Need A LA Rear-End Accident Lawyer?
While many different types of car accidents happen in Los Angeles every year, the most common type of motor vehicle accident is a rear-end collision. While rear-end accidents are common, they still can cause serious injuries or fatalities. If you have suffered serious injuries in a rear-end accident that was caused by a negligent driver, you should talk to an expirienced Los Angeles rear end accident lawyer at Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorneys as soon as possible. Our attorneys can review your case and provide you with an honest assessment of your claim’s merits. We will aggressively fight for you to recover the maximum possible compensation. Call us today for a free consultation.
Los Angeles Office: 323-553-1000 | Torrance Office: 310-256-2299
Liability in a rear-end accident
In most rear-end accidents, the driver in the rear vehicle will be at fault. However, there are some cases in which the driver of the front vehicle may be liable for a rear-end collision. For example, if a driver is driving at night without working taillights, the front-car driver may be partially liable for his or her accident.
Rear-end collisions normally involve negligence claims. A driver is negligent when he or she engages in conduct that does not meet the way a reasonable person would act in the same situation. To prevail in a claim, you will need to be able to prove that the defendant was negligent and that his or her negligence directly or proximately cause your rear-end accidents and injuries. You will also need to prove that you suffered losses as a result. If your accident did not result in economic or noneconomic losses, you will not have grounds to file a lawsuit.
In some cases, other parties may be liable in a rear-end collision beyond the driver. For example, if the driver was working at the time of the accident, his or her employer may be vicariously liable. If the driver’s brakes failed because of a defect, the manufacturer of the part may be liable. An attorney will investigate the causes of the accident so that he or she can identify all of the potentially liable parties. By identifying all of the liable parties that should be named as defendants, an attorney might maximize the amount that his or her client might recover in damages.
Damages in a rear-end collision
The value of your claim will depend on multiple factors. An attorney cannot give you a quote for the value of your claim without reviewing the evidence and the circumstances. The compensatory damages in a lawsuit are monetary awards that are designed to compensate people for their losses, including both economic and noneconomic damages. Your economic damages are easier to value and include your actual financial losses for things like your past and future medical costs, your past and future income losses, and your property losses. Your noneconomic losses are more difficult to value and include things such as physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, disfigurement, and others. Noneconomic losses are often worth substantially more than economic losses in an accident.
Dealing with insurance companies after a rear-end accident
California is a fault state for motor vehicle accidents, which means that you will have to prove that the other driver or an entity was at fault for causing your rear-end car accident and will have to file your claim with the other party’s insurance company. You should recognize that insurance companies are profit-driven businesses. This means that they will frequently try to take steps to reduce the amounts that they will be forced to pay on claims or to avoid liability altogether.
Once the other driver’s insurance company is notified about your rear-end accidents, you will likely be contacted by an insurance adjuster. Remember that adjusters are employed by the insurance companies and are tasked with trying to save money for the companies. If you are extended a quick settlement offer by the company, do not accept it without asking an attorney to review it. If you accept a settlement, you will not be able to seek additional damages later when you realize that it was insufficient. Many early settlement offers are unreasonably low.
The insurance adjuster might ask you to give a recorded statement. You should not agree to do this because the company will be able to use your statements against you in your claim. You should also not agree to sign a medical authorization. Insurance companies use these to pore over your medical history to try to find a different incident to blame your injuries on. You can politely tell the company that you will not sign anything or make any statements until you have had a chance to talk to your lawyer.
Why it is important to hire a Los Angeles rear end accident lawyer?
Even if you believe that liability in your rear-end car accident is clear, you should hire an experienced Los Angeles rear-end car accident lawyer to handle your claim. Having a lawyer to represent your interests can help you to avoid making potentially costly mistakes. Your attorney can also make sure that any offers that you receive will fairly compensate you. An attorney may work with investigators and experts to build a nearly unassailable case that might convince the insurance company to offer a fair settlement amount.
The attorneys at Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorneys are dedicated to helping injured rear-end accidents victims to recover compensation for their losses. If you have been injured in a rear-end collision in Los Angeles, contact our law firm today to schedule a free consultation by calling us or by filling out our contact form below.
Los Angeles Office: 323-553-1000 | Torrance Office: 310-256-2299
Learn more about other accident case types:
Personal Injury | Car Accident | Uber & Lyft Accident | Motorcycle Accident | Rear-end Accident | Truck Accident | Rollover Accident | Bus Accident | Government Vehicle Accident
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