Were you recently injured in a car accident in Encino, CA? Our lawyers at JUSTICENTER Personal Injury Lawyers are prepared to help you get fair compensation for your injuries. An experienced Encino car accident attorney can help you fight to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and more. Contact our law offices today at (833) 852-3600.
We have over 105 years of combined experience helping injured clients like you get back on their feet again after accidents. We’ve recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts over the years.
How JUSTICENTER Can Help After a Car Crash in Encino, CA
At JUSTICENTER, our Encino personal injury lawyers have been fighting for accident victims like you since we founded our legal practice in 1980. We’ve been recognized for our success by Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers in America, and with an AV-Preeminent rating.
Hire us, and you’ll get an experienced accident attorney who will:
- Gather evidence to determine causation and establish liability
- Identify all responsible parties and insurance coverage options
- Defend against allegations that you share blame
- Work closely with respected experts as we prepare and argue your case
- Negotiate with the insurance companies for a fair deal
- Reject lowball offers and fight for you in court if necessary
Insurance companies recognize our name when they see it. That works to your advantage. Contact our car accident attorneys to get started today.
Encino Car Accident Statistics
According to California’s Office of Traffic Safety, 65,377 people were injured or killed in motor vehicle accidents across Los Angeles County in 2020. That makes Los Angeles County the second-most dangerous county in the state of California for drivers.
Of these 65,000-plus crashes:
- 6,067 involved alcohol
- 11,981 involved excessive speeds
- 7,184 were hit-and-run accidents
If you were involved in a car accident in Encino, contact our experienced attorneys today. We know how to help you hold the at-fault party responsible.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Car Accident Attorney in Encino?
To make things easier for our clients, we work on a contingency fee basis. When you hire us, you don’t pay anything upfront. Our fee is a percentage of your settlement or verdict. The percentage can vary depending on the complexity of the case but is typically somewhere between 33% and 40%.
We’ll provide you with all of the information before you decide to hire us–so there aren’t any surprises. Schedule your free consultation today to learn more.
What is My Car Accident Case Worth?
All cases are different. However, more serious injuries tend to lead to higher settlement offers. That said, it’s important to have an experienced lawyer review your case before taking an insurance company’s offer.
Our Encino auto accident lawyers will calculate your case value by evaluating:
- The severity of your injuries
- The cost of your medical treatment, vehicle repairs, and other expenses
- Whether you’re forced to miss work and lose income during recovery
- The length of your recovery
- Whether you’re expected to suffer any long-term or permanent disability
- How the injury will impact your future earnings, quality of life, and lifestyle
- Your pain, suffering, and trauma
- Whether your own negligence contributed to the accident
While we’ll compare your claim to past cases, we’ll also work to understand the unique details of your specific injury. That way, we’ll have the tools to fight for the full amount you deserve.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Car Accident Victims?
In most serious injury cases, victims can pursue compensation for economic damages and non-economic damages.
Your economic damages, or financial losses, may include:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning potential
- Physical therapy
- Rehabilitation
- Property damage
You may also be entitled to compensation for your non-financial losses.
These subjective and personal losses often include:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Permanent scarring or disfigurement
- Diminished quality of life
- Anxiety
- Depression
- PTSD
In fatal accident cases, survivors may seek additional damages for wrongful death. Those damages can include funeral costs, loss of consortium, lost financial support, and more.
What Evidence Can Help Secure Compensation?
An attorney will be able to help you investigate your accident and compile evidence to prove your case. Evidence can help to establish fault, prove injuries and damages, support claims of financial loss, and generally bolster your car accident case.
Some examples of helpful evidence include:
Police or California Highway Patrol (CHP) Reports
When you are involved in a vehicle collision, call 9-1-1 immediately and report the collision to the police or the CHP. Police reports should generally include basic information about the accident, names of the involved parties, vehicle details, accident descriptions, witness statements, and a list of any injuries and damages. They will also include details of any citations that were issued at the scene. These reports can provide crucial information about what happened at the accident scene and who may be liable.
Medical Records
Documentation of your injuries, treatments, and medical care can establish the extent of your injuries and help to link them to the accident. Medical documentation is important to demonstrate the full extent of your injuries and ensure you receive appropriate compensation.
Photographs and Video Footage
Photographic and video evidence taken at the scene can help the court understand how, why, and what happened in an accident. They can be used to better understand the condition of the vehicles involved, their positioning, the circumstances surrounding them, and any outside factors that may have contributed to the crash.
Witness Statements
Any witnesses nearby who saw the accident will be able to provide critical testimony about what they saw and what the aftermath looked like. They may have information about the circumstances that led up to the incident as well as any injuries or property damage that they saw, which can be important in determining fault and allocating damages.
Receipts, Bills, and Estimates
You should keep any repair estimates, bills, and receipts that concern the accident. This includes any estimates for vehicle repairs and will help the court assign dollar amounts to the property damage you suffered.
What Happens to My Compensation if I’m Blamed for Causing a Car Accident?
Understanding the law is important. California has a pure comparative negligence law. Even if you were 99% responsible for your own injuries, you don’t lose your right to compensation entirely.
However, sharing some fault will impact your compensation. Your damages will be reduced to reflect any blame you share. So, if you were 30% responsible, your compensation is reduced by 30%.
Insurance companies often blame victims for causing their own injuries. This catches many people off guard. The insurance company’s goal is to get you to back off or accept a lower settlement.
What Causes Most Car Accidents?
Human error is the leading cause of car crashes. Accidents are much more likely when people are careless and make mistakes.
Some of the most common causes of car accidents include:
- Distracted driving
- Drunk driving
- Fatigued driving
- Speeding
- Dangerous left-hand turns
- Failure to yield the right-of-way
- Tailgating
- Aggressive driving
- Running a red light or stop sign
- Racing through intersections to beat yellow lights
- Unmarked turns and other dangerous road conditions
You can count on our lawyers to carefully investigate and identify all factors that contributed to your crash.
Common Car Accident Injuries
Our team at JUSTICENTER handles all types of personal injury claims, including those involving:
- Facial injuries
- Broken bones
- Concussions
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Crushing injuries
- Soft tissue damage, including whiplash
- Nerve damage
- Burns
- Amputations
- Spinal cord injuries
- Paralysis
- Other permanent and catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death
We know that healing from a serious injury takes time. We also want to make sure you get the maximum compensation possible. After you seek medical treatment, call our la
Can the Type of Car Accident Impact My Case?
Yes. Car accidents happen in many different ways. Each type of car crash has its own challenges.
For example, rollover accidents often involve dangerously designed vehicles. Strict liability theories may apply instead of negligence laws. Insurance claims get more complex when rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft are involved.
At JUSTICENTER, we handle all types of car accident claims, including:
- Head-on collisions
- Rollovers
- Rear-end crashes
- Highway accidents
- T-bone accidents
- Intersection accidents
- Hit-and-run accidents
- Drunk driving accidents
- Distracted driving accidents
- Single-vehicle crashes
- Accidents involving uninsured/underinsured motorists
- Trucking accidents
- Rideshare accidents
You deserve an attorney who has experience handling cases like yours. Because our auto accident attorneys have over a century of legal experience between us, we’re prepared to take on any type of injury claim. Contact us today to learn more about how we’ll use our skills and experience to your advantage.
Understanding California Car Accident Laws
California is an at-fault state. This means drivers are not required to purchase personal injury protection (PIP) insurance. Additionally, if you’re involved in a crash, you can always seek compensation for your losses from other drivers who were at fault for the accident.
California requires all drivers to be financially responsible for their actions when they drive and for all motor vehicles they own. Most drivers choose to have automobile liability insurance as proof of this financial responsibility.
The minimum amount your insurance must cover is:
- $15,000 for a single death or injury.
- $30,000 for death or injury to more than one person.
- $5,000 for property damage caused by one accident.
You must carry proof of insurance in your vehicle at all times and provide it when:
- Law enforcement requests it.
- You are renewing the vehicle registration.
- The vehicle is involved in a traffic collision.
The California Insurance Code requires an insurer to offer you uninsured motorist coverage and underinsured motorist coverage. These policies will help you cover injuries and property damage if you are in a car accident with a driver who doesn’t have insurance or who is underinsured.
What Do I Have to Prove to Get Compensation for My Car Accident Injuries?
Most of the time, you’ll have to prove negligence. Other legal theories, like strict liability, may be relevant. However, negligence is the most common cause of accidents.
Negligence means:
- The defendant owed you a legal duty of care
- They breached that duty by some error or omission
- The breach of duty caused your accident
- You suffered damages
In California, you must prove these elements by a preponderance of the evidence. That means you must produce evidence to show that each element is “more likely than not” true.
Our team at JUSTICENTER is prepared to handle the investigation. We’ll gather and evaluate police reports, accident reports, video footage, witness statements, and evidence from the accident scene itself when we’re building your case.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Car Crash in California?
Two years is the statute of limitations in most California personal injury cases. After two years pass, you cannot sue for damages.
The key thing to remember is that you lose your right to compensation completely if you wait too long to take legal action.
Contact an Experienced Encino Car Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation Today
Car accidents happen all the time. That doesn’t mean you should be left to struggle with the financial burden–especially if the accident was preventable. To learn more about your right to compensation, call JUSTICENTER Personal Injury Lawyers at (833) 852-3600 for a free consultation with an Encino car accident attorney today. You can also use our online form to share your contact information.
Recent Car Accident Blog Posts
- FAQs: Car Accident Reports in California
- Should I Hire a Lawyer After a Minor Car Accident?
- What Does a Car Accident Lawyer Do?
Local Highly Rated Auto Repair Shops
- Auto Pro Express INC – 16900 Ventura Blvd A, Encino, CA 91316
- Gearheads Transmission And Complete Auto Repair – 16039 Victory Blvd unit c, Van Nuys, CA 91406
- HOUSE Automotive | Independent Porsche Service Center – 17554 Ventura Blvd, Encino, CA 91316
- Circle Star Automotive Repair – 15201 Oxnard St # A, Van Nuys, CA 91411
*Disclaimer – we do not endorse these companies or profit from having them listed on our website.
Client Review
Read more of our Google Reviews
Car Accident Infographic
