Long Beach, CA Car Accident Lawyer

Southern California is infamous for its traffic, and Long Beach is no exception. Accidents happen all the time, and drivers are frequently injured. If you or someone you know is hurt in a car accident, contact a lawyer to discuss how to get financial compensation.

After a car accident, call 911 and exchange information with others at the accident scene. We may need these details when taking legal action. You may file an insurance claim to try to cover your damages, but this should not stop you from considering a lawsuit later if insurance refuses to pay in full. To prove the defendant is at fault, we need evidence. Unfortunately, evidence tends to disappear if it is not gathered quickly enough, so you should call a lawyer for help right away.

Get a free, private legal review of your case from our car accident lawyers by calling the Law Office of John J. Perlstein at (213) 252-1070.

What to Do Following a Car Accident in Long Beach, CA

The aftermath of a car crash can be overwhelming, but you must remain calm and get help. When you are ready, talk to a lawyer about how to get compensation for your injuries and damages.

Call 911

Call 911 immediately after a car accident. If you or someone else is injured or you are unable to drive your car away from the accident, you need urgent help. You should also ask the 911 dispatcher to send police officers to assist in the accident and investigate the cause of the crash.

Exchange Information with Others

While waiting for help, you should try to exchange information with others involved in the accident. We need the names and contact information of other drivers in case our car accident lawyers need to take legal action against them or call them as witnesses.

Photograph the Accident Scene

Also while waiting for help, you should take pictures of the accident scene. Photos of the vehicles, people involved, your injuries, road conditions, and anything else that seems important may help us piece together what happened.

Call a Lawyer

An attorney can help you determine the most effective way to get compensation. If you are badly injured, a friend or family member should call a lawyer on your behalf. The sooner you contact a lawyer, the sooner they can begin gathering evidence to build your case.

Should You File an Insurance Claim or a Lawsuit After a Car Accident?

Insurance is common in car accident cases, but it might not be your only option for financial compensation.

Are You Required to File an Insurance Claim?

You do not have to file an insurance claim, even if insurance is available. You should usually try to settle through insurance first, but you can simultaneously file in court to put pressure on the insurance company.

If negotiations with the insurance company fall through, then you can proceed on to trial through the lawsuit.

Can You File a Lawsuit if You Also File an Insurance Claim?

Lawsuits can often be filed if insurance claims break down. We may also file a lawsuit alongside the insurance claim and proceed down both tracks at once.

In any case, you cannot go to court and sue after settling a claim. Accepting money or signing a settlement with the insurance company ends your case against that defendant.

Can You Sue if You Are Uninsured?

In California, injured drivers are allowed to sue after a car accident if they are uninsured, but non-economic damages (e.g., pain and suffering) are off-limits. However, this bar does not apply if the at-fault driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

How Do You Prove Fault for a Car Accident?

Proving fault requires strong evidence, which we must gather as quickly as possible before it is lost.

Witnesses

If anyone witnessed the accident or has other personal knowledge of it, their testimony may be extremely valuable to your case. The more witnesses we have, the more accurate a picture we can piece together in court.

Photos of the Accident Scene

Your photos of the accident scene may be admitted into court as evidence. In many cases, photos taken by drivers are the only evidence left of the accident scene, as the authorities clear them away quickly.

Video Footage

You or another driver might have had a dashcam in the car that recorded the accident. There might be private security cameras in the area that recorded the collision.

Police Reports

While police reports are generally inadmissible in court because they largely rely on hearsay, they may still help us find admissible evidence. The police may have located witnesses we do not know about, or other evidence we have yet to review, and their report may help us find it.

What to Do if the At-Fault Driver is Uninsured in Long Beach, CA

If the at-fault driver in a car accident is uninsured, you can still sue them directly. However, they may not be able to afford to pay you without insurance.

You may also file claim with your uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. This coverage is not required in California, but insurers must offer it.

What Happens if the Other Driver Flees the Scene of a Car Accident?

If the other driver flees the scene of the accident, call 911 and report the accident immediately. Tell the 911 dispatcher that the other driver fled. They should alert the police, who should immediately begin looking for the other driver.

If the driver cannot be located, you may be able to sue your uninsured motorist coverage and other first-party benefits (e.g., collision coverage) to get full damages.

Can You Sue for a Car Accident if You Are Partially Responsible?

You may still sue for a car accident if you are partly to blame, but your claim for damages may be reduced. California follows a pure comparative negligence rule, meaning your damages may be reduced in proportion to your share of fault, but you cannot be blocked from suing based on a high percentage of fault..

For example, if you are deemed 20% responsible for an accident, your damages may be reduced by 20%. Theoretically, a person could be 99% responsible and still recover 1% of their damages.

Speak to Our Car Accident Lawyers in Long Beach, CA About Your Case

Get a free, private legal review of your case from our car accident lawyers by calling the Law Office of John J. Perlstein at (213) 252-1070.