Long Beach Car Accident Lawyers

Car Accident Claims in Long Beach

A car crash in Long Beach can leave you with injuries, bills and a stack of calls from insurers. The Ledger Law Firm has attorneys licensed in California, and you can speak with the firm about what happened by phone or with the form below. The first conversation is a free case evaluation. The California office of the firm is at 5160 Birch Street, Suite 200, Newport Beach.

Call (800) 300-0001

The firm works on a contingency fee: the fee is a percentage of what is recovered. If there is no recovery, you owe no attorney fee, but you may still be responsible for court costs and case expenses.

Steps to take after a Long Beach crash

Move to safety if you can and call 911 if anyone is hurt. A police or fire response creates a record of the scene.
See a doctor or go to an urgent care or emergency room soon after the crash. Some injuries, such as concussions and soft tissue damage, may not show for days.
Take photographs of the vehicles, the road and any signals or signs, and write down the name, plate number and insurance details of the other driver. Ask witnesses for contact details.
Check the DMV reporting rule. The California DMV says you must file an SR 1 within 10 days if someone is injured, however slightly, or killed, or if property damage is over $1000. See the DMV accident reporting page.
Let your own insurer know what happened and keep every bill, letter and estimate in one place. Avoid posting about the crash online.

Where Long Beach crashes happen

Long Beach combines a busy port, a dense downtown and beach neighborhoods, so the crashes people ask about differ a great deal.

Crashes on Interstate 710, Interstate 405, Interstate 605 and State Route 91, including rear end collisions in congestion and unsafe lane changes.
Crashes on Pacific Coast Highway and other major surface streets, where turning vehicles and signals are common sources of disputes.
Collisions involving trucks serving the Port of Long Beach. See our page on truck accidents.
Crashes downtown and in Belmont Shore, where parking, pedestrians and cyclists share narrow streets.
Rideshare crashes, including when a passenger is the person who was hurt. See our page on Uber and Lyft accidents.
Hit and run crashes and crashes with a driver who has no insurance.

Who may be at fault and how fault is shared

More than one person can be to blame for a single crash. Drivers, a trucking company, the owner of a vehicle or a public agency responsible for a road can each be part of the picture, and insurers will often argue over the percentages.

California follows pure comparative fault. If part of the blame is yours, you can still seek compensation, and your recovery is lowered by your percentage. For example, if your damages are found to be $100,000 and you are found 20 percent at fault, the reduction is 20 percent.

The deadline to file

Injury claims

Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1 gives two years for a suit over an injury caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another person. Waiting past that point can end the claim.

Vehicle and property claims

Harm to a vehicle or other property usually has a three year period.

Claims against a government body

If a city, county or other public body may share the blame, a written claim has to go to that body first. Government Code section 911.2 sets six months in the usual case. Exceptions exist, so have an attorney look at your dates as soon as you can.

What a claim can include

Compensation in a car crash claim can cover medical treatment, wages you lost, repair or replacement of your vehicle, and the pain and limits the injury put on your life. The amount turns on your injuries, your records and the insurance available. The firm does not promise any result.

Talking to an insurance company

The insurer for the other driver may call you soon after the crash. It may ask for a recorded statement or offer a quick payment, and it is wise to talk with an attorney before agreeing to either. For reference, the California DMV lists minimum liability limits of $30,000 for injury or death to one person, $60,000 for injury or death to more than one person, and $15,000 for property damage (DMV insurance requirements). When losses exceed those limits, your own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage may be worth a look.

How the free case evaluation works

Call or send the form and tell us what happened.
We ask about your injuries, the insurance and when the crash took place.
We tell you whether the firm can take your case. This conversation costs you nothing.
If you hire the firm, it collects the evidence and deals with the insurers, and the decision on any offer stays with you.

The fee

Long Beach car accident FAQ

A truck from the port hit my car. Is that different?

It can be. A commercial truck brings in a driver, an employer and sometimes a cargo or maintenance company, each with insurance of its own. Keep photos and any paperwork and call us.

Can I recover if I was partly at fault?

In California you can still seek compensation, and it is reduced by your share of fault.

Do I need to report the crash to the DMV?

The DMV says a report is due within 10 days if anyone is injured, however slightly, or killed, or if property damage is over $1000. The DMV page linked above has the form.

What if the driver who hit me had no insurance?

Your own uninsured motorist coverage may apply. Bring your policy to the free case evaluation.

Who is licensed in California

The attorneys of the firm licensed in California are Emery Brett Ledger and Sabrina Sabbagh. The Ledger Law Firm was founded in 1998 by Emery Brett Ledger. Its California office is at 5160 Birch Street, Suite 200, Newport Beach, CA 92660.

More on this site

Call The Ledger Law Firm at (800) 300-0001 for a free case evaluation.

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