As is the case with many major cities, LA sees a lot of traffic on a daily basis. The result? An above-average risk of car accidents occurring. This is a problem that unfortunately doesn’t seem to be going away anytime in the near future. In fact, over the past five years, the rate of fatal car accidents in Los Angeles has risen by approximately 32%, according to LAPD statistics.

It’s always crucial that motorists exercise caution and obey the rules of the road. However, this is particularly important in a city like LA, where driving conditions tend to be very busy. Every driver needs to consider not only their own safety, but the safety of other motorists as well.

You’re probably the type of responsible driver who understands this. Unfortunately, you can’t prevent others from driving recklessly or negligently. Even if you do your best to protect yourself and others on the road, you may still be the victim of a car accident through no fault of your own.

The aftermath of a Los Angeles accident could be a very challenging time. You may have sustained injuries that require expensive medical treatment. Depending on the severity of your injuries, you might not be able to return to work, whether temporarily or permanently. If injuries cause limited mobility, you may no longer be able to perform basic daily tasks or take part in activities you enjoy. Sometimes car accidents injuries can even lead to permanent life-altering difficulties, such as paralysis or brain damage.

You may even struggle emotionally and mentally after a car accident. For instance, if you were involved in a dangerous collision, you might develop anxiety that prevents you from driving comfortably. This can significantly disrupt your lifestyle.

You hope you’ll never experience this. That said, because you can’t stop other drivers from making poor choices behind the wheel, you need to understand what steps you can take to hold liable parties accountable if you ever do find yourself the victim of a LA car accident resulting from someone else’s negligence. In these circumstances, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Pursuing that compensation successfully is often much easier when you work with a Los Angeles car accident lawyer.

How Los Angeles Car Accident Attorneys Can Help

California is an “at fault” state. That means, when a car accident occurs, the insurance company of the person responsible for causing the accident must compensate victims accordingly. Theoretically, if you were the victim of a car accident in Los Angeles that you didn’t cause, you could receive compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and a wide range of other factors.

That doesn’t mean securing the compensation to which you’re entitled is an easy process, though. The goal of an insurer is to pay out as little as possible. Thus, they’re prepared to employ a range of tactics designed to convince you to accept less compensation than you may deserve. Additionally, sometimes an insurance company will dispute and/or reject a claim altogether. They’re not going to simply pay you what you ask for if they believe they can successfully argue that you’re wrong about who caused the accident.

Getting Compensated for Your Injuries After a Car Accident in LA

You need to take certain key steps when pursuing compensation from a negligent driver’s insurer. They include (but, depending on the circumstances, may not be limited to) the following:

Identifying the liable party 

This might not be as simple as it sounds. In some instances, it’s easy to determine who caused an accident. However, there are also cases when identifying the liable party is far more challenging. For example, this may be so if the accident involved multiple drivers and vehicles. Or, the liable party may not even be another driver or pedestrian. An example of this would be an accident occurring in LA because the officials responsible for road maintenance neglected their duties.

Proving liability

You need to gather all necessary evidence to prove a liable party is genuinely at fault. If you fail to do so, you may struggle to secure compensation.

Calculating what you’re owed

Determining precisely how much compensation you’re entitled to is another process that can be more complicated than some realize. After all, while it may be relatively easy to calculate the total monetary value of all your bills and lost wages resulting from an accident, assigning monetary value to such intangible factors as anxiety or pain and suffering can be much more challenging.

Negotiating

Again, even if you do complete all these steps, you’ll still need to negotiate with a thoroughly-prepared insurer who will try to pay out less than what you’re owed.

These are key reasons it’s smart to consult with a LA car accident attorney if you’re ever the victim of an accident. They can assist you with all of these steps. Their legal knowledge will help you accurately determine who is liable in your case, and they’ll help you prove liability.

Car accident lawyers also understand how to calculate the amount of compensation you deserve by using specialized methods designed for this exact purpose. On top of all that, they’re familiar with the various ways insurers will attempt to lowball victims, and can help you avoid receiving less compensation than you’re genuinely entitled to. Even if a liable party’s insurer does compensate you, which California law requires them to do when liability has been clearly proven, they may not compensate you sufficiently. A Los Angeles car accident lawyer can help you take legal action to pursue additional compensation. Quite simply, hiring one boosts your chances of reaching an agreeable settlement or being awarded sufficient damages.

Will Hiring a Car Accident Lawyer in Los Angeles Cost Me a Lot?

LA car accident victims are sometimes hesitant to consult with attorneys because they mistakenly assume hiring one will add to their financial burden. After all, they may already have medical bills to pay. They wonder if they’ll also have to spend money they can’t afford to let go of on a lawyer as well.

That’s rarely the case. Most car accident attorneys in LA enter into contingency fee agreements with their clients. With a contingency fee agreement, an attorney won’t charge their client any fees until/unless the client receives compensation in the form of a settlement or damages first. The lawyer’s fee will usually be a reasonable percentage of the total sum their client receives.

The following are key implications of such an arrangement worth being aware of:

• Hiring a lawyer isn’t a financial risk: Essentially, when you hire a typical car accident attorney, they won’t get paid until you get paid. If you don’t get paid at all, you won’t have to pay them any fees.

• A lawyer has a strong motivation to provide you with aggressive representation: Because your attorney can only receive payment if you receive compensation, they have a vested interest in providing you with the strongest possible legal assistance. They also have a motivation to secure a large sum.

• A lawyer won’t waste your time: An attorney’s time is valuable. They’ll rarely waste their own time on a case if they have reason to believe you won’t reach a proper settlement or receive damages. Thus, after a Los Angeles injury attorney reviews your case, which they will typically do for free, they’ll be honest when letting you know whether it makes sense to take further legal action.

Why Los Angeles Car Accidents Happen

An LA car accident may occur for a wide variety of reasons. These are among the most common:

• Distracted driving: Although distracted driving has always been a major cause of automobile accidents, it’s becoming an even more significant problem thanks to the rising popularity of smartphones.

• Intoxication: It’s never safe to operate a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. Despite this, many drivers still choose to put others at risk by driving while intoxicated.

• Speeding: Speeding is one of the leading causes of fatal car accidents in the US. It’s easy to understand why. A collision involving a vehicle moving at an excessively high rate of speed has more potential to end in death than one involving vehicles moving very slowly.

• Drowsy driving: Many people don’t realize that, according to medical experts, the impairment someone experiences due to lack of sleep can essentially mirror the impairment caused by drugs or alcohol. Unfortunately, in a busy city like LA, where people work long hours and/or stay out late enjoying the nightlife, it’s not uncommon for drivers to get behind the wheel when they’re too tired to safely operate their vehicles.

• Hazardous conditions: There are instances when factors aside from negligence put drivers at risk. For example, poor weather conditions can make successfully navigating LA’s roads more difficult than it typically is. Additionally, while government agencies must maintain safe roads by addressing hazardous conditions, there are instances when they fail to do so in a timely manner. Accidents may occur as a result.

• Vehicle defects: Even when someone’s negligence did contribute to an accident, that someone may not necessarily be another driver (or pedestrian, bicyclist, etc.). Accidents may also occur as a result of vehicle defects. In such cases, it’s still possible to hold a liable party accountable with the help of a lawyer.

• Other common forms of negligence: Along with the examples already listed here, negligent drivers may also cause LA car accidents by changing lanes too quickly, changing lanes without signalling, merging too slowly or too quickly, running stop signs, running red lights, and tailgating. Aggressive drivers who can’t maintain a calm demeanor when stuck in LA traffic may also cause accidents due to road rage.

The Most Dangerous Intersections for Motorists and Pedestrians in Los Angeles

Again, while you can’t control the choices other drivers make, and thus can’t ensure other motorists will drive responsibly, you can still take certain essential steps to reduce your odds of being involved in a Los Angeles car accident.

Driving safely and responsibly is one of those steps. You can also boost your safety by trying to avoid the areas of LA where accidents are most common. Specific intersections to stay away from (if possible) include:

• Harvard Park: Western Ave. and Slauson Ave.

• Koreatown: Vermont Ave. and Wilshire Blvd.

• Lake Balboa: Balboa Blvd. and Victory Blvd.

• Manchester Square: Manchester Ave. and Normandie Ave.

• Mid-City: La Brea Ave. and Venice Blvd.

• Mission Hills: Sepulveda Blvd. and Devonshire St.

• North Hills: Nordhoff St. and Sepulveda Blvd.

• Northridge: Tampa Ave. and Nordhoff St.

• Panorama City: Van Nuys Blvd. and Roscoe Blvd.

• Reseda: Vanowen St. and Reseda Blvd.

• Studio City: Laurel Canyon Blvd. and Ventura Blvd.

• Valley Glen: Victory Blvd. and Coldwater Canyon Ave., Sherman Way and Coldwater Canyon Ave., 

• Van Nuys: Sherman Way and Sepulveda Blvd., Burbank Blvd. and Sepulveda Blvd., Sherman Way and Woodman Ave., Sherman Way and Van Nuys Blvd.

• Vermont Knolls: Manchester Ave. and Figueroa St.

• Vermont-Slauson: Vermont Ave. and Florence Ave.
• Vermont Vista: Imperial Highway and Figueroa St.

Van Nuys is particularly noteworthy, accounting for the most collisions in LA. Naturally, you may not be able to avoid these intersections or areas of the city for a variety of reasons, potentially including work or family responsibilities. That said, if you do have the option of keeping away from them while you’re driving, consider doing so. Just remember, though, accidents can happen anywhere in LA, and it’s important to exercise caution at all times.

Case Study: The Importance of Having Los Angeles Car Accident LAwyers on Your Side

Reviewing an actual case can help you more thoroughly appreciate the important role an LA personal injury attorney can play in these circumstances. For example, in the case of Ramon v. City of Los Angeles, which arose from an incident in which two teenage pedestrians (one of whom died in the accident, and another of whom sustained major injuries) were struck by a vehicle while walking through a marked crosswalk, the plaintiff sued the City of Los Angeles, alleging the city did not properly address a hazardous road condition. They contended it was this road condition at the intersection that resulted in the accident.

However, when the case first went to trial, the jury concluded that even though the condition did contribute to an increased risk of accident and/or injury, the City didn’t have sufficient time to become aware of and correct the issue. Thus, the jury returned a special verdict in favor of the City.

Theoretically, this could have prevented the plaintiff from pursuing compensation, had they not enlisted the help of skilled legal counsel. The plaintiff appealed, arguing the jury had committed prejudicial misconduct and had returned a special verdict not supported by genuine evidence. The Court of Appeal for the State of California subsequently reversed the judgment against the plaintiff. This outcome allowed the plaintiff to take further legal action. Had they not been working with a knowledgeable LA car accident attorney, such an outcome might not have been achievable.

Key Takeaways

The details of Ramon v. City of Los Angeles also reveal certain complexities that may arise in a LA car accident case. First, as you likely noticed, the victims in this case were pedestrians, not drivers. It may be a simple point, but it’s important to remember that you can be a victim in a car accident case without having been in a motor vehicle at the time of the accident.

Additionally, although the accident involved a car striking the pedestrians, the defendant in this case wasn’t the driver of that vehicle, but was actually the City of Los Angeles. This detail highlights the value of working with a Los Angeles car accident attorney who understands how to effectively determine liability in an accident. Working with the plaintiffs, this lawyer concluded that hazardous road conditions played a significant role in the accident, and thus, it was necessary to hold the City liable in this instance. 

Finally, this case illustrates the value of having an LA auto accident attorney on your side when a jury makes a mistake. Even if you have a valid case, you need to keep in mind that juries are not always infallible. They can return improper verdicts or judgments for numerous reasons. If this ever happens, a skilled attorney can help you appeal your case, ensuring the jury’s error doesn’t prevent you from getting the compensation you deserve.

What to Do After a Car Accident in LA

Once more, ideally, you’ll never be the victim of a car accident in Los Angeles because another driver was negligent. However, because there’s no guarantee this will never happen to you, it’s important to be familiar with the steps you can take immediately after the collision to optimize your chances of getting the compensation you deserve. Although hiring a Los Angeles car crash attorney will definitely give you a major advantage, you can also start building a strong case the moment after your accident occurs.

Specifically, if you’re involved in a LA car accident, do the following right away:

Get to safety

After checking your injuries and those of any passengers in your vehicle, get to a safe spot. If you can confidently drive your car out of the way of traffic while remaining safe, you may do so, but if there’s any doubt about the vehicle’s condition, you should carefully walk to the nearest safe area.

Call the police

Certain pieces of evidence may be very useful if you file a claim or sue a liable party after an accident. An official police report of the accident may be one of them. Call the police, so an officer can arrive and investigate the scene.

Take pictures or video

While smartphones have made many people more prone to distracted driving, the fact that many of us now have cameras on us at virtually all times can be beneficial when car accidents occur. By taking photos and/or videos of both the scene and your injuries, you’ll be gathering crucial evidence before conditions at the scene change and the evidence is lost.

Identify witnesses 

There may have been witnesses to your accident who remained at the scene. Ask them for their names and contact information. Some witnesses may even be willing to provide testimony on video in the moment. Take them up on the offer if so, as testimony immediately after a witness sees an accident is much stronger than testimony they give later, when a liable party might have more success claiming they were misremembering the incident. That said, even if you do get witness testimony on video, you still need their name and contact information, that way no one can later on claim the person on video wasn’t an actual witness.

Get medical attention

You already know you need to see a doctor as soon as possible if you’ve sustained any injuries in a car accident. However, some people make the mistake of believing they don’t need to get medical attention if they don’t appear to have been injured. That’s not the case. It’s not uncommon for injuries sustained in car accidents to present no symptoms until much later. If you were injured, but simply didn’t know it immediately, getting early attention from a physician can potentially reduce the severity of any long-term symptoms. On top of that, if you were to develop symptoms of an injury a few days, weeks, or even months after an accident, but you didn’t see a doctor right away, a liable party could argue that your injuries were the result of other circumstances. You need medical records to prove otherwise.

The Value of Contacting a Car Crash Attorney in LA

Please stay safe on LA’s roads, but also be aware that negligent drivers (along with other potential risk factors, such as vehicle defects or poor road conditions) can put you in harm’s way through no fault of your own. Although you may face struggles if you’re the victim of a car accident, you can at least pursue compensation accordingly. Consider doing so with the help of a LA car accident attorney.