As Los Angeles residents already know very well, this weekend there was a severe rainstorm, with heavy flooding and wind damage throughout Southern California.
The rain was so fierce that many road and freeway drainage systems could not keep up with the flooding, which posed a very dangerous threat for vehicles. Throughout the greater Los Angeles area, many car accident injuries were reported due to the rain.
In addition to the many Los Angeles car accidents in the rain, there were also many homes damaged by falling trees and flooding.
All types of car accidents, ranging from rear end accidents with minor property damage, to intersection collisions totaling the vehicles involved, can cause serious injury to the occupants of the vehicles involved in the collision, requiring the need for a California Personal Injury Attorney.
If you are involved in any traffic accident, here are some helpful tips:
1. First, be prepared – have a cell telephone, paper and pen to write down information, and a camera to photograph the scene, all vehicles and people involved. Know your insurance coverage and be sure you have appropriate coverage. Have a card with any special medical conditions you may have; a flashlight, first aid kit and other emergency gear.
2. Be safe – if anyone needs medical care, call 911. When appropriate, move vehicles to a safe position and do not place yourself in danger. Turn on the vehicle’s hazard flashers and use other warning devices, such as cones, if available and can safely be displayed.
3. Exchange information, including names and all contact information for the driver and owner of each vehicle, all witnesses and passengers, and their drivers’ license numbers. Read and copy the other person’s driver’s license information; do not rely on them to give you the information as it may be wrong. For each vehicle, get the license plate number, description including make, model, color and location of all property damage (both from this collision and any other damage that looks unrelated), and all owner information. Be courteous and polite, but do not admit fault or liability as, among other reasons, there may be other factors that occurred that you may not yet know about, including the other party may have been speeding or under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
4. Use your camera (many cell telephones include cameras) to photograph the scene, all vehicles and people involved. Prepare a detailed summary of what occurred.
5. File all required reports with the police, your insurance company and the DMV. Some insurers require such reports right away or may deny coverage and if it is a hit and run or uninsured motorist claim be sure to make a traffic collision report (i.e., police report) immediately and then submit the required DMV forms known as SR-1 and SR-19 when required. Be sure to timely comply and, if you have any questions, call us for a FREE consultation.
6. Contact an experienced California Personal Injury attorney for help with car repairs or negotiating a total loss payout, arranging a free loan car or reimbursement of all rental expenses, obtaining medical care, including doctors, physical therapy, specialists (such as orthopedic surgeons, neurologists and psychologists), scans and X-Rays (e.g., MRI and CT Scans), surgery and hospital care (often on a lien basis which means you do not need pay any deductible or even any co-payments until your claim is resolved), and sometimes cash advances. Contact us for a FREE consultation.