Huntington Beach Personal Injury Lawyer

Personal injuries are arguably the most common reasons behind many, if not most, civil lawsuits. They are often connected to unfortunate accidents that occur because of one person’s or multiple people’s negligence. Injured victims deserve financial compensation, and our legal team is here to help.

Personal injury cases may involve a wide range of accidents and injuries, and it can be difficult to understand the nature of your claims without help from a lawyer. Many cases stem from accidents, including, but not limited to, car crashes, workplace accidents, and slip and fall accidents. You may be entitled to significant damages, such as medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering, among others.

Start your case with a free legal review from our personal injury attorneys when you call the Law Office of John J. Perlstein at (213) 252-1070.

How Do You Know if You Have a Personal Injury Claim in Huntington Beach?

Since personal injury cases may cover such a wide variety of accidents and injuries, you need a lawyer who has experience with your specific type of case. Discuss the following factors with your attorney to make sure you get the help you need.

You Were Involved in an Accident

A clear sign that you may have a personal injury claim on your hands is that you were recently involved in an accident. Many cases, if not most, stem from unintentional accidents. However, the fact that the accident was unintentional does not mean that nobody can be held responsible.

Common examples of accidents include car accidents, accidents involving heavy machinery or power tools, malfunctioning household appliances, and falling accidents.

Even if you are not quite sure who caused the accident, you should still speak to an attorney. They can help you investigate the accident and take legal action to get financial compensation.

You Experienced Bodily Harm

A key component of personal injury law is that the plaintiff must experience some bodily harm. If you were involved in an accident but sustained no physical injuries, you likely do not have a personal injury claim. However, you might still file a claim for damage to property.

Your injuries do not need to be extreme or life-altering to be grounds for a personal injury lawsuit. Even minor injuries or injuries that are expected to recover fully may be included in a personal injury lawsuit.

You Are Not Responsible for Your Injuries

Another important consideration is responsibility for the accident. If you are fully responsible for causing the accident that led to your injuries, you likely cannot sue someone else for damages.

However, it may still be possible to sue if you are only partially to blame. California follows a “pure comparative negligence” law. This means that a plaintiff may sue and recover damages even if they share blame for the accident.

Your damages may be reduced in proportion to your share of blame. If you are 10% responsible, you can only recover 90% of your damages. There is no limit to how much of the blame you share. In theory, a plaintiff could be 99% responsible and still recover 1% of their damages.

What Kind of Damages Can You Claim in a Personal Injury Lawsuit?

Numerous damages may be available in your case, and you should have an experienced lawyer review it to identify all available damages. If anything is left out of the case, it may be difficult to claim it later.

Medical Bills

When people are injured in accidents, they may require immediate medical attention. Depending on the extent of the victim’s injuries, medical treatment may be intensive and costly. You should claim all your medical expenses as part of your damages.

Property Damage

Similarly, you may claim the cost of your property that was damaged in the accident. If you were injured in a car accident, you may claim the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle in addition to the value of damaged personal items that were inside your vehicle.

Lost Income and Wages

Accident victims often need time to recover from their injuries, and they may be unable to continue working and earning a living while they recover. In such cases, victims may claim the value of their lost wages as part of their damages. The longer you cannot work, the more damages you should claim.

If your injuries are so severe that you cannot work for the foreseeable future. Our personal injury attorneys can estimate how much income you may continue to lose after your case is complete and add these future damages to your claim.

Distress, Suffering, and Pain

Not all damages must be measured in terms of dollars and cents. Many other damages, often called non-economic damages, cannot be fully proven with evidence of cost. These damages tend to revolve around personal painful experiences.

You may claim significant non-economic damages for the emotional distress and psychological trauma you may have endured during the accident. If the accident was especially traumatic, you may include damages for lingering distress, including psychological conditions like depression or PTSD.

FAQs About Personal Injury Lawsuits in Huntington Beach?

Do You Have to Be Seriously Hurt to File a Personal Injury Claim in Huntington Beach?

No. While you should have injuries and damages that we can prove in a court of law, they do not have to be extremely severe or life-altering to be grounds for a lawsuit. You may sue even if you are expected to fully recover from your injuries.

How Long After Being Injured Should You File a Personal Injury Lawsuit?

California’s statute of limitations for personal injury cases requires you to file your case in court within 2 years of the day you are injured. If a plaintiff does not file the case on time, they may be prohibited from taking their case to court.

Should You Accept a Settlement or Take a Personal Injury Case to Trial?

Whether you accept a settlement or take your case to a courtroom is up to you, but you should discuss the pros and cons of each option with your lawyer before deciding. A settlement could get you compensation faster, but it might not be as much as your case is truly worth. While lawsuits tend to take longer, plaintiffs may be awarded the full extent of their damages.

How Long Do Personal Injury Lawsuits Usually Take to Complete?

The time it takes to complete a personal injury lawsuit varies from case to case. Keep in mind that lawsuits generally take a while. Many cases take at least several months to complete. Other, more complex cases or those that are more heavily disputed may take over a year to complete.

Can You File a Personal Injury Lawsuit Without a Lawyer?

It is possible to file a lawsuit without legal representation, but this is not advisable. Filing a lawsuit can be extremely complicated, time-consuming, and difficult. You may be badly hurt and in no shape to handle litigation on your own. Hire an experienced personal injury attorney to help you.

Receive Legal Help from Our Personal Injury Attorneys in Huntington Beach

Start your case with a free legal review from our personal injury attorneys when you call the Law Office of John J. Perlstein at (213) 252-1070.