Car accidents can change the course of an unsuspecting victim’s future in the blink of an eye. A severe collision can destroy somebody’s physical and emotional health as well as their financial well-being if they’re lucky enough to survive the crash. Unfortunately, these situations unfold far too often on busy roads in and around Menifee. Car accidents are a daily occurrence due to the crowded roadways, high speeds of travel, and frequency of bad driving behavior like texting and driving, speeding, failing to use turn signals, and driving while intoxicated. Even with traffic laws in place mean to keep motorists and passengers safe, negligent behavior on the roads still results in far too many collisions and injuries. If you or a loved one were hurt in a car accident, you should speak to a Menifee General Car Accident Injury Attorney to see if you might be entitled to compensation for your injuries.
Menifee Car Accident Injury StatisticsA town of 93,000 and growing, Menifee’s population has exploded recently as Southern Californians relocate from urban areas to more affordable suburban areas. Even after relocating many of these residents continue to commute to the Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego metro areas and spend a large amount of time traveling Menifee and Riverside County roadways. Even when not commuting, residents of the city situated next to the busy 215 freeway and near the massive 15 freeway are still subject to busy roads for everyday errands. These busy roads and the prevalence of bad driving behavior result in accidents and injuries every day. In 2016 alone, California’s Office of Traffic Safety cited 350 reported traffic injuries and fatalities in the Menifee area. Just this year, an accident at Newport and Menifee Roads resulted in a fatality and serious injury to the second driver.
How Do I Recover for My Car Accident Injuries?It’s common for victims injured in a Menifee car accident to seek compensation through the courts by filing a suit arguing their damages were caused by someone’s negligence. Once negligence is established, a defendant without a valid legal defense will be liable for injuries a victim can prove. To prove negligence, you must show it’s more likely than not:
- the defendant owed you a legal duty of care,
- breached their duty through an act or omission,
- the breach caused actual injury to you.
There are a number of common injuries resulting from car accidents – though some may be minor like bruises and cuts, many may be catastrophic resulting in astronomical medical bills and the need for lifelong accommodations or care. Burns, fractures, whiplash, spinal cord injuries like paralysis, back injuries, and head trauma including traumatic brain injuries are all common results of serious collisions.
What’s My Case Worth?Once you’ve established you were injured by someone’s negligence, you may be entitled to an award of damages from the court to the injuries you can prove. Car accidents can cause severe injuries requiring a lifetime of care, long-term rehabilitation, and expensive accommodations so you can function normally in daily life. Victims may recover damages to compensate them for economic harms as well as noneconomic harms reflecting mental, emotional, and psychological trauma from the accident. It’s common to see awards for injuries like:
- Pain and suffering,
- Medical bills,
- Property damage,
- Loss of consortium (companionship), and
- Lost wages.
Victims in some cases may be awarded additional damages to punish a defendant’s particularly egregious, vile, and reprehensible behavior and deter its repetition. Because these punitive damages require satisfying a very high burden of proof and are entirely up to the discretion of the judge or jury, working with an experienced Menifee general car accident injury lawyer is wise to avoid costly legal mistakes.
Steps to Take After an AccidentEven if you may be overwhelmed at the thought of making decisions and taking action right after you’re involved in a car accident, taking a few simple steps afterwards can help look after your health and greatly improve the strength of any claims you may make for recovery.
Seek Immediate Medical CareAs soon as possible, seek medical attention. Even if you think you’re not injured, some conditions may not present symptoms for days after an accident, so an evaluation and medical follow-ups are critical. Follow treatment plans and recommendations exactly, attend all follow-up appointments, and take medicine exactly as prescribed to protect your health and document the extent of your damages.
Collect Helpful Evidence To help the strength of any claim you may make for compensation, it’s important to collect relevant documents, records, receipts, and other evidence that helps establish negligence and document your damages. If possible, you should:
- Photograph the accident scene, the vehicles, and your injuries.
- Notify law enforcement, give a statement, and get a copy of the accident report from your local police department.
- Get names and contact information from other drivers as well as any eyewitnesses.
- Refrain from giving statements to any other drivers, admitting fault, commenting on if you’re injured, or apologizing.
- Keep records of all medical treatment.
- Keep receipts reflecting expenses such as medical bills and property repair.
- Retain copies of paystubs showing lost income.
Act QuicklyIt’s important not to delay pursuing a claim for compensation for too long. In California, you must file a personal injury suit for your car accident within 2 years from the date of injury or you’ll be permanently barred from filing any suit at all by the state’s statute of limitations. Claims filed after the time period will be dismissed.
Speak to a LawyerIf you or a loved one were hurt in a car accident caused by someone’s negligence, you know the physical, financial, and emotional consequences can turn your life upside down. Contact the Menifee General Car Accident Injury Attorneys at Walton Law, APC today for help putting the pieces back together. Our attorneys have spent years providing tailored, aggressive representation for victims just like you and recovered millions of dollars on their behalf. Contact us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at (866) 338-7079 or through our online Contact Page to schedule a no obligation, confidential case review. The consultation is risk free, and you pay nothing until we win your case. Let our team of attorneys review your unique case and use our knowledge and resources to secure the best possible outcome from an unfortunate situation.