Car Accident Lawyer Serving Mission Viejo Laguna Niguel Lake Forest and Laguna Hills
Are you searching for the most experienced Mission Viejo car accident lawyer to ensure the best possible outcome in your injury case?
What should you do if you are injured in a Mission Viejo car accident?
Why do you need an attorney for your personal injury claim?
Rivers Morrell has more than 40 years of experience as a personal injury attorney representing those who are injured in a car accident in Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Lake Forest, Laguna Hills or anywhere in Southern California. Have you or someone you love been injured in a car accident in Mission Viejo or anywhere in Southern California?
or Call for a Free Consultation Today
(949)305-1400
Don’t Let the Insurance Company Rip You Off
The insurance adjuster in your case has one and only one goal: settle your case for the lowest amount possible. Insurance companies always offer a much lower settlement than the full and fair compensation an injured party is entitled to under California law.
I know. I worked for the car insurance companies for the first several years of my career. I know their tactics and how they work with 2 goals in mind:
- Pay you the lowest amount possible
- Protect the maximum amount of profit for their insurance company
This experience drove me to dedicate my work to represent those who were injured and to protect their legal rights and financial interests. I work not only to hold insurance companies responsible to the extent of policy coverage, I work with medical providers to negotiate lower fees so that you are able to keep as much of your injury settlement as possible. This provides the maximum amount of money for you to recover from your injuries and move forward with your life.
It is important to understand you only have one chance to resolve your personal injury claim. The resulting settlement or verdict must cover all your past, present and future medical expenses, physical therapy, time missed from work as well as compensation for having to endure your injuries and the resulting recovery.
uthern California. Have you or someone you love been injured in a car accident in Mission Viejo or anywhere in Southern California?
or Call for a Free Consultation Today
(949)305-1400
What Should You Do if You are Injured in a Mission Viejo or Laguna Niguel Car Accident?
What should you do if you are injured in a Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills, Laguna Beach, San Clemente or San Juan Capistrano car accident? See a doctor within 24 to 48 hours of the accident, even if you believe you aren’t injured. The forces in a car accident take a significant toll on the human body, even at slow speeds.
Injuries to the head, neck, back and spine can take weeks or even months to present any symptoms at all. However, these injuries can impact your ability to work and the quality of your life for the years to come.
If you do not see a doctor within 48 hours of the accident you will not be able to present a successful claim for any resulting injuries down the road.
This is definitely a case of “better to be safe than sorry.” If you have been involved in a motor vehicle accident, even at slow speed, see a doctor for a thorough physical examination within 48 hours of the accident.
or Call for a Free Consultation Today
(949)305-1400
Additional Car Accident Information:
There is a lot of information on this site about car accident personal injury cases.
It is important not to post to social media or speak with an insurance representative before contacting our office. It is also important to see a trauma doctor within 24 to 48 hours of any collision, even if you think you are uninjured. You may have been injured by a distracted driver using their cell phone, a DUI driver or in a hit and run accident. Passengers always have a claim in an injury accident.
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Why Do You Need an Attorney for your Personal Injury Claim
Rivers worked as defense counsel for almost all of the major insurance carriers during the first 20 years of his career. This experience provides valuable insight for Mission Viejo car accident and injury victims. Insurance companies are in business for one reason: to earn a profit.
The job of an insurance adjuster is to convince you to accept the lowest possible settlement for your injury claim in order to retain maximum profitability for their employer – the insurance company.
Insurance companies start with a low offer. We have had many large cases which were ultimately resolved in favor of our clients for hundreds of thousands or over a million dollars where the original offer from the insurance company was in the low tens of thousands. The table to the right shows the actual amount the insurance company originally offered in the case, and the amount we were able to ultimately achieve for our client.
They want you to settle your case as soon as possible, within 60 to 90 days of the accident. This is NOT in your best interest. It will take several months to learn the full extent of your injuries, an accurate understanding of the extent of all your past, present and future medical expenses and the impact they will have upon your life in the future.
The Law Firm of Rivers Morrell knows the tactics an insurance company will use to reduce the amount you are offered, and the laws which governs injury claims arising from a Mission Viejo car accident.
or Call for a Free Consultation Today
(949)305-1400
Experienced Trial Attorney Significantly Increase Your Personal Injury Compensation
The insurance companies are well aware of our proven, decades-long track record of successful trial outcomes. They know we are experienced trial attorneys who will put our client’s case before a jury if necessary to ensure they receive full and fair compensation for their injuries, lost wages and the pain and interruption of life associated with the trauma of having to endure their injuries and the challenges of recovery.
It may surprise you to learn insurance companies keep extensive records on every personal injury attorney. They know which lawyers settle their cases quickly (for much less than their clients actually deserve) and which attorneys are prepared, able and willing to take a case to trial in order to achieve the best possible outcome for clients.
Insurance companies understand only one thing: risk.
The greater the risk, the higher the amount they know they must pay. There is no greater risk to an insurance company than the jury at a trial. This is why the first question you should always ask a personal injury attorney is “How many cases have you taken to a successful verdict at trial, and what are the amounts of the verdicts you’ve achieved?” Ask for specifics before you consider hiring an injury attorney.
What are the Leading Causes of a Mission Viejo or Laguna Niguel Car Accident
The area encompassing Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Lake Forest, Laguna Hills, Laguna Beach, San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente is a busy Orange County corridor and unfortunately there are thousands of car accidents each year which result in injury or loss of life. Mission Viejo is located along Interstate 5 or the I-5 corridor in southern Orange County which touches the 73 toll at its southernmost point and Foothill Transportation Corridor Toll Road or the 241 in the North. The busiest streets in Mission Viejo include:
- Crown Valley Parkway (Near our Office)
- Marguerite Parkway
- Oso Parkway
- La Paz Road
- Alicia Parkway
- Jeronimo Road
- Felipe Road / Olympiad Road
The most recent reports provided by the California Highway Patrol show the leading causes of a Mission Viejo or Laguna Niguel area car accident include but are not limited to:
- Unsafe Speed
- Intersections and Turns
- Improper Lane Change
- Failure to Observe Traffic Lights and Signs
- Failure to Yield the Right of Way
The most recent “California’s Annual Report” published by the California Office of Traffic Safety alcohol and driving under the influence is still a factor in more than 25% of fatal traffic accidents across California and here in Mission Viejo. Distracted driving and the use of a cell phone as well as accidents at intersections remain the greatest causes of concern for Mission Viejo drivers.
or Call for a Free Consultation Today
(949)305-1400
Mission Viejo Car Accident at an Intersection
One of the major sources of a Mission Viejo car accident involves intersections and left hand turns. Intersections represent the greatest risk to Mission Viejo drivers, especially when a car, truck or motorcycle is making a left turn. There are a variety of reasons why collisions occur at Mission Viejo intersection, but the primary causes are speed and the failure to properly yield the right of way. Accidents at an intersection involve tremendous forces to one of the least protected areas of most cars: the side.
Side impacts unleash severe forces on the spine and neck as the body violently shifts during impact. The resulting damage to discs which are designed to protect your vertebrae may not actually present symptoms for several weeks. We have had several clients over the years who basically felt ok after the initial accident, but were bedridden within a few weeks due to damage to the discs in their back or other soft tissue injury.
Head injury may occur as you come in contact with side supports, windows or other obstructions within the car. Many Mission Viejo accident victims never lose consciousness yet suffer a mild brain injury which can take weeks or months to fully understand and diagnose. The primary take away is this: visit the ER, urgent care or your primary physician within 24 to 48 hours of any car accident – especially if you think you are uninjured.
It is best to establish a medical baseline and make sure you are genuinely uninjured. If you do not visit a doctor within the hours after an accident the insurance company has a legally valid reason to deny any insurance claim you may wish to raise in the future.
or Call for a Free Consultation Today
(949)305-1400
What is a “Personal Injury” Claim
Personal Injury includes civil wrongs and economic or non-economic damages to a person, or their property, reputation, or rights. Usually, this involves injury or loss of life due to a Mission Viejo car accident or other motor vehicle accident or the negligence of another person or company. We represent the personal injury claims of those who are injured in a Mission Viejo car accident and the families of those who lose a loved one in a fatal accident. There is no cost out of pocket as we work on a contingency fee basis.
What Should You Look For In a Personal Injury Attorney?
Contact an Experienced and Proven Mission Viejo Car Accident Lawyer
Have you or a loved one been injured in a Mission Viejo car accident? Have you been involved in an injury collision in Laguna Niguel, Lake Forest, Laguna Hills, Laguna Beach, San Juan Capistrano or San Clemente?
Rivers Morrell has more than 40 years of experience as a personal injury attorney based here in Mission Viejo, CA and Irvine, Ca.
We invite you to review the recommendations of our clients, our peers and the legal industry and contact us or call (949)305-1400 to speak personally with an experienced injury attorney for a free consultation.