Torrance Car Accident Lawyer

There are more than 60,000 reported accidents in the city of Los Angeles every year. With those incidents, comes dozens of injuries as well as financial loss. There is nothing worse than having an accident in the city and later learning that the insurance company of the at-fault driver refuses to honor your claim. Still, scores of victims are undercut by auto indemnity providers every year due to common mistakes that are used to make the insurance company’s defense stronger.

The tactics that auto insurance companies use to pay victims less is why you should contact a Torrance car accident lawyer after an incident.

Common types of car accidents
There are many ways that can cause an accident on the road, and they usually fall into one of the following categories:
Front-end accidents, where the driver runs into a person, vehicle, or still object such as a tree.

Rear-end accidents, where the driver is hit from behind by another driver who may have been distracted or otherwise caught off-guard by an event on the road. Rear-end incidents are the most common in Los Angeles County as smartphones and other distractions can sometimes consume a driver’s attention to the extent of the operator becoming a danger to himself and others on the road.

Side collisions, where a driver is hit from the side by another driver. Auto accidents caused by one person running a red light are more often than not side collisions as the at-fault driver broadsides the victim while barrelling through the intersection. Side collisions have the capacity to cause serious injury and even death as the element of surprise sometimes leads to the at-fault driver hitting the victim at full speed. The situation becomes even more hazardous as the victim is sometimes not given the opportunity to brace for the impact. You should definitely explore your options with the best car accident attorney in Torrance if you are the victim of a side collision accident.

Low-speed collisions, where two drivers collide while driving 10 MPH or less. Accidents that occur in the parking lot of a shopping plaza are often low-speed incidents.

What do you do after a car accident?
The first thing that you should do after being involved in a car accident is to ensure that you and all the others involved do not need immediate medical care. It may be the best idea to contact emergency services even if everyone appears to be okay since auto accidents have a way of showing effects after the hype from the incident has settled. Contacting emergency services is also instrumental if you need to hire a Torrance car accident lawyer for compensation for medical bills. It becomes fairly difficult to prove personal injury later if you turn down medical care at the scene of the accident.
You should also make sure that you get adequate information from all drivers involved as well witnesses to the accident.

Consider writing down the following information:

• The name, address, phone number, and license information of other drivers
• The at-fault driver’s insurance policy and provider
• The name, address, and phone numbers of witnesses. It may also be a good idea to ask witnesses if they would be willing to testify should the case need to go to court.

Take note of the environment. Where did the accident happen? What lane were the drivers involved in before the collision and thereafter? In what direction were the drivers headed? What was your speed? How fast do you think the other driver(s) were going?

You should always request police presence at the scene of an accident. An official police report solidifies that an event took place. You should always be as truthful as possible when giving your account of what happened. You run the risk of having your claim denied if you make incorrect statements; however, never admit fault. It is best to tell an officer that you do not recall something instead of making things up to satisfy the moment.

Common mistakes after an accident
Auto insurance companies make money by denying and lowballing claims. An initial payout may seem like a lot to you at first. It is not until you speak with auto accident lawyers in Torrance, however, that you find out how much the insurance company is attempting to undercut your situation.

The schemes of auto insurance companies are why you should contact the best car accident attorney in Torrance before speaking directly to a claims adjuster. A personal injury lawyer can work as a mediator who makes sure that you get the compensation that you deserve after an accident. Auto accident lawyers in Torrance can help you steer clear of providing incorrect information that may later be used against your claim.

Even the best lawyer in town may not be able to help you receive payments for medical bills if you fail to follow through with your appointments. Some victims make the mistake of discontinuing their medical treatment plan after they feel like they have adequately recovered from the effects of an auto accident. Such action gives insurance companies fuel to set fire to your claim. If you were truly hurt, an insurance company may reason, then you would take advantage of every opportunity to get well. Declining treatment is not taking advantage of every chance to recover.

Some victims, due to being flustered, make the tragic mistake of not gathering enough information at the scene of an accident. This misstep can prove to be detrimental if you need to pursue action against the person who is at fault for the incident. Imagine having your claim denied for a lack of substance that a witness could have solidified. Such is a possibility when you fail to gather all possible leads at the scene of an accident.

Call a Torrance car accident lawyer
Molchan Law has been in the practice of personal injury for many years and will work to ensure that you get what you deserve. Be sure to call us if you’ve been in an accident.