A car accident in Sherman Oaks can cause serious injuries even when the most visible damage appears to be limited to the vehicle. With heavy traffic connecting Sherman Oaks to major routes such as the 101 and 405, crashes can involve sudden rear-end impacts, sideswipes, lane-change collisions, and multi-vehicle accidents. The force of a collision can affect nearly every part of the body, and some injuries may not become obvious until hours or even days later.
If you have been injured in a Sherman Oaks car accident, understanding the potential effects of a crash is important. Medical treatment should come first, but protecting your legal rights can also become an important part of your recovery. A car accident lawyer in Sherman Oaks can help investigate what happened, deal with insurance companies, and pursue compensation when another party’s negligence caused your injuries.
Common Injuries After a Sherman Oaks Car Accident
Car crashes can produce everything from relatively minor soft-tissue injuries to catastrophic and life-changing conditions. Some injuries are immediately noticeable, while others may develop gradually.
Whiplash
Whiplash is one of the most common injuries associated with vehicle collisions. It can occur when the head and neck are suddenly forced backward and forward during an impact.
Sherman Oaks drivers involved in rear-end collisions may experience neck pain, stiffness, headaches, reduced range of motion, and other symptoms. Because these symptoms may not appear immediately, seeking medical attention after a crash is important even if you initially feel fine.
Bone Fractures
The force generated during a car accident can fracture bones in different parts of the body. Wrists, arms, legs, ribs, and other bones may be injured when a person braces for impact or is thrown against part of the vehicle.
The severity of a fracture can depend on the speed of the vehicles, direction of impact, position of the occupants, and whether airbags or seat belts were involved.
Dislocated Joints
A collision can place extreme pressure on the body’s joints. Shoulders, elbows, wrists, ankles, and other joints can become dislocated during an accident.
These injuries can cause significant pain and may require emergency treatment, imaging, physical therapy, or other medical care. In some cases, a serious joint injury can affect a person’s ability to work and perform normal daily activities.
Facial Injuries and Scarring
A person’s face may be injured when it comes into contact with broken glass, an airbag, the steering wheel, the dashboard, or another part of the vehicle.
Facial injuries can include cuts, bruising, fractures, and permanent scarring. Beyond the physical consequences, visible scars can also have lasting emotional and psychological effects.
Herniated Discs
The spine can experience tremendous force during a collision. This can contribute to a herniated disc or aggravate an existing spinal condition.
A herniated disc may cause back or neck pain, numbness, tingling, weakness, or pain that travels into the arms or legs. Treatment can range from conservative care and physical therapy to more significant medical intervention depending on the injury.
Concussions and Traumatic Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries can be particularly concerning because their symptoms are not always immediately obvious.
A concussion or other brain injury can occur when the head strikes an object or when the brain moves forcefully within the skull during a collision. Symptoms may include headaches, dizziness, confusion, memory problems, difficulty concentrating, nausea, or changes in mood.
More severe brain injuries can result in long-term disability and require extensive medical care. Lionsgate Law Group handles personal injury cases involving brain injuries and catastrophic injuries, making professional legal assistance especially important when an accident has resulted in serious neurological harm.
Psychological Injuries
The consequences of a car accident are not always physical. A serious collision can also affect a person’s mental and emotional health.
Some accident victims experience anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress symptoms, fear of driving, or other psychological difficulties after a crash. These effects can interfere with work, relationships, sleep, and everyday activities.
Mental health effects should not be dismissed simply because they cannot be seen on an X-ray. Appropriate medical documentation can be important when psychological injuries are part of a personal injury claim.
Why Injuries May Not Be Immediately Obvious
One of the difficulties after a car accident is that adrenaline and shock can temporarily mask symptoms. Someone may walk away from a crash believing they escaped serious injury, only to experience increasing pain later.
For this reason, it is important to seek appropriate medical evaluation after an accident. Medical records can also provide important documentation of the injuries and treatment associated with the collision.
Lionsgate Law Group specifically lists collecting medical records and important evidence among the ways its car accident attorneys assist injured clients.
Insurance Claims After a Sherman Oaks Accident
After an accident, dealing with insurance companies can become one of the most difficult parts of the process. An insurer may ask questions about the crash, request documentation, investigate liability, or make an offer to resolve the claim.
The value of a car accident claim can depend on factors such as the severity of injuries, medical treatment, lost income, insurance policy limits, and the circumstances establishing liability.
Lionsgate Law Group explains that its attorneys review the insurance policies involved and work to negotiate full and fair compensation for clients. The firm also helps collect evidence and medical records and can represent clients in court when necessary.
Determining Who Is Responsible
A car accident is not always as simple as one driver being responsible for everything. Depending on the circumstances, other parties may need to be investigated.
For example, Lionsgate Law Group notes that potentially responsible third parties can include employers, construction companies, Uber, and other entities. California Courts also explain that determining who is responsible for an injury can sometimes involve the person who caused the injury, a vehicle or property owner, or an employer.
This is one reason a professional investigation matters. An attorney can review the available evidence rather than relying solely on the initial insurance company’s assessment of the accident.
What Evidence Can Support a Car Accident Claim?
Important evidence can become harder to obtain as time passes. Photographs of the accident scene, vehicle damage, medical records, police reports, witness information, and other documentation may help establish what happened and the extent of the resulting injuries.
Lionsgate Law Group’s car accident service specifically includes collecting important evidence and medical records as part of its approach to representing accident victims.
If you were injured in a Sherman Oaks collision, providing your attorney with as much relevant information as possible can help them evaluate your case. Details about the accident, medical treatment, insurance coverage, lost wages, witnesses, and other losses may all be important.
California Deadlines for Car Accident Claims
California generally allows two years from the date of a personal injury to file a lawsuit. Property damage claims generally have a three-year deadline. However, deadlines can vary depending on the circumstances, and special rules may apply to particular cases.
Because missing an applicable deadline can affect your ability to pursue a claim, it is wise to speak with a qualified attorney as soon as possible after a serious accident.
How a Sherman Oaks Car Accident Lawyer Can Help
Recovering from a collision can involve medical appointments, vehicle repairs, missed work, insurance communications, and uncertainty about your future. Trying to manage all of these issues while recovering from an injury can be overwhelming.
A professional car accident lawyer can investigate the collision, gather evidence, collect medical documentation, communicate with insurance companies, evaluate potential sources of compensation, and pursue the claim when a fair resolution cannot be reached.
Lionsgate Law Group is headquartered in Sherman Oaks and handles car accident and other personal injury claims throughout California. The firm states that consultations are free and that its attorneys can assist clients who cannot travel to one of its offices.
Get a Free Consultation
A car accident can leave you dealing with pain, medical expenses, lost income, vehicle damage, and emotional stress at the same time. You do not have to handle the insurance and legal process alone.
Lionsgate Law Group, APC helps injured accident victims investigate their claims, collect important evidence and medical records, negotiate with insurance companies, and pursue the compensation they may be entitled to receive.
If you were injured in a car accident in Sherman Oaks, contact Lionsgate Law Group for a free, no-obligation consultation. Call 800-454-5299 to discuss your situation with an experienced accident attorney and learn about your legal options.
