Long Beach Car Accident Lawyer

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Long Beach Car Accident Lawyer
Douglas D. Shaffer - Personal Injury Lawyer - Manhattan Beach, CA

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Long Beach Car Accident Attorney

If you’ve been in a car accident, you are likely reeling from significant physical, emotional, and financial damages. Car crashes can change everything in an instant, necessitating legal representation from a skilled Long Beach car accident lawyer who can help you navigate the claims process. An experienced and thoughtful attorney from Shaffer Law is ready to help defend your rights and work toward an optimal settlement for your case.

At Shaffer Law, our accomplished group of attorneys has years of combined experience successfully helping individuals who have fallen victim to a car accident get the legal representation and financial support they need. From collecting evidence on your behalf to negotiating fiercely with insurance companies, we are prepared to do what it takes to push for positive case outcomes. Together, we can help you explore your legal options.

For a free consultation, please call us at (310) 451-7570 or complete our contact form. Our office is located in Manhattan Beach, California, and we represent car accident victims statewide.

The Importance of Working With a Car Accident Attorney

After individuals suffer from car accidents, they may be dealing with complex insurance claims on top of everything that they have already lost. Unfortunately, insurance companies commonly work to minimize a car accident settlement to optimize their profits. This could mean that you could be scammed out of receiving compensation for damages you’re entitled to.

By working with an experienced Long Beach car accident lawyer from Shaffer Law, you can ensure you have a strong advocate on your side who can fight back against insurance companies’ tactics on your behalf. Specifically, they can support you with the following:

Collecting Evidence

An attorney can help you collect and analyze crucial evidence, including photos and videos of the accident scene, statements from witnesses, and law enforcement reports. They can also leverage their intricate network of professionals, such as accident reconstruction experts, to establish liability in your case.

Dealing With Insurance Companies

As insurance companies commonly offer lowball settlements or attempt to delay or deny, it’s crucial to work with a lawyer who can negotiate a fair settlement on your behalf. They can ensure your final compensation amount reflects all your losses, including pain and suffering, medical expenses, and lost income.

Full Damage Assessment

It is not uncommon for car accident victims to underestimate the damages they have suffered. By working with a detail-oriented attorney, you can get a clear and accurate evaluation of your current and future expenses, in addition to lost earning potential, medical rehabilitation, and treatment.

Representation in Court

If an attorney cannot reach a fair settlement on your behalf due to an unwillingness of other parties to cooperate, they can help you take your case to court, presenting optimal legal arguments and robust evidence on your behalf.

How Are Car Accidents in Long Beach Caused?

Long Beach is a diverse and lively city with significant amounts of traffic, making it vulnerable to many car accidents.

The experienced legal team at Shaffer Law has successfully handled a myriad of car accidents caused by different common factors, such as:

  • Driving with distractions: In Long Beach and across the state, distracted driving continues to be one of the leading causes of car crashes. Examples of distractions include using the phone, texting, looking at navigation or maps, engaging with passengers or other cars, and even eating.
  • Reckless driving: When drivers go over the speed limit, it makes it more difficult to control a car, therefore increasing the risk of collision and the severity of impact. Additional reckless behaviors like running red lights, weaving through lanes, and tailgating can put other individuals on the road at risk.
  • Driving under the influence: A driver’s motor and cognitive abilities can be significantly impacted by impairment from substances like alcohol or drugs.
  • Subpar road conditions: Defective traffic signals, debris, and potholes can cause accidents, leading to significant crashes and often implying government liability.

Car Accident Injuries Commonly Sustained

Car accident victims can suffer from a wide variety of injuries, from minor cuts and lacerations to conditions that can change their lives forever.

The compassionate legal team at Shaffer Law has years of experience helping car accident victims recover compensation for a wide variety of injuries, including the following:

  • Whiplash: Whiplash is an injury to the neck due to sudden jerking forward and backward of the head, which can have symptoms that appear days or even weeks after the fact. Symptoms can include migraines, dizziness, nausea, and sensitivity to sound and light.
  • Fractures and broken bones: Broken bones include body parts such as the ribs, legs, arms, feet, and more due to the severe impact of a collision. Some fractures may require multiple surgeries and long recovery times with physical rehabilitation to be adequately treated.
  • Traumatic brain injuries: Significant force on the head can result in long-term cognitive and physical impairments, which can even impact an individual’s ability to go back to work, carry out day-to-day activities, and enjoy life in general.
  • Spinal cord injuries: A significant blow or force to the spine can cause partial or complete paralysis. Such cases may require lifelong at-home care assistance and reconstruction of the home to add new features that account for disability.
  • Internal injuries: Injuries such as internal bleeding and organ damage can be extremely severe and lead to death if not adequately diagnosed and treated on time.
  • Soft tissue injuries: Soft tissue injuries such as torn ligaments, strains, and sprains can require drawn-out physical therapy and rehabilitation on the road to recovery.

Despite the injury that you may be facing, a dedicated attorney from Shaffer Law is here to help you fully document your medical diagnosis, treatment, and management, analyzing your case to calculate all associated damages. By building up a strong argument on your behalf, they can ensure you receive the resources you need to adequately support your medical condition.

What To Do After Getting in a Car Accident in Long Beach

By taking the right steps after a car accident, you can work to protect your health and safety and build up a strong legal case. Right after the accident occurs, get to somewhere safe and call 911 immediately. If any injuries have been sustained, ask for medical assistance so that adequate care can be dispatched. When law enforcement arrives at the scene, cooperate with them to ensure your car accident statement is accurate.

Collect crucial information from other drivers involved in the accident, including name, contact information, driver’s license number, insurance provider, policy number, vehicle registration, and license plate number. Collect as much documentation as possible, including photos and videos of any vehicle damage, the subsequent road conditions, and any injuries if they are visible. If witnesses are present, collect their contact information as well.

Even if you believe that you have not suffered from significant injuries, it’s crucial to seek medical attention anyway. This is because some injuries, such as internal bleeding or whiplash, may not have immediately apparent symptoms. By having prompt medical documentation, you can ensure the strength of your claim. While traversing the post-accident process, it is crucial to apologize or admit fault, as this can negatively impact your claim.

After you have been given proper medical attention, it’s crucial to get in contact with a Long Beach car accident attorney as soon as possible. They can go over your case details with you, helping you work through each step of the claims process. By reaching out early on, you can have ample time to collect evidence and optimize your claim.

Compensation You Could Be Entitled to for Your Car Accident Case

If you’ve been a victim of a car accident, you may be entitled to different types of compensation, ranging from non-economic to economic damages.

A diligent attorney from Shaffer Law can go over your case details to help you understand which of the following damages you may be entitled to:

  • Medical costs: Medical expenses can cover various costs associated with your injuries, such as emergency care, hospital bills, surgery fees, prescription medications, physical rehabilitation, and any medical needs in the future.
  • Lost income: If you’re unable to work due to your injuries, you may be able to get access to compensation for any lost income. If your earning capacity is permanently reduced, you may also be able to recover damages for future lost earning potential.
  • Pain and suffering: You may be able to receive compensation for non-economic damages, including those associated with emotional distress, physical pain, and even a diminished quality of life.
  • Loss of consortium: Family members and spouses could be entitled to damages for a loss of emotional support and companionship if consequences from the accident had a negative impact on their relationships in such a manner.
  • Long-term care and rehabilitation: You may be able to recover compensation for any support for ongoing care or special rehabilitation.

An experienced Long Beach car accident lawyer from Shaffer Law is dedicated to providing aggressive, compassionate legal representation to our clients. We are eager to evaluate the extent of your damages and help you build up a personalized approach that assists you with recovering the compensation you’re entitled to.

Car Accident FAQs

Q: What Should I Do Immediately After a Car Accident in Long Beach?

A: If you are in a car accident in Long Beach, it’s crucial to prioritize your health and safety. Call 911 as soon as possible to let law enforcement know about the accident, and if any serious injuries have been suffered, let them know so that adequate medical personnel can be dispatched. Do not leave the scene of the crash, as this can result in criminal charges in California. Wait in a safe area for law enforcement to arrive.

Q: Can I Still Receive a Settlement if I Am Partially at Fault?

A: Yes, even if you were found to be partially at fault for your car accident, you can still receive compensation under California’s comparative negligence rules. This means that the final compensation amount you may receive would be reduced proportionally to the degree of fault assigned to you. A knowledgeable Long Beach car accident lawyer can help you understand California’s complex rules and regulations and how this may impact your settlement.

Q: How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Claim in California?

A: The amount of time you may have to file a car accident claim in California depends on various factors, including the entities involved in your crash and whether your case involves personal injury or property damage. As a general rule, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years, while the statute of limitations for property damage claims is three years. An attorney can help you understand the specific deadlines for your case.

Q: What Types of Compensation Can I Recover After a Car Accident?

A: The types of compensation you may be able to recover after a car accident include economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages you may be entitled to include those for past, current, and future medical expenses, any property damage, lost income and benefits, and lost earning potential. Non-economic damages you may be entitled to include pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life, among others.

Q: How Much Does It Cost​​ to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?

A: The cost of hiring a car accident lawyer depends on various factors, including their location and reputation, the complexity of your claim, and the specific services you’re looking for. Oftentimes, car accident attorneys charge a contingency fee, which means you won’t have to pay any fees unless they win your case. It’s important to work with an attorney who is upfront and transparent about their fees so that you have no unexpected payments.

Recover the Compensation You’re Entitled to With a Long Beach Car Accident Lawyer

Whether you’ve been in a minor fender bender or a severe car crash that led to life-altering injuries, it’s crucial to recover compensation for damages caused by somebody else’s negligence or recklessness.

An experienced Long Beach car accident attorney from Shaffer Law is determined to support you during this challenging time, negotiating and litigating fiercely on your behalf to get you a settlement that clearly reflects all you have lost. Contact us today to learn more about how we can support your case.

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