Passenger Injury Attorney in Southern California

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Personal Injury

Filing a Personal Injury Claim in California

The aftermath of a car accident is stressful and confusing, especially when you’ve gotten hurt as a passenger. Luckily, California permits passengers injured in vehicle accidents to seek compensation for their damages. A Southern California passenger injury lawyer at KJT Law Group will fight for you to receive coverage for medical bills, lost wages, and more. Reach out to our firm today at (818) 507-8525 for a free consultation.

How a Personal Injury Attorney at KJT Law Group Can Help You

Suppose you decide to work with a Southern California passenger injury lawyer from KJT Law Group. In that event, you will receive our help from your initial consultation through the end of your case. Our team knows your rights and will protect them while you work on your recovery. Some of the things we take care of include:

Investigating how your accident happened
Gathering evidence
Ordering a copy of the crash report
Interviewing your doctors and witnesses
Reviewing your medical records
Answering any questions you have
Identifying and locating liable parties
Proving the other party’s negligence
Placing an appropriate value on your claim
Handling communication with other parties
Settling your case via negotiations or a trial

Whatever your case needs, KJT Law Group will work hard to provide it for you.

Handling Your Passenger Injury Case on Contingency

Many passenger injury victims are under financial pressure due to the expenses a car crash brings. At KJT Law Group, we consider this factor, so one of our personal injury attorneys is ready to work for you on contingency. That means:

Our firm will finance your entire case from start to finish.
We won’t charge you any fees up front or out of pocket.
Your attorney won’t ask for an hourly rate or retainers.

If you recover compensation for your injuries, your lawyer will receive payment for their services. You won’t take any risk when you hire KJT Law Group to handle your case.

Our Team is Ready to Serve You After Your Passenger Accident

Our personal injury attorneys in Southern California have helped injured passengers receive compensation for their injuries. Some of our case results include:

$146,000 for an Uber passenger who suffered a bloody nose and back injuries in an accident.
$105,000 for a passenger who got hurt when the driver fell asleep while driving

Although we cannot guarantee an exact outcome for your case, you can rely on us to go after what you need. Some of our former clients have discussed what they thought about the way we approached their cases: “I highly recommend KJT Law Group! The staff is courteous, professional, and highly skilled. Vaché handled every detail of my car accident case, he arranged the best medical care possible, recovered all losses and secured a generous settlement. This is by far my best experience! Thank you KJT!” —Dzaghig B. “Professional, pleasant, and true advocacy all the way. They really helped me and supported my claim. I highly recommend to everyone.” —Rosalilia M. Let’s start working toward the compensation you are entitled to collect today.

You May Be Entitled to Collect Compensation if You Were Injured as a Passenger

Passengers have the same rights as drivers when filing for compensation. The amount of payment you receive may depend on several factors, including:

The available insurance coverage
The severity of your injuries
The nature of the collision
Your medical care
Your prognosis
Your mental and financial well-being
If you lost a loved one in the crash

Insurance companies may try to get you to settle for an insufficient amount before you contact a law firm. So, it would benefit you to discuss your case with a personal injury lawyer in Southern California before talking to an insurance adjuster. KJT Law Group can handle all communications on your behalf and will fight for your rights.

Types of Compensation You Can Recover

In personal injury cases, there are two basic types of compensation – economic and non-economic. Economic compensation is reimbursement for your monetary losses, such as:

Medical care, including emergency room treatment
Ambulance fees
Hospitalization
Surgeries
Physical therapy
Medical equipment
Home modifications
In-home nursing care
Medications
Lost wages
Reduced earning capacity
Funeral and burial expenses if your loved one passed away in the accident

Non-economic compensation includes pain and suffering and other non-tangible things such as:

Emotional distress
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Inconvenience
Disfigurement and scarring
Reduced quality of life

Receiving compensation will help alleviate the financial strain you endure while you’re trying to get back to normal.

What to Do After You’re Injured in an Accident in Southern California

When involved in a vehicle accident as a passenger, you can take steps to protect your right to compensation. The basic steps include:

Seeking medical care for your injuries
Taking pictures of the accident scene
Getting the contact information for everyone else involved
Reporting the crash to the police

You may have to offer a brief statement to responding law enforcement officers, but you should stick to just the details of the accident. Also, after receiving medical care, you should consider working with a Southern California passenger injury lawyer. The KJT Law Group’s vehicle accident team will handle all aspects of your case while you get better.

Identifying the Liable Party in a Southern Califonia Car Accident

Because of California’s fault laws, finding the liable party in an accident is vital to building your compensation claim. In some cases, it may be the driver of the vehicle you are in or the driver in the other car. In other cases, both drivers may share responsibility for an accident. They could have been negligent in that they:

Failed to yield
Sped
Drove distracted
Drove under the influence of drug or alcohol
Failed to merge or change lanes safely
Drove drowsy
Didn’t obey traffic signals and signs

Can You Still Take Action if Your Friend Was the Driver?

Yes, because you deserve compensation if you were injured. Most likely, you will file a claim with their insurance. You may feel uneasy about taking action when your friend is at fault. However, when your injuries require medical treatment, you should not bear that financial burden on your own.

What if the Driver Was Your Family Member?

Depending on the relationship and living situation, you may be able to file a case against your family member if they were the driver. Passengers living with the insured driver may be covered under the same policy. That means you may receive some coverage through the policy but may not be able to sue for more significant compensation than the policy limits.

You could also file a case if you were riding with a family member who was driving, but you two live separately.

What If the Driver Was Not Insured?

You might receive some compensation through your own auto insurance, under an uninsured or underinsured coverage clause, or via filing a lawsuit against the other party.

What Happens if You Were Injured as an Uber or Lyft Passenger?

Rideshare companies like Lyft and Uber provide convenient and low-cost ridesharing opportunities for passengers. Depending on the circumstances of your accident as a passenger in a rideshare vehicle, you may receive compensation from the company’s insurer. For example, Lyft and Uber’s policy states that if the driver was transporting a passenger when the accident occurred, the $1,000,000 third-party liability is applicable.

What Happens if a Driver Isn’t Responsible for the Accident?

Sometimes, a party who was not directly involved in the accident may hold some responsibility for it. Examples are:

A government agency if it didn’t clean debris on the road or fix faulty traffic stops
A vehicle parts manufacturer if it produced poorly designed or faulty brakes
A mechanic if they didn’t address an issue with the car whose driver caused an accident

Your lawyer will assign liability according to what they find from their investigation.

The California Statute of Limitations on Passenger Car Accidents

The California statute of limitations, CCP § 335.1, on any motor vehicle accident is generally two years from the original date of injury. That means you should act quickly when you are injured as a passenger. If you try to file after the statute expires, the court may not let you recover compensation from the other party. There may be some differences in the law under certain circumstances, but KJT Law Group understands the rules. We know how to meet all the requirements within the statute of limitations, and given enough notice, we will ensure we submit your lawsuit in time.

A Southern California Passenger Injury Lawyer That Cares

At KJT Law Group, we manage personal injury cases in South California. Our lawyers understand the individual needs and differences in every case. You aren’t “just a number” with us. Following a free case evaluation, if you choose to work with us, we work on a contingency basis. For you, that means no upfront costs and zero risk. We will work tirelessly to seek the best outcome for you. Our fees aren’t due until the final settlement you receive. Call us today at (818) 507-8525.

If you or someone you love was injured due to another person’s negligence, contact KJT Law Group at (818) 507-8525 for a free consultation to discuss your legal rights and options.

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