Like accidents on other freeways, interstates and major highways, a 405 freeway accident can have a catastrophic outcome. Most of these wrecks cause multiple injuries and major vehicle damage. A 405 accident can even lead to one or more fatalities. If you or someone you love suffered injuries or wrongful death because of an accident on the 405 freeway, you need a skilled Southern California auto accident attorney’s help.
Injuries Frequently Experienced in 405 Freeway Accidents
If you ask any California Highway Patrol officer about the injuries they have seen in 405 freeway accidents, they can typically name many. Unfortunately, these accidents lead to more severe injuries than crashes happening on other types of roadways.
Some of the most common injuries occurring in a 405 freeway accident include:
- Bruises
- Abrasions
- Lacerations
- Broken bones
- Mouth and teeth damage
- Whiplash
- Eye injuries
- Hand, arm, wrist and elbow injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries and other severe head trauma
- Torn ligaments
- Spinal cord and back injuries
- Organ damage and internal bleeding
- Nerve damage
- Rib injuries
- Paralysis
- Crushing injuries
- Tingling or numbness
- Burns and scalds
- Chronic pain
- Psychological trauma
How the Insurance Companies Handle a 405 Freeway Accident
When you are in a 405 accident, one of the first things you must do after the crash is to contact the insurance companies. Each case is unique. But your Southern California auto accident attorney has seen how insurance companies react to these cases. This makes your attorney better able to handle insurance company communications and settlement negotiations than you are, on your own. The help a lawyer provides starts with a free evaluation of your case and an understanding of how insurance can affect your outcome.
One of the biggest objectives of the insurance company is to talk to you quickly about your 405 freeway accident and learn as many details about it, as possible. You should never mistake this as their interest in helping you. Instead, they are eager to obtain statements from you that can help them lower your claim amount. They also want a quick settlement because they can easily underpay you when you settle quickly, particularly if you settle without a lawyer’s representation.
The insurance companies almost always offer low settlements as their first offer. After all, their company’s profitability is their priority. Your auto accident lawyer can work the settlement for you, negotiating for a higher amount that you are truly owed. This higher amount is based on all of your losses experienced in your 405 accident, not just the obvious damages like personal injury and vehicle damage.
The Comparative Fault Rule for Your 405 Freeway Accident
The comparative fault rule is California’s method for dividing liability between the parties involved in your 405 accident. This liability is calculated in percentages. Each party in the crash is assigned a percentage of the fault. The percentage you are assigned reduces the amount of compensation you can receive.
The total amount of liability assigned to all parties in the accident is 100%. But you may not hold any of the blame, such as if someone else caused the accident that you could not possibly avoid. When you hold none of the fault, you can claim 100% of the compensatory damages. If you hold some of the fault, such as 20%, your compensation is reduced by that 20%.
Factors involved in assigning comparative fault for your 405 accident include:
- State, local and federal laws
- Location of the accident
- Witness testimonies
- Damage to each vehicle
- Whether any of the parties were driving distracted, drunk or drugged
- Available video footage
- Police report details and officer testimony
- Weather, time, road conditions and time of year of your accident
Many 405 freeway accidents involve multiple organizations, not just individual drivers. One of the involved drivers may have been on the job in a company vehicle. Or maybe they work as a driver for the state government. Commercial trucking companies are also often involved, as are rideshare companies like Lyft or Uber. A skilled auto accident attorney in Southern California will work through liability issues by gathering information and evidence about your 405 accident.
Your Lawyer Understands the Crash Claim Filing Deadlines
Just as in other states, California places statutes of limitations on filing auto accident claims. This means you have a limited period of time for claiming the compensation you deserve. If you wait too long to file, you miss your opportunity altogether. Then, you are left paying for all of your damages, yourself.
The state limit for filing an auto accident claim is two years from the 405 freeway accident date. But there are shorter deadlines if one or more of the responsible parties include state, county or city governments. In cases involving government agencies, you only have six months to file your claim.
Hire an Experienced Southern California Auto Accident Lawyer
Being in a 405 freeway accident is one of the most stressful things you can experience in your lifetime. Having an experienced Southern California auto accident lawyer can enable you to focus on your physical and mental recovery, reducing your stress. Your lawyer will gather evidence for your case, file your claim for you and even communicate with the insurance companies.
Contact the auto accident attorneys of Kesh Law after your 405 freeway accident. Let us take the extreme stress of your accident claim off of your shoulders, so you can focus on getting back to a normal daily routine. While you recover from your physical and psychological injuries, we pursue monetary compensation to cover your losses and the emotional toll the accident had on your family. If the insurance companies will not settle for the amount you deserve, we will file a lawsuit for you.
Kesh Law is your 405 freeway accident law firm. Call us today for a free initial case evaluation at (818) 639-3955 or fill out our online form.
