If another person was at fault for your injuries in a car crash, you should not be responsible for the resulting medical treatment, lost wages, and other expenses. They should provide the compensation you need to heal your injuries and pay for the costs you incur. The Orange County personal injury lawyers of OnderLaw know the financial strain a car accident can cause. It’s not only physically and emotionally traumatic but also leads to economic struggles. If you’re forced to pay out of pocket for your doctor bills, you could end up in debt.

Car accidents are devastating experiences that result in various challenges. If you’re severely injured and can’t return to work, you can’t earn the income you need to afford your daily living expenses and medical care. It could significantly limit your ability to recover and return to your daily routine. The negligent driver responsible for the collision should be held liable for their actions.

The Orange County car accident lawyers of OnderLaw have helped countless clients secure the maximum compensation they deserve, and we’re ready to do the same for you. Call us for a free consultation today to learn more about our services and how we can help you after a car crash.

Why Do I Need a Lawyer?

You may think you can take on the insurance company alone and negotiate a settlement successfully. Unfortunately, what most people don’t realize is that insurance companies aren’t on their side. They don’t want to provide you a high settlement that compensates you for your losses. They’re in the business of saving money whenever possible. If they can find a valid excuse to deny your claim or offer a low settlement, they will.

Unrepresented claimants often get taken advantage of during insurance claims. If you don’t know your rights or the amount of coverage you’re entitled to, you’re likely to walk away with much less compensation than you deserve. Furthermore, you could encounter a roadblock that you don’t know how to overcome that delays the progress of your case. If you miss any deadlines, you may not have the opportunity to hold the at-fault party accountable for what they’ve done.

OnderLaw is familiar with the legal process and with seeking a monetary award that covers an accident victim’s total losses. It’s best that you put your trust in an experienced and knowledgeable Orange County car accident lawyer instead of attempting to handle your case yourself. We can take on each step of your claim and negotiate for the full and fair settlement you deserve. If the insurance company unfairly denies your claim, we can move forward with a lawsuit.

Types of Car Accidents

Unfortunately, every time you take your car out on the road, you’re at risk of severe injuries in an accident. You face inherent dangers when driving near other vehicles, on poorly maintained roads, and in adverse weather. If you come across a reckless driver, you could end up with injuries that require ongoing medical treatment to heal.

Human error is one of the most common reasons for car accidents. Motorists must obey all traffic laws, pay attention to signs and signals, check for vehicles around them, and contend with distractions, road hazards, and other potential problems. Even a brief moment of inattention can lead to an accident.

The most common types of auto accidents include:

  • Hit and run accidents – It’s a crime to flee the scene of a crash that resulted in injuries or death without trying to assist the injured or exchanging insurance information.
  • Rear-end collisions – When a driver follows someone’s vehicle too closely, they can’t stop in time to avoid a crash if the motorist ahead of them needs to slow down or stop for a hazard, emergency, or another reason.
  • Rollover accidents – SUVs have a high center of gravity and are more susceptible to rolling over. However, any vehicle can roll under the right circumstances.
  • Single-car accidents – Collisions involving only one vehicle typically occur when the driver swerves out of the way of another car, pedestrian, bicyclist, or road debris and crashes into a stationary object, such as a telephone pole.
  • Head-on collisions – When two cars collide with each other head-on, the occupants are at serious risk of debilitating injuries and death. This is one of the most deadly types of accidents that can happen. In 2019, 3,613 people died in head-on collisions in the United States.
  • T-bone accidents – The front of one vehicle crashes into the side of another during a T-bone collision. It can crush the side of the car, trapping anyone inside. Many occur in intersections when a driver runs a red light or stop sign.
  • Multi-vehicle accidents – Accidents involving two or more cars are dangerous. There’s typically much more property damage and more injuries because the crash involves multiple people.

A range of different factors could lead to any of these types of accidents. Distracted driving, speeding, and disobeying traffic signs are just a few common examples. If you were involved in a car crash in Orange County, you need a competent and qualified Orange County car accident lawyer in your corner to help you fight for the compensation you deserve.

Common Injuries Suffered in Car Accidents

The injuries people sustain in car crashes depend on the circumstances involved and the type of collision. High speeds often play a role in the severity of the injury. They typically lead to life-threatening harm that puts the victim at significant risk. In 2019, speeding contributed to 26 percent of traffic-related fatalities.

The most common injuries car accidents cause are:

  • Concussion
  • Whiplash
  • Cuts, scrapes, and bruises
  • Internal bleeding
  • Traumatic brain injury
  • Spinal cord damage and back injuries
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder and other psychological trauma
  • Broken bones
  • Soft tissue injuries, such as sprained muscles and torn ligaments
  • Neck injuries

Any injury can become permanent, especially if you don’t seek immediate treatment after an accident. Even if it’s something minor like a torn tendon, you could suffer chronic pain and loss of mobility if a doctor doesn’t provide the necessary care for the injury to heal correctly.

What Compensation Is Available?

Many clients OnderLaw sees can’t afford their medical bills. We know the financial implications of an accident and how difficult it can be to pay for ongoing physical therapy, prescription medications, emergency room visits, and other treatment you need to recover. The bills become a significant burden, especially for people suffering permanent disabilities after the car crash.

You deserve financial compensation to cover these costs if someone else’s negligence caused your injuries. California is a fault state, meaning the at-fault driver becomes financially responsible for the victim’s losses. You could file a claim with their car insurance company and pursue money for the losses you suffered, such as:

  • Property damage
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Past and future medical bills
  • Pain and suffering
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity
  • Emotional distress

If the insurance company denies your claim or offers a low settlement that doesn’t adequately compensate for your total losses, you could file a lawsuit. However, you must follow a strict timeframe if you want to sue another driver for the accident. California has a two-year statute of limitations for lawsuits of this type. That means you have two years from the date of the crash to file suit, or you will likely lose your right to hold the responsible party liable.

What to Do After a Car Accident

After a car crash, the steps you take can affect your future and whether you recover the maximum available compensation. As soon as you leave the accident scene, you should go to the hospital. A doctor can evaluate your injury and might recommend imaging tests, follow-up care, physical therapy, or another form of treatment. Listen to what they recommend and continue attending your appointments until you heal. If you stop treatment too soon or regularly skip appointments, the insurance company could use that as evidence that your injury isn’t serious and deny your claim.

Hire an Orange County car accident lawyer to represent you and help you hold the at-fault driver accountable for their misconduct. You shouldn’t face the overwhelming stress of handling a case when you’re already in pain and trying to recover from your injuries. While you’re focusing on treatment, OnderLaw can handle the legal aspects of your case. We’ll investigate the crash, gather evidence, and develop a strategy to meet your needs.

Maintain all evidence you receive during your ongoing case. If the insurance company mails you a letter or your doctor sends you a billing statement, keep copies of them and forward them to us for review. We might be able to use the documentation you have as evidence to show what happened and who was at fault for the crash.

Why Choose OnderLaw?

At OnderLaw, we have a legal team dedicated to fighting for our clients. We will be your advocate during this traumatic time in your life and provide the services and support you need to get through this. You will have someone on your side from start to finish of your case to guide you through the complicated legal process. We will treat you as a priority and provide the personalized attention you rightfully deserve.

Our award-winning Orange County car accident lawyers have been recognized by multiple legal organizations, including The National Trial Lawyers, the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and Super Lawyers. We’re proud of the reputation we have built and strive to maintain it by handling every case with care and providing quality and dependable representation to all our clients.

Contact Us

At OnderLaw, we are available 24/7, so you can reach us when you need us. We know the devastation car accidents can cause and how much they upend a person’s life. We will be there to help you get your life back on track and recover the maximum compensation you deserve.

If you suffered injuries in a car crash due to someone else’s careless or negligent actions, call us today. One of our Orange County car accident lawyers can meet you for a free consultation to discuss your case.