Costa Mesa Car Accident Lawyer

Costa Mesa is a popular tourist destination because of its proximity to Los Angeles, San Diego, and Newport Beach. The city has thriving arts, shopping, and foodie communities. It is home to the Orange County Fair & Event Center.

From a small Native American village near the banks of the Santa Ana River, the beach town of Costa Mesa has grown from a small Native American village near the banks of the Santa Ana River to a significant industrial and commercial hub in Orange County.

A city as busy as Costa Mesa is bound to have its share of traffic congestion, leading to traffic accidents. Contact our Costa Mesa car accident lawyer for help if you are injured in a car accident. 

How Our Personal Injury Attorneys Can Help You After a Car Accident in Costa Mesa?

Life can be brutal after a car accident in Costa Mesa, CA. You may struggle with the emotional stress, medical expenses, and physical pain caused by a car accident. Fortunately, you do not have to deal with a car accident case alone. Our Costa Mesa car accident attorney handles all aspects of your car accident case so that you can focus on healing and recovering from the car crash. 

Our Costa Mesa personal injury lawyer has recovered millions of dollars for accident victims. They have over 17 years of combined legal experience. 

When you hire our auto accident lawyer in Costa Mesa, you can expect us to:

• Investigate auto accidents to determine the cause of the accident
• Gather evidence proving causation, fault, and liability, including interviewing witnesses, consulting experts, and obtaining copies of accident reports
• Identify each party liable for your injuries and damages
• File insurance claims and handles all matters with the insurance company
• Document damages to calculate the maximum value of your personal injury claim
• Monitor the status of insurance claims and the California statute of limitations for motor vehicle accident lawsuits
• Negotiate top-dollar settlement agreements for your claim

Our Costa Mesa car accident lawyers are skilled and aggressive negotiators. Most claims for car accidents settle without going to court.

However, our Costa Mesa personal injury lawyer is also a seasoned trial lawyer. If the other party refuses to negotiate a fair settlement, we are prepared to argue your case in court.

At Nordean Law, we never lose sight of the pain and suffering you experienced because of a Costa Mesa car accident. The emotional trauma and permanent impairments caused by a traffic accident can last for years. As a result, our legal team works to recover the maximum compensation available for your injury claim. And also when we win, we pay you. 

At Nordean Law, our accident lawyer in Costa Mesa is passionate about protecting your right to fair compensation for injuries and damages. Contact our law firm to speak with a legal team member and schedule a free consultation with a car accident lawyer. 

Personal Injury Cases We Handle At Costa Mesa

Our Costa Mesa personal injury lawyers handle various personal injury cases. Our legal team represents individuals and families who sustained injuries and damages because of:

• Car accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Elder abuse
• Bicycle accidents
• Brain injuries
• Bus accidents
• Child abuse
• Truck accidents
• Premises liability
• Wrongful death
• Slip and fall accidents
• Uber and Lyft accidents 

Experienced legal representation is one of the best ways to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve after a negligent party caused your injury. Hiring an experienced auto accident attorney in Costa Mesa, CA, can get you, on average a 40% larger settlement amount compared to accident victims who choose to represent themselves. 

Call now to speak with one of our personal injury attorneys about your case. 

Insurance Claim for your Car Accident at Costa Mesa

If you are injured in a car accident in Costa Mesa where other parties are at partial or complete fault, you are liable to make a claim to their insurance company for three types of damages. Your insurance claim depends on your share of fault in the accident, the type of accident, and the severity of your injury and loss.

Economic Damages

Economic damages refer to the direct expenses you may have had to spend as an outcome of the accident. It can be the cost of your treatment–medical expenses, medication cost, therapy. The price for repairing the damage to your car also comes under such damage compensation. Similarly, economic damage compensation should also cover your lost wages at work. 

Non-Economic Damages

You can claim non-economic damage compensation for losses like pain and suffering, temporary or permanent withholdment of things you enjoy doing in life, degradation of your quality of life, etc. Such damages are priceless and cannot be limited to a certain amount. But the non-economic damage intends to balance out the loss with the compensation.

Punitive Damage

Rather than paying back certain losses you suffered, punitive damage is intended to punish the defendant in case of negligence or intentional tort. If the defendant had the choice to prevent the accident but chose to disregard one’s safety, the court charges them with unitive damage compensation as a form of punishment.

How Much is my Car Accident Case Worth at Costa Mesa?

Motor vehicle accident settlements usually net $10,000 up to $2.5 million or more. The factors of the case determine how much traffic accidents are worth. 

Factors that impact how much car accidents are worth include:

• The severity of your injuries 
• The duration of your recovery 
• Whether you hire an experienced Costa Mesa car accident lawyer
• The availability of insurance coverage
• Whether you are partially to blame for the cause of the car accident
• The parties involved in the accident and personal injury case
• The amount of your financial losses
• Whether you sustained a permanent disability

Catastrophic injuries, permanent impairments, significant scarring, and wrongful death generally increase the value of a personal injury claim. Call our law office to discuss how much your car accident case is worth during a free case evaluation with a car accident attorney. 

Proving Negligence in Costa Mesa Auto Accident Claim

An essential element of your car accident case is proving negligence and fault. Our car accident lawyers in Costa Mesa, CA, gather evidence to prove each of the legal elements of negligence:

• Duty
• Breach of duty
• Causation
• Damages

Everyone has a general duty to act with reasonable care to avoid causing harm to another person. Therefore, motorists have a duty of care to follow traffic laws and take reasonable steps to avoid a car accident. 

Breaching the duty of care means the driver failed to act with the same level of care a reasonable person would have used in a similar situation. For example, a reasonable person would not have run a red light causing a car accident. However, breaching the duty of care is not the last step in proving liability. 

Our Costa Mesa car accident lawyer must gather evidence proving the breach of duty caused the accident. The breach of duty must be the direct and proximate cause of the crash for the person to be financially liable for damages. For example, our Costa Mesa car accident lawyer may interview eyewitnesses and obtain copies of traffic camera video to prove that a driver caused an accident by making an improper lane change.

The final step is documenting damages. You cannot recover money for your claim unless you sustained damages. Therefore, our Costa Mesa auto accident attorney works with you and your doctor to document your injuries. In addition, our legal team works with you to document the financial losses and other damages you sustained because of the car crash. 

Proving fault for a car accident may be a complicated process. However, at Nordean Law, we have the resources to investigate a car accident and gather evidence proving the other driver caused the accident in Costa Mesa. 

The insurance company has a team of professionals working to protect it from liability. Hiring our car accident attorneys protects you from bad-faith insurance tactics designed to shift the blame from their insured driver to you. 

How To Document Your California Car Accident?

Proving the other driver is at fault for the cause of the accident is crucial. You can help your Costa Mesa accident attorney by documenting the accident scene. Here are some tips that may help you identify what and how to document the accident scene. However, the documentation should only be done if you are physically able, all injured party have their injuries under control, paramedics have arrived to care for them, and it is safe with no risk of further damage or injuries. 

1. If you were involved in the cause of the accident, take pictures or videos of the accident.
   If you witnessed the accident, taking photos and videos strictly for the investigation will help the involved party.
   If you were mildly injured out of someone else’s fault and physically able, you can also document the scene in photos or videos to back your claim.
2. Exchange names, numbers, addresses, and insurance or insurance company information among all the parties and document them properly.
3. Gather the contact number of the eyewitnesses gathered around the accident.
4. Collect the contact information of nearby landmarks with CCTV cameras.
5. Take pictures of any road damage, wrong sign, or unexpected materials on the road that may have caused the accident.
6. Keep all your bills from medical expenses or repair charges organized and safe. Similarly, document the official reports from the hospital or police.
7. Take notes of all your conversation with insurance companies.

How Can Your Documentation Help Your Attorney Build a Strong Case on Your Behalf?

Gathering evidence, investigating, and negotiating will be easier if you document most of the list above. All photographs and videos will give your lawyer, the insurance company, and, if necessary, the court the live image of the accident. It will help them better determine the cause and the sharing of fault. 

Similarly, if all parties have exchanged their information, your lawyer or insurance company can easily reach out to them to conduct the procedures on time. You will be able to contact the witnesses immediately when their statement or testimony is needed to back your evidence. You do not have to fear the road condition or environment changing or improving after the accident if you had photo documentation of its condition when the accident happened. 

At the same time, having all your bills organized and properly filed will make it easier for your attorney to determine costs and how much the settlement amount should be. The notes you take of every conversation with the defendant’s insurance company will also be of incredible help when you are negotiating. It will help your lawyer build a solid case by addressing every important aspect the insurance company highlights.

What Compensation Can I Recover For My Injuries in Costa Mesa, California?

Each personal injury case is unique. However, accident victims are usually entitled to compensation for their economic damages and non-economic damages. The types of damages you could receive for your car accident claim include:

• Medical bills and expenses
• Loss of income and benefits
• Physical pain and suffering
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Decreases in future earning capacity and future lost wages
• Mental anguish and emotional distress
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Permanent disabilities and impairment
• A decline in quality of life

In some cases, accident victims may receive punitive damages. These damages “punish” a defendant for intentional wrongdoing or gross negligence. Our car accident attorney evaluates your case to determine the damages you are entitled to receive by law. Our legal team pursues all types of damages to get you the most money possible for your car accident case. 

Common Types of Car Accidents

At Nordean Law, our car accident lawyers handle all types of car crashes, including:

• Rollovers
• Head-on collisions
• Side-impact crashes (T-bone collisions)
• Rear-impact collisions 
• Texting while driving accidents
• Single-vehicle accidents
• Drunk driving accidents
• Uber or Lyft accidents (rideshare crashes)
• Accidents caused by defective roads
• Multi-vehicle accidents
• Commercial vehicle accidents
• Public transportation accidents

Through years of handling car accident claims, our Costa Mesa car accident attorneys have developed extensive skills, resources, and expertise in this area of personal injury law. 

Common Causes of Car Accidents

Many car accidents in Costa Mesa result from human error and negligence. Common causes of car crashes include:

• Speeding
• Driving under the influence
• Failure to yield the right of way
• Aggressive driving and road rage
• Fatigued or drowsy driving
• Tailgating (following too closely)
• Distracted driving
• Improper lane changes

Weather conditions, defective automobile parts, and road defects can also contribute to the cause of car accidents. To determine the cause of your accident, our Costa Mesa car accident law firm identifies each factor contributing to the car wreck. Then, we determine the party or parties responsible for each factor and pursue claims against those parties.

Common Types of Injuries from Car Accidents

Car crashes can cause traumatic injuries. Any type of car accident could result in injuries, including:

• Broken bones and fractures
• Chest injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Damage to internal organs
• Paralysis
• Neck and back injuries
• Amputations and loss of limbs
• Airbag and seatbelt injuries (seatbelt syndrome)
• Lacerations and scarring

Prompt medical treatment is essential for your recovery and your personal injury case. Delays in medical care could give the insurance company a reason to dispute your claim.

Filing a Lawsuit in Costa Mesa, California

If there arises a disagreement with the defendant’s insurance company, and you believe your personal injury and the evidence deserves more compensation, you have the legal right to file a lawsuit against the defendant’s insurance company. Your car accident lawyer will help you build a solid case, take it to court, and represent you.  

You need stronger evidence when preparing for the court. Your attorney will bring in experts to assess the evidence. They will also address the arguments made by the insurance company during the negotiation to prove your liability. 

According to the Superior court of California–County of Orange, you must fill out 3 forms as a plaintiff when filing a lawsuit. The first one is called ‘Summons,’ which notifies the court that a lawsuit is being filed. Second, a ‘Complaint’ is where you describe the accident, your injuries, the sharing of fault, the damages, and the disagreement. While in the third form, a ‘Civil Coversheet’ will mention the type of case.

What is the Statute of Limitations for Car Accidents in California?

The Statute of Limitation in California states the deadline for filing a lawsuit for personal injury accidents. For car accidents, the statute limitation for personal injury is 2 years from the date of the accident. While for property damage, the deadline is 3 years. At the same time, if the injury was discovered later, the deadline is 1 year after the discovery date with concrete evidence showcasing the reason behind the delayed discovery.

Contact Our Costa Mesa Personal Injury Lawyers For a Free Consultation

Were you injured in a car accident in Costa Mesa? If so, you could be entitled to compensation for injuries, and our Costa Mesa car accident lawyers can help.

Our car accident lawyers have recovered millions of dollars in settlements and jury verdicts. With years of experience handling car accident cases, we are dedicated to protecting the rights of accident victims like you.

Are you searching for the best car accident lawyers in Costa Mesa, CA? Call Nordean Law now for a free consultation with one of our car accident lawyers.

Costa Mesa Car Accident FAQs 

We understand that you have any questions about car accident claims. Below are answers to frequently asked questions about car accidents in Costa Mesa.