Adrianos Facchetti, Esq.
California State Bar No. 243213.
This page has been reviewed for accuracy and utility for persons injured in automobile accidents in Long Beach and the surrounding areas of Los Angeles County. You may validate Adrianos Facchetti’s licensure using the California State Bar lawyer lookup.
Have You Been Injured in a Car Accident in Long Beach?
While Long Beach is technically a separate city, it’s surrounded by nonstop traffic within Los Angeles County. The city includes port trucks, ridesharing drivers, commuter traffic from the I-710 and I-405 freeways, and regular drivers on Pacific Coast Highway. All this makes crashes inevitable, and you’re likely to face many other issues besides property damage after being involved in a collision, including medical expenses, lost wages, and dealing with your insurance company, which may have other ideas about what to do about all this.
This is where a Long Beach personal injury attorney can help you turn the tables on everyone else. It means getting into the nitty-gritty and working with the insurance company yourself, protecting crucial evidence, requesting reports, and documenting your injuries so their entire effects get taken into account.
At the Law Offices of Adrianos Facchetti, we handle personal injury and accident cases in Long Beach and the vicinity. Whether you’ve been hit by an uninsured motorist, involved in a hit-and-run, or rear-ended on a freeway interchange, this is what matters for your case.
Injuries Commonly Sustained in Car Accident Cases
There are various types of injuries that one may sustain in car accidents depending on the speed, angle of impact, and whether the car sustained the majority of the shock or the individual did. Whiplash is very common and tends to be disregarded in cases where it is not apparent at first but will worsen a few days after the accident.
Spinal injuries and bone fractures may occur in cases where there is a lot of force applied during the crash. TBI, or traumatic brain injuries, and concussions are other issues that may be very serious, especially because symptoms will not be visible until later. Emotional trauma, bleeding inside the body, cuts, and burns are other types of injuries sustained in severe accidents.
It is important to note that some injuries do not develop immediately after an accident and may take hours and sometimes days before developing. It is important to undergo a medical examination soon after an accident for documentation purposes.
Common Causes of Car Accidents in Long Beach
- Rear-end accidents, especially in the heavy traffic close to the city center or on freeway entrances
- T-bone accidents, especially at intersections
- Hit-and-run accidents, occurring more frequently than expected
- Rideshare accidents where there’s an Uber or Lyft driver
- Uninsured or underinsured motorist accidents
- Freeway pile-ups on the I-710 and I-405
- Pedestrian and bicycle accidents, especially along the busiest commercial areas
- Motorcycle accidents
- Commercial vehicle accidents connected with the trucks in the area of the port
- Multi-vehicle accidents
In case there was a rideshare driver, our Long Beach rideshare accident lawyer page has more information about how app-based insurance might affect your case based on the status of the driver at the time of the accident. In the case of a commercial truck involved in the accident, our Long Beach truck accident lawyer page details the added complications that come with this type of case.
What Are Common Reasons for Car Accidents in Long Beach?
- Distracted driving, often due to cell phone use
- Speeding, especially on the wider freeway sections
- Driving while intoxicated
- Unsafe lane changes
- Failure to yield
- Red light running
- Unsafe turns
- Tailgating
- Fatigued driving
- Aggressive driving
Almost all of these causes result from negligent behavior on the part of the driver.
What to Do After a Car Accident in Long Beach?
- Call 911 and ask for a police report to be filed. That way there will be an official report.
- Seek medical help. Even if you do not experience pain immediately after the accident, it may still manifest in time.
- Exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver. Include names, contact numbers, insurance companies, and policies.
- Take pictures of the vehicles, damages, injuries, road conditions, license plates, and traffic signs. It is important to document everything as much as you possibly can.
- Find contact information of any witnesses present. You will need that information to be able to contact people later on.
- Don’t give your recorded statement or accept any immediate offers of compensation. You don’t have to provide such a statement right away to the other party’s insurer.
- Consult a lawyer before signing any releases. Once signed, it cannot be withdrawn anymore.
Roads and Intersections in Long Beach Where Car Accidents Occur the Most
Obviously, certain roads and intersections in Long Beach will experience greater traffic volumes and a greater mix of vehicles. Hence, the probability of car accidents on them is naturally greater as well. Anaheim Street and its intersection with Redondo Avenue are busy with local traffic throughout the day. Pacific Coast Highway sees a constant flow of commuter, commercial, and local traffic traveling at different speeds.
7th Street near Downtown Long Beach has very congested traffic, especially during commute hours. Freeway traffic in the I-710 and I-405 corridors and their interchanges has mostly a commercial character related to port area activities.
Deadlines Following a Car Accident in California
Most personal injury lawsuits arising out of car accidents in California need to be filed within two years of the accident, according to California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1.
However, when a car accident involves government vehicles or public entities, the deadline for filing the lawsuit might be considerably reduced to just six months, according to California Government Code § 911.2. It is important to note that it is a different deadline compared to that of regular personal injury actions.
As you know, each case has its unique set of facts. This is not intended as a specific response to any particular case. Checking your deadlines in advance helps preserve your rights.
DMV SR-1 Form and Collision Report in Long Beach
California law mandates drivers who have been in an accident to submit a DMV SR-1 form within ten days following the accident if there was an injury or a fatality or if there was more than $1,000 worth of property damage. Please note that this requirement is entirely different from the police report.
It should be mentioned that there might be situations when the SR-1 form and the police report have some inconsistencies with the insurance and the facts of the accident.
A collision report in Long Beach can typically be obtained from the Long Beach Police Department or the California Highway Patrol, depending on the type of officers who handled the accident.
A police report will typically contain information regarding the officer’s observations, basic facts of the accident, and the damages to the vehicles involved.
Elements That Are Used To Establish the Element of Negligence in a Car Accident Claim
There are usually four elements that constitute a car accident claim. Duty of care, whereby there was an obligation for the other driver to drive safely. Breach of duty, whereby the other party breached that duty, which resulted in an accident through speeding, being distracted, etc. Causation, which shows that the breach of duty led to the accident. And lastly, damages, which show that there were consequences of the accident.
Establishment of these elements usually involves police reports; witness accounts; photos and videos; medical records proving that your injury is directly connected to the car accident; the patterns of damage on the vehicles; and insurance data on all the parties involved in the accident.
In case you are not sure if claiming will work out for you, our blog post on whether you should get a lawyer after a car accident in California walks through some of the factors worth considering.
What Compensation May Cover After a Long Beach Crash
Depending on the specific facts of your case, compensation may include the following:
- Emergency care
- Hospital bills
- Surgery
- Physical therapy
- Future medical care
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning ability
- Vehicle repair or replacement
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Wrongful death damages, where applicable
There’s no set formula that applies to every case. What’s actually recoverable depends on your injuries, the strength of the evidence, and the insurance coverage that applies once liability is established. If your case involves a fatality, our Long Beach wrongful death lawyer resource explains how those claims work under California law.
How Much Does a Long Beach Car Accident Lawyer Cost?
Most of our car accident cases, and others like them, are contingent-fee cases, which means that no money needs to be put down at the outset of the process, and fees are paid only if we successfully win your case and obtain compensation on your behalf.
It is important to read over any fee agreements before moving forward, so you are clear on the terms involved. Not to worry – this is not an attempt to put undue pressure or set unattainable expectations. If you’re wondering whether you should hire a lawyer for your car accident case, see this blog post.
How Long Beach Car Accident Cases Are Analyzed by Attorney Adrianos Facchetti
Any claim begins with an analysis of the location of the accident, as well as the types of vehicles involved. Moreover, it is necessary to establish what parties may be liable, including a rideshare driver, a commercial vehicle driver, an uninsured motorist, and a hit and run driver, as each situation poses its own set of insurance and legal challenges.
Further in the case analysis, we examine medical records, all reports, physical evidence of the crash, disputes about the insurance, and allegations that you might be partially responsible for the accident. In the course of work, the deadlines for filing claims will be properly identified, especially when the governmental vehicle was involved.
When a pedestrian, cyclist, or motorcyclist is injured as a result of a collision instead of a vehicle, our Long Beach pedestrian accident lawyer, Long Beach bicycle accident lawyer, and Long Beach motorcycle accident lawyer materials can provide assistance. For additional details on how such lawsuits usually proceed, please see our blog article about the likelihood of victory in a car accident claim.
Consult with a Long Beach Car Accident Lawyer
If you have been injured in a car accident in Long Beach, you should have an attorney review your case while it is still timely and you have protected your deadlines. A consultation is free.
Our firm provides a free consultation without any fees upfront and without any costs at all unless we collect damages for you. We cannot commit to any particular result until we know more information, but we will provide an open and candid assessment of your situation. You can reach us on our website.
FAQs About Long Beach Car Accident Claims
How much does a car accident lawyer cost in California?
Most car accident lawyers, including ours, work on a contingency basis. There’s no upfront payment, and fees are only paid if compensation is recovered.
What should I do after a car accident in Long Beach?
Call 911, get medical attention even if you feel okay, exchange information with the other driver, photograph the scene, and get witness contact information. Avoid giving a recorded statement before speaking with a lawyer.
How long do I have to file a car accident claim in California?
Generally two years from the date of the crash. If a government vehicle or public entity was involved, that deadline can be significantly shorter, often six months.
Do I need to file a DMV SR-1 form after a crash?
Yes, if the crash involved an injury, a death, or more than $1,000 in property damage. California requires the SR-1 form to be filed within 10 days, separate from any police report.
How do I get a Long Beach traffic collision report?
If Long Beach police responded to the crash, the report can typically be requested through the Long Beach Police Department. If the crash happened on a freeway, the California Highway Patrol generally handles those reports.
What if the insurance company blames me for the crash?
That claim should be measured against actual evidence, not accepted simply because the insurer said it first. California’s comparative fault rule can reduce compensation if you’re found partly at fault, but it doesn’t automatically end your claim.
What is the average settlement for a car accident in California?
There’s no average or guaranteed value, and any source suggesting otherwise should be treated with caution. What a claim is actually worth depends on your injuries, liability, insurance coverage, medical evidence, wage loss, and the long-term impact of the crash.
How much does it cost to hire a Long Beach car accident lawyer?
The Law Offices of Adrianos Facchetti handles these cases on a contingency basis. There’s no upfront cost, and no fee unless we recover compensation for you.
