Our attorneys have been assisting the Orange County and Southern California communities for over 40 years.
As a popular vacation destination with beautiful beaches and sunny weather, there are many drivers in Orange County who are unfamiliar with the area. Unfortunately, this combination of factors can lead to an increased number of car accidents and fatalities. According to the CDC, car accidents are among the leading causes of death and injury for people aged 1 to 54.
If you or a loved one were recently involved in a car accident, you need the help of an Orange County car accident lawyer. Dealing with the insurance company, filing a claim, and more can cause headaches while you’re trying to recover. Let our trusted injury attorneys in Orange County help.
Contact an Orange County car accident attorney at the Law Offices of DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo today to schedule a free consultation.
“Best firm I’ve ever used. Amalio is an awesome help, as well as Mr. Montevideo. They helped me through my case and I was completely satisfied.”
Tommy F.
“I came to DIMARCO | ARAUJO | MONTEVIDEO firm during the worst time in my life. The law firm was very professional but also kind and caring to my family. They made us feel like family… I will never be able to THANK them enough.”
Erik A.
For decades, the attorneys of DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo have been successfully handling car accident cases in Orange County. Having witnessed firsthand the tactics employed by insurance companies, it’s clear that their priorities don’t align with the best interests of accident victims. This is where our expertise comes in. We know how to navigate the system and fight for our clients’ rights.
Partners John A. Montevideo, Jess J. Araujo, and Anthony Modarelli and their team of attorneys are ready to take on your case and make sure you get the compensation you deserve.
If you’ve been involved in a car accident, you are probably feeling overwhelmed by insurance claims, medical bills, and unanswered questions. Being involved in an auto accident leads you to experience many emotions at once: anger at the responsible parties, anxiety about recovery, and pain from the injuries you’ve sustained.
An Orange County auto accident attorney can help you with the following:
We know how insurance companies operate and how to protect your rights throughout the process.
We approach every case with detailed attention and preparation. That includes:
Insurance adjusters are trained to protect their company’s bottom line. With more than 40 years of experience, our firm knows how to advocate for you and challenge lowball offers.
We collect and preserve:
We also work with crash reconstruction experts when needed to support your case.
We work with medical providers to connect your injuries directly to the crash. This includes obtaining written documentation that links your condition to the accident. This is crucial evidence that insurance companies often require. We also calculate your future expenses, such as ongoing treatment, surgeries, and reduced earning capacity.
We prepare every case as if it will go to trial. This strategy helps us secure better settlements, and when necessary, we’re fully prepared to take your case before a jury.
Our law offices work on a contingency fee basis. In other words, you only pay if we win your case. A contingency fee system allows our clients to feel confident in our services. There are no hourly fees or hidden costs.
Follow through with all recommended care. Gaps in treatment can reduce the value of your claim.
Prompt medical attention is essential for your health and your legal case. Any delay can lead insurers to question your injuries or argue they were unrelated. Keep a detailed record of all medical appointments, prescriptions, and travel expenses related to your care.
It is not uncommon for individuals to want to post about their vehicle accident on social media. However, doing so could place the claim in jeopardy.
Insurance carriers and attorneys often monitor social media feeds of claimants, looking for information that could help them deny the claim or pay less compensation. Posting information about day-to-day activities could give the insurance carriers or attorneys room to argue that an individual has not sustained as severe an injury as initially claimed.
If you have any questions about the steps you should take after an accident occurs, we encourage you to speak to your Orange County car accident attorney as soon as possible.
Insurance companies often delay, deny, or undervalue valid claims because paying less means higher profits for them. They may also request recorded statements that can be used against you. Navigating this process alone can be difficult and risky, as even a simple misstep in communication can hurt your claim.
That’s why we strongly recommend contacting an experienced Orange County car crash attorney as soon as possible. Your lawyer will take over all communication and negotiations with the insurance carrier, protecting you from pitfalls and ensuring your claim is properly handled.
Attorneys manage everything, from investigating your case and writing demand letters to negotiating settlements. And if necessary, they will prepare your case for trial to secure the compensation you deserve.
While many car accidents produce only minor injuries, some can cause catastrophic injuries. Some of the most common injuries in Orange County auto accidents include:
Even seemingly minor injuries can lead to long-term complications. We take every claim seriously and build strong documentation to support full compensation.
With the legal team of DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo by your side, we can fight for justice and work to earn maximum compensation while you or a loved one recovers.
After a car accident in Orange County, seeking immediate medical attention is vital. Even if you feel fine, some injuries like whiplash, concussions, or soft tissue damage may not show symptoms right away. Early medical evaluation helps uncover hidden injuries and starts necessary treatment promptly.
Timely medical records also play a critical role in insurance claims. Delaying care can lead insurers to question whether your injuries were caused by the accident, potentially reducing your compensation. Following all recommended treatments is equally important, as stopping care too soon can weaken your claim.
Because some injuries appear days or weeks later, ongoing medical care and documentation ensure your claim fully reflects the true extent of your injuries. An experienced Orange County car accident attorney can help you navigate the claims process and protect your right to fair compensation.
No two car accidents are the same. Depending on your car accident case, you may be entitled to compensation for:
Economic damages are awarded to compensate car accident victims for losses that are relatively easy to calculate. This is done by gathering proof of the loss, such as medical expenses, receipts for out-of-pocket expenses, proof of repairs for vehicles, and more. Economic compensation is typically awarded to cover accident victims:
Non-economic damages are a bit harder to calculate because there are not necessarily any bills or receipts that can be provided to prove them. Generally, this type of compensation is awarded to cover the unseen losses that an injury victim sustains. This can include:
In some cases, punitive damages may be awarded to a victim in the aftermath of an Orange County car accident case. Punitive damages are typically reserved for instances where the negligent party’s behavior was particularly egregious, grossly negligent, or intentional.
The personal injury statute of limitations in California is two years from the day the injury occurs. This gives most car accident injury victims in Orange County a two-year window in which to file a lawsuit in order to recover compensation. Some exceptions apply, like if a government agency was involved. These claims have a six-month statute of limitations.
That is why it is crucial to have a skilled Orange County car accident lawyer by your side who understands all deadlines in your case. An accident attorney will get to work filing your insurance claim, negotiating with aggressive insurance carriers, and helping you secure the compensation you need.
Determining liability is one of the most important parts of your case. We investigate all contributing factors to identify every potentially responsible defendant. Our goal is to build a compelling case on behalf of the plaintiff to hold all liable parties accountable.
This may include:
In some cases, more than one party may share fault. California operates under a “pure comparative negligence” system. This means that an injury victim can receive compensation even if they are up to 99% at fault for the incident. However, the total amount of compensation they receive will be reduced based on their percentage of fault.
Our car accident attorneys in Orange County will build a strong claim using physical evidence, expert analysis, and witness statements to prove liability and maximize your compensation.
The compensation awarded to a plaintiff depends on many factors, including the following:
Total injury payouts can range from a few thousand dollars to more than $1 million. We strongly encourage you to have an open conversation with your Orange County car accident lawyer about how much compensation you can expect for your particular situation.
In addition to crash scene photos and police reports, we may collect:
An attorney may also need to obtain vehicle “black box” data and cell phone data records of the alleged negligent driver. We leave no stone unturned when building your case.
Vehicle accidents can certainly affect individuals in the workplace. This includes those whose primary responsibilities revolve around operating a vehicle as well as those who may have been in a vehicle while on duty at any type of job.
For example, an office worker running errands in a company vehicle for their boss, even if that is not their typical duties, would most likely be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits if they are involved in a vehicle accident while carrying out job-related duties.
If you have been in a vehicle accident while handling work-related duties, you may have a few options to recover compensation. We encourage you to speak to an attorney with experience handling vehicle accidents and work injury claims.
Your injury lawyer will thoroughly examine the facts of your case and help you determine the best steps toward recovering compensation, whether that is through a workers’ compensation claim, a personal injury lawsuit against another party involved, or both.
If you were injured as a passenger in an Uber or Lyft, you may have multiple insurance options. Our attorneys can determine whether the rideshare driver’s policy, the company’s $1 million liability policy, or another party’s coverage applies to your case. These claims involve specific legal challenges, especially when rideshare companies try to avoid responsibility. Our firm understands how to navigate them. Whether you were hurt as a passenger or hit by a rideshare vehicle, we can help.
If you have any questions about what you should do after a Lyft accident or Uber accident in Orange County, we encourage you to reach out to our attorneys so we can help you determine your next steps.
When most people think of “going to court,” they think of sitting in a courtroom in front of a jury. While that may ultimately be where your case ends up, the vast majority of accident claims are resolved through settlements with insurance carriers.
In many cases, a claim is resolved before a lawsuit even gets filed, meaning the case never actually reaches the civil court system. However, in the event the insurance carrier or another party involved in the claim refuses to offer a fair settlement, it may become necessary to file a personal injury lawsuit.
Even after filing a lawsuit in civil court, the case does not go directly to a jury. This starts the discovery process, which is when evidence and information are exchanged by both sides, and attorneys for either party can take depositions of potential witnesses. It is not uncommon for a claim to get settled during this process as additional evidence comes to light, but in the event the other party refuses to settle, the claim will need to go to trial.
During the most recent reporting year of data on file presented by the California Office of Traffic Safety, we can see that there were approximately 225,000 total motor vehicle injuries across the state. Out of these incidents, more than 15,000 injuries were considered severe, and 3,847 individuals lost their lives.
Vehicle accidents almost always occur as a result of the careless or negligent actions of one or more drivers on the roadway. Two of the most common causes of fatal and injury accidents in California include the following:
In addition to these two major causes of injury and fatal accidents, there are many other ways that collisions occur. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:
There are various types of collisions that can affect drivers in Orange County. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:
If you’ve been injured in an Orange County car accident, you need experienced attorneys who know how insurance companies and opposing counsel operate.
At the Law Offices of DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo, we handle your case with skill and determination to secure the compensation you deserve. Most cases settle outside of court, but we’re fully prepared to take your case to trial if needed.
Contact us today for a free, no-risk consultation to discuss your claim and your options. Call (714) 783-2205 or reach out online to get started.