Gardena Car Accident Lawyer

A car accident, no matter how severe, can be devastating. Even minor fender benders can result in costly injuries and property damage. Serious accidents can cause life-altering injuries that may require extensive recovery time and major medical expenses.

It can feel hopeless when your bills are piling up, and you can’t work due to your injury. Your health insurance may not cover your care, and you can’t afford to fix your car. A Gardena car accident lawyer can help you get the compensation you need to get your life back on track.

At J&Y Law, we know what that’s like because we’ve been through it ourselves. Since 2009, our Gardena personal injury lawyers have recovered tens of millions of dollars for car accident victims just like you. Contact us for a free consultation.

Do You Need an Attorney for a Car Accident?

Soon after your accident, the insurance company for the at-fault party may reach out to you with a settlement offer. The amount may seem significant. Understandably, you might consider accepting. Should you? 

In most cases, it is not a good idea to accept an insurance company’s initial settlement without first consulting a Gardena car accident attorney. Insurance companies often offer low amounts, hoping people will not know what their claim is really worth. 

An attorney can tell you if the offer is fair or if you should give it a pass. When you accept a settlement, you typically waive your rights to any future compensation. A skilled lawyer will know what your claim is worth and can help you get the compensation you truly deserve. 

Dealing With Insurance Companies

In addition to lowball settlement offers, some insurance companies use sketchy tactics to avoid paying you a settlement. They may contact you and make it seem like they are concerned for your well-being when they are really trying to get you to say something they can use against you. 

Insurance companies are not on your side. They want to pay you as little as possible. Instead of playing their game, let them talk to us. We know how insurance companies work, and we won’t let them bully our clients. 

Understanding the Law

When you deal with powerful insurance companies, they’ll have a team of lawyers who know the ins and outs of the laws governing your potential payout. The average person can’t be expected to understand everything involved in successfully negotiating an insurance settlement.

When you hire a skilled car accident lawyer in Gardena, you have an ally who knows the law and how to handle insurance claims. We’ll handle the complicated issues and keep you on track with deadlines and statutes of limitations that could derail your claim. 

Calculating Your Maximum Compensation

There’s a good chance you don’t know what your claim is really worth, and you don’t know how to assess your damages accurately. That’s understandable. Nobody spends their free time studying how to assess compensation for an insurance claim. 

That’s where we can help. We know how to evaluate your hardships and arrive at a fair settlement amount that can cover your costs and get your life back on track. You don’t have to accept what the insurance company says your injuries are worth. 

Negotiating for Your Settlement

Once we’ve determined a fair amount for your compensatory damages, we can negotiate with insurance companies. You don’t have to meet with them or speak with them if you don’t want to.

If we can’t settle through negotiations, we can file a civil suit on your behalf and fight for your rights in court. 

Who Is Liable in a Car Accident?

As your car accident lawyers in Gardena, we may investigate your case to determine who was liable. You can help by giving us an accurate account of how the accident happened from your perspective. We may also review police reports, interview witnesses, or visit the accident scene. 

Examples of potentially liable parties include:

• Another driver: In cases where another person caused the crash by speeding or driving recklessly, they could be solely liable for your damages.
• The vehicle owner: A commercial vehicle, such as a delivery vehicle, rideshare vehicle, or semi-truck, could point to the company as a potentially responsible party.
• A mechanic or maintenance company: If a faulty repair caused the crash, the party who performed maintenance on the vehicle can be held liable.
• The government: If the state or local government fails to maintain roadways safely, they can share responsibility.
• You: According to California law, even if you are partially responsible for the accident, you may still be able to recover some of your damages.

Understanding California Insurance Laws

Knowing who is liable for your accident and who must pay damages requires an understanding of how California insurance laws work. Your lawyer can explain how each of the following may play a role in your compensation claim. 

Full-Tort Coverage

California is a full-tort or at-fault state. This means drivers must file a claim with the responsible party’s insurance to cover damages. This is different from a no-fault system, where each driver files with their own personal insurance company after an accident.

Comparative Negligence

California also follows the doctrine of pure comparative negligence. This means you may recover damages in an accident even if you were partially responsible. However, your compensation will be reduced based on the percentage you are deemed at fault. 

Get Help From a Gardena Car Accident Attorney

When you have been in a car accident, it might seem like your problems are never-ending. Mounting medical bills, lost wages, and a damaged vehicle can make it hard to see how things will ever be back to where they were before the crash. 

At J&Y Law, we’ve been in your shoes. A car accident attorney in Gardena can help you get your life back. We’ll fight for the compensation you need, and we won’t let insurance companies tell you how much you are worth. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.