Sherman Oaks Car Accident Lawyer

Sherman Oaks Car Accident Attorney

A motor vehicle accident can leave you or a loved one feeling overwhelmed with mounting medical bills, pain and suffering, and even lost wages from your job. You might be entitled to damages suffered in the accident. A skilled Sherman Oaks car accident lawyer can advocate for your recovery and ensure the costs to move on with your life don’t come from your own pocket. If you’ve been hurt in an accident, an attorney can make a world of difference.

What Types of Cases Does a Personal Injury Attorney Typically Handle?

When you hire a Sherman Oaks personal injury lawyer, it’s important to look at their legal experience with handling cases similar to yours.

A civil attorney usually handles a wide variety of matters, including:

• Auto accidents
• Bus accidents
• Motorcycle and bicycle incidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Train and truck accidents
• E-scooter accidents
• General personal injury claims
• Catastrophic injuries
• Wrongful death claims
• Spinal cord injuries
• Ride-share accidents (involving Uber, Lyft, etc.)
• Pool accidents

A lawyer can take extended time to learn about the facts of each client’s claim. Then, they can focus on a client’s individual needs and their goals for recovery. A knowledgeable attorney can adopt a personalized legal strategy for each case and aim for maximum recovery for each client they represent.

Can I Recover Compensation Even if I Was Partly at Fault for My Own Car Accident?

Yes, you can recover compensation in California cases even when you are determined to have been partially at fault for a personal injury accident. Therefore, if a judge or jury decides you share a portion of the fault for your accident, any compensation awarded will subtract that portion of fault to account for your blame.

An experienced local attorney can help you decide whether you potentially share liability for your accident. A lawyer can also help protect you from baseless accusations if someone argues that you, in fact, share fault for an accident.

What’s the Deadline to File a Personal Injury Claim?

In California, the statute of limitations to file a claim for a personal injury accident is usually two years from when the accident happened. There are some exceptions to the deadline for filing a claim, depending on the circumstances of an individual case.

As an example, if an injury was not immediately obvious right away following an accident, the statute of limitations might, in fact, start on the date the injury was first discovered or from the date it should reasonably have been discovered. There are some other deadline distinctions and nuances to California law, and consulting a knowledgeable California attorney can help ensure you don’t miss any deadlines for filing your Sherman Oaks claim.

How Can I Win My Personal Injury Claim in Sherman Oaks?

Typically, you’ll need to work with an attorney to identify the party responsible for causing any sustained injuries. Then, an attorney can argue damages were sustained only as a direct result of another party’s direct actions or negligence. An attorney can gather relevant evidence about the sustained damages and can help argue someone else’s negligence or failure to use reasonable care led to the accident.

Request full recovery from any economic losses, which typically includes financial recovery for medical bills, pain and suffering, property damages, and lost wages. Sometimes, your attorney may argue you are entitled to other damages in some circumstances.

Well-informed attorneys can address all possible recovery options with you, even if your case circumstances appear to be fairly straightforward. Contact an experienced Sherman Oaks personal injury attorney to discuss your particular claim.

What’s My Sherman Oaks Car Accident Case Worth?

The value of your recovery usually depends on how serious your injuries are. Usually, the more serious the injuries, the higher the case value may typically be. Naturally, there are many factors that affect the case value, including:

• Whether your ability to work was impacted by the accident (either temporarily or permanently).
• The extent of property damage from the accident.
• How the accident and damages affected your emotional state.

An experienced attorney can help you get a full financial recovery and comprehensively address your case value.

What Should I Do After a Car Crash in Sherman Oaks?

Following an accident, you can help your ability to recover compensation by:

• Staying at the scene but moving yourself (and your vehicle if possible) to a safe part of the roadway.
• Exchanging insurance and contact information without apologizing to any involved parties or admitting fault to any responding law enforcement.
• Contacting the police when injuries are involved, as you’ll have an officer conducting a preliminary investigation and generating a police accident report.
• Getting any needed medical attention.

Additionally, you should not provide a recorded statement and direct all contact to your attorney, who can handle every part of an accident claim on your behalf.

If you or a loved one is involved in an accident, it’s crucial to contact an attorney right away.

What Does It Cost to Hire an Attorney for My Car Accident?

Most California car accident attorneys work on your case on a contingency fee basis, which means you only pay if they win your case and recover damages/compensation on your behalf. There are factors that affect the costs of retaining an attorney, including:

• The attorney’s level of experience.
• Whether the case goes to trial in a California court.
• The case complexity.
• How long the attorney might spend on the case.

With a contingency matter, there typically aren’t any upfront costs you’re expected to pay for legal representation, and the attorney assumes all financial risks associated with bringing your case to resolution. You’ll usually only pay your attorney when they negotiate a settlement amount or if they win an outcome in your favor at trial.

How Can a Sherman Oaks Attorney Advocate for Me?

An attorney can be an invaluable resource as you navigate through the legal system with a personal injury claim. An attorney can fight for you by:

• Diligently investigating the circumstances of your specific accident.
• Consulting specialists to work towards building a comprehensive case.
• Negotiating with insurance companies and adjusters to ensure you receive a significantly higher recovery.
• Addressing any arguments that you might share any fault for the underlying accident.
• Representing you at court if settlement negotiations don’t fully resolve the claim.

A Sherman Oaks Personal Injury Attorney Can Discuss Your Specific Circumstances

An attorney can help advise you of any implications of a course of action you’re considering, plus address all possible recovery available in your case. Contact an experienced personal injury attorney to understand your options and fully protect your recovery.

Sherman Oaks Car Accident FAQs

Q: What Is the Difference Between an Attorney and a Lawyer in California?

A: In California, there’s a distinction between an attorney and a lawyer. Mostly, an attorney has a valid license to practice law and can represent clients in California courts.

Alternatively, a lawyer is a law school graduate who might not necessarily be licensed to practice law, as they might not have passed the California Bar Exam. Therefore, while all attorneys are lawyers, not all lawyers are attorneys.

Q: What Causes Most Car Wrecks in Sherman Oaks?

A: Negligence is the leading cause of accidents in Sherman Oaks. This means that someone had a legal duty to act in a certain way, but they failed to do so. Because of this, someone else was harmed. Accidents are caused by speeding, failure to yield, road rage, tired driving, distracted driving, tailgating, and ignoring traffic laws.

To show negligence in California, you must prove another party owed a duty of care, then breached it, which caused harm.

Q: What Types of Compensation Are Available for Injuries From a Car Accident?

A: In California, you can seek economic and non-financial damages. Economic damages should compensate for expenses from a wreck, including medical bills, rehabilitation and therapy, and lost income. Non-financial damages should compensate for injuries that are hard to determine, such as emotional and mental distress, depression, and loss of life’s joy.

These examples of damages are not exhaustive and an attorney can further address potential recovery. In the meantime, taking time to document injuries can help maximize recovery.

Q: Who Could Be Liable for My Car Accident Injuries?

A: Parties potentially liable for your car accident injuries could include any drivers of other automobiles or vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, operators of other types of vehicles, government agencies, and companies manufacturing defective parts.

A Sherman Oaks attorney can help carefully investigate your individual accident to address the accident’s causes and find out who is responsible.

Contact a Sherman Oaks, CA, Attorney With Experience Successfully Handling Car Accident Cases

At Freeman & Freeman, LLP, we can help you get the most beneficial results for your car accident. You can feel confident knowing you have a zealous representative on your side who can help get you the compensation you deserve. Our team understands how overwhelming it can feel when you or a loved one has been through an accident. Contact us right away to set up a free initial consultation or if we can answer any questions you might have.