Irvine Personal Injury Law Firm
- What is a Personal Injury Claim?
- What Does a Personal Injury Lawyer Do?
- The Tricks an Insurance Company Will Use to Get Out of Paying You
- Common Accidents
- Common Injuries Sustained in Accidents
- How Much Will it Cost Me to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?
- Why Choose Our Force of Personal Injury Lawyers?
Irvine's Most-Respected Personal Injury Law Firm
If you have been injured in an accident in Irvine, you have legal rights that must be protected. You have the right to hire a Irvine personal injury lawyer. You have the right to investigate your claim to determine who has a legal obligation to compensate you for your losses and what fair compensation will be in your particular case.
You also have the right to decline to speak to the defendant or their insurance company about the accident and insist that all communications go through your attorney’s office. Doing this protects you from accidentally saying something that could hurt your claim. An injury law firm in Irvine can help protect these critical legal rights. Our experienced personal injury lawyers in Irvine have experience with all types of accident claims, and we are here to help.
Learn more about how a personal injury lawyer can help protect your legal rights, the tricks an insurance company will use to get out of paying you fair compensation, and the common accidents and injuries that our lawyers see in our injury practice.
Schedule your Free Consultation by calling (888) 488-1391 to speak with a personal injury lawyer in Irvine.
Motor Vehicle Accident
$2,200,000.00
Settlement in a motor vehicle accident involving a commercial agricultural defendant – client suffered spinal injuries – Judd Ross Allen
What is a Personal Injury Claim?
If you have been injured because of the negligence of another person (or a company), you have the legal right to be compensated for all the losses you suffer as a result. Many accidents are caused by negligence. Auto accidents, workplace accidents, slip and fall accidents, nursing home abuse, and neglect are examples of accidents or intentional acts that occur because someone was negligent.
To exercise your right to compensation, you will need to identify all negligent defendants who have an obligation to compensate you for your injuries. Then you must file a personal injury claim against them (usually through their insurance carrier). You will have to prove that the defendant was negligent, then establish the fair value of your claim.
If the insurance company refuses to make a reasonable settlement offer, you might have to file a lawsuit in order to let a jury decide what it will take to fairly compensate you for all your injuries and losses. This process sounds overwhelming. If you have never dealt with a personal injury claim before, it may be difficult – if not impossible – to go through the claims process on your own.
But don’t worry. You have the right to hire a personal injury attorney who will protect your legal rights and ensure your claim is handled correctly. Doing this will ensure that you have the best possible access to the compensation you deserve.
What Does a Personal Injury Lawyer Do?
So what does a personal injury lawyer actually do? A lawyer will handle all the steps described above. Letting a lawyer handle your case ensures that your claim is dealt with properly and nothing is missed. This will prevent your claim from being dismissed on a technicality.
A personal injury lawyer also protects you from the other guy’s insurance company. Remember, the defendant’s insurance company is not on your side. They will use every trick they have to pressure you into taking a low settlement offer. They also have an army of defense lawyers who are trained to defend bad claims decisions.
You don’t have to fight the insurance company 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. This protects you from saying something that could be used against you later. By hiring a lawyer, you can rest assured that your legal rights are being protected through the entire claims process.
The Tricks an Insurance Company Will Use to Get Out of Paying You
Insurance companies spend lots of time and money training their claims adjusters to pay as little as possible on as few claims as possible. Then they hire an army of lawyers to defend these unfair decisions. Without a personal injury lawyer, it is almost impossible for an injury victim to get fair compensation by fighting against a giant corporation. Here are some of the most common tricks an insurance company will use to try to get out of paying you fair compensation for your injuries:
Pushing For a Quick Settlement
At the beginning of your case, the insurance company might promise you a quick payment if you will agree to settle your claim right away. This settlement is tempting for many injury victims. After all, if you are accruing medical bills and unable to work, you need money as soon as possible. But it is a mistake to settle your case before you have a chance to really investigate your losses. You may not know how long you will be out of work.
You could have long term injuries that will result in future medical bills. These are losses caused by the defendant’s negligence, and the insurance company has an obligation to pay you for them. If you settle your claim too quickly, you might miss out on compensation to which you are legally entitled.
Claiming Your Case Isn’t Worth Very Much
You can be sure that the defendant’s insurance company will think your case is worth less than it actually is. Remember, they are not on your side. You should never take legal advice from someone who is actively working for the other guy. Only your own personal injury lawyer can give you a fair assessment of what your claim is actually worth.
Trying to Blame You for the Accident
In some cases, the insurance company might deny that their client was at fault for the accident at all. If they deny liability, they do not have to pay you anything. It can be challenging to prove who was at fault for an accident after it happened. Many personal injury victims who do not have a lawyer give up on the claim altogether.
But if you have a lawyer fighting on your side, they will know how to prove that the defendant was at fault. This process might require expert witnesses such as an accident reconstructionist. Your lawyer will know best how to handle the issues that arise in order to prove that you are entitled to compensation for your injuries.
Trying to Blame You For Making Your Own Injuries Worse
In some cases, the insurance company might try to claim that you made your injuries worse by failing to get medical attention right away or not following through on your doctor’s recommendations. The insurance company does this because the defendant only has to pay for the injuries they caused – not extra pain and suffering that you endured by not getting the right medical treatment. But other times, the insurance company might claim that you got too much treatment.
This tactic is common when you receive physical therapy, chiropractic services, or other treatment that relies on subjective reports of pain and discomfort. It can be a no-win situation for injury victims whose every medical bill is scrutinized by a cold claims adjuster. Here, too, it is essential to hire your own personal injury lawyer who knows how to fight for fair compensation for all of your medical bills.
Sending a Private Investigator to Follow You and Your Family
If the insurance company thinks you are lying about your injuries or pain, they may even send a private investigator to follow you. The goal is to get photos or video footage of you doing something that “proves” you are not really as hurt as you claim to be. But what this amounts to is a stranger that follows you to your work and home.
That’s right – a stranger could be following your children near your own home. These tactics are less likely to occur when the insurance company knows that you have an injury lawyer who is protecting your legal rights. But they still have other ways of trying to get private information about your life.
Snooping Through Your Social Media Accounts
Thanks to social media, it is easier than ever for an investigator to get private information about you, your family, your work, and your life. These are trained experts who know how to access personal information online. Your privacy setting may not be enough to stop them from snooping into your life.
This fact is why it is so important not to post anything about the accident or your injuries until your case is done. You should also be careful to double-check your privacy settings and not accept any new connection requests.
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 see:
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 or Lyft, or an electric rental scooter. These new technologies have created new legal issues in personal injury claims. It is essential to work with an experienced personal injury lawyer who knows how to handle these unique legal issues.
Workplace Accidents
Many injuries occur in the workplace – especially in dangerous industries like construction or manufacturing. If you are injured on the job, you likely have the right to workers’ compensation coverage. You may also have a personal injury claim against a negligent employer or the manufacturer of defective safety equipment. Be sure to work with a personal injury lawyer to protect your right to all potential claims for workplace injuries.
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, be sure to consult with a personal injury lawyer about your legal right to 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. It is crucial to get a personal injury lawyer’s opinion about 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
There are many different injuries you can sustain in an accident. The more serious your injuries, the more money it will take to compensate you for them fairly. Here are some of the most common injuries our accident lawyers work within 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 a staggering 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 more mild 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 incredible pain and suffering) can quickly become staggering. The life-altering nature of these injuries is why spinal cord injury cases often result in multi-million dollar verdicts.
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.
Shard of broken bone inside the body can cut blood vessels or nerves, leading to painful complications. Even a “clean” break can result in lingering pain and discomfort. Some victims will never be entirely pain-free after a complicated break. These victims are entitled to compensation for the pain and suffering they will endure for the rest of their lives.
How Much Will it Cost Me to Hire an irvine Personal Injury Lawyer?
Most personal injury lawyers do not take a fee from you upfront. Instead, they work “on contingency.” This means that they will take a set percentage of any settlement or jury verdict they obtain on your behalf. It is important to note that an attorney’s work goes up significantly as soon as a lawsuit is filed. This fact is why most personal injury lawyers will increase their percentage if your case goes to trial.
All this information will be outlined in your representation agreement so that you will know about all the fees in advance, and there will be no surprises. There may also be court costs, filing fees, expert witness fees, and other expenses that will be deducted from your settlement or award.
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 short 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 drag on for 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 he or she knows the details of your injuries – and how cooperative the insurance company is willing to be.
Why Choose Our Force of Irvine Personal Injury Lawyers?
No Upfront Fees or Costs - Ever!
Fastest Possible Resolution With Maximum Results
We only file lawsuits when necessary such as cases where the defendants dispute liability or will not pay enough for damages. We are known for obtaining maximum results in an expedited manner.
We Have a Reputation in Irvine
Personal Attention to Each, and Every Case
Experienced, Aggressive Irvine Personal Injury Lawyers for All Accident Cases
Insurance companies have trained claims adjusters and armies of lawyers whose only job is to pay you as little as possible. You don’t have to fight this on your own. The experienced Irvine personal injury lawyers at Arash Law led by Arash Khorsandi, Esq. have decades of experience protecting the rights of injury victims.
Our firm serves clients in San Francisco, Riverside, San Jose, San Diego, Sacramento, Sherman Oaks, and throughout California. We have collected over 400 million dollars for clients across the state.
Call (888) 488-1391 or contact us online to schedule your free consultation. Don’t delay – the sooner you have a skilled personal injury lawyer fighting on your side, the better protected your legal rights will be.
