Our firm is located right in the heart of Orange County. Directly off the 55 and 405 freeway and across from the South Coast Plaza. This makes us particularly sensitive to the needs of Orange County accident victims.
We recognize that Orange County roads can be pretty dangerous. Just because we live away from the major metro areas of Southern California doesn’t mean we’re safe.
After all, Orange is only a “small” county when compared to Los Angeles and San Diego. Our county is still the sixth largest in the nation, with over three million people – a population larger than many states, and a very densely populated region. Southern California in general, is known for aggressive drivers. We drive more than any state and have the accident statistics to back that claim.
Here are some of the main reasons orange county is dangerous:
- TrafficHigh population density leads to traffic. Traffic leads to risky maneuvers and road rage. Risky behavior on the roads lead to accidents that involve injuries. In Orange County, we have the highest levels of traffic on the 91 freeway, 5 freeway and 405 freeway.
- Aggressive DriversSouthern California is famous for having some of the most aggressive drivers in the United States. Home of the California rolling stop, our laidback image is not shown on the roads.
- Time on RoadsCalifornia spends more time driving in our cars then any state, by far. We spend more time driving than walking and as a whole, our walking is reserved for site seeing, hikes and shopping. This may bring down pedestrian accident percentages, yet increases the amount of injury causing auto accidents. The average driver in orange county drives almost 2 hours on average (far more for UBER and LYFT drivers). More time mathematically provides more opportunities for accidents to occur.
- Bad RoadsWith the volume of cars on our roads, they tend to get damaged over time leading to accidents from potholes. Orange County specifically had very little rain fall. This makes the roads extra slick when it does rain.
- Lane Sharing
Our firm handles all sorts of motor vehicle accident cases. If you were injured in an accident on Orange County roads, we understand the challenges you face, and we will use every last one of our legal tools to get you what you deserve.
Pursuing a Personal Injury Case
The field of personal injury law is predicated on the notion that accident victims deserve compensation from the people who injured them.
If you were injured in a motor vehicle accident – and if this accident was another driver’s fault – then the other driver is legally required to pay the cost of your damages. This includes things like:
- Medical expenses.
- Lost wages.
- Property damage.
- Pain and suffering.
- Loss of companionship and consortium.
- Loss of enjoyment of life.
- Wrongful death damages.
- Punitive damages (in extreme cases).
Typically, this means that we must file a claim with the other driver’s auto insurance provider. All drivers are legally required to have third party liability coverage.
(Some drivers break the law and drive without coverage; if this is the case, our firm may still be able to help you, by going through Uninsured Motorist coverage and other channels.)
Ideally, the other party’s insurance coverage will pay you what you deserve. In practice, they have a profit motive to pay you as little as possible – ideally, nothing.
That’s where we come in. Liam Perry and his dedicated team will work to get you what you deserve.
Liam’s goal is to settle cases quickly, amicably, and efficiently – which is better for everyone involved. But if the other party are unwilling to agree upon a settlement that gives you what you deserve, we will file a lawsuit on your behalf.
There is one important thing to remember here: most lawsuits do not go all the way to trial. In over 90% of cases, things can be resolved before trial, and this is usually the best thing to do, because it allows you to get your money earlier and save yourself months’ or even years’ worth of stress.
Still, we will fight all the way if that is what it takes to make the insurance companies be reasonable.
If your case goes all the way to Orange County Superior Court, you need not worry: walking into a courthouse with a lawyer is very different from walking into a courthouse without one. We will help you at every stage of the process and show you to present yourself in the best possible light.
You Don’t Pay Unless We Win
Many people are afraid to file a personal injury case, because they’ve heard more than a few lawyer jokes and they are under the impression that hiring a lawyer (or at least hiring a lawyer worth having) will be too expensive for an ordinary person.
They are afraid that they will end up paying vast sums of money, driving themselves deeper into financial trouble, with no guarantee of success.
This isn’t the case with our firm. We operate on a contingency fee basis, which means that you pay nothing up-front. If we win your case, you will pay us an agreed-upon percentage of the verdict or settlement. If we don’t win, you pay nothing.
We operate on this model because we have confidence in our ability to win most of the cases we take on, and because we believe that all victims of accidents – not just those rich enough to pay an attorney out-of-pocket – deserve a voice in the system.
Roads in Orange County That Cause Accidents
Accidents can happen anywhere, and we don’t recommend letting down you guard even when you’re close to the home, where studies show a large share of accidents happen.
Still, there are a few spots in Orange County where you should keep an eye out especially.
- The El Toro Y: This freeway interchange, where the 405 merges into the 5 at the border of Lake Forest and Irvine, is one of the most heavily trafficked parts of Orange County (and indeed the country), and the signage can be confusing.
- Ortega Highway: Also known as State Route 74, this convoluted path through southern Orange County is one of the most dangerous roads in the world. Motorcyclists are particularly at risk.
- State Route 133: Like Ortega, this two-lane road winds its way through a narrow canyon, making for a poor line of sight.
- Alicia and Crown Valley Parkways: These two major thoroughfares transport drivers across Mission Viejo, and they are also hotspots for accidents.
- Chapman Avenue: This east-west corridor extends from Cerritos to Yorba Linda. At its eastern end it turns into Santiago Canyon Road, a particularly dangerous stretch of road winding through the hills at the side of the county closest to the mountains.
Of course, a list of most dangerous roads in Orange County is only helpful up to a certain point. The most dangerous road in Orange County is always the one you happen to get in a crash on.
But you can take some small comfort knowing that if you were injured in one of these places, you are not alone!
In some cases, if a street was badly designed or maintained, we may be able to help you sue the city or other governmental agency whose responsibility it was to build or maintain the road. Government actors, too, ought to be held accountable for carelessness that may cause crashes.
Orange County Medical Treatment For Accidents
If you are injured in a car accident, you will likely be taken to a hospital emergency room. If you were not taken to the emergency room immediately following the accident, then it is still a good idea to get checked out as soon as possible.
Of course, if you were injured, then the initial evaluation is only the start. You will likely need extended treatment, and these medical bills often form the central focus of your case.
Now, the good thing about living in Orange County is that you live in close proximity to some of the top hospitals and medical experts in the country. For a basic list of hospitals in the area, you can check out the county website.
Of course, the type of care you will be eligible to receive will depend on a lot of factors. But we can make you one promise: if you choose to hire us as your attorneys, we will make sure that you receive the best medical care we can find.
We recognize that the physical injuries caused by an accident can take an incredible emotional toll. When dealing with such injuries, a feeling of security – knowing that you have a team of skilled and caring doctors on your side, rather than a bureaucratic system apathetic to your suffering – can make all the difference.
That is why we stand by our clients every step of the way in ensuring that they have the best possible medical care.
Talk to Us ASAP
When you have been in an accident on Orange County roads, it is best to talk to our firm as soon as possible.
There are a couple reasons for this. First, there is a statute of limitations in California: you only have two years to file a case, and six months if you are suing a local, county, or state government. But you shouldn’t wait around for a year and eleven months to sue, either: it is best to start gathering evidence immediately, while everything is fresh.
Give us a call today. A consultation with one of our attorneys is 100% free and there is no obligation on your behalf to take things any further. Whether you choose to hire us or not, we can help you explore your options and tell you how best to move forward.
