Car Accident Lawyers in Chino Hills Representing Clients Throughout the Los Angeles Area and Beyond

Attorney Eric Paris of The Paris Law Firm in Chino Hills, California, helps victims injured in car accidents obtain financial compensation for their damages. Since 1994, our law firm has won financial compensation for our client’s pain and suffering, property damage, medical expenses, lost wages, lost future earning capacity, and other accident-related losses.

All types of car accidents can cause personal injury to drivers and passengers, from major highway collisions to low-speed crashes at stop signs or in parking lots.

What Should I Do After an Auto Accident?

After a motor vehicle accident, you should:

• Assess injuries
• Move to safety
• Contact authorities
• Exchange information
• Document the accident scene
• Do not talk to insurance company representatives
• Get medical attention
• Contact a car accident attorney

For more detailed information, please see What to do after a car accident, our free E-Guide.

I do not think I was hurt, but should I see a doctor anyway?Yes. There are tremendous forces involved in car accidents that may result in serious injuries, although the symptoms are often subtle. In addition to seeing a doctor shortly after the accident, you should watch out for symptoms of injury. All accident cases are unique and involve their own set of circumstances. Seeking medical attention immediately could be key in being able to receive compensation if you have been injured.

What injury symptoms should I look out for? There are many common car accident injuries that may not show symptoms right away. Look out for brain injury symptoms such as:

• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Inability to sleep/nightmares
• Personality changes, moodiness, or depression
• Fatigue
• Memory loss
• Broken bones

In addition, look for spine injury symptoms such as:

• Back pain
• Pain elsewhere in the body
• Numbness
• Tingling
• Weakness

This may involve one limb, a pair of limbs, certain regions of the body, or certain organs. It may worsen with time.

Is My Insurance Company on My Side?

In some instances, your insurance company may be your ally. They have certain obligations required by law and contract, which means you have common interests. In other ways, your insurance company may be your adversary. An insurance company increases profit by paying less in claims, including claims involving vehicle accidents. They may see your auto accident (and you) as a liability and may make decisions that save them money. Unfortunately, this could end up negatively affecting you in the long run.

Do I Need an Attorney For My Car Accident Claim?

An attorney is recommended any time you suffered an injury in an auto accident that resulted in any incidence of medical bills or lost wages. Since consulting a Southern CA personal injury attorney about your accident case is free, it is better to consult with an experienced car accident lawyer and be told you do not need one than to not talk to one and suffer because you did not have representation.

Should I Take the Insurance Company’s Initial Settlement Offer?

When your insurance company makes you an offer, it is based on an expectation of what they might have to pay for your accident. It is almost always at the lower end of what your accident case is likely to cost in the long run, even if it seems substantial based on what you have paid out so far.

Insurance companies have their own financial best interests at heart and not yours. Insurance companies are often anxious to have accident victims settle out of court to avoid high payouts.

When Should I Contact an Attorney About My Car Accident Claim?

You should contact an attorney about your car accident claim when:

• You have been diagnosed with injuries and have been presented with a treatment plan.
• You have received a settlement offer from your insurance company.
• You are being pressured to give multiple statements about the accident, or you feel your claim is being handled too slowly.
• You feel overwhelmed by the issues related to your car accident.

What are Catastrophic Injury Claims?

Serious car accidents can result in many injuries which can be life-altering. You should contact an attorney about your car accident claim when catastrophic injuries such as the following occur:

• Traumatic brain injury
• Spinal cord injury
• Paralysis
• Fractures
• Internal injuries
• Amputations
• Burns

If you have suffered a catastrophic injury in a car accident, you may need ongoing medical care, multiple surgeries, and physical and psychological therapy. You may also require a motorized wheelchair or a handicapped van. In addition, it may be necessary to make modifications to your home in order to make it handicapped accessible.

We work with certified life-care planners to make sure that all your accident-related needs are met. We identify all liable parties and pursue financial compensation to cover the full extent of your accident injury and other damages.

Can You Protect My Interests in Soft Tissue Injury Claims?

Soft tissue injuries are injuries to muscles, tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues. They include sprains, strains, bruises, and whiplash. Symptoms of soft tissue injuries may not show up for days or weeks after the car accident. They can result in chronic neck, shoulder, and back pain that can prevent you from working and enjoying your life as you did before the accident.

Our personal injury law firm is experienced in cases involving whiplash and other soft tissue injuries. We always make certain our clients receive appropriate medical treatment. We wait until the full extent of your injuries is apparent before making a claim for damages on your behalf.

What you do in the minutes after a motor vehicle accident may have potentially serious ramifications for your health, safety, and the outcome of your car accident claim.

Soft Tissue Injuries

If you have been in an auto accident and you have experienced any stiffness or soreness, chances are that a doctor will use the term “soft tissue” to describe your injuries. Although the term itself might sound benign, these injuries can be serious and often do take months to heal – and in unique instances, never fully heal.

Soft tissue includes the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves. Soft-tissue injuries are micro-tears to the muscles and ligaments that are more painful and take longer to heal than broken bones. Sprains and strains mean something has stretched beyond normal capacity. Muscle tissue may become strained when forced to exceed its ability to work.

Besides muscle tissue, sprains and strains can affect a ligament or tendon. Ligaments attach bone to bone, while tendons attach muscle to bone. A sprained ankle is an example of a soft-tissue injury as it involves a sprain to a ligament.

Whiplash

Whiplash is a neck injury that usually occurs when the car you are sitting in is rear-ended by another vehicle, causing your head to suddenly snap backward and then forward, similar to someone cracking a whip. These extreme motions push your neck muscles and ligaments beyond their normal range of motion.

The bulk of the back is a muscle and may be injured by excessive force. Up to half of the people who suffer whiplash will continue to have pain months after the injury. This chronic pain can be traced to damage to a person’s neck joints, discs, and ligaments.

While many people recover from whiplash in a few months, some people with whiplash injuries develop chronic conditions that can be extremely painful and disabling. The symptoms of sprain and strain include sudden, sharp, and persistent pain at the injury site followed by swelling.

Whiplash—also called neck sprain and neck strain—is a soft-tissue injury resulting from hyperextension and hyperflexion that may cause micro-trauma to the soft tissues in the neck and upper back. The forces to the spine incurred during an automobile accident may cause the head and neck to move forward suddenly and rapidly, backward, and sideways.

Muscles, ligaments, and tendons in the spine injured during an automobile accident may cause the head and neck to move forward suddenly and rapidly, backward, and sideways. Muscles, ligaments, and tendons in the spine may become stretched beyond normal limits, causing micro-trauma or small tears in the muscles, ligaments, and tendons, causing symptoms such as pain and burning.

There is currently no specific treatment for whiplash, but health care professionals use physical therapy, oral pain relievers, and muscle relaxants, chiropractics, immobilization of the neck with a soft cervical collar, massage, heat, ice, injection, and ultrasound in order to alleviate the pain that an injury victim endures.

Does Your Law Firm Go the Extra Mile For Car Accident Clients?

If you were fortunate enough to escape a car accident without a catastrophic injury, you may be as concerned about the damage to your car as your medical condition. How will you get to work or school without a vehicle? Who will pay to have your car fixed or replaced?

At The Paris Firm, we assist with the resolution of your property damage claim at no cost to you. In addition, we will arrange for you to obtain a rental car. Our staff will work with your insurance company to get your vehicle repaired or replaced. Not every law firm provides this level of service. We do it because we care about our clients. Our entire team is dedicated to helping you through this difficult time.

To arrange a free initial consultation and case evaluation, please call The Paris Firm at (909) 325-6185 or contact us online. We look forward to speaking with you and learning how we can help.