Car Accident Lawyer

Ariel Law Group Will Fight ForYour Rights In Car Accident Cases

Car Accident Lawyer Serving California

Why is it important to have a car accident lawyer on your side? Recent IIHS statistics for California indicate that 52% of vehicular accident deaths occur among drivers and passengers in cars and increasingly in pickup trucks and SUVs. Rear-end crashes, often caused by tailgating, account for about 29% of collisions, but front or side crashes are the most deadly and are responsible for 54% and 25% of passenger vehicle occupant deaths, respectively (IIHS, 2018).

Although cars are getting safer with increased rollover protection, 7,488 passenger vehicle occupants died in rollover crashes, with 28% of the deaths not involving any other impact. While some crashes may have resulted from distracted driving or weather conditions, others may be due to road hazards that might be the result of neglect by a municipality or other governmental body.

If you are injured or lose a loved one in a vehicular accident by a car, light truck, or SUV, the lawyers at the Ariel Law Group are ready to help you by taking action against the other party or even a governmental entity. See all of our frequently asked questions below to learn more about what you should do if you are in a car accident.

*Unless otherwise noted, the statistics used below were compiled here from various sources

Do I need to hire a car accident lawyer?

If you have an injury as a result of a car accident, the short answer is yes. In these cases, it’s best to begin by consulting with a car accident lawyer. 

Due to shock and other things that may be on your mind in the immediate aftermath of a car accident, injuries aren’t always immediately noticeable. They make take time to appear and when they do, they may cause debilitating pain. This is why it’s crucial to speak with a car accident lawyer about your options. 

If you’ve been in a car accident that has affected your ability to work, required emergency medical care, or required hospitalization, it’s time to speak to a California car accident lawyer. 

What should I do after a car accident?

• Call 911 to request police officers and emergency vehicles in case of serious injury or death. If the accident was a fender bender with no serious injuries, you can skip this step.
• Get information about the other parties involved in the car accident. Write down the license plates, makes, models, and years of other vehicles and obtain the names of the other parties involved in the accident, driver’s license number, and insurance card. Pull out your phone and take a picture of any documents as well as the condition of the cars to speed up and make the information exchange accurate.
• Take photos of the vehicles, any damage that they sustained, as well as any visible injuries you have sustained. A witness may be willing to help you take photos if you can’t.
• Record perceptions of the accident on your phone or write detailed notes about the crash and your injuries. This will help you remember the details of the accident so you can accurately recall them later. Try to get the names and contact information of any witnesses or passengers in the car, as this information will help your attorney and insurance company evaluate your case.
• Seek medical attention immediately. Even if you walk away from the accident without obvious injuries, you may have a head injury or soft tissue injury you are not aware of. If you later determine you were injured in the accident, the insurance company may minimize your injuries.
• Look carefully at the scene of the accident. Are there potholes, other road conditions, potentially inadequate lighting, malfunctioning traffic lights, or blocked stop signs? This information might help your attorney build a case about accident frequency where yours occurred.
• Contact an experienced personal injury lawyer to make sure you get a fair settlement. In a comparative negligence state like California, you might be offered a settlement that sounds good but is less than you deserve. As your attorney, the Ariel Law Group will negotiate with the other party’s insurance on your behalf after approximating how much of the fault of the accident injured party in a car, truck, motorcycle, or pedestrian accident contributed to it. We will fight for your rights– even if you have no insurance or driver’s license.

What should I not do after a car accident?

• Do not admit fault for the accident. Apologizing may be seen as an admittance of fault as well. Even if you think that the accident was your fault, don’t share that thought with the police, the other party, or insurance adjusters or representatives. Once you get your lawyer, our investigation may identify other responsible parties or circumstances. We will communicate with the other parties’ insurances.
• Do not delay medical treatment. 
• Do not talk to the other insurance company on your own. Let us handle all communication with insurance companies and other parties.
• Do not accept any settlement offers or settlement agreements without first consulting with your car accident lawyer.

What kind of questions should I ask a car accident lawyer before hiring them?

• Have you handled any cases similar to mine? How many?
• How are expenses handled if I lose?
• What are your fees?
• What kind of staff and financial resources do you have to handle my case?
• How many years of experience do you have handling California car accident cases?
• How long will my case take to resolve?
• Is there anything I can do to improve my chances of winning my case?
• Has your firm won any cases in a jury verdict? How many?
• What have been your top 5 jury verdict cases?
• Did you need outside lawyers for these cases or were these top verdicts with your firm’s lawyers?

What types of compensation may I be entitled to?

• Past and future medical bills related to injuries sustained in the car accident. This includes hospital bills, ambulance bills, physical therapy, consultations with specialists, in-home care services, and psychiatric counseling
• Past and future lost wages resulting from the accident.
• Property damage. In the case of an accident, this typically refers to compensation for the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle.
• Pain and suffering resulting from physical pain, emotional distress, mental anguish, and loss of consortium. 
• Punitive damages if the accident was the result of malicious or willful actions.

Will I be able to get compensation even if I am partly to blame for the accident?

Yes. California is a comparative negligence state, which means that any person involved in an accident might be responsible for a percentage of the blame.

As your attorney in accident cases, part of our job is to prove that your negligence was as small as possible to ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve. The comparative negligence principle applies to most personal injury cases in California.

Can you take my case if I’m undocumented?

Yes. According to California law, a person’s immigration status cannot be used against them in civil cases. This includes car accident lawsuits.

Our attorneys and staff are bilingual in English and Spanish so you can feel comfortable that we will understand the intricacies of your case and keep you informed about what is happening throughout the process.

Learn more about how Ariel Law Group can help you get the compensation you deserve.

With 30 years of experience, we have won millions of dollars in compensation to help alleviate the staggering physical, emotional, and financial toll that accidents take on our clients. Our track record of success indicates we know how to fight for our clients.

Our team has a proven 98% success rate and you will not pay any fees until we win your case. Contact us today for a free consultation.