Auto Accident Attorney

If you have been injured in an auto accident that was not your fault, you probably have questions of how an auto accident attorney can help you. If so, you’ve come to the right place. Rizio Lipinsky Heiting Heiting Heiting Law Firm has some of the best auto accident attorneys in Riverside and the Inland Empire.

Our personal injury attorneys have prepared the following information to walk you through answers to the questions most commonly asked by auto accident victims.

For decades, we have provided top-notch legal representation to car accident victims who have ended up in the hospital with broken bones and painful recoveries. They didn’t want or ask to be in this position. But because of someone else’s negligence, they find themselves needing a skilled auto accident attorney to help them get back on their feet.

Keep reading to learn more.

What to Do in an Auto Accident?

If you are injured in an auto accident, you should get the immediate medical attention you need (which is dependent on the extent of your injuries). If you are unable to do so yourself, ask a family member or friend to help you do the following at the accident scene:

• Get the contact information of others involved
• Obtain insurance information from the other driver
• Ask witnesses what they saw, and note their names and phone numbers
• Take photos of the vehicles, the accident scene and any contributing factors, such as road obstructions
• File a police report or obtain the number of a report in progress
• Obtain a copy of the accident report
• Call an auto accident lawyer to understand your legal rights

Also, it is important to remain as neutral as possible and not assign blame at this point since that could lead to a shouting match. It is equally critical not to make any admission of fault until you reach a settlement with the liable party or have your day in court.

As soon as possible, call your own auto insurance carrier to submit an auto accident claim. Explain the circumstances leading up to the incident, and offer the contact information for the others involved, including the witnesses. The claim adjuster will consult with the other driver’s insurance company and get back to you. Do not accept a settlement offer until you can speak with an auto accident attorney.

Auto Accident Statistics

In April of 2023, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that an estimated 42,795 people died in traffic crashes in the United States in 2022. That’s an average of 117 people dying on our roads every single day in 2022. 

• In 2022, there were 165,978 injuries resulting from traffic accidents in California
• Injury/fatality accidents occurred about half the time on city streets and half the time on rural roadways
• 34 percent of fatal crashes involved a speeding driver

When you take a broad perspective, the number of people killed in auto accidents annually, for example, which is currently approximately 12 people per 100,000, seems relatively low. However, statistics mean nothing when the accident victim is you or someone you love.

You can take steps to protect yourself and your passengers from serious injuries in an auto accident by wearing a seatbelt consistently, securing children under 12 in age-appropriate car seats, and never driving while you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. However, there is nothing you can do to avoid car accidents entirely, especially when another driver is involved.

Auto Accident Causes

While unexpected circumstances, such as a blinding dust storm or heavy fog, sometimes result in accidents for which only nature is to blame, driver negligence and intentional actions cause the majority of vehicle collisions nationwide. The injuries that result cost billions of dollars each year in terms of medical care, days away from work, ongoing therapy and permanent loss of income. The top 10 causes of traffic accidents are:

1. Driver distraction, including talking on the phone, eating, reading a map, applying makeup or speaking with passengers
2. Intoxication, either alcohol or drug-induced
3. Speeding
4. Driving recklessly, including road rage maneuvers, aggressive passing, and unsafe lane changes
5. Inclement weather, such as rain, snow or icy conditions
6. Failure to stop at a red light
7. Impaired visibility at night
8. Mechanical problems due to auto manufacturing flaws or postponed repairs
9. Following another vehicle too closely
10. Disregard of traffic rules/inexperienced driver error

With driver error factoring into the majority of these potentially catastrophic incidents, negligence or intentional actions are frequently at the root of auto accident injuries and wrongful deaths.

For example, in a rollover scenario when a car is trying to avoid a deer, several factors may contribute to the victim’s injuries, including nighttime vision issues, alcohol impairment, and speeding. Although the sudden appearance of a deer is the catalyst to the crash, the driver is responsible for drinking and driving at night, as well as for exceeding the speed limit. As a result, the driver is at least partially liable for the accident victim’s losses and is legally responsible for paying for them.

Auto Accident Injury Types

Auto accident injuries run the gamut from cuts and bruises to permanent disability, and each represents its own degree of current and future expense. If you are lucky, you may spend a couple of hours in the emergency room to have a cut stitched up, but it is also possible that your injury is so severe it changes your life forever. Accident victims can experience any of the following conditions.

• Acute damage to the soft tissue, which primarily involves the muscles, ligaments, and tendons: Neck strain, sprained tendons in the ankle, knee or wrist, a hamstring tear and muscle contusions are all soft-tissue injuries caused by a sudden impact or an unnatural twist.

• Cuts and abrasions that are sometimes minor and often do not require professional medical care: Serious cuts and scrapes may cause extensive blood loss. They may require stitches and eventually, costly cosmetic repairs. In an accident, a flying coffee mug, a sharp metal edge or shattered window glass could easily cause cuts and abrasions.

• Head injuries resulting from a collision that range in severity from a mild concussion to permanent brain damage: You may hit your head on a hard surface upon impact, sustaining a skull fracture. You may be tossed around in a rollover crash or even ejected from the vehicle, which could result in a closed head injury involving damage to your brain.

• Back injuries ranging from strained muscles to broken vertebrae and damage to the spinal cord, which can cause paralysis: Back injuries are notorious for often requiring complex, long-term care, extensive physical therapy, chronic pain and sometimes, surgery. A serious back injury may cause permanent disability and loss of earnings.

• Chest injuries with varying degrees of severity: If you are driving a car with no airbag, or your airbag does not deploy immediately, a strong impact could drive your chest against the steering wheel, breaking ribs and putting your internal organs at risk.

• Injuries to the extremities, including arms, legs, hands, and feet: These could consist of relatively mild scratches, or at their most severe, they could involve traumatic amputation. Sudden impacts can cause broken bones as well.

It is important to bear in mind as an accident victim that some medical conditions are not readily apparent in the immediate aftermath of the traffic incident. For example, what you believe is a muscle strain could eventually present as a spinal injury. That is one of the critical reasons you should not sign off on a quick settlement offer from an insurance adjuster before speaking with your attorney.

Steps to Take in Hiring a Car Accident Attorney

Personal injury lawyers can help you as an accident victim in ways that significantly impact your financial future.

At your initial complimentary consultation, your personal injury attorney will listen carefully to your story and help you establish who is liable for your losses. These losses may include property damage, medical bills, necessary future medical treatment, as well as potential non-economic damages such as physical pain and suffering.

If you have cause to seek damages from the individual or entity at fault, your personal injury lawyer will act in your best interests as your legal advocate in any settlement negotiations, and if it comes to that, in a court of law.

An accident attorney is indispensable in disputes with insurance companies that try to whittle down your settlement.

You need a legal advocate to help you quantify your current and future financial losses (such as medical expenses and loss of income) as well as intangibles (such as pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life). Your lawyer should be ready to do what it takes to secure the full amount of compensation you are entitled to by law. Also, a compassionate auto accident attorney will provide you with the moral support you need to navigate this difficult time in your life.

That is why you will want to hire a lawyer to ensure you recover fair financial compensation. Just make sure you hire an auto accident attorney with a proven track-record in helping injury victims in auto accident cases.

At Rizio Lipinsky Heiting  we understand how car crashes and car accident injuries caused by negligent drivers can devastate your life. We have decades of experience in helping car accident victims and their family members recover from motor vehicle accidents. Tough car accident claims and personal injury cases are in our wheelhouse. We are a personal injury law firm that knows how to help you pick up the pieces so you can move forward.

Get in touch with our experience legal team today. The best way to reach us is to call our office at 888-292-8888, or simply fill out our online contact form to schedule your free consultation and case evaluation.

We work on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing for our legal representation until we win your case.