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When you suffer harm because of another party’s actions or inactions, a Long Beach personal injury lawyer can help you determine whether you have a valid claim. They can also guide you through the claims process. Examples of when it’s best to contact a personal injury lawyer: You suffered severe injuries; The other party’s insurance company is offering to settle; Your own insurance company is dragging its feet or refusing to pay a legitimate claim; Your claim involves complex legal issues; or There are multiple parties at fault. Contact a lawyer if you’re unsure whether you have a valid personal injury claim.

Most personal injury cases involve negligence. To build a successful claim based on negligence, you must prove the following four elements: The other party owed you a duty of care; The other party breached their duty of care; You suffered harm as a result of the other party’s breach; and You sustained damages, such as medical expenses. A lawyer can evaluate the circumstances of your case and can advise you on your legal options.

In most personal injury matters, the statute of limitations is two years from the date of the injury. That means you may lose your right to pursue compensation if you don’t file within the allotted time. Some personal injury accidents have longer or shorter deadlines. For example, a claim involving a government entity will have a significantly shorter deadline. A lawsuit involving wrongful death could be two years from the date of death rather than the injury date. Don’t assume you know the proper statute of limitations in your case without speaking to an experienced lawyer.

Few cases actually go to trial in front of a jury, however an experienced personal injury attorney in Long Beach should always prepare your case for trial. From the onset of signing the case, an experienced personal injury attorney will always have a trial in the back of his or her mind for the case. This will help in from gathering evidence to prove liability, to requesting medical records and bills to show your damages, to getting experts to opine on causation. Working the case in the belief it will go to trial makes the case stronger. This work will give an impression to the defendant that they will lose in a trial and therefore they will be motivated to negotiate and offer a just settlement.

Long Beach personal injury lawyers offer various advantages to their clients to give a victim the upper hand in their lawsuit. As you focus on your recovery, you can rest assured that your attorney is working on your case in the following ways:

• Investigating the details of your accident,
• Gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses,
• Maintaining all procedural and administrative deadlines,
• Requesting all medical records and billing,
• Preparing demands for your injuries and property damages,
• Propounding and responding to discovery,
• Taking and defending depositions,
• Negotiating with insurance companies,
• Calculating the value of your claim, and
• Preparing your case for trial.

Attempting to pursue a personal injury claim without a qualified attorney could result in receiving far less compensation than you deserve.

Most Long Beach personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. That means you don’t pay any hourly fees or upfront costs. Instead, your attorney takes a percentage of your settlement to cover legal fees and expenses. It’s important to ask during your meeting, so you know exactly what to expect.

The value of a personal injury case depends on multiple factors, including the: Type and severity of your injuries, Liability, Total damages, and Available insurance coverage. In general, personal injury cases may include compensation for the following: Medical expenses, including hospital bills, doctor’s visits, and rehabilitation costs; Lost wages and future loss of earning capacity; Pain and suffering, including physical and emotional distress; Property damage, such as damage to your vehicle or other personal property; Loss of enjoyment of life and loss of consortium; and Punitive damages, which courts intend to punish the defendant for particularly egregious behavior. Your Long Beach personal injury attorney can help you calculate your case’s potential value based on your specific circumstances.

In California, comparative negligence allows individuals partially at fault for their injuries to recover compensation. However, your percentage of liability will reduce the payment you receive. For example, if you’re 30% at fault, you would only receive 70% of your damages. Insurance companies will always try to shift the highest percentage of liability on the other party to avoid paying out compensation.

Determining who may be liable for your injuries requires an analysis of the facts of your case. Essentially, your lawyer will look over the discovery to determine how the accident happened and whose negligence caused your injuries. Potentially liable parties can be the other driver in an accident case, a dog owner in a dog bite case, a property owner in a slip and fall premises liability case, and many others, depending on the circumstances.

As you search for the right person to represent you in your personal injury case, you may wonder what happens at the initial consultation. There are a few things you may wish to bring to this meeting to get the most out of your time:

• Share critical facts of your case;
• Bring the names, addresses, and contact information of all persons connected with the matter; and
• Bring all papers related to the case.

Free consultations permit an attorney to review your case facts, but they also allow you to learn more about the attorney. An initial consultation should give you insight into an attorney’s character and personality and whether you want to establish a working relationship with them. In addition, you get to ask questions pertaining to your cases with no pressure to sign up immediately.