Carlsbad Car Accident Attorney
If you have been in a car accident; You should seek legal
assistance today: (844) 994-0480
CAR ACCIDENT
There are countless car accidents every day on our roadways in Southern California. Not only do they disrupt our lives by causing traffic jams, late arrivals to work and trips to the auto body shop, but of course, they can also cause significant injury and even death. In fact, in San Diego, Los Angeles, Riverside and Orange Counties, car accidents remain one of the leading causes of death. A review of the figures for Carlsbad car accidents reveals a similar trend. http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/ohir/Pages/CHSPCountySheets.aspx#s. An experienced Carlsbad car accident attorney with our firm will help you through the difficult time following an accident.
When you’ve been in an accident, you need an attorney that has experience in handling the various types of car accidents. We can help. We’re not afraid to aggressively pursue your case and see it all the way through trial, if that’s what it takes.
CAR ACCIDENT
Call Stipp Law Firm today to speak to one of our experienced Car Accident attorneys at (844) 994-0480
CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS
Although the weather in Southern California is much milder than the rest of the country, we still have plenty of car accidents on our roadways every day of the week. Car accidents happen for a variety of reasons, most of which are some form of driver negligence. For example:
- Distracted Driving
- Driving Under the Influence
- Driving Under the Influence
- Dangerous Road Conditions
Of course, other factors are commonly at play, like inexperience, advanced age and weather. Contact a Carlsbad car accident lawyer with experience in the type of case you have. At Stipp Law Firm, APC, we handle all types of accidents and the factors that cause them.
TYPICAL INJURIES RESULTING FROM ACCIDENTS
Car accidents cause all types of injuries, but some are more common than others. Some of the most common are:
Neck Injuries – Our necks our fragile and are the most common part of our body to be injured in a car accident. The majority of neck injuries are “whiplash” injuries, where we suffer from strains and sprains from being jolted. However, more significant injuries happen all the time, like disc bulges, herniations and nerve damage; there can even be symptoms of pain and loss of sensation that travel down into the arms and hands. Sometimes these neck injuries are so bad that they require surgery, like a discectomy or fusion.
Back Injuries – Our backs are the second most common part of our bodies to be injured in car accidents. Like the neck, the jolt of a car accident can cause sprains and strains in the back and most of the time the injuries are to the lower back. And like the neck, more significant injuries can occur in the back, like herniations. Sometimes lower back injuries can even result in pain and numbness in one or both legs.
Head Injuries – Our heads are also certainly susceptible to injury. Your typical rear-end accident can cause your head to bounce off the headrest, while a “T-bone” accident can cause your head to impact the window. The most common resulting injury is a concussion, which can be accompanied by several types of symptoms, including, but not limited to: loss of consciousness, nausea, headaches, sleepiness, sensitivity to light, and cognition issues. These symptoms can subside soon after the accident, but in some cases, can also last for years.
Of course, car accidents can also cause head injuries that are more severe and which result in significant permanent physical and mental trauma.
Broken Bones – Broken bones are also fairly common. Most of the time breaks occur in high speed collisions, but even lower speed collisions can break bones; for example when one’s leg is jammed between the break and the seat.
Cuts and Bruising– Minor cuts and scrapes are very common. Bruising is also common, especially in the chest, ribs and stomach from where a seat belt has properly secured someone in their seat. In more severe accidents, one can suffer deeper lacerations that require stitching and may result in permanent scarring.
WHY YOU SHOULD CONTACT A CARLSBAD CAR ACCIDENT LAWYER IF YOU HAVE BEEN IN A COLLISION
It is very important to the eventual outcome of your case that you take the right steps from the moment you are hit. First and foremost, make sure you are safe, your passengers are safe and that you do not do anything to put yourself or anyone else in harm’s way. If you are severely injured or believe you are sufficiently injured to where you need an ambulance, call 911.
If you’re in a minor collision, it’s usually ok to move your car off of the roadway onto the shoulder, side street or parking lot. Take photos of the damage to all vehicles involved. Exchange insurance and contact information with the other drivers; it is usually best to get photos of their licenses and insurance cards. If there are witnesses, try to get their names and contact information too. Also, make sure you do not admit to fault at the scene or make any comments implying or suggesting that you did anything wrong.
Most of the same rules apply in a more significant accident. One difference is that it is usually best to not move your car until the police arrive and are able to conduct their investigation.
In both minor and major accidents, it is always a good idea to call the police. Even if the other parties involved tell you that they cannot wait around for the police or that the police are not necessary, call them anyway. If the other driver is at fault, the police officer will make that determination at the scene and write up a Traffic Collision Report, which specifies who is at fault. While police reports are not full proof evidence of liability, they are very useful tools if you have to file a lawsuit and go to trial.
After your business is done at the scene, you have to assess how you are feeling. If you are in pain or feel in any way that you need medical assistance, it is best to either go to the Emergency Room or Urgent Care, or to make an appointment with your doctor right away.
If on the other hand you don’t feel any pain or discomfort, seeking medical assistance right away isn’t necessarily essential. A lot of times adrenaline is preventing you from feeling pain or discomfort and in the hours or even days following your accident, you will begin to suffer from pain or discomfort. If and when you start to feel pain and discomfort, it is critical to your case that you seek medical care right away. The more you delay, the more the insurance companies will want to point the finger at something else in your life as being the cause of your symptoms.
It is also critical to your case that when you are speaking with your healthcare providers that you do not make any incriminating statements and that you tell them exactly what is wrong with you. Your medical records will contain all of this detail and if you leave anything out or say something wrong, the insurance companies will certainly use it against you later.
After you get home from the accident, you must also make sure to call your insurance company and report it. Save your photos on your computer or another storage device. Make sure you save the other driver’s information and witness information, as well.
The other driver’s insurance company will likely call you. Do not talk to them. They are trained to twist your words and get you to say something that is damaging to your case.
Finally, you must call an experienced Carlsbad car accident lawyer to get a consultation about what your rights are and whether you need to hire an attorney to obtain justice. Having a Carlsbad car accident lawyer guide you through the process can go a long way in achieving a positive outcome.
WHY USE AN EXPERIENCED CARLSBAD CAR ACCIDENT LAWYER AT STIPP LAW FIRM, APC?
You should choose us if you are looking for a firm to treat you as a person, rather than a paycheck. We have handled hundreds of car accident cases, but unlike many other firms, we do not handle hundreds of cases at the same time. That way, our clients get personalized attention.
We are also aggressive with insurance companies. We always get the full value of a case, even if it takes extra effort that other attorneys aren’t willing to take. That said, we are also not afraid of litigating cases and going to trial. Insurance companies know and respect that.