Although we are a full-service law firm helping people throughout Southern California in criminal defense, bankruptcy, estate planning and more, the attorneys at the Long Beach law office of Curd, Galindo & Smith, L.L.P. are first and foremost personal injury lawyers, with the knowledge, skill and experience to help victims of automobile and truck accidents in Los Angeles and Orange County recover compensation from negligent drivers and others responsible for causing serious and catastrophic injuries. 

Negligence and Personal Injury Lawsuits 

If you are injured in an automobile or truck accident due to the negligence or wrongful conduct of another, you may be entitled to receive compensation for your injuries, including payment for your property damage, medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. You may be able to obtain compensation from the other driver’s insurance company, from your own insurance company if the other driver is an uninsured motorist, or directly from the negligent driver. 

But even though you may be entitled to that compensation, obtaining it is not always a simple matter. As the plaintiff in a civil action, it is your responsibility to prove to a jury all of the facts of the case, including how the accident occurred and that it was the defendant’s fault, and the nature and extent of your injuries. You will also have to justify the amount of money you are asking for as directly related to the accident and injuries. Meanwhile, the defendant, most often represented by an insurance company law firm, will try to place the blame of the accident on you, or claim that your injuries were caused by a preexisting condition or some other factor. It takes skilled, knowledgeable and experienced trial attorneys to reach a successful settlement or jury verdict. 

All Factors Considered 

Some lawyers only look at the negligence of the other driver as the source of liability, but as personal injury lawyers with decades of experience handling automobile and truck accidents, we know that other factors may be at play. One of the cars may have a design defect or manufacturing defect that would cause the tires or brakes to fail, ignite a fuel fire or initiate a rollover, cause the airbags to fail to deploy, or otherwise cause the accident or contribute to the severity of the injuries. Our lawyers are experienced in product defect cases and thoroughly investigate the cause of the crash to determine all liable parties. We have also handled cases against municipalities where a dangerous roadway caused serious injury or wrongful death due to being defectively designed or negligently maintained. 

Seek Experienced Legal Representation 

Negotiating an effective settlement requires a thorough understanding of the facts of the case, the law that applies, the value of the claim, and the ability and willingness to take a case to trial where necessary. Our lawyers possess these qualities and have obtained multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts on behalf of clients and their families who were injured or killed in automobile and truck accidents on the California roadways. If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident, contact Curd, Galindo & Smith, L.L.P. for a free consultation regarding your potential claims.