Practice Areas

Car Accident

Car accidents happen every day. You can be a top-notch driver who has never been in an accident before—it doesn’t guarantee you anything. We take a risk every time we get behind the wheel. Danger comes from every intersection or regular street, caused by negligent drivers who disregard the rules, run red lights, and text behind the wheel. There are many other things that can cause collisions, such as drunk driving, unsecured personal items falling off a pickup truck in the middle of a busy freeway, or bicycle mount failure causing a bike to fly off a car and land right in front of a following driver. The risks are as varied as the people and vehicles on the road.

If you have been involved in a car accident and you need help, contact our office at Amerberg Law Group.

We are some of the best car accident attorneys in California who will review the details of your accident immediately and provide you with professional help in determining whose fault it is. We aggressively pursue the maximum compensation due to victims of car accidents.

Choose to win. Choose Amerberg Law Group.

What is a traffic accident?

A traffic accident is an event that occurs during movement of a vehicle on a road, in which people are injured or killed, and vehicles, structures, and property are damaged or other material damage occurs.

Traffic accident causes

Let’s take a look at the most common causes of traffic accidents:

• Speeding
• Driving under the influence
• Lane splitting
• Sudden stops
• Inexperienced drivers
• Left turn accidents
• Dangerous road conditions
• Vehicle defects
• Hazard on the road
• Weather conditions

Statistics

• Los Angeles currently is considered to have the highest rate of traffic accidents resulting in injuries and fatal outcomes in the United States.
• Each year, tens of thousands of accidents are reported in Los Angeles (upwards of 50,000 in recent years), and these collisions led to hundreds of reported deaths.
• The amount of deaths from traffic collisions has risen 32 percent compared to the previous five years, with pedestrians making up the majority of the victims.
• The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) categorized over 25,300 crashes as hit-and-runs.
• Pedestrian fatalities have gone up by 69 percent over the past few years.
• Fleeing the collision scene is a felony even if the accident was not the driver’s fault.
• Two of the main reasons for the increase in car crashes are DUIs and texting.

What to do in a traffic accident ?

When you get into an accident, you might feel frustrated or scared, depending on the severity of the collision. It is important to pull yourself together (if possible) and promptly take the following steps:

1. Move to a safe area right away (if you can).

Move your vehicle/motorcycle out of the way, for example to the road shoulder, in order to prevent further harm. If your car is impossible to move, turn on your emergency lights to let other drivers know that you’re going to be there for a while.

2. Stop your car and get out of it.

Make sure that your car has come to a complete stop and is no longer moving, turn it off, put it into the park mode or use the hand break if you’re driving a manual. Take a deep breath and always look around to make sure it’s safe to get out before you open the door. Flares and other safety items might come in handy.

3. Check on other people.

Walk over to the other parties involved (drivers, passengers, and pedestrians) in order to make sure they are not hurt. If someone is injured, it’s time to call 911. A person may be severely injured even if there are no significant signs other than dizziness and bruises.

4. Report to the police

It’s always best to have a police officer come to the scene which will allow you to prove important details in the future when dealing with the insurance company. Be careful not to admit fault or put the blame on the involved drivers right away at the scene. This would be the police’s job to adequately judge the situation and conclude whose fault it really is. There are cases when police often don't come to the scene (usually when there’s no injuries), in which case you can simply report your accident to your local DMV.

5. Information exchange

Try to gather as much information as possible according to the list below:

• Name of the driver and the passengers
• License plate numbers
• Insurance information
• All involved vehicles’ makes and models
• Accident location
• The police officer’s name or badge number

6. Documenting the scene

Most likely you have your smartphone with a camera. Use it to take a few pictures of the accident. This can come in very helpful for a claim or case.

7. File your insurance claim

All these steps will make the process much smoother and less stressful when filing an insurance claim.

Life is unpredictable; it’s good to be prepared. Amerberg Law Group. Always here for you.

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