Car Accident

A car accident can have a major impact on a victim’s life that goes far beyond the damage to their property or the direct effects of the injuries they may sustain. Because car accidents and their injuries can be so complex, it is strongly advised that people who are involved in car accidents caused by someone else get in touch with a personal injury attorney as soon as possible.

At the law office of Timothy J. Ryan & Associates, we are ready to help you navigate the complicated world of car accident settlements and personal injury lawsuits today. It is strongly advised that you work with an attorney while you are dealing with an insurance company to ensure that you get the money you rightfully deserve for your accident, and not just the amount that the insurance company wants to pay in order to protect their own financial interests.

Read more below about how car accidents are handled by experienced Long Beach personal injury attorneys, and contact us today for a free consultation in order to discuss your situation and understand your legal options with a legal professional. Keep in mind that the situations and details listed below only represent a small piece of the overall legal process with personal injury, and your accident and injuries are likely to look very different from these examples given. We understand that and treat every client and case with a unique approach to get the best results.

What Is a Personal Injury?

Personal injury relates to physical and emotional injuries sustained, as opposed to property damage that may happen during the same situation that the physical and emotional damages occur. Property damage is fairly easy to calculate compensation for since it simply requires submitting repair or replacement costs for the property that was either damaged or destroyed.

However, personal injury is a bit more complex to quantify than property damage for a variety of reasons. Namely, personal injury is complicated because it includes more subjective things than just physical injuries and medical bills, such as pain and suffering and other issues known as “non-economic damages.” Personal injury lawsuits seek financial compensation for the economic damages the victim suffers like their medical bills, but also pays special care to the non-economic damages and seeks fair financial compensation for these non-financial issues.

Common Causes of Personal Injuries

Injuries can come from many different situations, and no two accidents or injuries are alike, but the California civil courts do see some common circumstances that put people at risk on a daily basis. Just because the cause may be similar in many cases does not mean that the injuries sustained, or the settlement amount required to fairly compensate the victim, are similar, and we handle each case with the specific care it needs. If you do not see an incident below that resembles your own situation, do not hesitate to contact us immediately — we will work with you to get the justice you deserve.

Car Accidents

Car accidents are an extremely common occurrence in California, and in many cases, the accident is clearly the fault of one driver. In an accident that another driver caused — by things like distracted driving, operating under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, recklessness, or any other negligent behavior — those injured in the accident will seek damages from the responsible driver’s insurance company. The insurance company will aggressively work to limit payments as much as possible while protecting the legal interests of both their client and the company itself.

In situations where the victim suffers personal injuries, it is always important to involve a personal injury lawyer to handle negotiations during this phase and to move the situation into a civil lawsuit if the settlement negotiations fail. Before accepting any offers from an insurance company, contact us today for a free consultation to understand what, if any, options you have for additional compensation.

Slip and Fall

A slip and fall is a type of premise liability that seeks compensation from a property owner or the party responsible for its upkeep if someone is injured due to unsafe conditions. This includes things like slippery floors without adequate warning, loose or missing handrails, unsafe staircases, and more.

In order for a premise liability case to be heard, it must be provable that the party responsible for the property had a duty to keep the situation safe for visitors, that they either were aware or should have been aware of the unsafe situation, and that they did not take the proper steps to secure the hazard. In most cases, illegally trespassing is not covered under this situation.

Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice comes in many different forms, but have a certain series of requirements that must be met in order to qualify. First, the malpractice must be by a healthcare professional, and it must be shown that the professional failed to keep a reasonable standard of care for their patient. This could be in cases like misprescribing, failure to diagnose illnesses or misdiagnosing an illness, and even surgical mix-ups. In California, there is a $250,000 damage cap for non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases.

Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcycles are fun ways to get around, especially in the wonderful Southern California weather. However, the joy of riding a motorcycle comes with significant risks due to a variety of factors like lack of protection in a crash, lower visibility to other drivers, and how easy it is to drive at excessive speeds. In a crash that would be considered a minor fender-bender between two passenger vehicles, the damages to a motorcycle rider or driver can be catastrophic. This means that the health risks posed in a motorcycle accident, and therefore the medical expenses associated, are much higher.

Contact Us Today

If you have been involved in a Long Beach car accident, contact our car accident lawyers in Orange County immediately to discuss your legal options for a personal injury lawsuit or settlement agreement. You may be entitled to significantly more damages than you realize, and it is important that you make sure to get the justice you deserve. There is no reason that you should be stuck with the financial burdens of an injury that someone else caused, and we will work with you to make sure that this is never the case.

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