What to Do After a Car Accident in Los Angeles
Car accidents are the single most common cause of personal injury claims in California, and Los Angeles consistently ranks among the most dangerous cities in the nation for traffic collisions. The California Office of Traffic Safety reports thousands of injury crashes across Los Angeles County every year, many of them occurring on congested freeways like the 405, 101, and 110, as well as notoriously dangerous surface streets throughout the San Fernando Valley, South LA, and the Westside.
Your first priority is safety. Call 911 immediately to report the accident and request medical assistance if anyone is injured. Move your vehicle out of traffic if it is safe to do so. While waiting for police and emergency responders, exchange insurance information, driver's license numbers, and contact details with the other driver. Use your phone to photograph the damage to all vehicles, skid marks on the road, traffic signals, street signs, weather conditions, and any visible injuries.
One of the most critical steps is seeking medical attention, even if you do not feel injured immediately after the collision. Many car accident injuries, including whiplash, herniated discs, concussions, and soft tissue damage, can take hours or even days to produce noticeable symptoms. Delaying treatment creates a gap in your medical records that insurance companies will exploit to argue that your injuries were not caused by the accident or are not as severe as you claim.
Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurance company. Insurance adjusters are trained to ask leading questions designed to minimize your claim or get you to admit partial fault. Do not post about the accident on social media. Do not sign any documents or accept any settlement offer before speaking with a car accident attorney.
Types of Car Accident Cases We Handle
Law Warriors Group handles every type of car accident case in Los Angeles and throughout California. No matter how your crash occurred, our legal team has the experience and resources to investigate the cause, identify every liable party, and pursue the maximum compensation available under the law.
- Rear-End Collisions: Distracted driving, tailgating, and sudden braking on congested freeways cause thousands of rear-end crashes each year. Even low-speed rear-end accidents can cause serious whiplash, herniated discs, and chronic neck and back pain.
- Intersection Accidents: Red-light runners and drivers who fail to yield cause devastating T-bone collisions at intersections throughout the city. These side-impact crashes often result in broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, and internal organ damage.
- DUI and Drunk Driving Accidents: If a drunk or drugged driver caused your accident, you may be entitled to punitive damages in addition to compensatory damages under California Civil Code Section 3294.
- Distracted Driving Accidents: Texting, using a phone, eating, adjusting navigation, and other distractions cause a growing number of accidents on California roads. Cell phone records and vehicle data can provide crucial evidence.
- Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Accidents: Despite California's mandatory insurance laws, roughly one in seven drivers on the road is uninsured. We help victims recover compensation through their own UM/UIM policies.
- Multi-Vehicle Pileups: Chain-reaction accidents on freeways involve complex liability questions and multiple insurance companies. We untangle the evidence to hold every responsible party accountable.
- Hit-and-Run Accidents: When the at-fault driver flees, we work with police investigators, traffic cameras, and witness testimony to identify the responsible party.
- Head-On Collisions: Often the most deadly type of car accident. Wrong-way drivers, impaired drivers, and drivers who cross the center line cause catastrophic crashes resulting in traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, and wrongful death.
Why You Need a Car Accident Attorney in California
Insurance companies are not on your side. Their adjusters, investigators, and attorneys have one goal: to pay you as little as possible or deny your claim entirely. They use a range of tactics to reduce your settlement, including disputing the severity of your injuries, claiming you had pre-existing conditions, arguing that you were partially at fault, and delaying the claims process in the hope that you will give up or accept a lowball offer out of financial desperation.
California follows a pure comparative negligence system under Civil Code Section 1714, which means you can recover damages even if you were partially at fault for the accident. However, your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault. Insurance companies routinely try to inflate the victim's percentage of fault to reduce their payout. An experienced car accident attorney knows how to counter these arguments with evidence, expert testimony, and effective negotiation strategy.
The statute of limitations for a personal injury lawsuit in California is two years from the date of the accident under Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1. If your claim involves a government entity, you must file a government tort claim within just six months under the California Government Claims Act. Missing these deadlines almost always means losing your right to compensation permanently.
At Law Warriors Group, we prepare every case as if it is going to trial. Insurance companies know which attorneys actually take cases to court and which ones always settle. When an insurer knows your attorney is willing and prepared to go before a jury, their settlement offers increase dramatically.
Compensation Available in a California Car Accident Case
If you were injured in a car accident caused by someone else's negligence, you may be entitled to recover compensation for the full range of damages you have suffered. California law allows accident victims to pursue both economic and non-economic damages.
- Medical Expenses: Emergency room visits, surgeries, hospital stays, medications, physical therapy, chiropractic care, imaging, specialist visits, and all future medical treatment related to your injuries.
- Lost Wages and Income: Compensation for time missed from work during your recovery, including salary, hourly wages, bonuses, commissions, and self-employment income.
- Loss of Earning Capacity: If your injuries prevent you from returning to your previous job or reduce your ability to earn income in the future.
- Pain and Suffering: Physical pain, emotional distress, anxiety, depression, PTSD, loss of enjoyment of life, and the overall impact on your daily living.
- Property Damage: Repair or replacement of your vehicle, personal belongings damaged in the crash, and rental car expenses.
- Loss of Consortium: Compensation for the impact the injuries have had on your relationship with your spouse or domestic partner.
- Punitive Damages: In cases involving drunk driving, reckless driving, or other egregious conduct, the court may award punitive damages to punish the at-fault party.
