What Should I Do If I’m Involved in A Car Accident?

WhatShouldIDoIfI’mInvolvedinACarAccident?

Beforeyoudoanything,ensurethateveryoneinvolvedisnotinjuredorinpain.If thereisanobvioussignofinjuryorpain,seekmedicalassistanceimmediately.

Thiswillbeastressfulsituation,butit’scriticalthatyouproceedwithfollowing steps:

Contactthepoliceimmediately

Gatherthefacts,bytakingdownnotes,usingyourphonetotakephotosofthe scene,involvedpersons,injuries,anddamagestovehicles

Lookforwitnessesstandingbyandobtaintheirinformation

Donotadmitfaulttoanydegree(thismaybeusedagainstyouunfairly)

Obtainthedriver,insurance,andvehicleinformation(withpictures,ifpossible)

Mostimportantly:DoNOTadmitfaulttoanyone.

Youwillhavetonotifyyourinsurancecompanyoftheincident.Itisimperativethatyou DONOTADMITFAULTTOANYONE.Thisincludes:

Insurancecompanies

Otherpartiesinvolvedintheaccident

Paramedics Witnesses Police

Additionally,donotspeaktoinsuranceadjusters

DONOTTALKtoadjusters,investigatorsoranyonebeforecontactingSunsetWestLegal Group.Yourclaimmaybejeopardizedanditsvaluediminishedifyoutalktothem.

Evenifyouarenotatfault,yourwordscanandwillbetwistedtomanipulateyourpolicy details.Yourinsurancecompany,ortheotherparty’sinsurancecompany,willattemptto withholdmoneythatisrightfullyyours.

Evenifyouareanundocumentedimmigrant,inthestateofCalifornia,youcanstillclaim compensationforpersonalinjuryandwrongfuldeath.Ifyouhavebeeninatraffic collision,youstillhaverights.Yourimmigrationstatuscannotbeusedasevidenceina civilcaseorwrongfuldeathclaimagainstyou.

NineSimpleWaystoAvoidFutureCarAccidents

1.Observethetrafficaroundyouwhilepullingintothemidstofitallslowly.Tryto beawareofblindspots.Vehiclescanappearoutofnowhereveryquickly.

2.Lookoutforthe“risk-takers”,thered-lightrunners,andstopsignrunners.Check beforeleavingaredlighttomakesurenooneistryingtospeedthroughayellow light.

3.Alwayshaveatleastonehandonthesteeringwheel.Reduceyourin-car distractions.Ablowntireorpotholecansendyourcarintoanothervehicle causingaveryseriousaccident.

4.Lookoutforkidsand/orsignsindicatingpedestriansarewalkinginthearea. Childrenandanimalsareknownforsuddenlypoppingoutfrombetweencars. Watchandcarefullyandslowdown.

5.Regularlyperformenginemaintenanceonyourvehicle.Thiswillhelpavoid suddenstallsorotherenginefailures.

6.View10-12secondsahead.Trytokeeppositionedenoughfromothercarssoif there’sasuddenstoporswerve,youcouldavoidthem.

7.Takealookbackwhenreversing.Don’tdependonmirrorsalonewhenreversing. Lookoveryourshouldertoalleviateblindspots.Parkinglotaccidentsarealltoo common.

8.Donottailgatethecarahead.Makesureyoucanviewthevehicleinfrontofyour reartires.Thiscanhelpavoidacollisioniftheothervehiclemakesasuddenstop.

9.Becourteoustootherdriversontheroad.Treatothersontheroadwiththesame respectyou’dexpecttobetreated.Ifyounoticeanythingsuspiciouswhileonthe road,reportittoyourlocalauthority.

HowdoesSunsetWestLegalGrouphandlecaraccidents?

Wewillengageinintricateanddetailednegotiationsforafairsettlementfrom theinsurancecompany.HereatSunsetWestLegalGroup,weunderstandthatall personalinjuryclaimsmainlydependontwofactors:LiabilityandDamages.

Liability:Theissueofliabilityspeaksforitselfandthatistosay,liabilitymeanswhose faultwasit?Most,ifnotall,personalinjurycasesariseoutofwhatislegallytermed “negligence.”Negligencereferstotheideathataperson,orbusiness,owesadutyto others,thattheybreachedthisduty,whichinturncausedharmtoanentity.Forexample, everydriverineveryjurisdictionintheUnitedStateshasadutytooperatemotor vehiclesinanon-negligentmanner,whichmeansamannerthatisnotpotentially harmfultoapersonorproperty.

Californiaisacomparativenegligencestate.Thatistosay,theytakeliabilityin percentagesand,asaresult,thedamagesyoucanrecoverwillbeapercentageofthe liabilityoftheotherparty.Forexample,acarthatgetsrear-endedisaclearliabilitycase andthevictimwillbeentitledto100%ofthedamagesincurred.However,forexample, whentwocarshiteachotherontheirfrontends,eachmaybeliablefor50%ofthe damagesincurred.

Damages:Damagesaretheinjuries,physical,mental,societal,andothertypesthat occurduetothenegligenceofanotherpersonorbusiness.Caraccidents,forexample, cancausephysicalinjuryduetotheimpactofthecollision;mentalinjurybecauseofthe trauma;andsocietalinjuriessuchaslossofconsortium.Ourjobistomakesurethatyou arejustlycompensatedforalldamages.

Thetypesofdamagesavailableinapersonalinjurycaseconsistofbothnoneconomicdamagesandeconomicdamages.

Humiliationandembarrassment

Physicalpainandsuffering

Shockandmentalanguish

Lossofreputation

Lossofconsortium

Lossofsocietyandcompanionship

Emotionaldistress