If you’ve been recently injured in a car accident caused by another person’s negligence in Tarzana, CA, Call the legal team at JUSTICENTER Personal Injury Lawyers. Our Tarzana car accident attorneys have the expertise you deserve to help you fight for the compensation you deserve. Contact us today at 833-852-3600.
We can help you navigate the personal injury claim process so you can focus on your recovery.
How JUSTICENTER Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Car Accident in Tarzana
At JUSTICENTER Peconomicersonal Injury Lawyers, our attorneys have 105 years of combined experience helping victims. To date, we’ve recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for personal injury victims. We’ll put our expertise to work for you and fight for the damages you deserve.
When you hire one of our Tarzana personal injury attorneys, we’ll manage every aspect of your case.
Our car accident lawyers we’ll take the following steps:
- Assess your case and discuss potential courses of action with you
- Gather facts and evaluate the extent of your damages
- Give you sound legal advice and explain your rights
- Negotiate with insurance providers to secure a settlement in your favor
- Vigorously advocate for you in court if a favorable settlement can’t be reached
Contact our Tarzana, CA office to learn more about how we can help with your case.
How Common Are Car Accidents in Tarzana, CA?
Unfortunately, car accidents are very common in California. According to UC Berkeley’s data, there were 161,582 injury-or-fatality-causing car accidents in California in 2023. Among those, 158,570 people were injured, and
What Is My Car Accident Case Worth?
You might assume that the value of your auto accident case is the total value of your medical costs and property damages combined. However, your case may be worth more than that.
Many factors will impact the value of your case, including:
- The extent of your injuries and medical costs
- The scope of your vehicle and other property damage
- The total damages available in your case
- Whether you were partially at fault
- The policy limits on the relevant insurance policies
There are many factors influencing the potential value of your claim. It’s difficult to estimate what your case is worth without reviewing all the facts. Reach out to our office today to schedule a free consultation with a car accident attorney in Tarzana.
What Kinds of Damages Are Available to Car Accident Victims in Tarzana?
Compensatory damages are the primary remedy available to injured victims in California. Compensatory damages are designed to return injured parties to the position they were in prior to the accident or injury. These damages can be divided into two main categories: economic and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages
Economic damages relate to the financial consequences of an accident or injury. You may also see them referred to as tangible damages or special damages.
Economic damages include:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Vehicle repairs
- Other property damage
- Transportation costs
- Lost wages
- Diminished earning capacity
- Out-of-pocket expenses
Economic damages are usually straightforward to calculate and can be supported by a receipt, invoice, or other form of documentation. However, anticipated costs, such as future medical expenses or diminished earning capacity, can be trickier. Consider hiring an experienced auto accident attorney to help you recover all of your economic damages.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages relate to the emotional, psychological, or other intangible consequences of an accident or injury.
Non-economic damages may include:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Disability or disfigurement and their associated impacts on one’s life
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of companionship or loss of consortium by a loved one
Non-economic damages are more challenging to calculate than economic damages. It’s difficult to put a price tag on the emotional toll an accident or injury has on your life. However, a skilled lawyer can discuss the damages that may be available in your case.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer in Tarzana?
Typically, personal injury lawyers work on a contingent fee basis. A contingent fee is a fee that the attorney collects at the end of the case as a percentage of the overall financial award. Personal injury lawyers usually charge between 33% and 40%, depending on the circumstances of your case. The case’s complexity, duration, and whether it proceeds to trial can affect the attorney’s fees.
Contingency fees allow you to avoid paying any attorney’s fees upfront. Accordingly, you can hire a personal injury lawyer regardless of your financial situation. The attorney only gets paid if you successfully recover compensation. So, if you don’t get paid, neither does the attorney.
Can I Recover Compensation if I’m Being Blamed for an Accident?
Oftentimes, more than one person is at fault in a car accident. For example, if a car speeds through a red light and rear-ends you, but you were improperly changing lanes and merged into their lane, you both may share some fault in the accident.
In California, you can still recover damages if you were partly at fault in the accident. California is a pure comparative fault state. This means that each party will be assigned a percentage of fault in the accident. An injured party can recover compensation against an at-fault party, but their damages will be reduced in proportion to their percentage of the blame.
Suppose you suffered $10,000 in damages and were found to be 30% at fault in the accident, and the other driver was 70% at fault. You could then recover up to 70% of your damages, or $7,000.
As you can see, the amount of fault attributed to you has a direct impact on your ultimate financial recovery. An experienced personal injury lawyer will fight to make sure you aren’t attributed more than your fair share of the blame.
What Causes Most Car Accidents in California?
Many car accidents in California are caused by preventable driver errors.
It’s important for drivers to be aware of these common errors and avoid these risks:
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
- Failing to obey traffic signs
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Running a red light or stop sign
- Driving while tired
In addition, dangerous road conditions, extreme weather conditions, or faulty vehicle components or repairs may contribute to a car accident.
How Do I Prove Negligence After a Car Accident?
Suppose your car accident case proceeds to the filing of a lawsuit against the at-fault party. In that case, you will probably need to prove that the other party was negligent to recover compensation for your injuries. To act negligently means that one failed to exercise reasonable care and caution under the circumstances.
To successfully prove negligence in your case, you must establish the following four elements:
Duty of Care
A duty of care is a legal obligation one owes toward others in a given situation.
Drivers owe other drivers, vehicle occupants, and bystanders a duty to drive with a reasonable amount of safety and caution. This includes the duty to obey traffic laws.
Breach
After you establish that the at-fault party owed you a duty of care, you must show that they breached or violated that duty. For example, if a driver fails to obey traffic laws and signals, that is likely a breach of their duty of care while driving.
Causation
To succeed in your claim, you will need to show that the at-fault party was both the actual and proximate cause of your injuries. The “actual cause” means that the accident or injury would not have occurred without the other party’s actions. The “proximate cause” means that your injuries were reasonably foreseeable results of the other party’s actions.
Damages
The final element you must prove is damages, meaning that you suffered injuries or losses for which you may be compensated.
A skilled car accident lawyer will fight to prove each of these elements in your case.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Car Accident in California?
In California, an injured party has two years to file a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit based on another party’s negligence or wrongful conduct. This time limit for filing your case is known as the statute of limitations.
It’s critical that you file your lawsuit on time. If you don’t, you may not be able to recover compensation for your injuries. An experienced attorney will keep your case on track and make sure it’s filed on time.
Contact Our Tarzana Car Accident Lawyers Today To Schedule a Free Case Review
Were you recently injured due to someone else’s negligence? Reach out to an experienced Tarzana car accident attorney to see if you can recover compensation for your injuries. Contact JUSTICENTER Personal Injury Lawyers today to schedule a free consultation at 833-852-3600.
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- FAQs: Accident Reports in California
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Local Highly Rated Auto Repair Shops
- Cranks Auto Repair – 18420 Ventura Blvd, Tarzana, CA 91356
- Glenn’s Auto Repair – 5569 Reseda Blvd, Tarzana, CA 91356
- Oxtail Auto Repair – 18525 Topham St unit a, Tarzana, CA 91335
*Disclaimer – we do not endorse these companies or profit from having them listed on our website.
Government Resources
- California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV): Renew your driver’s license, register your vehicle, and access other motor vehicle services. California DMV
- California Department of Transportation (Caltrans): Stay updated on road conditions, construction projects, and transportation planning in California. Caltrans
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