Car Accident Lawyer

The last thing you want to do to begin or finish your day is to end up involved in a car accident. Car accidents can range in severity from a minor fender-bender to a catastrophic accident that ends with fatalities. If you sustain any injuries in a car accident, you probably have questions. Most of these questions are going to deal with the monetary aspect of the accident. How are you going to pay the medical bills? What are you going to do if you can’t get your car fixed? How will you get to work?

These are all valid questions – questions that can be answered by an experienced car accident lawyer.. Firouzbahkt Law Firm understands the urgency of handling your car accident injury claim.. If you are the primary breadwinner in your family, the need is even more urgent to get back to work or gain compensation for the losses attributed to the accident.

Our experienced legal team has the skills required to get your case handled quickly and efficiently. The medical expenses of accident victims are taken care of in an expedited manner. No one should have to wait to recover financial losses from personal injury claims.

Negligence and The Common Car Accident Causes

The foundation of a personal injury lawsuit in civil matters is to prove negligence by the at-fault party. The vast majority of car accidents are caused by carelessness and human error on a driver's part.. Sometimes there are even intentional actions taken by the negligent driver. Proving negligence can be easier if the driver broke a traffic law. The driver owed a duty of care while operating their vehicle on the road. When they broke that traffic law, they breached their duty of reasonable care. If the injury resulted from that driver's breach of duty, it is considered negligent.

Common Accident Causes That May Result in Injury

There are some circumstances on the road that may result in the injury of a party in a car accident. 

• Drunk Driver/Drugged Driver - a driver who is under the influence of drugs or under the influence of alcohol has judgment that is not sound. They pose an increased threat behind the wheel of a vehicle, making it even more dangerous on the roadway and the potential for drunk driving accidents to occur. To prove hinegligence, your personal injury attorney will likely subpoena the drug or alcohol test administered after the accident.. Many of these persons could be held responsible for reckless driving.
• Traffic and Road Violations - There are specific traffic laws in place to keep people safe on the road. When these laws are violated (running stop signs, driving through red lights, failing to yield the right of way, etc.) there is an increased chance for a car accident with injury. Traffic accidents can be caused by many different driver errors.
• Unsafe Left Turns - many of the accidents that occur in intersections are the result of unsafe left turns. Drivers who attempt to turn left without enough time often end up in serious car accidents. Many of these result in what police call T-bone accidents or side-impact collisions..
• Distracted Driving - a distracted driver is defined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as someone who engages in activity that causes them to take their eyes off the road - even for one second. How many times have you been in the car and tried to adjust the radio or someone wants a snack opened? These are all opportunities for distracted driving. Many pedestrian accidents and rear-end collisions are the result of a failure to pay attention to the road.
• Driving Drowsy - if you have ever gotten behind the wheel while you were overly exhausted, you are likely guilty of driving drowsy. Being sleepy behind the wheel, especially on long stretches of the roadway can create situations where we drift into the other lanes causing a head-on collision. To avoid potentially catastrophic or fatal accidents, you should always be well-rested before getting behind the wheel of a motor vehicle.

Common Injuries That Could Result From Motor Vehicle Accidents

There are numerous personal injuries that can result from being in a car crash. Some of these crash injuries can have a serious impact on the daily life of a person, requiring them to seek compensation for medical expenses or to retain some quality of life.

The most common mental and physical injuries seen in a car accident lawsuit are:

Whiplash and other soft tissue injuries – whiplash is used to describe muscle, ligament, and tendon injuries that may be sustained in a car accident. When you are in a car accident, the motion of the car going forward interrupted by the unexpected stop forces the body to move suddenly (faster than you would ever move on your own). This movement causes strain on your muscles and soft tissues but results in no broken bones in most situations. The healing time is often long and painful.

Cuts and scrapes – most cuts and scrapes can range from superficial to fatal. In a car accident, these result from flying debris or projectiles, like glass, inside of the car.

Head injuries – Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) and other head trauma, like concussions, can cause complications immediately or into the future. When not treated properly, these brain injuries could result in permanent disabilities and other long-term medical problems.

Broken ribs and other broken bones – your rib cage is fragile, and it isn’t a part of the body that is easily mended like a broken arm or leg. When ribs are broken, it can be caused by the seatbelt or the body being thrust into the steering wheel. Other broken bones, while painful, it may be fixed through surgical procedures and casting. In both cases, you are looking at a decent amount of rest and healing following bone fractures or breaks.

Internal bleeding and internal organ injury – even though the body does a great job at protecting your internal organs, there are still instances when internal bleeding or organ injury cannot be avoided. There are often very few outward signs of internal injuries, which can make them hard to diagnose. If they aren’t taken care of quickly, they can turn fatal. Many car accident fatalities result from head injuries or internal traumas.

Spinal cord injuries – like breaking a bone, your spine is also exposed and vulnerable in a car accident. With enough force, it is possible to break the spinal column or even herniate discs. When problems occur with the back, it can require a lot of physical therapy and rehabilitation.

Psychological trauma – depending on the severity of the accident, it is possible that a victim may suffer from psychological traumas like PTSD from the accident. Other mental illnesses may result from experiences that are extremely devastating following fatal or catastrophic crashes.

Death - in most wrecks, when death results from someone else's negligence, it is considered a wrongful death. Personal injury attorneys are skilled in handling wrongful death claims after fatal crashes..

Compensation for a Motor Vehicle Collision with Injury

One of the questions that a person always wants to know is what their personal injury claim is worth. Every car accident claim that comes through Firouzbakht Law Firm has different circumstances and factors that influence the amount of recoverable damages.. There are three primary financial compensations that we work toward with each case for fair compensation:

• Economic Damages – these are the damages that are considered quantifiable. These losses are ones that can be assigned a dollar amount with evidence to back it up. You will often see hospital bills, medical bills, additional medical care, physical therapy charges, property damage, lost wages, and other amounts or out-of-pocket expenses due to a diminished ability to care for oneself that can be calculated to show the insurance company.
• Non-Economic Damages – these are a little bit harder for amounts to be assigned to. When it comes to the non-economic losses, they are often the emotional and mental losses caused by the injuries sustained in the accident. These types of damages include pain and suffering, loss of consortium, loss of companionship (primarily in wrongful death claims), loss of livelihood, and other losses that the insurance company will likely try to dismiss.. Many non-economic damage claims require witnesses who will testify as to the losses that have been sustained by the family as a result of the accident and the emotional damage the at-fault driver caused.
• Punitive Damages – your personal injury attorney does not pursue these.. In fact, these are damages that are awarded by the judge or jury, usually in egregious offenses to teach the offender or others a lesson.

Settlements as a Form of Compensation

A settlement is often the first negotiation that an insurance company will submit on behalf of the at-fault party. Settlements are a tool used to try to get the civil lawsuit against the defendant dropped without going to trial. The insurance company has a maximum amount that they will pay out for any accident, which is based upon the at-fault party’s insurance coverage. In most circumstances, they will offer only the economic damages or just below it, which often results in a counteroffer by your legal team.

Once a fair settlement agreement has been reached, it often negates the necessity to go to trial. The judge still has to sign off on the settlement that has been drawn up by both parties, but they will likely receive confirmation that it was approved.

Firouzbahkt Law Firm always fights for justice for our clients. As an accident attorney, we understand the urgency to handle the matter of compensation quickly and to mitigate your financial losses.

What to Do After Any Type of Crash

When you are involved in a motor vehicle collision, the first thing you need to do is assess the situation. See if you are injured or if anyone else is injured If there are injuries, you need to get them out of the way of traffic (if possible) and call 911. 

When police and other emergency services arrive, it is important to cooperate with them. This includes being examined at the scene of the accident for injuries. Give all of your information to the officer handling the police report so that it can be included. If you are able, you can also take pictures and gather evidence at the accident scene should you have trouble getting compensation. Make sure you keep a copy of the accident reports and your medical records for your attorney.

It is advisable to call on experienced car accident lawyers as soon as possible following the accident. Having an experienced attorney on your side can change how the insurance company approaches your claim against their client. You should also never speak to insurance adjusters or allow them to record a conversation without legal representation present. Do not agree to anything without consulting your auto accident attorney first.

After an insurance claim, the insurance adjusters like to try an approach victims who do not have representation. This allows them to influence the injured party, pressuring them into a statement or implicating themselves in some fashion.

Can I Afford a Car Accident Attorney?

Like other personal injury lawyers, Firouzbakht Law Firm works on a contingency fee basis. What is a contingency fee? A contingency fee is a type of contract. This contract states that if we don't win your car accident claims, we don't get paid.. That's right! We don't get a payment if we don't get you compensated for your accident injuries. Our only concerns are to ensure we get you the fair compensation needed in the time limit you need it in.

Firouzbakht Law Firm - Your Car Accident Lawyers

At Firouzbakht Law Firm, we believe in holding the person responsible for your injuries accountable for their actions. We understand the physical pain and mental pain that the negligent party has caused by their actions. This is a difficult time for you and your family, which is why we are here to make sure that compensatory damages are awarded to you as a result of your injury. 

You are in a situation that requires payout of money damages now, not in the time frame set by the insurer of the negligent party. We know that the anxiety and stress you feel is causing you more strain because everything feels like it is out of your control. Let us take care of you and your family.

We offer a free, no-obligation consultation on your case. You can set up an appointment or use our convenient contact form to discuss your case. We know you don't have weeks or months to wait for funds, which is why we begin working as soon as you give us the green light after the evaluation.