Depends, sometimes the skills of a professional attorney can be beneficial to your case. A lawyer is specially trained to file lawsuits and handle cases and may be able to achieve a better result than someone who does not have law experience. If you were injured using a bad product, someone else’s negligence, or were exposed to something toxic, a personal injury attorney is something you should look into.
We only get paid when the case is concluded. We take percentage of the total amount the settlement you were given. The figure varies depending if the client is a minor or if the case settles in mediation or trial. Fees typically are 1/3.
If you were driving a car that you are not the owner of and you were injured in an accident you can only receive damages for your injuries. You will not receive any compensation for property damage as it is not your property. You as the driver, however, may be liable for any injuries sustained.
This depends. It is based on the severity of your injuries and how long it takes for you to be released from medical treatment. Also, there is a two year statute of limitations with personal injury cases meaning that you can not file a lawsuit if it has been two years since you were injured.
We can assist you in finding doctors that will “work on lien”. This means that you do not have to pay the fees to the doctor until you settle your case.
Under “Prop 213” if you do not have valid insurance the driver can not receive damages for “pain and suffering”. You can, however, receive economic damages such as medical bills, wage loss, and property damages.
It is possible to recover four types of damages from a products liability cases:
Compensatory damages- these are to compensate you for the cost of medical bills, the money you lost from the time you had to take off of work, the cost it will take you to care for your disability if your injury has altered your lifestyle, and the cost of any property damage caused by the product.
Pain and suffering- these are damages for the pain or loss of enjoyment of life caused by your injury. Pain and suffering can include anxiety, scars, fear, duress, as well as pain.
Loss of consortium- these are to compensate you in the event your injuries have had a negative affect on your relationship with your spouse. Your may be able to recover these damages as well.
Punitive damages- these are awarded in such cases when the defendant’s conduct was so outrageous that the courts or jury will issue these damages as an extra punishment.
Yes, it is possible to sue a foreign corporation for a faulty product that has been sold to the United States. These days mor and more corporations are manufacturing their products outside of the Untied States, but brought back for sale. If a product is sold in the United States, the corporation is subject to the laws of the United States. The corporation must have some direct contact with the United States to fall under U.S. laws.
There is a “statute of limitations”, or a limit to the amount of time to file a suit, in every state that determines how long you have to file you case. In a product liability case no state has a statute of limitations that is less than one year. Specifically, in California the statute of limitations is 2 years from the date of injury.
You will need to provide your attorney with:
-The product itself (if possible)
-Information about where you purchased it
-Any manuals or other material that came with the product
-Pictures of the product and where the injury occured (if possible)
-Other similar products or exemplars used needed to use the product you were injured with (if possible)
-Copies of all warnings, instructions, and warranties that came with the product or its packaging
-Copies of your medical records
-Time that you missed for work
-Receipts for any property damge (cleaning bills, receipts for damaged clothing)
-Begin a journal and document everything
-Details of what occurred
-What was said by any witnesses
-Your injuries, the pain and feelings you experience due to your injuries
-Time you had to take off work
-Time spent talking with the insurance company as well as your lawyer
-Effects of the injuries on your family