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June
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I don’t know much about how auto insurance works in California?
All California drivers are required to carry 15/30 liability insurance. 15/30 refers to the amount of coverage a driver must have for people they injure; 15k per person and 30k per accident. (Note: if 3 people are injured by a driver in a single accident, they must divide 30k). Many people, including us, feel that these minimum insurance limits are too low, however this is the current state of California law. (Note: many people aren’t aware of how much coverage they have. An easy way to find out is to look at your “declarations” page of your auto policy or ask your insurance agent for a copy it. It will simply lay out your coverage limits.) We recommend having at least 100k/300k in both liability coverage and UIM coverage. You’d be surprised how little extra it will cost you to have good insurance that protects you and your passengers from an unexpected accident.
Types of Auto Insurance Coverage
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Liability: this type of insurance covers ONLY injuries and property damage you cause to others up to the limits of the policy. It does not cover your own injuries and property damage when you are at-fault for the car accident. (Note: if the other car is at fault for the accident you can recover on their auto insurance policy.)
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Collision: this type of insurance covers injuries and property damage to both you and others up to the limits of the policy when you are at fault for the car accident.
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Comprehensive: this type of insurance is the same as Collision Insurance (above), but also covers you in the event of weather damage, theft, an animal collision, vandalism, etc.
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Un/Under-insured (UIM): this type of insurance is an add on to the types above and ensures that you have a certain amount of money available to you in the event you’re in an accident caused by someone else with policy limits that aren’t large enough to cover your damages (personal injuries, damage to your car, etc.). For example, what happens when your 50k car is totaled and the guy that hit you only has 15k in coverage (CA minimum)? Without UIM coverage you are effectively out of luck and will have to pay for the difference in the value of replacing your car and 15k. Same applies to a personal injury claim. What if you are hit by a driver with 15k in coverage and suffer serious or permanent injuries? 15k won’t fairly compensate you, so you turn to your UIM and it takes the place of the underinsured driver, thus providing you with access to additional insurance money. We highly recommend that all of our clients have at least 100k/300k in UIM coverage.
What are some common types of car accidents you see?
Car accidents can happen in a variety of ways – we have seen it all, but the most common type we encounter are rear-enders. Far too often, drivers who are distracted take their eyes off of the road and look up only when it’s too late. These types of accidents usually start off with an “I didn’t see you.” From a legal standpoint, these are the most straight-forward types of accidents to be involved in as liability is almost always clear. Other types of car accidents we see include: sideswipe, “T-bone” and head-on collisions. The one thing that all these accidents have in common is that the driver breached their duty to exercise care when operating their vehicle. In other words, they were negligent and that negligence caused you to be injured. Negligent driving can occur in a variety of ways, such as:
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Failing to yield the right of way
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Failing to drive at a reasonable speed (not only based on speed limit, but road conditions)
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Improper/unsafe turn
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Driving while under the influence (drugs/alcohol)
Establishing this breach of care (negligence) is essential in a personal injury car accident claim. Often times this breach is clear and is included in a police report (the at-fault party will usually be cited). Other times, it’s not and we have to bring in our own accident reconstruction experts to determine the cause of the accident. More times than not, the insurance company of the car that hit you will dispute liability, regardless of what the police report finds. At a minimum, they will assert that you contributed to the accident by also driving negligently. Don’t worry, we are well-versed at handling this insurance company nonsense and will fight for you so that the picture is clear and you don’t bear any undeserved fault.
What injuries are most commonly caused by car accidents?
Advances in technology and heightened safety standards have made car occupants of cars in accidents less vulnerable than in the past, but it is still common that serious injuries occur when cars collide. Typically, the bigger the collision (speed) the more severe the injuries are that result. In low impact collisions (less than 15mph) the most common type of injury that occurs is a soft tissue, strain/sprain injury – when it involves the neck it is commonly referred to as “whiplash”. These “soft-tissue” injuries typically result from rear-end, low impact collisions. Many people injured in low impact collisions that suffer from only strain/sprain injuries can handle their insurance claims without a lawyer – especially if liability is clear and uncontested. If this sounds like your situation, you should reference our page on handling your own personal injury claim. Of course, we are also happy to speak to you on the phone about your situation and offer some friendly, free advice if we think you don’t need us.
When car crashes involve speeds greater than 15-mph, injured victims are very likely to need a Los Angeles car accident lawyer to help them with their claim and case. Injuries that result from these higher impact collisions are typically more severe and include:
(1) Torn Ligaments and Tendons
(2) Broken Bones
(3) Back/Spinal Injury
(4) Head Injury/Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
(5) Internal Injuries
(6) Disfigurement
(7) Paralysis
(8) Death
You should know that injuries resulting from a car accident might not always present immediately. After being in a car accident, your body is in a state of shock and produces endorphins to make it feel better. It is not uncommon after the shock wears off to develop symptoms or for your pain to get worse several hours after the car accident. It is important to get medical treatment if your pain increases or fails to get better as this is usually a sign of something more serious.