Long Beach car accidents affect more than just your workday. Your injury could prevent you from attending meetings, finishing projects, dealing with clients, and traveling for critical business engagements.
The cost of an accident goes well beyond the days missed at work. For entrepreneurs and professionals, the first important question is how much income will be lost and how the accident will affect future opportunities. The first issue of income losses that come after an accident needs to be considered.
What Income Losses May Follow a Collision
A car accident while driving in Downtown Long Beach, Belmont Shore, Bixby Knolls, or the East Village may disrupt a mobility-based schedule. So might a crash on the I-405 (San Diego Freeway), I-710 (Long Beach Freeway), Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), Ocean Boulevard, or Atlantic Avenue. A dated account could tie the accident, injury, and work interruption together. Useful documents would include:
These documents help provide a better idea of the disruption than an estimate of lost work. The circumstances under which the accident occurred also concern the application of the ordinary care rule in California.
How California’s Ordinary-Care Rule May Apply
Negligence law in California makes people liable for injuries caused by any intentional act or by the negligence of a person or their property. In car accidents, this law provides an overview of the conduct that results in injury. Civil Code § 1714 is just an outline of fault.
The following table summarizes the parts of the statute most relevant to a typical car-accident discussion:
This principle is just the beginning of the process and does not ensure a certain result. The monetary aspect of the claim can thus hinge on how self-employment income and deferred dealings are evidenced.
How Self-Employment Income and Deferred Deals Are Documented
Although self-employed professionals might not have access to pay stubs, they can provide proof of their financial situation by presenting documentation of their previous income, booked and rescheduled work, and any restrictions due to injuries. Some of the documentation they should have includes:
• Tax filings on a federal and state level
• Financial statements including profit and loss, ledgers
• Billing documents and retainer agreements
• Signed contracts, estimates, proposals
• Emails about delayed, rescheduled, or canceled appointments
• Appointments scheduled around Long Beach Harbor, the Queen Mary, the Aquarium of the Pacific, Shoreline Village, and Rainbow Harbor
• Medical files reflecting job-related restrictions
The income of a business and the income of an individual are not necessarily the same. This difference is especially relevant where earning ability has decreased.
When Reduced Earning Capacity May Matter
Physical injury not only affects financial standing but could also affect travel, employment, physical activity, and future employment prospects. What matters is whether this injury affects your ability to do the job you have been doing. For example:
Projected losses ought to be linked to concrete work restrictions and business documents rather than generalizations about potential losses from any and every possibility. The nature of the accident can also affect how shared liability is determined.
How Shared Responsibility Can Influence a Claim
Collision cases may have disagreements regarding several people’s behavior. Insurance companies and the parties will consider speed, right-of-way, distraction, road conditions, witness testimonies, and other evidence to assign fault. Evidence documented shortly after the collision will be very helpful.
The following documents can aid in clarifying the issues:
• Traffic report from police
• Photographs of damages on vehicles, road conditions, and the scene of collision
• Names and contact information of witnesses
• Medical records indicating symptoms and treatment
• Videos, if any
• Any communications concerning repairs or claims for the vehicle
Liability issues can affect the evaluation of claims even when there is sufficient evidence. Time will be critical, considering California’s two-year statute of limitations for injuries.
When California’s Two-Year Injury Filing Period May Apply
California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1 states that claims for personal injuries or for wrongful deaths must be filed within two years. Even though it’s simple, this deadline is very important. Its primary function is illustrated in the table below:
A comprehensive timeline will allow staying on top of both business and claim dates. It will also make clear the starting point of the Long Beach court questions.
Where Long Beach Court Questions May Begin
For someone seeking information about courts in Long Beach, the Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse is the major courthouse for civil cases. It is located close to West Broadway, Maine Avenue, West 3rd Street, and Magnolia Avenue.
The place where the case will be held is just one aspect of a possible personal injury lawsuit. There are many other aspects that might need to be addressed, including documentation, insurance contact, etc., which is why professional guidance throughout the claims process can be useful.
How Professional Guidance Through the Claim Sequence Can Help
An experienced legal team might assist an injured professional with the documentation, insurance, and timing considerations that may arise after a major accident. Although it does not guarantee a solution, it might help gather the necessary information to assess a business income interruption.
For more general information on the claim process, you may find more educational material by contacting Long Beach personal injury lawyers at Jacoby & Meyers.
The Bottom Line
Losses sustained following a collision in Long Beach could be more than the initial missed day of work. It would be helpful for the injured worker to organize their medical records, income statements, and other project documents to demonstrate the true nature of the disruption.
Disclaimer: The information provided here is general information and is not legal advice. It may not apply to every individual situation.
