Are you wondering what steps to take if you are injured in a car accident in Orange County California, LA or the Inland Empire? What are the most important things you need to know up front to protect your short and long-term interests?
Important Takeaways from the Steps to Take if You Are Injured in a Car Accident in Orange County California:
- California law requires you to see a trauma physician within 24 to 48 hours of your car accident if you want to preserve your valid personal injury claim. If you don’t see a doctor within a day or two, the insurance company can and will deny your otherwise valid personal injury claim.
- Many of the injuries one can experience in a car accident take days, weeks, or even months for symptoms to fully present. You may not realize that you are injured at all, let alone the extent of your injuries and the treatment(s) you will require in the future.
- The insurance company has one goal: get you to accept the lowest possible personal injury settlement as quickly as possible. This is not in your interest, and why you need the advice and counsel of an experienced, proven, and highly-recommended OC personal injury attorney.
See a Doctor Within 24 to 48 Hours of any Motor Vehicle Collision
The first and most important thing to know about a car accident in Orange County or anywhere in California, is it is important to have a thorough medical examination within 48 hours of the accident – even if you think you feel fine. It surprises many people to learn the body has a way of covering things which might be wrong, and many injuries can take weeks or even months to present actual symptoms.
For example, the discs which pad the vertebrae in your spinal column are very susceptible to the severe forces of the impact in an Orange County car accident. The strain can result in small tears in these fluid filled membranes. It may take several weeks or a few months for the fluid to leak out to the point where your body starts to feel it. Many car accident victims feel fine after the accident only to learn 3 to 4 weeks down the road they have serious injuries to their neck and back, or that the small bump to their head has resulted in a long term brain injury.
In the past few years, medical science on brain injury resulting from a motor vehicle collision has made significant advancements. There are tests a doctor can run to immediately gauge the presence of brain injury, even when the patient was unaware they hit their head at some point during impact.
If you do not visit the ER, urgent care or see your primary physician within 48 hours of the accident you will likely forfeit your ability to file a successful injury claim to recover associated expenses down the road. The insurance company will assert “you did not even see a doctor after the accident, so these injuries must have come from something else.” Legally, this will often hold up and you may lose the right to pursue what would otherwise be a legitimate and valid personal injury case.
The Insurance Company Has One Goal – Would It Surprise You to Learn It’s NOT in Your Best Interests?
Second, if you are injured in a car accident in Orange County California the insurance company who is responsible for paying for your personal injury claim has one goal in mind: settle with you as soon as possible, for the lowest possible amount they can convince you to take, in order to maximize their retained profits. How do I know this for a fact? I represented the major insurance companies for the first 20 years of my practice. I know how they think and the strategies they employ to reduce or outright deny valid injury claims. Insurance companies don’t have your best interests in mind. Their representatives are highly skilled and trained to work for a quick settlement. It might seem like a lot, but it is nothing compared to what they actually owe you under the policy itself, as well as California law.
Here are some recent, real life examples from our own clients:
My name is Rivers Morrell, and after more than 40 years of experience as a personal injury attorney I can tell help you with what steps to take if you are injured in a car accident in Orange County California, LA or the Inland Empire – especially if it has resulted in serious injury. See a doctor and get thoroughly checked out. At the least it will provide peace of mind and preserve all options down the road. Many people are often surprised to learn weeks after the accident that they have been injured after all.
Third, we invite you to review the strong recommendations of our clients and the legal industry as well as our successful verdicts and settlements and contact Rivers Morrell or call today to speak with Rivers personally for a free, substantive consultation at (949) 305-1400.
Ask why trial experience is so important in these cases and what it will take to ensure you receive the best possible outcome in your case. You may be interested in the video of a recent client (a Marine Corps Captain) who was seriously injured while riding his motorcycle and his thoughts on how to select the right and best personal injury attorney.
