Northridge Car Accident LawyerCar Accident Lawyer Northridge, CA

If you have been involved in a California car accident caused by a negligent driver, there is a strong likelihood you have suffered some type of injury. Even a minor fender bender can leave a victim with injuries serious enough to interfere with their daily activities. Victims of car crashes should contact a car accident lawyer in Northridge, CA families trust to find out what their legal options may be for financial compensation for the injuries have caused them.

Common Car Accident Injuries

While any part of the body is at risk of injury in a crash, there are certain types of injuries that are more common than others. Areas that are more vulnerable include the neck, back, and shoulder areas.

Each Northridge, CA car accident lawyer from Barry P. Goldberg has extensive experience handling cases where victims had suffered the following back and neck injuries:

  • Disc injury: If part of the spinal cord is jolted out of place, discs and nerves in the back or neck can become injured or irritated.
  • Spinal cord injury: Any injury to the back or neck can cause damage to the victim’s spinal cord, especially if any of the vertebrae were moved in the crash. Any damage to nerves in the area can result in either partial or complete paralysis. In severe cases, the injuries can be fatal.
  • Sprain or strain: While a sprain may sound like a minor injury, a victim who has suffered a sprain or strain to the neck or back can attest to just how painful this type of injury is.
  • Whiplash: This type of injury occurs when the victim’s neck is jerked quickly forward and back, injuring ligaments, muscles, and nerves. Symptoms include neck pain and numbness or tingling in the neck and arms.

Shoulder injuries are also common in car accidents, particularly because of the way a victim may be thrown into the dashboard or side of the vehicle. Some of the more common types of shoulder injuries include:

  •  Dislocated shoulder:  The force of a crash can cause the ball and socket of the arm and shoulder to become separated from one another, causing weakness, numbness, and muscle spasms.

Rotator cuff tear: The rotator cuff is made up of tendons and muscles that surround the shoulder joint. When these are torn from an injury, victims usually suffer from weakness in the arm, tenderness, limited movement, and pain that ranges from a dull ache to severe pain. Another rotator cuff condition that a car accident victim can also suffer is rotator cuff tendinitis.

  • SLAP tear: Another common crash injury occurs when there is a tear to the bicep tendon that attaches to the cartilage at the end of the arm. Victims usually suffer pain when moving or lifting the arm, decrease in range of motion, instability, and popping noises or grinding sensation.

Have You Been in a Crash? Call a Northbridge, CA Car Accident Lawyer

A car accident lawyer Northridge, CA relies on knowing that when you have been in a car accident as a result of someone else’s negligence, you may be wondering if you should speak with their insurance agent. This can be a tricky situation because normally if you have been in a car accident, you will want to notify your insurance as soon as possible. However, you may be asking: are you required to speak with the other driver’s insurance? The answer to this is no. The other driver’s insurance agent will not be thinking about your best interests and will likely be trying to get information out of you that could harm your claim.

What should I do if they call?

We understand that having their insurance agent contact you can throw you off. You are likely trying to move on from the accident as quickly as possible, get any damage done to your car fixed and recover from your injuries. However, getting a call from the other driver’s insurance agent may throw you off so much you answer the call and speak with them. This can be incredibly risky because you may hurt your chances of recovering a fair amount for your claim. Our Northridge, California car accident lawyer has tips for you to follow.

  • One of the first things you should do is get the name and contact information of the agent speaking with you. This will be very important when you speak with your attorney.
  • Do not overshare your information. You can give them as little as you need to (your name and contact information). They may insinuate that you are required to offer your insurance company’s information or details of the accident and this is not true.
  • Let them know that you or your attorney will be contacting them in the future. You do not want them to continue calling you back to try and get more information out of you.
  • Remember, while you may be required to speak with your insurance company after a car accident, you are not legally required to speak with an agent from anyone else’s company. You are free to politely end the call and speak with your attorney about the conversation.

If you would like to learn more about speaking with insurance agents or what you should do when an insurance agent contacts you after an accident, call the car accident lawyer in Northridge, California you can rely on Barry P. Goldberg.

How to Recover from a Car Accident

If you have been injured in a car accident, it is important to take extra good care of yourself so that you get back on your feet faster. Here are a few helpful tips to follow.

  • Follow Your Doctor’s Orders: After a doctor diagnoses your injury, he or she will recommend the appropriate treatment plan. Whether your doctor suggests physical therapy or bed rest, you should follow his or her advice. If you don’t, you could put your health in jeopardy. If you are filing an accident claim with the assistance of a car accident lawyer in Northridge, CA, you could lose your case if the insurance company finds out that you have not been following your doctor’s instructions.
  • Take It Easy: While you are probably eager to get back to your normal routine, it’s critical to take things easy. If you push yourself too fast, you could prolong your recovery. Take the necessary time off, reduce your physical activities and get plenty of sleep at night. If you feel tired during the day, don’t hesitate to take a nap.
  • Consider Massage Therapy: As a car accident lawyer in Northbridge, CA can confirm, that more and more car accident victims are turning to massage therapy. A physical therapist can give you a massage that reduces muscle spasms, improves range of motion, and promotes blood flow. However, understand that this won’t feel the type of massage you may receive at a spa. It will not be as relaxing and will apply more pressure.
  • Eat a Nutritious Diet: When you are recovering from a car accident, it is more important than ever to nourish your body with healthy foods. Fill your diet with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, chicken, and fish. These foods are filled with nutrients that will help your body recover faster. Try to stay away from junk foods, as they have little nutritional value and can make you gain weight.
  • Drink Plenty of Water: After you suffer an injury from a car accident, your body dehydrates quicker. That is why it is extra important to drink at least eight glasses of water each during your recovery. If you get bored drinking plain old water all the time, try adding lemon or lime to it.
  • Stretch: Once you have finished the bed rest portion of your recovery, your doctor may advise you to perform gentle stretches at home to improve your flexibility and range of motion. Start slow and stop what you’re doing if you feel any sort of pain. Ask your doctor about the type of stretches you should do.

 

What should I do immediately after getting in a car accident?

Once you get into an accident there are key steps you should take right away to protect your legal rights and maximize the compensation amount that you may be able to recover, as a car accident lawyer Northridge CA residents depend on can explain. Call 911 and report the accident right away so that they can get you and other parties involved medical attention. Do not refuse medical treatment because this not only protects your health, but it is an important part of strengthening your case, especially if you have multiple injuries and were not at fault. Remember to exchange contact, vehicle and insurance information with the driver. Provide a brief statement to officers about the accident and contact a car accident lawyer for further guidance. 

What should I say if I’m involved in a car accident? 

When you are giving a statement regarding details of the accident and what you can remember, keep in mind that you should be careful about what you say. You do not want to give too much information, false or exaggerated details. This may cause you to lose compensation that you would be otherwise entitled to recover. Never apologize if you get into an accident. You don’t want to make it seem like you are admitting fault or accepting blame for your role in the accident. Make sure your account is straightforward and concise, and if you are not sure what else to say you don’t have to provide additional information. 

How can a lawyer help me? 

When you reach out to an experienced car accident lawyer who has successfully worked on various cases, there are several legal services that you can get. A skilled and knowledgeable Northridge car accident lawyer can do a full case assessment of your situation to review the facts of your case. They can tell you if you have enough evidence to move forward to file a claim and if the statute of limitations to do so has not expired. They can give you valuable legal advice regarding strategies you can rely on so that you can obtain the best possible case outcome.

What damages can I recover? 

If you have been injured in an accident that was not your fault, you may be eligible to recover economic and non-economic damages. In some states you may be able to recover a partial amount even if you were partially at fault. Damages you can recover include medical bills, property loss, missed wages, and pain and suffering. If you would like to know the accurate value of what you may be entitled to, reach out to a skilled lawyer who has experience advocating for car accident victims. They will review your full expenses and fight so that you can recover the full amount that you are entitled to receive. 

Who can be held liable in a car accident? 

Liability laws are different in each state, but there are typical ways in which they are applied. There are several parties who can be held liable in a car accident. In many cases, the driver of the vehicle can be held liable if they were the one who caused the accident. If a driver was driving a vehicle but it was not actually registered under their name, then the owner of the vehicle can be held liable in the event of an accident. As a Northridge car accident lawyer can tell you, if the at-fault driver was not under the insurance policy at the time of the accident or if they do not have a valid driver’s license, then the owner could be held liable.

Call the car accident lawyer in Northridge, California you can rely on Barry P. Goldberg.