Fullerton Car Accident Attorney

Auto Accident Attorney in Fullerton, CA

Being involved in a car accident can be a jarring experience, both literally, financially, and emotionally. Following a car accident caused by the negligence of another driver, you may feel anxious about your future, stressed about your finances, and unsure of what steps you need to take. Having an experienced Fullerton, CA car accident attorney from Russell & Lazarus can ease your mind about your injuries, your finances, and your future.

We will take the weight from your shoulders, allowing you time to heal from your injuries. We are different from many other law firms in that we make each and every client a priority. We truly care about your medical status, as well as your financial future.

When you hire Russell & Lazarus, you will have a law firm that:

• Has hundreds of positive online reviews
• Allows access of case results
• Charges no fee unless we win your case
• Offers a free, no-obligation consultation
• Is available 24/7

At Russell & Lazarus, we will help you obtain the medical treatment you need, as well as help you figure out how to pay those expenses or other expenses associated with time away from work. We even help our clients with monetary advances, transportation needs, and rental car reimbursements when needed. Contact us right now for a 100% free consultation.

According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, traffic fatalities in the state decreased by 5.1 percent from 2018 to 2019. Alcohol-impaired driving fatalities also decreased by 4.5 percent during the same time. More Californians are regularly buckling up, resulting in a decrease in unrestrained passenger vehicle fatalities. Motorcycle fatalities decreased by almost ten percent, and teen motor vehicle fatalities decreased by 25.2 percent.

All these statistics sound like good news for California drivers, but, unfortunately, there were still 17,722 auto collisions in 2019 in Orange County alone. About 1,764 of these involved alcohol, 848 involved motorcycles, and 731 involved bicycles. Excess speed was involved in 4,446 of these crashes, 1,527 of the collisions occurred between 9:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m., and there were 967 hit and run accidents.

What are the Most Common Causes of Car Accidents? 

Distracted driving has quickly moved up the list as a primary cause of car accidents. According to Together for Safer Roads, while most drivers feel entirely comfortable taking their eyes off the road for 2-3 seconds, a car can travel the length of a football field in 5 seconds at 55 mph. “Officially,” more than 3,000 Americans die each year from distracted drivers, but unofficially, experts estimate the number is closer to 20,000, with thousands more non-fatal accidents caused by distracted driving.

Most of those involved in an auto accident do not want to admit they were engaging in a distracted driving behavior at the time of their accident, so the true numbers are elusive. Automotive Fleet Magazine stated that, “distracted drivers will, on average, only see and recognize 50 percent of the cars on the road with them.” Some of the most common types of distracted driving behaviors include eating entire meals while driving, talking on cell phones, texting, or reading texts, changing car controls, talking to passengers, turning around to see what the children are doing in the back seat, or simply “zoning out,” while driving.

Other common causes of auto accidents include:

• Fatigued driving can be just as dangerous as impaired driving when the driver has not slept for 18-24 hours. Reaction times are considerably slower, and judgment is impaired when a driver is overly fatigued.
• Impaired driving caused at least 10,142 auto accident fatalities in 2019, according to the NSC.
• Careless or reckless driving can include unsafe lane changes, failure to yield, failure to stop at stop lights or stop signs, tailgating, and more.
• Exceeding the speed limit is the cause of approximately 26 percent of all fatal auto accidents, according to the NHTSA.
• Inclement weather, particularly rain, snow, and ice, cause many auto accidents each year. Many drivers do not slow down sufficiently for the slick roads, leading to collisions.
• Road hazards, including potholes, pavement of different heights, trees and branches in the road, and animals are all causes of auto accidents.
• Road defects, including improper curve banking, missing or defective guardrails, inadequate lighting, poor drainage, significant drop-offs at pavement edges, or standing water on freeways can all cause auto accidents.

What Injuries are Common Following a Car Accident?

Along with the more minor injuries, including scrapes and bruises, bone fractures, knee injuries, and soft tissue injuries like whiplash, car accidents can also cause much more serious injuries such as:

• Traumatic Brain Injuries—A diffuse axonal head injury can occur when the impact of an auto accident causes the brain to strike the hard internal bones of the skull, tearing nerve tissues and damaging brain structures. A concussion can be caused when the victim’s head strikes the dashboard, steering wheel, or door during the collision, leading to a loss of consciousness, bleeding, and swelling of the brain. A direct impact to the head, known as a contusion, can lead to a brain bleed. Finally, a penetrating injury can occur when broken glass or other objects penetrate the skull during a collision.
• Spinal Cord Injuries—The force of an impact during a car collision can cause trauma to the spina, the spinal cord, and the surrounding nerves, even when the impact is not severe. This can lead to spinal cord injuries, or even paralysis. Whether the individual’s head was turned, his or her seat position, height, weight, and gender, and whether the individual suffered from a prior back injury can all determine the extent of the injuries.
• Limb Amputations—Arm, leg, hand, and foot amputations can result from a severe car accident, leading to partial or full disabilities.
• Disfigurement—The broken glass from an auto accident often causes facial cuts that can scar and cause disfigurement. In addition to being a physical injury, disfigurement can cause emotional trauma as well.
• Vision Loss—An injury to the brain during a car accident can lead to blurry vision, blindness, or other vision impairments. Retinal detachment caused by an auto accident can leave an individual permanently blind, and other types of optic nerve damage can be caused by trauma that places increased pressure on the optic nerve during an auto accident.

What Types of Damages Can I Expect Following My Fullerton Car Accident?

The damages you can expect following your Fullerton, CA car accident will depend on the specific type of car accident and the extent of your injuries. You will likely be entitled to the following:

• Medical expenses, both past, present, and future related to your accident
• Lost wages and future lost wages related to your accident
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional trauma
• Loss of companionship or consortium

How Do I Prove Liability Following My Fullerton, CA Car Accident?

When you file a claim against the negligent driver’s insurance company, you have the burden of proof in establishing that the other driver was at fault. You will first need to show that the driver had a duty of care. In the case of car accidents, this is easy to prove. All drivers have a duty of care to other drivers on the road, meaning they must drive safely and follow all traffic laws and rules of the road. Next, it must be shown the driver was driving in a negligent manner, therefore, breached his or her duty of care. That breach of duty must have directly caused the car accident, and there must be injuries with clear damages as a result.

How Long Will My Car Accident Claim Take?

How long your car accident claim will take depends entirely on the facts surrounding your claim. Your Fullerton, CA car accident attorney will first attempt to negotiate a fair settlement with the insurance company. These negotiations can go back and forth for weeks, possibly even months, but when your attorney determines the negotiations will not lead to a fair settlement for you, he or she will file a lawsuit against the defendant. In many cases, simply filing a lawsuit will make the insurance company offer an equitable settlement, but if not, the case will go to trial. This could end up taking a year, even two, or longer, in more complex cases.

How Soon Will I Get My Settlement Check?

If your attorney reaches a settlement with the insurance company and you agree to the settlement, it can take about sixty days for you to receive your check. In the same vein, if your case goes to trial, once the jury reaches a verdict, it will also take approximately sixty to ninety days for you to receive your settlement check. These are approximate dates, your check could come earlier or later than that, however, sixty days is the average time.

How a Fullerton, CA Car Accident Attorney from Russell & Lazarus Can Help

The single most important thing you can do following a car accident is to contact an experienced Russell & Lazarus attorney. We have a 95 percent success rate, allowing you to feel confident in our ability to obtain a successful outcome for your claim. We are laser-focused on pursuing compensation for those injured due to another’s negligence and because we want you—and every client—to receive highly individualized treatment, we are selective about accepting clients. At Russell & Lazarus, we will ensure your personal injury claim is a constant priority—because your financial future and your health truly are priorities at Russell & Lazarus. Contact the law firm of Russell & Lazarus today for your free case review!