While it’s never an ideal situation to be injured in an accident, it’s always a good idea to be prepared. You never know when an accident will happen, or what the outcome of it will be. That’s part of the reason that insurance is so important; it’s designed to protect you in the event that you’re in a car accident or you’re injured at work. Still, insurance can be expensive. Not everyone may be able to afford it.
But just because you lack insurance doesn’t mean that you’re out of options. If you’re injured in California because of someone else’s negligence or recklessness, you have certain rights and privileges under the law. In order to flesh this out more fully, you should always consider talking with an experienced personal injury lawyer.
Experienced California Personal Injury Lawyers
Dealing with an accident and injury is incredibly tough, but you don’t have to face it alone. Our team of dedicated California personal injury lawyers at Maison Law is here to support you. We have a successful track record of helping clients with all different types of claims, and we’ve developed an effective system to handle personal injury cases.
Don’t hesitate to contact us for a free consultation if you’ve been injured in California.
How Do Accidents and Injuries Occur in California?
With California’s huge population and diverse economy and climate, it offers several opportunities for fun and recreation. But this also means that there’s ample opportunity to suffer an accident or injury.
According to 2015 data from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), there were over 196,000 injuries statewide. As more and more people come through California, that number is only expected to increase.
At our firm, we handle various types of personal injury cases. While personal injury claims can be complex, they generally involve harm caused by:
- Someone else’s negligence results in physical, financial, or emotional damages.
Our experienced team of personal injury lawyers have handled the following types of cases:
- Car, motorcycle, or truck accidents – If you’ve been injured in a car, motorcycle, or truck accident caused by a reckless or negligent driver, we can help you seek compensation.
- Product liability – If you’ve been harmed by a defective product, we can hold the manufacturer accountable for your injuries.
- Premises liability – If you’ve been injured on someone else’s property due to negligence, whether it’s a home or a business, we can help you pursue a claim against the property owner.
- Construction accidents – If you’ve been injured at a construction site due to the actions of someone other than your employer, we can assist you in filing a claim outside of the worker’s compensation system.
- Workplace accidents – If you’ve been injured at work under certain serious circumstances, we can help you hold the company responsible for your injuries.
- Dog bites – If you’ve been bitten by a dog, we can help you pursue compensation from the dog’s owner.
Injuries
As with any accident, there are a number of different types of injuries that can occur. You never know when an accident will happen, thus it’s difficult to prepare and react to the incident. That said, there are common injuries that occur across these accidents:
- Whiplash
- Bone fractures
- Soft tissue injuries (sprains, strains, tears)
- Head injuries (traumatic brain injuries, concussions)
- Back and spinal cord injuries
- Cuts, bruises, and lacerations
- Psychological and emotional injuries
Even if you don’t have insurance, there are specific rules that need to be followed when pursuing a California personal injury claim to seek damages. It’s crucial to have the support of an experienced personal injury lawyer who can advocate for you and ensure that you receive proper compensation for your injuries.
What is the Process For a Personal Injury Case in California?
Again, just because you don’t have insurance coverage doesn’t exclude you from filing a personal injury claim in California. In fact, if someone else is liable for your injuries and damages, you have the legal right to file a claim against their insurance company. Before you do that, though, there are important rules and deadlines to keep in mind:
- Comparative negligence – In California, the legal system uses a “comparative negligence” approach. This means that if you were partially responsible for the accident, the amount of compensation you receive may be reduced according to the percentage of fault assigned to you.
- Statute of limitations – It’s important to know about the “statute of limitations,” which is the time limit for filing a lawsuit. In California, you have two years from the date of the injury to file a claim or lawsuit. If you miss this deadline, you won’t be able to take legal action for your injuries.
When it comes to filing a personal injury claim, you generally have two options: filing a claim with the at-fault party’s insurance company or filing a lawsuit.
- Insurance claim – If you decide to seek compensation from the at-fault party’s insurance company, you can make a demand to settle the case before going to court. This may work well for smaller claims or those that can be resolved quickly. However, if the stakes are higher or if there are serious injuries involved, a lawsuit may be necessary. The choice to settle or proceed with a lawsuit is yours to make.
- Lawsuit – Filing a lawsuit is a more complex process. It involves negotiation, litigation, and potentially going to trial. The discovery process begins once the lawsuit is filed, which can be lengthy and involve objections and requests for information. Going to trial can be costly and time-consuming, and the outcome is uncertain. Throughout the process, our firm will keep you informed and work with you to achieve the best possible outcome.
Both of these options provide you with the opportunity to recover compensation, known in legal terms as damages. In a typical California personal injury claim, this can include:
- Medical treatment/bills
- Loss of Income
- Property loss
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment
- Loss of consortium
Should You Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer If You Don’t Have Insurance?
Being without insurance can make things very difficult if you’re injured in an accident. Thus, it’s extremely important that you find a way to compensate yourself. The legal system in California allows you to do that, but your best chance at a successful claim rests in having experienced and skilled personal injury lawyers on your side.
We believe we have a team that can help you do that. Better yet, we work on a contingency fee basis, which means there’s no upfront cost for you. Instead, we take our fee from whatever result we get for you.
Once you decide to move forward with legal action, Once your personal injury claim is viable, our law firm can provide assistance in the following ways:
- Collecting and reviewing evidence – We will help gather important information like medical records and accident reports to build a strong case for you.
- Negotiating with the insurance company – We will talk to the insurance company of the person responsible for your injuries to try to reach a fair agreement and get you the compensation you deserve.
- Preparing and filing a complaint – If we can’t reach a fair settlement, we will help you prepare and submit a formal complaint against the responsible party. This starts the legal process and allows us to present your case in court.
- Representing you in court – We will fight for your rights during the legal process, speaking on your behalf and presenting evidence to support your claim for compensation.
- Going to trial – If the insurance company or responsible party refuses to settle, we are ready to take your case to trial. We will present your case to a judge and jury who will make a fair decision.
At Maison Law, we prioritize effective communication and will keep you informed about the progress of your case. We are available to address any questions or concerns you may have during this process. Overall, we take pride in our client-specific approach and will make sure you get the treatment you deserve.
Don’t Hesitate To Contact Maison Law Today
Dealing with personal injury can be tough, especially if you don’t have insurance to cover you. But our experienced personal injury lawyers at Maison Law are here to help make the process a bit easier. Our founder, attorney Martin Gasparian, has helped numerous clients in California with their personal injury cases and will ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.
Don’t hesitate to get the help you need. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
