Irvine Personal Injury Law Firm

What Does a Personal Injury Lawyer Do?

So what does a personal injury lawyer actually do? A lawyer can handle the legal aspects of your claim. Our Irvine personal injury law firm can manage your case and help reduce the risk of errors or oversights that might otherwise affect your claim.

We can deal with the defendant’s insurance company, negotiating on your behalf and advocating for a settlement that addresses your actual losses.

You don’t have to handle the communications with insurance companies on your own. In fact, once they are notified that you have hired a lawyer, they can no longer contact you about the accident at all. By hiring an Irvine personal injury lawyer, you have someone who will advocate for your rights throughout the entire claims process.

Common Irvine Accidents

Many different types of accidents can lead to a personal injury claim. Here are some of the most common accidents our injury lawyers can handle:

Auto Accidents

More traffic leads to more accidents. Here in Irvine, we have some of the busiest roads in the country. The volume of cars on the road leads to many auto accidents and injuries. Auto accidents can involve large trucks or buses, motorcycles, bicycles, or pedestrians.

You might be involved in an accident with an Uber, Lyft, or an electric rental scooter. These new technologies have created new legal issues in personal injury claims. Our Irvine personal injury law firm can handle these cases and help you determine your legal options.

Workplace Accidents

Many injuries occur in the workplace, especially in dangerous industries like construction or manufacturing. If you are injured on the job, you may be eligible for workers’ compensation coverage. You may also have a personal injury claim against a negligent employer or the manufacturer of defective safety equipment. Our Irvine personal injury lawyers can assess your potential legal options after a workplace incident.

Slip and Fall Accidents

Property owners have a legal obligation to maintain their land in a safe condition. This obligation is also referred to as a duty of care owed to invited guests to protect them from dangerous conditions. The duty is heightened when a retail property owner invites customers onto the property for their own financial benefit. If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident at a store, consult with a personal injury lawyer about your legal right to seek compensation.

Boating and Water Recreation Accidents

Water sports are a way of life here in sunny Irvine. But injuries can occur due to operator negligence, defective safety equipment, or other causes. A personal injury lawyer can handle your case if you have been injured while on the water. Sailing, water skiing, jet skiing, wakeboarding, and other sports can lead to costly losses and permanent injuries.

Common Injuries Sustained in Irvine Accidents

Accidents can result in a wide range of injuries, and severe injuries may result in more losses due to increased medical costs and long-term impacts. Here are some of the most common injuries our accident lawyers work with in our personal injury practice:

Traumatic Brain Injuries

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can quickly become life-threatening. The Centers for Disease Control reports that TBIs are a significant cause of death and disability in the United States. Deaths related to TBIs increased 53 percent between 2006 and 2014. Even if a victim survives a TBI, he or she could be permanently disabled. This type of injury will result in costly medical treatment and care services for the rest of their lives.

Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries can also be a life-or-death situation or lead to costly care for the rest of the victim’s life. The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center reports that nearly three hundred thousand persons live with spinal cord injuries in the United States. These range from severe cases of quadriplegia to milder cases with loss of sensory or motor skills.

Even these mild cases can have a marked impact on a victim’s life. The cost of care over a lifetime (in addition to lost wages and pain and suffering) can quickly become staggering.

Broken Bones

Broken bones might seem like a relatively simple injury. In some cases, they are: a doctor sets the bone, removes the cast, and the victim can function as before. But many cases are far more complicated. A bone may need to be painfully rebroken in order to set it properly.

A shard of broken bone inside the body can cut blood vessels or nerves, potentially causing painful complications. Even a “clean” break can result in lingering pain and discomfort. Some victims may never be entirely pain-free after a complicated break. Some victims may be able to pursue compensation for their pain and suffering.

How Much Will It Cost Me To Hire An Irvine Personal Injury Lawyer?

Most personal injury lawyers do not take a fee from you up front. Instead, they work “on contingency.” This means that they will only receive payment if they obtain compensation on your behalf. It is important to note that the fees depend on the complexity of the case, and certain case-related costs may still apply regardless of the outcome. All this information will be outlined in your representation agreement so that you will know about all the fees in advance.

Typically, How Long Will My Case Take?

Every case is different. If you have minor injuries that only require a short period of medical treatment, it might be possible to settle your claim within a few weeks. But if your injuries are complicated, or the insurance company denies liability, or there are other complicated legal issues in your case, your attorney might have to file a lawsuit.

A lawsuit can take months, or in complicated cases, even years. But in other cases, the mere act of filing a lawsuit is enough to get the insurance company to make a fair settlement offer. The fact of the matter is that your attorney won’t be able to tell how long your particular case will take until they know the details of your injuries and how cooperative the insurance company is willing to be.