Car Accident Attorney for Los Angeles County and Orange County

A car accident claim in Los Angeles County or Orange County is really two claims: one for the vehicle and one for the person inside it. The insurer will try to settle both quickly, before your doctor knows what is wrong. Fred Yadegar represents drivers and passengers injured in collisions in both counties, deals with the adjuster in your place, and does not let the claim close until the injuries are understood.

The adjuster calls before your doctor does

Within a day or two of the collision, the other driver’s insurer will probably call. The adjuster will be courteous, ask how you are feeling, and ask to record the conversation. Nothing requires you to give that statement, and there is no advantage in giving it. A remark such as “just a little sore” becomes the basis for arguing that you were not hurt. A check offered in the first week is priced on the assumption that you will not need imaging, an orthopedic consult, or time away from work. Once our office is retained, that contact ends and the insurer deals with us.

How little coverage the other driver may carry

Since January 1, 2025, California requires drivers to carry at least $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident for injuries, and $15,000 for property damage (Ins. Code §16056, SB 1107). Many drivers on the 405 and the 5 carry exactly those limits, and some carry none. An emergency visit, imaging, and a few weeks of therapy can exceed $30,000 on their own.

That is why your own policy is part of every collision case we handle. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage responds when the driver who hit you has no insurance or not enough of it (Ins. Code §11580.2). It is coverage you paid for, and the claim is made against your own insurer, which does not mean it will be paid without resistance. Our first task is to list every policy that might respond: the at-fault driver’s, yours, any policy in your household, and any commercial policy if the other driver was working at the time.

Deadlines, and the rule for uninsured drivers

Three deadlines govern a crash claim. A lawsuit for your injuries must be filed within two years of the collision (Code Civ. Proc. §335.1). A claim for damage to the vehicle alone has three years (Code Civ. Proc. §338), but the medical bills and lost wages belong to the two-year injury claim, not to the property claim. When a government vehicle or a dangerous public road is involved, a written claim must be presented to the entity within six months (Gov. Code §911.2). Minors and late-discovered injuries follow different rules, so call before deciding which deadline is yours.

A separate rule surprises people whose own insurance had lapsed. Under Proposition 213, a driver who was uninsured at the time of the crash generally cannot recover pain-and-suffering damages, even when the other driver was entirely at fault, and is limited to economic losses such as medical bills, lost income, and vehicle repair (Civ. Code §3333.4). The exception is a crash caused by a driver who is convicted of DUI. Adjusters raise Prop 213 whenever they can, including in situations it does not reach, so ask before you accept that it applies to you.

Fault is divided, not assigned to one side

California apportions fault by percentage under pure comparative negligence (Li v. Yellow Cab, 1975). If a jury found you thirty percent responsible for a lane-change collision, you would recover seventy percent of your damages rather than nothing. Insurers understand the rule and still tell claimants that partial fault ends the matter. The evidence that settles the question is ordinary: the collision report, photographs of the vehicles and the intersection, witness accounts, and any dashcam or nearby camera footage. Footage in particular disappears quickly, which is one reason our office sends written requests early.

Two columns of damages

A collision claim is measured in economic and non-economic damages. The economic column holds emergency treatment, follow-up care, medication, therapy, future medical needs, lost wages, and reduced earning capacity if you cannot return to the same work. The non-economic column holds pain, lost sleep, fear of driving, and the parts of daily life the injury has taken. California places no cap on either category in an ordinary injury case; the limits under MICRA apply only to medical malpractice. Punitive damages are reserved for conduct involving malice, oppression, or fraud, such as a drunk driver, and they are the exception (Civ. Code §3294).

Your checklist for this week

• See a doctor today and describe every symptom, including the ones that seem minor. Delayed treatment is the insurer’s most common argument.
• Obtain the report number from the responding agency and request a copy when the report is ready.
• Photograph both vehicles, the scene, the road conditions, and your injuries as they appear.
• Write down the names, phone numbers, and insurance details of every driver and witness.
• Notify your own insurer that a collision occurred, as your policy requires, and keep the notice brief.
• Decline any recorded statement requested by the other driver’s insurer and refer the adjuster to your lawyer.
• Leave any check undeposited and any release unsigned until the paperwork has been reviewed.
• Keep a folder: bills, receipts, mileage to appointments, work absences, and a short daily note on pain and limitations.

Why bring your crash claim to Fred

Fred Yadegar has been a licensed California attorney since 2006 (State Bar #244184), and he handles collision claims for people throughout Los Angeles County and Orange County. We gather the medical records and wage documentation, identify every applicable policy, and present a demand in the form an insurer needs before it authorizes a meaningful payment. If the response does not reflect the injury, we file. The fee is contingent, there is no upfront cost, and the arrangement is explained in writing at the start. If you don’t get paid, we don’t get paid. When the fight is with your own carrier, see insurance company disputes; when a rideshare vehicle was involved, see Uber or Lyft accidents; and when the injuries require surgery or long-term care, see serious injuries.