Personal Injury
*When a person or family is injured by the negligent or intentional acts of others, the law allows compensation for, among other items, out-of-pocket losses such as past and future medical bills and lost wages, as well as past and future pain and suffering endured as a result of the injury.
In personal injury cases, it is important to document all losses, including keeping copies of medical bills and receipts for out-of-pocket expenses, taking photographs of visible signs of injury, and documenting all days missed from work and how your every day life was impacted as a result of your injury. It is also important to remember that everything you say about the accident to anyone (your doctor, your friends, the police, the insurance company for the other side, etc.) can be used against you later in litigation, so accuracy is always important. Once you have retained an attorney, that attorney can assist you in communicating with outside entities, including insurance companies, regarding the accident.
*These words of experience are not intended as legal advice or as a substitute for retaining an attorney, but again, are just words of experience that people who have been injured have found helpful when they are first making inquiries into how best to proceed.
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Automobile Accidents
*When a person or family is injured in an automobile accident that was caused by another party, the law allows compensation for, among other items, damage to vehicle including rental car expenses while car is being repaired or valued, out-of-pocket losses such as past and future medical bills and lost wages, as well as past and future pain and suffering endured as a result of the injury.
There are various types of insurance to potentially cover a person for injuries sustained in an automobile accident including their own automobile policy, which may or may not have medical payments coverage or uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. The at-fault party may or may not also have coverage which may or may not be enough to compensate you for your loss. You may also use your own health insurance for your medical expenses, but they typically require that you pay them back out of any future settlement or judgment. An attorney can assist you in sorting through the available coverages.
As in any personal injury case, it is important to document all losses, including keeping copies of medical bills and receipts for out-of-pocket expenses, taking photographs of visible signs of injury, and documenting all days missed from work and how your every day life was impacted as a result of your injury. It is also important to remember that everything you say about the accident to anyone (your doctor, your friends, the police, the insurance company for the other side, etc.) can be used against you later in litigation, so accuracy is always important. Once you have retained an attorney, that attorney can assist you in communicating with outside entities, including insurance companies, regarding the accident.
*These words of experience are not intended as legal advice or as a substitute for retaining an attorney, but again, are just words of experience that people who have been injured have found helpful when they are first making inquiries into how best to proceed. Top
Wrongful Death
*When a family member is killed as a result of the negligent or intentional acts of another, the law allows that certain surviving family members can seek compensation for, among other items, the loss of the comfort and society of their loved one, as well as the loss of their financial support.
As in all personal injury cases, it is important to document all losses, including keeping copies of medical bills and receipts for out-of-pocket expenses. It is also important to remember that everything you say about the accident to anyone (your doctor, your friends, the police, the insurance company for the other side, etc.) can be used against you later in litigation, so accuracy is always important. Once you have retained an attorney, that attorney can assist you in communicating with outside entities, including insurance companies and the coroner's office, regarding the accident.
*These words of experience are not intended as legal advice or as a substitute for retaining an attorney, but again, are just words of experience that people who have been injured have found helpful when they are first making inquiries into how best to proceed. Top
Wrongful Termination
*There are laws that try to discourage employers from terminating an employee based on certain constitutionally protected grounds such as their gender, sexual preference, religious beliefs, race and/or for retaliating against an employee for engaging in a statutorily protected activity. In order to discourage employers from terminating an employee on such grounds, the law provides compensation for those so terminated for items such as past and future lost wages and the pain and suffering associated with such termination. In some circumstances, the law also allows for punitive damages to punish the employer.
In order to protect your right to pursue such claims, the law often requires taking certain steps such as reporting the claim to your employer and/or various governmental entities. A lawyer can assist you in properly making those claims.
As in all personal injury cases, it is important to document all losses, including keeping copies of medical bills and receipts for out-of-pocket expenses. It is also important to remember that everything you say about the incident to anyone (your doctor, your friends, the police, the insurance company for the other side, etc.) can be used against you later in litigation, so accuracy is always important. Once you have retained an attorney, that attorney can assist you in communicating with outside entities regarding your termination.
*These words of experience are not intended as legal advice or as a substitute for retaining an attorney, but again, are just words of experience that people who have been injured have found helpful when they are first making inquiries into how best to proceed.
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Elder/Dependent Adult Abuse
*The law has come a long way in trying to protect the elderly and adults who depend on others for their care by providing enhanced remedies for cases involving physical abuse and neglect, as well as financial abuse.
Oftentimes the care givers who are suspected of the abuse or neglect are the ones who have the necessary evidence to determine whether wrongful conduct has occurred, but the law gives family members or members of the abused person's estate the right to obtain the information in order to determine whether there is a viable claim.
As in all personal injury cases, it is important to document all losses, including keeping copies of medical bills and receipts for out-of-pocket expenses. It is also important to remember that everything you say about the accident to anyone (your doctor, your friends, the police, the insurance company for the other side, etc.) can be used against you later in litigation, so accuracy is always important. Once you have retained an attorney, that attorney can assist you in communicating with outside entities, including insurance companies and healthcare providers.
*These words of experience are not intended as legal advice or as a substitute for retaining an attorney, but again, are just words of experience that people who have been injured have found helpful when they are first making inquiries into how best to proceed. Top
Fair Credit Reporting Act
*The law has come a long way in trying to protect consumers from the damage caused by inaccurate credit reports by providing very strict procedures which are to be followed by the credit reporting agencies and enhanced remedies for their failure to do so.
If you believe that you have been injured by the inaccurate reporting of a credit reporting agency, it is important to document all of your communications with them and to keep track of your time, efforts and the ways you believe you have been injured. Once you have retained an attorney, that attorney can assist you in communicating with outside entities, including the credit reporting agency and potential creditors, regarding the problem issues.
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Premises Liability
*A property owner can often be held responsible, among other circumstances, for creating a dangerous condition on their property or for having knowledge of a dangerous condition on their property and negligently failing to adequately repair it or warn of it.
When a person or family is injured by the negligence of a property owner, the law allows compensation for, among other items, out-of-pocket losses such as past and future medical bills and lost wages, as well as past and future pain and suffering endured as a result of the injury.
In premises liability accidents, it is important to document the condition of property alleged to have caused the injury and gather as much information as possible regarding how the condition was created, who created it, how long it had been in that condition, and any person believed to have known about it before your accident. Photographs of the condition and witnesses to the incident are oftentimes very important in these types of cases.
As in all personal injury cases, it is important to document all losses, including keeping copies of medical bills and receipts for out-of-pocket expenses, taking photographs of visible signs of injury, and documenting all days missed from work and how your every day life was impacted as a result of your injury. It is also important to remember that everything you say about the accident to anyone (your doctor, your friends, the police, the insurance company for the other side, etc.) can be used against you later in litigation, so accuracy is always important. Once you have retained an attorney, that attorney can assist you in communicating with outside entities, including insurance companies, regarding the accident.
*These words of experience are not intended as legal advice or as a substitute for retaining an attorney, but again, are just words of experience that people who have been injured have found helpful when they are first making inquiries into how best to proceed.
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Insurance Bad Faith
*The law recognizes that people who buy insurance expect to be treated fairly and there are laws requiring insurance companies to treat the people who buy insurance from them in good faith and to deal with them fairly. There are very strict time deadlines that insurance companies must follow and guidelines regarding how they must treat their customers. Failure to treat their clients in good faith allows consumers to sue their insurance company for damages including out-of-pocket expenses and, in certain circumstances, also for the pain and mental suffering endured by being treated unfairly.
If you believe that you have been injured by the unfair treatment of your insurance company, it is important to document all of your communications with them and to keep track of your time, and the ways you believe you have been injured. Once you have retained an attorney, that attorney can assist you in communicating with outside entities, including the insurance company, regarding the problem issues.
*These words of experience are not intended as legal advice or as a substitute for retaining an attorney, but again, are just words of experience that people who have been injured have found helpful when they are first making inquiries into how best to proceed. Top
Medical Malpractice
*Medical malpractice claims are complicated by the fact that often it cannot be determined if a doctor/hospital/healthcare provider was medically negligent until the case is reviewed by another medical professional.
Oftentimes the healthcare providers who are suspected of the negligence are the ones who have the necessary records and/or evidence to determine whether negligent conduct has occurred, but the law gives patients and their family members the right to obtain the information in order to determine whether there is a viable claim. Unfortunately, the law also allows only a short amount of time (often as short as one year) to make a claim. It takes time to gather necessary medical records and to have another medical professional review the records, so once negligence is suspected, the patient and/or family needs to move quickly.
As in all personal injury cases, it is important to document all losses, including keeping copies of medical bills and receipts for out-of-pocket expenses. It is also important to remember that everything you say about the accident to anyone (your doctor, your friends, the police, the insurance company for the other side, etc.) can be used against you later in litigation, so accuracy is always important. Once you have retained an attorney, that attorney can assist you in communicating with outside entities, including insurance companies.
*These words of experience are not intended as legal advice or as a substitute for retaining an attorney, but again, are just words of experience that people who have been injured have found helpful when they are first making inquiries into how best to proceed. Top
Products Liability
*The law provides fairly generous laws for protecting consumers against defective products. If you believe that you have been injured by a defective product, you may be entitled to recover compensation for, among other items, out-of-pocket losses such as past and future medical bills and lost wages, as well as past and future pain and suffering endured as a result of the injury.
In products liability accidents, it is important to document the condition of product alleged to have caused the injury, including keeping the product in the same condition as immediately after the accident if possible. If not possible, careful photographs and/or notes should be taken to document the defective condition. It is also important to gather and keep as much information as possible regarding where and when the product was purchased, as well as maintaining the original warning/instruction documents that came with product or attempt to find a duplicate set of such instructions/warnings if they are no longer in your possession. Photographs of the condition of the product and witnesses to the incident are oftentimes very important in these types of cases.
As in all personal injury cases, it is important to document all losses, including keeping copies of medical bills and receipts for out-of-pocket expenses. It is also important to remember that everything you say about the accident to anyone (your doctor, your friends, the police, the insurance company for the other side, etc.) can be used against you later in litigation, so accuracy is always important. Once you have retained an attorney, that attorney can assist you in communicating with outside entities, including insurance companies.
*These words of experience are not intended as legal advice or as a substitute for retaining an attorney, but again, are just words of experience that people who have been injured have found helpful when they are first making inquiries into how best to proceed.
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Defamation/Invasion of Privacy
*The law recognizes the general public's right to privacy and provides damages, among other items, such as past and future lost wages, and damage to reputation and humiliation when we have been defamed or had our privacy invaded. In a balancing act trying to also protect freedom of speech, there are certain procedures that are sometimes required for demanding a retraction that must be timely made before damages may be sought. Therefore, it is important to act quickly whenever you suspect you have been defamed or your privacy has been invaded. Once you have retained an attorney, that attorney can assist you in communicating with outside entities, including possible demands for retraction.
*These words of experience are not intended as legal advice or as a substitute for retaining an attorney, but again, are just words of experience that people who have been injured have found helpful when they are first making inquiries into how best to proceed.
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Dangerous Condition of Public Property
*The government has many protections against being sued, but they can often be sued for injuries caused by the dangerous condition of public property. The government can often be held responsible, among other circumstances, for creating a dangerous condition on their property or for having knowledge of a dangerous condition on their property and negligently failing to adequately repair it or warn of it.
When a person or family is injured by the dangerous condition of public property, the law allows compensation for, among other items, out-of-pocket losses such as past and future medical bills and lost wages, as well as past and future pain and suffering endured as a result of the injury. Although the government allows itself to be sued in certain circumstances, it requires that formal claims be made within a very short time (most often as short as 180 days) or the right to pursue a claim is forever lost. Therefore, it is important that any time the condition of public property is suspected to be a potential cause for an accident that an attorney is contacted very quickly.
In a case based on the dangerous condition of public property, it is important to document the condition of property alleged to have caused the injury and gather as much information as possible regarding how the condition was created, who created it, how long it had been in that condition, and any person believed to have known about it before your accident. Photographs of the condition and witnesses to the incident are oftentimes very important in these types of cases.
As in all personal injury cases, it is important to document all losses, including keeping copies of medical bills and receipts for out-of-pocket expenses, taking photographs of visible signs of injury, and documenting all days missed from work and how your every day life was impacted as a result of your injury. It is also important to remember that everything you say about the accident to anyone (your doctor, your friends, the police, the insurance company for the other side, etc.) can be used against you later in litigation, so accuracy is always important. Once you have retained an attorney, that attorney can assist you in communicating with outside entities, including insurance companies.
*These words of experience are not intended as legal advice or as a substitute for retaining an attorney, but again, are just words of experience that people who have been injured have found helpful when they are first making inquiries into how best to proceed. Top
Federal Tort Claims
*The federal government has many protections against being sued, but they can be sued for certain wrongful conduct.
Although the federal government allows itself to be sued in certain circumstances, it requires that formal claims be made within a very short time (most often as short as 180 days) or the right to pursue a claim is forever lost. Therefore, it is important that any time the federal government is suspected to be the potential cause of an injury that an attorney experienced in federal court is contacted very quickly.
As in all personal injury cases, it is important to document all losses, including keeping copies of medical bills and receipts for out-of-pocket expenses, taking photographs of visible signs of injury, and documenting all days missed from work and how your every day life was impacted as a result of your injury. It is also important to remember that everything you say about the accident to anyone (your doctor, your friends, the police, the insurance company for the other side, etc.) can be used against you later in litigation, so accuracy is always important. Once you have retained an attorney, that attorney can assist you in communicating with outside entities, including insurance companies.
*These words of experience are not intended as legal advice or as a substitute for retaining an attorney, but again, are just words of experience that people who have been injured have found helpful when they are first making inquiries into how best to proceed.
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Civil Rights/Discrimination
*The U.S. and Californian Constitutions provide us with certain rights that when violated give us the right to sue those who violated those rights for damages including, among other things, past and future lost wages, and pain and suffering associated with the violation of our rights. Although we have the right to pursue those damages, depending on who violated those rights, the law often requires us to move very quickly and file a formal complaint within a very short time (sometimes as short as 180 days.) Therefore, if you believe that your constitutional rights have been violated, it is important to move quickly to protect your right to pursue damages for the violations. Once you have retained an attorney, that attorney can assist you in evaluating the alleged conduct and determining how best to protect your right to pursue damages for the violation.
*These words of experience are not intended as legal advice or as a substitute for retaining an attorney, but again, are just words of experience that people who have been injured have found helpful when they are first making inquiries into how best to proceed. Top
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