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California Personal Injury Law

Personal injury law is a broad area of legal practice that attempts to protect the rights of an individual who was injured as the result of another's negligence. In California, personal injury claims can include a car, truck, motorcycle, boat, bus, aviation, or helicopter accident, dog bites, slip and falls, dangerous premises accidents, construction accidents and toxic tort cases.

If you or a member of your family is injured in an accident, a law firm that specializes in personal injuries can guide you through the process of bringing a claim. A personal injury lawyer can be instrumental in helping you collect much-needed compensation to help your family recover. Under California law, injured victims have the right to recover monetary compensation for all the costs and damages associated with the accident. It is the duty of a skilled attorney to prove that your accident was caused directly by another.

What Do We Do for You in a Personal Injury Case?

Here is a more or less complete list of the tasks we may be called to do in your case. Remember that each case is different, and that not all of these tasks will be required in every case. They are:

- Initial interview with the client
- Educate client about personal injury claims
- Gather documentary evidence including police accident reports, medical records and bills.
- Analyze the client's insurance policy to see whether there are any coverages which the client has that may pay all or a portion of the medical bills while the claim is pending
- Analyze the client's insurance coverages and make suggestions as to what coverages should be purchased for future protection
- Interview known witnesses
- Collect other evidence, such as photographs of the accident scene
- Analyze the legal issues, such as contributory negligence and assumption of the risk
- Talk to the client's physicians or obtain written reports from them to fully understand the client's condition
- Analyze the client's health insurance policy ascertain whether any money they spent to pay your bills must be repaid
- Analyze the validity of any liens on the case. Doctors, insurance companies, welfare benefit plans and employers may assed that they are entitled to all or part of the client's recovery
- Contact the insurance company to put them on notice of the claim, if this has not already been done
- Decide with the client whether an attempt will be made to negotiate the case with the insurance company or whether suit shall be filed
- If suit is filed, prepare the client, witnesses and healthcare providers for depositions
- Prepare written questions and answers and take the deposition of the defendant and other witnesses
- Produce to the defendant all of the pertinent data for the claim, such as medical bills, medical records, and tax returns
- Go to court to set a trial date
- Prepare for trial and/or settlement before trial
- Prepare the client and witnesses for trial
- Organize the preparation of medical exhibits for trial
- Organize the preparation of demonstrative exhibits for trial
- Prepare for mediation and/or arbitration
- File briefs and motions with the court to eliminate surprises at trial
- Take the case to trial with a jury or judge
- Analyze the jury's verdict to determine if either side has a good grounds to appeal the case
- Make recommendations to the client as to whether or not to appeal the case. Note, our contract with you docs not obligate us to participate in any appeal.
- Prepare a full accounting of funds held in trust for clients benefit.
- Disburse monies according to outstanding liens and balances due client