Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorney

Personal injuries can be a tremendous burden on you both financially and emotionally. On average, 31 million people are injured every year who end up needing medical treatment. When the damages are not your fault, it is unfair to pay for medical bills that weren’t the result of your actions. To get compensation for your personal injury, you need to work with a dedicated law firm that can prove the other party is responsible. With the help of a Los Angeles personal injury law firm, you can get guidance and direction on how to file a settlement claim. After proving that personal injury victims are not at fault, an attorney can help you get maximum compensation for the losses caused by your accident.

What Are Some Common Personal Injury Cases?

A catastrophic injury can happen to you for a number of reasons in any setting and can cause long-term suffering and financial instability. In Southern California, these are some of the most common personal injury cases.

Car Accident

Car accidents are one of the leading causes of personal injury, resulting in property damage and medical expenses. Auto accidents can happen for a number of reasons, for example, bad weather, poor road conditions, and obstacles like fallen trees. However, car accidents can also happen because of the fault of the other driver. They may be texting or talking and not paying attention to the road. Some drivers break traffic laws by speeding or not yielding to traffic signs. Worst of all, drivers under the influence of an illegal substance can also be the cause of a disastrous auto accident. You can lean on your car accident lawyer to provide legal representation when a car accident is not your fault.

Wrongful Death

In the unfortunate scenario where your family member passes away, you will likely have to pay for an expensive funeral. However, if someone else is at fault for the death of your loved one, then you can seek financial compensation. Wrongful death cases happen when someone else is negligent and causes the death of a victim that could have easily been avoided. Wrongful death claims are made with the help of a Los Angeles injury lawyer who can investigate your claim and identify if the negligent party can be blamed for the death of your family member.

Premises Liability

Damages that occur because of a neglectful property owner are considered a premises liability personal injury. This is when the owner of a property doesn’t maintain their premises, leaving hazards and obstacles that can put the lives of visitors at risk. The owner can be held responsible for your damages if they did not place warning signs or barriers around the dangerous areas. Your wounds could have been easily prevented had the owner made an effort to manage the property to keep their guests safe. Accidents such as cuts, drowning, slip and fall, and other personal injuries can be the result of a premises liability.

Slip and Fall Accident

This kind of accident can happen when you least expect it and put you at risk of a traumatic brain injury. Slip and fall accident victims often wind up wounded because of a slippery or uneven surface, broken flooring, ripped carpeting, dim lighting, or a poorly maintained area. When the owner of the business doesn’t create a safe space for their visitors, they can easily get injured on a hard surface, leaving them with concussions, neck pain, back pain, and broken bones.

Product Liability

When you purchase a new product, and it leaves you with a serious injury, this can be product liability. If you use the product as intended, but it causes burns, inflammation, allergic reactions, damaged property, fires, or other life-threatening accidents, you can work with Los Angeles injury lawyers to recover compensation for your injuries.

Dog Bites

A dog bite can happen out of the blue and leave you with severe injuries. Dogs can cause muscle and tendon tearing, crushed bones, maimed fingers, puncture wounds, cuts, scratches, scarring, and disfigurement. You can also be at risk of a bacterial infection and rabies if the dog was not treated. When you get bit by a dog due to a reckless owner, you should seek the help of a dog bite accident attorney.

Medical Malpractice

This personal injury must be taken very seriously, as your health and livelihood are important. When your medical practitioner does not meet healthcare standards and delivers services that are harmful, you can seek damages. For example, your doctor may misdiagnose you, prescribe the wrong medication, perform the wrong surgery, leave surgical tools inside you, give you the wrong dosage, or not provide a response to lab tests. According to personal injury lawyers, medical malpractice is not limited to these alone and can happen in a number of other ways. You can speak with your attorney to find out if you have a medical malpractice case.

Motorcycle Accident

Motorcycle accidents are incredibly dangerous for bikers, who are exposed to the road when they fall off their motorcycle. If a negligent driver happens to be the reason the motorcyclist was injured, then the victim can seek compensation for their injuries. This can happen when the motorcyclist is in the blind spot of the driver, was improperly cut off by the driver, or the driver was distracted.

Truck Accident

This type of motor vehicle accident is especially devastating, as trucks outweigh most other vehicles on the road by several tons. According to personal injury law, commercial truck drivers and the companies that employ them can be held liable for speeding, substance abuse, traffic violations, fatigue, and other reasons. Truck drivers are expected to uphold the FMCSA standards to keep other drivers safe around them. When truck drivers cause accidents, lawyers can hold them and the trucking company liable for any losses caused by the accident.

Boating Accident

These unfortunate accidents can leave the owner of the boat liable for a number of personal injuries. For example, property damage, slip and fall, drowning, and a variety of other damages can be the result of a boating accident. This can happen on personal and rental boats, leisure yachts, and any personal watercraft.

What Kind of Items Can I File in My Settlement Claim?

Los Angeles personal injury claims can include both economic and non-economic damages. Your personal injury lawyer can guide you on what you can include in your unique case.

Economic Damages

When you get into a bad accident, you most likely will be burdened with a high number of bills. Your personal injury lawyer will direct you to collect all of the receipts, bills, and invoices you gathered because of the recent damages caused by your accident. They can include the following:

Medical Bills

After you’ve been injured, you will have to get healthcare to help you recover from your accident. You may have to get medical scans, laboratory tests, prescription medicine, and you might need surgery. Ongoing clinical visits, check-ups, and monitoring will also be added to your medical bills. You may also require physical therapy, but this can all be included in your settlement as long as it is because of your personal injury.

Lost Wages and Projected Income Loss

Due to your personal injury, you will likely have to take time off from work to heal. Your wounds could result in temporary or partial disability, preventing you from working at your normal capacity. This results in lost wages that must be compensated for. When you don’t believe you will be able to work for an extended period of time, this projected income loss can be estimated by your personal injury attorney and included in your compensation.

Property Damage

This can happen in an auto vehicle accident where your car, motorcycle, or bicycle are damaged because of the other driver. Even when you have car accident insurance coverage, the damage may be so great that you will be unable to recover the total cost of your vehicle. Your personal injury attorney can add this to your personal injury claim.

Funeral and Burial Costs

After a loved one has passed away, you may be left with the high cost of funeral bills. This can include the tombstone, coffin, funeral, and viewing services. Additional items have to be paid for, such as the embalming of the deceased, flowers, invitations and pamphlets, and other expenses in preparation for a funeral. All these expenses add up and can be a heavy burden for surviving family members.

Non-Economic Damages

Your personal injury claim can also include non-economic damages that cover the emotional turmoil you may be experiencing. This area may be confusing, so you can rely on the guidance of a personal injury lawyer on how to claim these damages.

Pain and Suffering

After an injury, you could experience soreness, exhaustion, sharp pains, and other signs of discomfort. You may also be experiencing depression, grief, anxiety, PTSD, shame, guilt, and other forms of distress. If this is the case, your personal injury lawyer can calculate the level of your pain and suffering and add this to your compensation.

Special Damages for Wrongful Death

When your loved one has passed away, the surviving family members can claim loss of consortium, companionship, mentorship, and other valuable services that they contributed. If the decedent underwent pain and suffering before dying, this could also be included in the settlement.

Punitive Damages

In the instance that the other party was grossly negligent or their actions were intentional, they can be punished with punitive damages. This increases the settlement amount and can be based on an egregious disregard for the safety of others or malicious intent.

How An Experienced Personal Injury Attorney Can Help You in Southern California?

Your personal injury law firm will dedicate itself to helping you uncover evidence that can be used to bolster your case.

They Provide a Free Consultation

When you work with a law firm, they will provide a free consultation to do an initial review of your case. The personal injury lawyer assigned to you will specialize in the type of accident you experienced and will be able to give you honest advice on what to expect. They can analyze the information you provide and let you know whether you have a valid personal injury case and whether the other party can be held liable for your damages.

They Draft Documents

Los Angeles personal injury attorneys will put together documents on your behalf that best explains all of your damages and exactly how the other party caused them. The drafted documents will also have detailed calculations of your economic and non-economic damages. They will distribute the documents to all parties involved so that everyone has up-to-date and accurate information about your claim.

They Contact Witnesses

If you have any eyewitnesses who saw the accident as it happened, your attorney can contact them on your behalf and organize the evidence they provide. Personal injury lawyers work with witnesses to get additional information from them to help prove that your account of what happened is true. This is very useful for difficult cases.

Investigate Your Personal Injury

Personal injury lawyers will take the time to dig deep into the factors surrounding your case. They not only use the evidence you provide but will also find additional ways to prove how your accident happened. They’ll reach out to local authorities, speak to inspectors, auditors, and other third parties to bring information to the surface. They are adamant about proving that the other party is at fault so that you can get the maximum settlement for your personal injury.

They Can Negotiate a Settlement

It is difficult for accident victims to negotiate their own settlement, as they are struggling with their physical and emotional recovery. Most individuals who try to negotiate a settlement without the help of a law firm may overestimate or underestimate the settlement they are owed. A Los Angeles personal injury lawyer can help you accurately calculate a settlement and provide a supportive argument behind it. They also reach out to all involved parties to tell them that they are responsible for your personal injury. Using the evidence they gathered, they can negotiate a settlement without a trial.

They Can File a Personal Injury Lawsuit

When the other party’s insurance company refuses to settle with you or provide reasonable compensation for your personal injury, your attorney can then file a lawsuit on your behalf. They will represent your case before the judge and jury, guide you on proper court procedures, and gather witnesses to testify for you. With the evidence provided, your attorney will do their best to prove that the other party is at fault so that you are awarded a fair settlement amount.

Is It Better to File a Lawsuit or Initiate a Settlement Claim?

In most cases, your attorney will suggest that you file a settlement claim against the other party. This is because it is simpler, more straightforward, and less costly for both parties. They only get the opportunity to negotiate a claim when a judge is not involved. Even if you go to court, you will have to attend a pre-trial meeting. This is the last attempt to mediate between you and the other party before going to court. You get the opportunity to negotiate a settlement before appearing before a jury. If the negotiation doesn’t go well, then you are assigned a court date. However, most personal injury claims settle outside of court.

Get Additional Information From an Experienced Attorney

Your injuries can result in expenses that set you back financially. When the other party is at fault, it is important to gather evidence to show that you are not responsible. If you are confused about whether you have a claim worth seeking damages for, you can seek the help of a Los Angeles personal injury attorney to provide the guidance you need. They can provide insight and advice on what constitutes a liability for the other party. With their help, you can focus on recovering from your injuries while your attorney performs the settlement negotiation. Contact Maho Prentice Law Firm in Los Angeles, CA for a free consultation.