Are you struggling with severe injuries after a car accident in Santa Ana? Do you have medical bills piling up? Is an insurance company hassling you or offering a low settlement? If you answered yes to any of these questions, it’s time to talk to a car accident attorney.
The Santa Ana car accident lawyers at DJA Injury Lawyers can help you recover fair compensation after a crash by managing your legal case and protecting your rights. While you focus on healing from your injuries, we can investigate the crash, identify who’s liable for your losses, file an insurance claim, and negotiate on your behalf. If the insurance companies refuse to offer a fair settlement, we can take your case to court and handle all the legal procedures. You don’t owe us any fees unless we obtain compensation for you, and your initial consultation is free. Call (949) 229-7228 now or complete our contact form for more information.
Why You Need a Santa Ana Car Accident Attorney
A severe car accident in Santa Ana can turn your life upside down. Trying to manage a legal case when you’re already dealing with expensive medical bills, lost wages, and a sharp drop in your quality of life can feel overwhelming.
When you’re facing all this stress, hiring a Santa Ana car accident attorney can make a huge difference. A car accident lawyer knows how to gather evidence, negotiate with insurance adjusters, and fight for fair compensation. Without legal help, you risk settling for less than you need to cover your expenses.
Furthermore, it’s vital to remember that insurance companies have teams of professionals working to protect their bottom line. An insurer more concerned with profits than your well-being may pressure you to accept a quick settlement that doesn’t fully account for your medical care, lost income, or pain and suffering. If you don’t understand your rights, you could end up paying out of pocket for losses the insurance companies should cover. A Santa Ana car accident attorney can handle the legal details, protect your interests, and make sure the insurance companies don’t take advantage of you.
Finally, hiring a car accident lawyer can help you avoid missing critical deadlines in your case. If you wait too long to submit a claim or file a lawsuit, you could lose your right to compensation. A skilled and experienced attorney can make sure your case moves forward on time.
Car Accident Cases We Handle in Santa Ana
Our Santa Ana car accident attorneys have experience helping clients involved in many types of crashes, including:
- Rear-end accidents – Rear-end collisions often happen because other drivers follow too closely or speed, which means they don’t have enough room to stop safely and avoid hitting the car in front of them. These accidents frequently result in whiplash, bruises or broken bones from drivers being pressed against their seatbelts, and other severe injuries.
- Sideswipe accidents – Sideswipe crashes typically occur when a driver makes unsafe maneuvers while passing or merging on busy streets or highways. Drivers and passengers have little protection from being hit from the side, which often means the injuries from these collisions are particularly severe.
- Head-on accidents – Head-on collisions are some of the most dangerous crashes that occur in Santa Ana due to the combined force of two cars colliding at high speeds. The intense force of these accidents can cause life-threatening injuries, and victims lucky enough to survive these crashes often struggle with lifelong physical or mental disabilities.
- T-Bone accidents – A T-bone or side-impact crash occurs when the front of one car collides with the side of another car, forming a “T” shape. T-bone crashes often happen when a driver runs a red light or stop sign and collides with another car traveling through the intersection. Any drivers or passengers struck from the side are likely to sustain severe, potentially life-threatening injuries.
- Distracted driving accidents – California law prohibits drivers from using cellphones or other electronic devices while driving unless they have a hands-free system or use voice commands. Drivers under 18 can’t use a cell phone at all while driving. Unfortunately, many drivers ignore the law and use their phones or other devices while driving, taking their concentration off the road and making a severe collision more likely.
- Speeding accidents – Research from the California Highway Patrol shows that speed is the primary contributing factor in more than 27 percent of fatal and injury crashes statewide. Drivers who speed have less time and space to react to hazardous situations, and cars hit with more force the faster they’re going, making severe or fatal injuries more likely.
- Drunk driving accidents – Nearly 1,500 people statewide died in drunk driving crashes during one recent year, according to research from the California Office of Traffic Safety. Despite the well-documented dangers of drunk driving, many people continue to put themselves and others in danger by getting behind the wheel while intoxicated.
- Defective parts accidents – Defective vehicle components can cause crashes when they fail and cause drivers to lose control. For example, defective brakes or steering systems can prevent drivers from stopping or maneuvering to avoid a collision. Defective safety equipment can also cause injuries if it malfunctions. For example, defective Takata airbags killed or injured many people because the airbags either exploded or didn’t work correctly.
- Intersection accidents – Many crashes in Santa Ana and Orange County occur because drivers don’t yield the right of way at intersections. Drivers who don’t stop and yield at intersections can also collide with pedestrians or cyclists crossing the street.
- Aggressive driving accidents – Aggressive maneuvers can cause drivers to lose control or collide with other cars because they misjudge how much space they have to avoid hitting other drivers. Weaving through traffic, tailgating, road rage, and similar behaviors all significantly increase the chances of a crash occurring.
Common Injuries from Santa Ana Car Accidents
Car accidents frequently cause grievous, potentially lifelong injuries, including:
- Concussions and other traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries, including partial or complete paralysis
- Whiplash and other neck injuries
- Ruptured discs and other back injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Damage to internal organs
- Broken bones, particularly in the wrists, legs, or ribs
- Soft-tissue injuries
- Severe burns
- Crushed, severed, or amputated limbs
- Post-traumatic stress disorder or other mental health conditions
How To Protect Your Rights After a Santa Ana Car Accident
Your actions in the aftermath of a car accident can significantly impact your chances of recovering fair compensation for your injuries and other losses. Here’s what to do to protect your legal rights after a collision once you’ve called 911 and seen a doctor:
- Follow your doctor’s instructions and attend all follow-up appointments. You can seek compensation for all your medical expenses from a crash, but failing to follow your doctor’s orders can make your injuries seem less severe than they are. Insurance companies may use that as an excuse to reduce your compensation or deny your claim.
- Save your medical bills and all receipts related to the crash. These documents illustrate the scope of your financial losses from the collision.
- Save any evidence you have from the crash scene. Photos or videos from the scene can help demonstrate how the collision occurred and who caused it. Likewise, eyewitness accounts can provide a neutral perspective on the crash and shed light on the other driver’s negligent actions. For example, a witness may have seen the driver looking at their phone or behaving aggressively before the accident.
- Don’t discuss the crash with anyone other than your attorney. Insurance companies can use your statements to other people against you to undermine your claim, so don’t give them anything to work with. Be particularly careful about what you post on social media, as insurance companies can easily find your posts and use them against you.
- Report the accident to your insurance company, but be careful about what you say. Stick to the basic facts of the crash, and don’t speculate about who may have caused it. Additionally, don’t give any recorded statements without talking to a lawyer first. Never sign any documents from an insurance company without having an attorney review them.
- Contact a Santa Ana car accident lawyer. Do this as soon as possible so your lawyer can investigate the crash scene before vital evidence disappears or deteriorates. A Santa Ana car accident attorney can also deal with the insurance companies and document your losses to maximize your claim’s value.
Compensation in Santa Ana Car Accident Claims
The key to maximizing your compensation in a car accident claim is to thoroughly document all the ways the crash has affected your life. An experienced attorney can help you seek compensation for:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Lost income and reduced future earnings
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- The cost to repair or replace your car or other damaged property
Deadline to File a Car Accident Lawsuit in California
Under California law, you usually have two years from the date of a car accident to file a personal injury lawsuit against the other driver or another liable party. Contact an attorney right away so they can make sure you don’t miss this critical deadline.
Our Santa Ana Car Accidents Lawyers Are Ready to Help
Trust DJA Injury Lawyers to simplify your life and guard your rights after a Santa Ana car accident. Call (949) 229-7228 now or complete our contact form for a free consultation.