The car accident settlements in the city of Los Angeles are chaotic. But you have nothing to worry about because today, you are going to learn everything about dealing with car accident settlements. Whether you are dealing with a minor scrape or a major crash, it is important to understand how do car accident settlement works, from dealing with insurance companies to knowing your rights under California laws. Let’s not take much of your time and get started:
Overview of Car Accidents in Los Angeles
Los Angeles is known for its busy streets and freeways, making it a hot spot for car accidents. The common causes of this are distracted driving, often involving cell phone usage, speeding, impaired driving due to drugs and alcohol, and aggressive driving behaviors, including tailgating and unsafe lane changes.
Understanding how car accident settlements work
If you are wondering about how do car accident settlements work? Well, the Settlements provide financial compensation to the victim to cover the financial loss. The settlement also saves time and money for both parties by avoiding lengthy and expensive court battles. By settling it, they can avoid the stress and uncertainty of a trial and come to a mutually beneficial agreement. Here is the detailed information about how car accident settlements work:
Determining Fault and Liability
It is important to determine the fault and liability of any legal inquiry, especially when it comes to accidents, injuries, or property damage. The California law follows the “Pure comparative negligence” system. Which means you can recover damages even if you are partially at fault. Therefore your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault. To determine fault and liability, here is what you should do:
Gather evidence through police reports, witness statements, photographs of the accident scene, and traffic camera footage ( if available)
Calculating Damages for a Car Accident Settlement
Economic Damages:
When calculating damages for a car accident settlement in Los Angeles, you must first consider economic damages. These are quantifiable losses that have a specific monetary value. They include medical expenses, both current and future related injuries sustained in the accident. Additionally, you should also include lost wages if you have missed work due to your injuries. Property damage such as the cost of repair or to replace your vehicle.
Non-economic damages:
Non-economic damages are more subjective and can be challenging to quantify. These encompass pain, suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment in life. In California, there is no particular formula to calculate these expenses. However, insurance companies often use the multiplier method, where they multiply the economic damages by the factor ( typically between 1.5 and 5) based on the severity of your injuries and the impact on your life.
Factors That Affect the Amount of Settlement
There are several factors that can impact the value of your car accident claim. Below are some things you need to consider when calculating your potential settlement.
The Type and Severity of Injuries
The type and extent of the injuries you suffer in an accident can influence the length of your hospital stay, the medical care required, and whether you will be able to work. Generally, the more serious your injuries are, the higher the compensation you are likely to receive.
Total Amount of Damages
The insurance company will require that you write a demand letter stating the amount you are seeking to recover. In order to do this, you have to calculate the total amount of damages you have incurred. Oftentimes, you will be entitled to special and general damages.
In the event that you are awarded punitive damages, this will increase your recovery.
Available Insurance Coverage
The amount of liability coverage the other driver carries will also affect how much compensation you get. If your case worth is more than the available liability coverage, you may not recover the total value. This is particularly true if the at-fault party does not have assets from which you can recover the damages beyond the policy limits.
Liability
In Los Angeles, how much compensation you obtain will depend on whether or not you were partially at fault for the collision. If the accident was entirely a result of someone else’s negligence, you are likely to end up with a large settlement. However, if you were partly responsible, you will collect only part of your damages.
Hire a Car Accident Lawyer to Maximize Your Settlement
When you are involved in a car accident in Los Angeles, hiring a skilled car accident settlement lawyer can significantly impact your settlement outcome. As an experienced attorney understand the rules of California law and insurance regulations. They can easily assess the true value of your claim, considering factors such as medical expenses, lost wages, and mental exhaustion, which you might overlook when negotiating alone.
They will also guide you on what should be done immediately post an accident, answering questions like Should I go to work after a car accident? Should you get admitted to a hospital? Etc. Moreover, your legal representative will gather and present evidence to strengthen your case. They will interview witnesses, collect police reports, and consult medical experts to build a compelling argument for the maximum compensation. They will also handle all the communication on your behalf with insurance companies to protect you from potentially making any statement that could harm your claim.
Conclusion:
Now that you know about how does a car accident settlement work? It is all left to find a reliable legal representative to get the most out of the compensation. If you are looking for one, look no further than Accident Defenders. We are the leading compassionate law firm that advocates for injured individuals in a variety of cases, including work accidents, car accidents, and catastrophic injuries. Visit our website to learn more about us.
