805-962-1930 Answering All Of Your Injury FAQs
Lawyers help their clients seek compensation for the physical, financial, and emotional losses suffered following a negligence-related accident or incident. Attorneys Tyrone Maho and Chad Prentice offer 50 years of combined experience helping people like you.
Is my injury a “personal injury”?
If you suffered any undue harm (including physical injury, property damage, unwarranted financial losses, or emotional strife) due to the negligent action or inaction of another person or party, you may have grounds for a personal injury lawsuit in California. If you slipped on a wet grocery store floor or were hit by a car, these are personal injury. Personal injury can also include libel, slander or psychological harm.
What is negligence?
Negligence is the determining factor in all personal injury cases. In order to prove negligence, the person filing the claim must demonstrate:
- That he or she was owed a service or duty, or expected a certain standard of care
- That this duty was violated or breached
- That the breach led to physical injury or other harm
- That the injury caused real damages and/or losses for the claimant
Who can file a personal injury lawsuit?
The person or people affected by an injury may file a claim. If the individual who suffered injury is unable to file a lawsuit on his or her own (such as in a wrongful death case), family members such as children, parents and even grandparents may file on behalf of the injured individual.
How long do I have to file a personal injury lawsuit in California?
For most personal injury matters, a person or relative has two years from the date of injury (or date of wrongful death) in which to initiate a case. Exceptions include medical malpractice cases, which allow three years, and cases involving minors, which allow two years from the time the minor turns 18 years old. Also, claims against a governmental entity, even those affecting minors, must be brought within six months.
Will my case go to trial?
Many of those who consider filing injury cases dread a long, drawn-out trial that costs significant time and money. In fact, 95 percent of cases never reach trial, and instead arrive at a settlement coordinated with the help of attorneys.
How much is my case worth?
A number of factors affect the value of a case, or the amount of compensation for which the claimant is eligible. It costs nothing to speak with a Maho Prentice, LLP, personal injury attorney to learn the merits of your case.
Should I talk to an insurance adjuster following my California auto accident?
Never, under any circumstances, give recorded depositions or signed statements to insurance adjusters without first consulting your lawyer. An insurance adjuster will ask those involved in an accident to provide their accounts of the accident. They are trying to gain information that will allow them to limit their own losses, in effect to pay you less.
Do I need a personal injury lawyer?
Although individuals may represent themselves in personal injury cases, an experienced attorney can offer the support and professional resources that make the difference in achieving a positive outcome. A 1999 study by the Insurance Research Council showed that the average person received a settlement that was 3.5 times larger with legal assistance than without assistance.
Our 50 Years Of Experience
Maho Prentice, LLP, has 50 years of combined personal injury experience in California. Call us any time, day or night and have all of your questions answered: 805-962-1930 or fill out the online form and we will get a hold of you. Phone calls are taken in English and Spanish.assistance.
