California Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
A serious car accident or other motor vehicle accident can change your life in a matter of seconds. Whether you were injured in a rear-end collision, T-bone crash, freeway pileup, motorcycle accident, truck accident, rideshare collision with Uber or Lyft, or pedestrian accident, or a family member killed creating a wrongful death claim, the decisions you make during the first 24 hours can significantly affect both your health and your legal rights.
Unfortunately, many accident victims unknowingly make mistakes that insurance companies later use to reduce or deny valid injury claims. To avoid these errors and if you are in a hurry you may contact us now for your FREE consultation by our experienced personal injury and wrongful death law office with 50 years experience winning millions of dollars for thousands of injury accident cases for folks just like you. If you have time, then please continue.
We are a family owned law office. We do not do mass advertising. You are not a number with us; you are a real person with a name, with real problems. We treat our clients like family, and if there ever is a problem simply let one of the owners know and we shall do our best to fix it!
Meanwhile, if you or a loved one has been injured in a motor vehicle accident anywhere in Southern California, the following steps can help protect both your health and your right to receive top compensation.
- Put Your Health First
Nothing is more important than your health.
Even if you believe your injuries are “minor,” many serious injuries do not immediately produce symptoms. Adrenaline can temporarily mask pain, allowing hidden injuries to go unnoticed.
Some of the most common delayed injuries include:
- Concussions and traumatic brain injuries (abbreviated TBI)
- Neck injuries and whiplash
- Herniated spinal discs
- Internal bleeding
- Shoulder injuries
- Knee injuries
- Soft tissue damage
If paramedics recommend transportation to the hospital, carefully consider following that advice. If you are not transported from the scene, arrange to be examined by a qualified physician or emergency facility or Urgent Care facility as soon as possible.
Prompt medical treatment not only protects your health—it also creates important medical documentation and records of your injuries, pains and problems.
- Report the Accident
California law requires many traffic collisions involving injuries to be reported.
If law enforcement responds to the scene, cooperate respectfully and provide accurate information.
Avoid guessing about how the accident occurred or making statements such as:
- “I’m fine.”
- “I didn’t see the other car.”
- “It was probably my fault.”
Immediately after an accident, you often do not know the full facts or extent of your injuries.
Simply provide truthful factual information and allow the investigation to proceed.
If able, call us at 1-866 INJURY 2 before you speak to the police and any insurance adjusters.
- Take Photographs Before the Evidence Disappears
Today’s smartphones make it easy to preserve valuable evidence.
Whenever possible, photograph and video:
- Every vehicle involved
- All vehicle damage
- Vehicle license plates
- Drivers’ licenses
- The intersection or scene of the collision
- Traffic signals
- Skid marks
- Debris
- Weather conditions
- Road signs and hazards
- Visible injuries
These photographs and videos may later become valuable evidence if liability is disputed.
- Obtain Witness Information
Independent witnesses can make an enormous difference.
If anyone observed the collision, politely obtain:
- Name
- Telephone number
- Email address
- All contact information
Witness memories fade quickly.
The sooner this information is collected, the more useful it may become.
- Notify Your Insurance Company
Most automobile insurance policies require prompt notice of an accident.
Provide the basic facts.
However, if the other driver’s insurance company contacts you within hours of the collision, remember that you are generally not required to provide a recorded statement immediately. We strongly advise you to talk to us first – not just about what to say but also what NOT to say!
Insurance adjusters begin evaluating claims almost immediately.
Before making detailed statements about liability or your injuries, it may be wise to understand your legal rights. Talk to us first.
- Do Not Assume You Are “Okay”
Many people return to work the next day only to discover increasing pain over the following week.
Neck injuries, back injuries and brain injuries (TBI) frequently worsen after the initial shock wears off.
Follow your physician’s recommendations.
Missing medical appointments or discontinuing treatment too early may affect both your recovery and your injury claim.
Missing work may help you to get better quicker, reduce your pain and help obtain more proof that you were injured. Judges often ask about time missed from work, and when it’s none or very little, it creates an impression that the injury was not as severe as it may have been.
- Be Careful on Social Media
Insurance companies routinely search social media accounts.
Photographs or comments taken out of context may later be used to argue that your injuries are less serious than claimed.
Until your case has concluded, think carefully before posting anything about:
- Vacations
- Physical activities, such as skiing, playing sports, etc.
- Exercise
- Recreational events
- The accident itself
Even innocent posts may later be misunderstood and possibly used against you.
- Preserve Important Documents
Begin keeping everything related to your accident together. We suggest placing everything in a big envelope, box or similar storage container.
Examples include:
- Medical bills
- Medical reports and other records
- Pharmacy receipts
- Ride share and similar receipts for travel if your vehicle is not driveable
- Vehicle repair estimates
- Rental car receipts
- Wage loss documentation
- Payments to caregivers, housekeepers, etc. used because of this collision
- Insurance correspondence and other communications
- Photographs, videos and any other depictions and recordings
- Tow bills, storage bills, etc.
- Mortuary, burial and funeral expenses
Organized documentation often strengthens a personal injury claim.
- Understand That Insurance Companies Are Businesses
Many adjusters are professional, courteous and hardworking.
However, insurance companies are also businesses for profit whose goal is to resolve claims efficiently and economically.
Early settlement offers sometimes arrive before the full extent of injuries is known.
Once a release is signed, additional compensation may no longer be available—even if future medical treatment becomes necessary.
Before accepting any settlement, it is important to understand the long-term consequences. So do not settle an injury accident case until you speak to an experienced attorney.
- Speak With an Experienced Los Angeles, Southern California Personal Injury Attorney
Serious injury cases and wrongful death accident cases often involve complicated legal and medical issues.
Questions frequently arise concerning:
- Future medical expenses
- Lost earnings, including future loss of earnings
- Pain, suffering, emotional distress and inconvenience
- Loss of enjoyment of life activities, including romantic relations, hobbies, sports, etc.
- Permanent disability
- Comparative negligence
- Uninsured motorist (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage
- Multiple insurance policies
- Commercial vehicle liability
An experienced attorney can investigate the collision, preserve evidence, communicate with insurance companies, and help ensure that all available damages are properly evaluated.
Why Experience Matters
Not every accident requires legal representation.
However, if you have suffered significant injuries, required hospitalization, undergone surgery, sustained any permanent impairment, lost substantial income or lost a loved family member in a fatal collision with a wrongful death claim, obtaining experienced legal advice can be an important step.
For more than 50 years, the Law Offices of Gary K. Walch, A Law corporation, has represented thousands of injured clients and their families throughout Los Angeles, Woodland Hills, Beverly Hills and Southern California. Our injury accident law firm has helped thousands of accident victims pursue compensation following serious motor vehicle collisions involving cars, trucks, motorcycles, pedestrians, bicycles, rideshare vehicles and uninsured motorists (UM cases).
We believe every client deserves personal attention, honest communication, and aggressive representation tailored to the unique facts of their case.
Final Thoughts
The hours immediately following a serious motor vehicle accident can feel overwhelming.
By seeking prompt medical care, preserving evidence, avoiding common mistakes, and understanding your legal rights, you place yourself in the best position to protect both your health and your financial future.
If you or someone you love has been seriously injured in a Southern California motor vehicle accident, or a family member killed creating a wrongful death claim, taking the right steps during those first 24 hours can make a meaningful difference in the outcome of your case.
Please contact us now for an absolutely FREE consultation and if we take your injury case there is NO fee unless and until you WIN!