Orange County Car Accident Lawyers

Neale & Fhima represents car accident victims in Orange County, to help with the pursuit of compensation for pain, suffering, and financial losses. After four decades in this business, we still believe clients should interact personally with their attorneys – an approach that sets us apart from other firms. Our results speak for themselves.

We have a 99% success rate, and we’ve won more than $50 million in verdicts and settlements. If you are suffering because of someone else’s careless driving, our Orange County car accident lawyers are here to help.

Our Car Accident Lawyers Go After Each and Every Responsible Party

Multiple parties may be liable for your injuries. This can come as a surprise to injured motorists, especially when only two cars were involved in the accident. Even then, however, you may be able to collect from the driver, the owner of the driver’s car, an employer of the driver, a government entity, a road construction or maintenance company, a vehicle manufacturer, a bar or restaurant owner, or your own insurance company, depending on the circumstances.

Determining which parties are liable – and the degree to which each of them is at fault – is a crucial service our firm provides in every case.

Types of Car Accidents Our Attorneys Handle

There are approximately 30,000 collisions in Orange County each year, and no two are the same. Part of our job as personal injury lawyers is to illustrate the unique aspects of every case to explain why the amount of compensation we are demanding for our client is reasonable. In broad terms, though, traffic accidents fall into one of several categories, including:

REAR-END COLLISIONS

These accidents occur when a vehicle fails to decelerate in time to avoid contact with another vehicle that has stopped or slowed in front of it. When a vehicle gets struck from behind, the force of the impact may push it forward into the rear of a third vehicle or, worse, out into cross-traffic at an intersection. These types of collision can result in devastating neck and other injuries.

HEAD-ON COLLISIONS

These accidents occur when two vehicles collide while traveling in opposite directions on the same roadway. One of the vehicles may have drifted across the center median, attempted an unsafe pass on a two-lane highway, mistakenly entered the freeway on an exit ramp, driven the wrong way on a one-way street, or swerved into oncoming traffic to avoid colliding with an object in its own lane of travel. These types of collisions often cause catastrophic injuries.

BROADSIDE COLLISIONS

Also known as “T-bone” accidents, these occur when a vehicle strikes the side of another vehicle at a perpendicular angle. They often result when a driver tries to make a left turn through a gap in oncoming traffic at an intersection. In this situation, right-side passengers of that vehicle are put in extreme peril, since there is little structural protection to absorb the impact caused by the front of the oncoming car.

SIDESWIPES

These accidents occur when the side of one vehicle collides with the side of another vehicle traveling in the same direction. This often happens when a driver fails to take proper precautions before merging or changing lanes. While the initial impact may be slight, surprised drivers can overcorrect and cause serious multi-vehicle accidents.

ROLLOVERS

As the name indicates, a rollover occurs when a vehicle flips or rolls during a crash. The vehicle may come to rest on its side or its roof, or it may return to an upright position after making a full rotation. Rollovers typically involve a single vehicle. Of these, 95% are tripped rollovers, meaning the car loses traction, goes into a lateral slide, and then encounters a low-profile object (like a curb) that triggers the rotation.

PILE-UP ACCIDENTS

These occur when one incident starts a chain reaction of collisions. Poor visibility is almost always a contributing factor. For example, a dust storm in 1991 caused one of the worst wrecks in our state’s history. Here in the coastal areas of Orange County, morning fog is more likely to be the culprit.

Not every car accident will fit into one of the categories above. The Orange County car accident lawyers at Neale & Fhima are prepared to handle any type of vehicle accident involving serious physical injuries.

Where Accidents Happen

In this post, we look at the most dangerous roads in Orange County (based on accident statistics). They include:

• Canyon roads, like Laguna Canyon Road and the Ortega Highway
• Surface streets, like Bristol Street, Jeronimo Road, and Fairview Street
• Freeways, like the El Toro Y and the Orange Crush Interchange.

If you’re interested in learning more about road accident trends in Orange County, you can visit the Accident Data Center website. There, you’ll find a city-by-city breakdown of the county’s accident reports.

Getting Medical Treatment

Your first priority after any accident should be to receive medical treatment. If you’re not seen by paramedics at the scene, you should visit your physician as soon as you can after the collision.

As well as your health, this is important for legal reasons. Medical records are critical evidence in car accident cases. Additionally, the longer you take to see a health care professional after your accident, the greater the likelihood an insurance company may claim your injuries were suffered away from the accident, potentially leading to suspicions of insurance fraud.

The Danger of Accepting an Early Settlement Offer

People often underestimate the amount of damages they’ll need to cover their costs following a car accident. Medical bills, lost earnings, property losses, incidental costs, and noneconomic damages collectively amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars in more serious cases.

Expenses begin to accumulate immediately after a crash (an ambulance ride in Orange County may cost $1,000 or more) and they continue to grow as time goes on. Insurance companies know this. Adjusters will contact injury victims soon after an accident and try to settle quickly, before the full extent of their losses is known.

This is one reason why it’s advisable to start working with a lawyer as soon as possible after an accident.

Physical Injuries from Automobile Collisions

Safety features on modern automobiles go far beyond seatbelts and airbags. But even with the newest protective technologies, the human body is vulnerable to all types of acute injuries during a car crash. These include:

• Brain injuries
• Broken bones
• Facial injuries
• Burns
• Loss of limbs
• Severe cuts or bruises
• Sprains, strains, or tears
• Spinal cord injuries
• Soft-tissue injuries
• Psychiatric issues, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Our firm aims to negotiate full compensation for all injuries. If the other side refuses to cover all the costs, we take them to court. Our reputation is built on the fact that we mean business. By working with our firm, you’re letting the insurance company know that you won’t be satisfied with anything less than you deserve.

Contact Neale & Fhima Today

If you’ve had a car accident in Orange County, it’s time to consult with a lawyer about your situation. To speak directly with one of our car accident attorneys, call (888) 407-2955 or request your free consultation online.

Locations We Serve

We work with car accident victims and other types of personal injury clients right across California, including in:

• Dana Point
• Irvine
• San Diego
• Los Angeles
• San Francisco.