Bianca Babaians
If you were injured in a Los Angeles car accident, the insurance company is already working to minimize your claim. A Los Angeles car accident lawyer at Babaians Law Firm preserves the surveillance footage, phone records, and witness accounts that disappear within 48 hours, and handles every communication with the insurer from day one.
Los Angeles has one of the highest rates of car accidents in the country. The 405, 101, 110, and 10 freeways collectively handle millions of trips per day, and surface streets from the Westside to the San Fernando Valley and South LA add millions more. According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, Los Angeles County consistently leads the state in total traffic collisions.
When a crash happens, two clocks start running at the same time: the insurance adjuster’s clock and the evidence clock. The adjuster is already building a file to limit what you recover, while the footage, witness memories, and physical evidence that prove your case begin to disappear. Babaians Law Firm exists to run faster than both, and the steps below explain exactly how, starting with what you should do in the first hours and why having an attorney early changes the outcome.
Everything that follows in your case is built on what happens at the scene and in the days after.
Get medical evaluation the same day. Concussions, soft tissue injuries, and internal trauma often have delayed onset. Your medical record from the date of the crash is the foundation of your entire claim, so do not wait.
Call law enforcement and get the report number. California Vehicle Code Section 20008 requires drivers to report accidents resulting in injury.
Photograph everything before any vehicle is moved. Vehicle positions, damage, skid marks, traffic controls, road conditions, and your visible injuries.
Collect witness contact information. Get names and phone numbers before they leave.
Screenshot the other driver’s insurance card and license rather than relying on the responding officer.
Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer. Refer all contact to your attorney instead. See 5 Things You Should Never Say to an Insurance Adjuster After a California Accident.
That last point, keeping the insurer at arm’s length, is exactly where having an attorney from the start makes the biggest difference.
Los Angeles insurers handle thousands of claims per month, and their adjusters are experienced at identifying unrepresented claimants and steering them toward early, low settlements before the full extent of their injuries is known. Once you accept a settlement, California law closes your right to return for more, regardless of how your condition develops afterward.
Babaians Law Firm intervenes before that process begins. We send litigation hold letters to preserve traffic camera footage and business surveillance before it overwrites, identify every liable party rather than just the at-fault driver, block insurer contact from reaching you directly, and build the complete damages picture before any settlement number is discussed. For more on how insurers operate, see How to Negotiate With an Insurance Adjuster After a Car Accident in California.
Identifying every liable party is worth pausing on, because in Los Angeles the at-fault driver is often not the only one who owes you compensation.
A thorough investigation frequently uncovers more than one source of recovery:
The at-fault driver for negligent operation such as speeding, distracted driving, running red lights, impaired driving, or failure to yield.
The driver’s employer if the vehicle was being operated for business purposes at the time of the crash.
A vehicle manufacturer where a brake failure, tire defect, or electronic malfunction contributed to the collision. See Car Accident Practice Page.
A government entity where dangerous road conditions, failed traffic signals, or poor signage played a role. These claims require a tort claim within six months under California Government Code Section 911.2.
A bar or restaurant in limited DUI cases under Dram Shop liability in California Business and Professions Code Section 25602.1.
Which of these parties is on the hook usually depends on how the crash happened.
Distracted Driving. California Vehicle Code Section 23123 prohibits handheld phone use while driving, and violations are negligence per se. See Texting While Driving Accidents in California.
Rear-End Collisions. California courts apply a rebuttable presumption of negligence to the following driver. See Rear-End Collision Fault Rules in California Accidents.
Uninsured and Underinsured Drivers. Your own UM/UIM policy under California Insurance Code Section 11580.2 provides recovery when the at-fault driver cannot. See Uninsured Motorist Coverage and What Happens If You Get Into an Accident With an Uninsured Driver in California?.
Hit and Run. When the driver flees, Babaians Law Firm pursues recovery through UM coverage.
The uninsured driver problem points to a larger issue that catches many people off guard: how little coverage California actually requires.
Effective January 1, 2025, Senate Bill 1107 raised California’s minimum auto liability limits to $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident. For serious injuries in Los Angeles, these limits rarely cover the full cost of treatment. Babaians Law Firm investigates every available policy, including umbrella coverage and your own UM/UIM policy, to maximize total recovery. See California Personal Injury Law 2026: Two Major Changes Affecting Your Claim Value.
Once every source of coverage is identified, the next question is what those policies should pay for.
With the full value of the claim established, most cases settle within 6 to 18 months. Cases involving disputed liability, multiple defendants, or severe injuries take longer, because rushing those means leaving money on the table. See Car Accident Settlement Timeline in California Explained.
However long the case takes to resolve, it has to be filed on time. California gives you two years from the date of the crash under Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1, and only six months when a government entity is involved. See California Personal Injury Statute of Limitations Guide.
The filing deadline is years away, but the evidence deadline is not. Traffic camera footage is typically overwritten in 24 to 72 hours, business surveillance cycles on similar timelines, and witnesses become harder to reach with every passing day. The moment you retain Babaians Law Firm, we send preservation demands that make evidence destruction legally impermissible.
The other driver’s insurer is already building their file. You deserve the same urgency on your side. Our Los Angeles personal injury lawyer at Babaians Law Firm pursues every liable party, every available policy, and every dollar of compensation California law allows. No upfront cost. No fee unless we win. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.
Los Angeles car accidents produce serious injuries against a backdrop of aggressive insurer tactics, disappearing evidence, and multiple potential defendants. Each challenge is manageable, but only if you act before the evidence window closes. Babaians Law Firm steps in on day one. Contact us today to get started.
Two years from the date of the accident under California Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1. Government entity claims require a tort claim within six months.
Your own uninsured motorist coverage under California Insurance Code Section 11580.2 applies. Babaians Law Firm reviews every available policy.
Almost never. First offers are calculated before your full injuries are documented. Babaians Law Firm reviews every offer before you respond.
California’s pure comparative fault rule under Civil Code Section 1714 allows recovery even with partial fault.
No. Contingency fee only. You pay nothing unless we obtain a recovery.
We take on fewer cases to give every client the focus they deserve. Unlike high-volume firms where cases get lost in the shuffle, we prioritize quality over quantity, delivering the attention and results your case deserves. Experience the difference with our dedicated team.
Great female led personal injury firm with good results and settlements. I highly recommend this law firm for personal injury related matters in Los Angeles and California in general.