Why Hire Pre-Screened Car Accident Lawyers in Los Angeles
Car accidents in Los Angeles County are now back up to their regular rates after car accidents dropped dramatically by 50% across California due to quarantine orders. Higher accident rates are caused by a rise in speed on quieter-than-usual highways, along with an increase in people walking and cycling. So far, by May 2020, a total of 21 people have lost their lives in car crashes in Los Angeles county due to road accidents.
That said, let's talk about car accidents and personal injury claims and learn why you need to hire a Los Angeles car accident attorney.
Traffic accidents in Los Angeles
In the US, California has the highest rate of fatal road collisions. In 2019, according to statistics from the Los Angeles Police Department, there were 54,000 road accidents and 236 traffic fatalities in LA. A 32% rise in fatal accidents in the region has been seen in the last five years. Initially, the shelter-in-place order improved these rates; a deadly traffic accident occurred roughly once every 36 hours beforehand. This decreased to one every 2.5 days after March 19, explains Cmdr. Marc Reina.
Increasing road safety
As Los Angeles County starts reopening, drivers need to "get used to the fact that on the streets there are other people," advises Deputy Chief Blake Chow. Each driver "has a 5,000-pound missile control" and must be on the lookout for pedestrians, bikes, and people with carts and strollers. Many traffic lights in LA are in nighttime settings to curtail road collisions, prohibiting drivers from hitting consecutive green lights at intersections. Also, pedestrian pushbuttons are deactivated at crosswalks to force more drivers to stop because of longer light cycles.
Handling a traffic crash
While it's important to keep safe on the road, no fault of your own can cause accidents. You will get the best outcome by staying calm and taking charge of the situation. First, call the police, who will produce an official report describing the accident; if appropriate, this may be used in court. Consulting a car accident attorney in Los Angeles for legal representation is also important. For medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering, a reputable and experienced car accident lawyer in Los Angeles can help you gain financial compensation. An attorney also helps minimize stress by dealing with your claim and encourages a quicker recovery.
Road protection in the Antelope Valley and the broader LA region is continuously improving. Scrambled crosswalks and traffic signals were installed only last year on incredibly unsafe streets and intersections. As the state reopens, state authorities are now looking more into improving road safety and reducing traffic accidents.
If you don't know the number of car accident accidents and deaths in Los Angeles County every year, brace yourself for a number that will completely take the wind out of you. 92,020 Angelenos were injured or killed due to a traffic crash in 2017. During the same year, there were 60,000 overall incidents.
So, how many traffic crashes a day in Los Angeles does that work out for? If you describe an accident as a serious accident involving injury or a fatality, that's 164 accidents a day, a shocking number that puts into perspective the seriousness of this problem.
In 2017 ...
Of these traffic collisions,
7,271 involved alcohol.
294 involved an underage driver who was drunk unlawfully
2,501 involved an intoxicated 21 + driver who was
4,992 Motorcycles involved
6,412 pedestrians involved
577 pedestrians under the age of 15 years were involved.
827 included pedestrians over 653,757 years of age, including motorcycles and cyclists.
249 cyclists under the age of 1518,675 were explicitly involved in incidents due to excessive speeding.
9,133 occurred during the night (9 pm to 3 am)
LAPD police records, 8,475 were listed as hit-and-runs.
The Department of Transportation of Los Angeles (LADOT) is well aware of these unacceptable statistics, which rate Los Angeles in the United States of America as one of the worse and most dangerous places to be a driver. Although measures such as Vision Zero are targeted at this issue with the hope of reducing it even by a few percent, the fact is that this is an entrenched, structural problem in our city that will need to be solved by concerted action and cooperation.
If you've been in an accident due to someone else's negligence, contact Car Accident Lawyers in Los Angeles ASAP. Hiring a car accident lawyer in California is the best way to protect yourself from possibly jeopardizing your claim or getting taken advantage of by insurance companies.
Traffic Figures for Los Angeles County
We first need to understand, really understand, the degree to which the infrastructure of Los Angeles is constructed around car and motorcycle transit from a daily lifestyle point of view to get an idea of the real scope of this problem. Yeah, you probably know some figures, such as the 405 being the country's most congested highway or many registered drivers in LA. It can often bring home the true extent of Los Angeles' dependency on motor transit and the prevalence of motor vehicle traffic accidents in Los Angeles County to put a finer point on these perceptions.
Over 90% of Los Angeles County incidents are due to drivers' negligence. There are about 6 million registered motor vehicles in Los Angeles County alone. The 5, 10, 105, and 405 are the most dangerous freeways in California. Each year, almost 100 million miles are driven by Los Angeles drivers. Los Angeles County has more registered vehicles than most US states.
Contact Los Angeles Car Accident Lawyers ASAP if you're injured due to someone's negligence. Car accident injury lawyers in Los Angeles are familiar with personal injury claims and how to deal with them. Not getting guidance from a personal injury attorney could make things more challenging and confusing to deal with.
Pedestrian Injury Figures for Los Angeles County
A pedestrian accident is described as when a victim is not riding in a vehicle (or even a bicycle) and is walking or running on foot. Individuals are seeking to use their town as it is supposed to be used as a place to walk around and experience world-class restaurants, museums, park facilities, and more. Some people should have a fair expectation of being free at a rapid rate of speed from damage caused by those moving in huge metal machinery. Yet, in our county, they are injured and killed in unprecedented numbers, with statistics that spin the mind at the unspeakable tragedy that happens year after year on our streets.
Approximately 14% of all traffic incidents involve at least one pedestrian. Nevertheless, 33% of all car accident fatalities are pedestrians. New York City and Los Angeles have roughly similar numbers of pedestrian fatalities, even though NYC has 3x the population and much more pedestrian activity. This suggests something is wrong with the driving trends and sense of duty behind LA's wheel. The California Traffic Safety Office tracks these figures to create an actionable strategy to reduce the numbers. People die every day because drivers are distracted, mainly because they ignore the numbers and are concerned with their phones.
A Los Angeles Car Accident Attorney is familiar with these traffic accidents. They know how grave the consequences could be, financially and emotionally.
Statistics on Los Angeles County Cycling Injuries
Some, if not most urban cities consider the bike to be one of the most popular ways to get around the area. The bicycle has been popular for over a hundred years and continues to be an environmentally friendly transport option — relatively inexpensive, lightweight, good for your health, and even fun.
For one fundamental cause, we could not ultimately adopt this campaign approach in Los Angeles: becoming a bicyclist in LA county is incredibly dangerous. When it was introduced, one of the aims of the Vision Zero project was to minimize and eventually eradicate the incidence of bicycle accidents in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, fatal car collisions have increased by over 30% since the program's debut, and fatal bicycle accidents have increased by 5%.
Vision Zero seeks to eradicate bicycle accident fatalities by 2025Bicyclists are less than 1% of road traffic but makeup 3% of accident fatalities worldwide45,000 + bicyclists were injured as a result of an accident in 2015The city layout of Los Angeles is intended for massive car traffic; not bicycle and p.
Motorcycle Accident Figures from LA County
If you think of a motorcycle, you might admit that it's inherently more dangerous than driving a vehicle if a giant metal cage does not protect you from shielding yourself for no other reason. Instead, you are very vulnerable to the elements of the road and other vehicles. In a car-to-car collision, what may be a little tap or a fender bender can become deadly dangerous when there is nothing to shield you from harm.
With all the above-mentioned LA County traffic grid issues, as you might imagine, in Southern California, motorcyclists are injured and dying at an alarming pace.
Daytime running lights can minimize the occurrence of motorcycle accidents. Brightly colored helmets and equipment can help the visibility of motorcyclists to other drivers. Many motorcycle accidents result from the overuse of the vehicle's rear brakes.
More than 50% of motorcycle crashes involve a rider with less than five months of riding experience. Lighter motorcycles are more likely than larger ones to be involved in a severe accident; however, wrecks involving larger bikes typically lead to more severe consequences. Interestingly, most motorcycle accidents involve a rider going 30 mph or less.
Making Los Angeles Streets Safer for Everyone
It can feel defeated or hopeless to make headway against these depressing patterns with all of these figures that are hard to digest. However, if we commit to being good citizens on the road and the street, we can make a significant difference in others' lives every time we leave the house.
Drivers: Never drive and use your phone at the same time: this is a significant cause of severe injury and death, even if you feel you can "do it" Pay attention to the road and be alert to conditions that can shift in the notice of a moment drive cautiously, never aggressively. Avoid road rage, and do not be tempted by driving in an out-of-reach manner to take your grievances with other drivers but limit your pace: many car accidents result from an excessive pace.
Motorcyclists: Always wear significant protection, including a good helmet and jacket when riding. Slowly gain confidence during your first months of riding, and realize that this first year of becoming a motorcyclist is vital to your safety. Do not over-rely on your rear brake: this is infamous for causing bike wrecks.
Bicyclists: Never ride your bicycle without a helmet: this is the number one thing you can do to prevent serious injuries if you are in an accident, to give yourself a greater chance of a positive outcome. Like motorcyclists, never presume that other drivers know you're there or even care about your safety. Despite your rights, many LA drivers have contempt for bicyclists and will not allow you enough space on the road. Wear a bright vest and use reflectors to ensure that you are as visible to anyone else on the road as possible when you are riding
Pedestrians: Always follow the traffic signs and cross the street only when it's clear. Drivers in Los Angeles are not used to jaywalking pedestrians, unlike other cities. They would not expect you to go into the street extra cautious on street corners: several drivers pull quickly into the intersection when making a right turn, invading the exact place you can walk at any time you're on the street, be hyper-vigilant about your surroundings and the actions of drivers in Being conscious will give you the extra split second needed to prevent disaster.
We're all in this together as Angelenos. This is our town to share, live, work, and play in, and we all deserve to live a full life that is not cut short because of the carelessness or incompetence of anyone else. Ask yourself whether you need to respond to that text while you're behind the wheel or if it can wait until it's safe. What would you offer to turn back time and put the phone down in the event of an unspeakable disaster instead of staring at a message that could cost someone or yourself your life?
How a Pre-screened Car Accident Lawyer Can Help?
If you were in a car crash in Los Angeles or sustained property damage, you might be wondering how a car accident lawyer can help you — or whether trying to work with the insurance firm and settle the claim on your own is a good idea. While a great deal relies on the facts and complexities of your situation, a California Personal Injury Attorney will usually:
Speak to the other driver's insurer
Obtain the evidence needed concerning liability
Organize your bills and medical history
To retrieve missing documents, contact your healthcare providers to
Communicate with your medical team to ensure they have the necessary medical records so your claim will show harm.
To show liability and injury, coordinate and present proof.
Negotiate your claim with lien holders (such as health, disability, or compensation insurers for workers) to theoretically reduce the value of those liens and, With the claim adjuster or defense attorney, reach a reasonable settlement.
Let's look in-depth at a few of these things.
Communicating with the Insurer of the Other Vehicle
Your counsel will open a contact line with the insurance adjuster for the other party (or parties) concerned in any personal injury situation. The adjuster has the pocketbook, so maintaining good contact and a good relationship with the adjuster is essential for a plaintiff's lawyer.
Obtaining Required Evidence of Liability
A competent lawyer will help you gather all the facts you need to prove liability in a car accident lawsuit. While you might have already taken photos of the accident site, your prosecutor may go back to the scene himself to see what it looks like. Although a picture may be worth a thousand words, it can be worth a thousand images to see the location.
The prosecutor will ensure that all the accident reports in the case are obtained and speak with the police officers and witnesses investigating them. When it comes to collecting proof of liability, a competent lawyer will leave no stone unturned.
Obtaining Sufficient Proof of all Damages
This is where a pre-screened and the best personal injury attorney in Los Angeles can be vital to your case, mainly if you have sustained severe injuries in connection with a car accident.
Obtaining all the paperwork related to your injuries is essential, but keeping your hands on those documents and bills from healthcare providers is not always easy. Although the notes are legally yours and you have an absolute right to them, submitting medical reports to patients and lawyers is simply not the priority of a health care provider.
Small clinics may not have the staffing or the time to respond promptly to medical record requests. To respond to medical record requests, large hospitals may have complex protocols that must be followed. They obviously won't respond to your bid if you don't follow their protocols (which they also don't publicize very well).
Then, the records may be incomplete when the healthcare provider addresses the inquiry. The secretary or paralegal of any lawyer will inform you that they sometimes have to request the same documents more than once and have to follow up with the supplier's office regularly.
Finally, it might turn out that the doctor did not use the "magic words" in his or her notes on causes, prognosis, and disability. To pursue some kind of personal injury lawsuit successfully, you must be able to show, by medical evidence, what the accident, impairment, or physical inability is precisely and that the defendant's negligence caused it.
Doctors sometimes do not state the cause and seriousness of the accident or disability in their medical history. Your lawyer will write to the doctor if anything occurs in the case and apply for a particular letter in which the doctor gives his or her opinion that the accident has caused your injury or impairment and that you will be affected or disabled as a result of the accident for a certain period.
Negotiating with the Owner of the Lien
This company will have a lien on your claim if you have earned coverage from a dental, disability, or workers ' compensation company. A lien implies that the lienholder gets paid out of every settlement or judgment you get before you do. To convince the lien holder to reduce his lien, a good lawyer can deal with the lien holder. This is critical work. One more dollar that goes into your wallet is every dollar less than the lien holder takes.
The Arbitration Negotiating
The lawyer will eventually discuss the settlement. It's hard to work here. Negotiation is a unique ability. A California Attorney For Personal Injury will always be much better than a layperson when solving an auto accident case. A good lawyer understands how much the case is worth and knows how to run the point and execute the negotiations to get the insurer's top dollar.
When can I manage a claim for a car accident myself?
For most minor cases, people don't need attorneys. However, where there have been bodily injuries, it is in your best interest to consult a reputable California car accident lawyer so you are comfortable working with an honest, vetted legal professional.
The question is, what's a small case? And where is the line between a minor issue you can handle and a more significant point you can certainly hire a lawyer for? Generally, you can employ a personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles if your medical bills exceed $3,000 or if you have been out of work for more than a week or so.
How Do I Request An Unbiased Referral To A Top-Rated Los Angeles Car Crash Lawyer
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