Compensation Claims in Los Angeles
What sort of compensation can you expect when filing a car accident lawsuit in Los Angeles? The victims are available to claim for damages like:
- Full coverage of medical bills arising out of accident injuries
- The compensation for past lost income and the future income
- The damages caused to the vehicle
- Household and out of pocket expenses incurred due to an accident
- Non-economic damages like pain and suffering caused due to the accident
- Loss of living quality life (if the victim is paralyzed or suffered from life-altering conditions)
In Los Angeles, the victim is entitled to recover both the monetary and non-monetary damages and the punitive damages at times. The amount of compensation is estimated based on the crash’s severity, and other factors are taken into consideration. These include the severity of the injuries, the number of at-fault parties involved in the accident, the number of medical bills (for hospitalization, surgery, medicines, etc.), and more.
Common Rules of Car Accidents You Should Know
Here are important details to keep in mind if you’re in a Los Angeles car crash.
Who Determines Who Is At Fault in an Accident?
It is not the police that determines who is the at-fault driver in a car accident. The police officer’s job is only limited to preparing the on-scene accident report by interviewing the witnesses and involved accident drivers. This report is further used by the court judges, insurance companies, and even car accident lawyers to fight for their rights.
In car crashes where one of the drivers is found driving under influence, such driver is taken into custody for further investigation.
Do Not Consider an Insurance Company as Your Friend
It is important to inform your insurance company about the accident immediately. However, don’t expect them to work in your favor. The insurance company has professionals that work upon trying to minimize the compensation amount. They may also use unfair reasons to do so if you do not have an attorney by your side.
You Can Sue the At-Fault Driver Even When the Injuries Are Discovered After a Year
Some injuries take time to be visible. The injury does not have to be visible just after the accident to claim compensation. Some injuries like disk herniation, spinal trauma, brain injuries are discovered way later. A plaintiff can still sue the at-fault party if it meets the Los Angles statute of limitation. You need to file the claim within two years of the discovery of such injury.
Hiring a Los Angeles car accident lawyer is not a waste of money when the case is strong and complicated.