Minor traffic incidents such as a fender-bender or slight bumps that result in superficial bruising are easy to recover from. However, not everyone is fortunate to be the victim of minor accidents.
In worst-case scenarios, severe motor vehicle accidents can cause excruciating pain, massive financial losses, and even death. Hiring a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer in such cases can help you claim rightful compensation for your suffering.
But these professionals help with more than just car accident cases. They help people file lawsuits in the event of workplace-related injury, dog bites, bus injuries, nursing home abuse, construction accidents, and more.
California Personal Injury Law’s statute of limitations
The state has a statute of limitations of two years for most personal injury claims. But if the incident involves a government vehicle (local, Federal, or state), the limit is six months. Failure to file the compensation claim within the stipulated time frame can result in your case being permanently barred from the courts.
There are exceptions to this rule, though. For instance, if the injured plaintiff in the case is a minor, then the plaintiff’s parents have two years from the child’s eighteenth birthday to file the claim. A professional lawyer is well aware of all these intricate rules, regulations, and limitations. They can therefore assist their clients in the matter and give them sound guidance and advice. It is, therefore, important to hire a LA personal injury law firm to make sure you are taking the legal proceedings ahead in the right manner. A reliable personal injury attorney can explain the other exceptions in detail and help you make a well informed decision.
Car accidents in LA
Los Angeles is among the most difficult Californian cities to drive in for various reasons. Firstly, the amount of traffic here is unbelievably high. Secondly, several people indulge in drunk driving, speeding, and other forms of irresponsible driving. They put the lives of other people on the road, not just themselves, at risk. And the unfortunate people who suffer the consequences of such brazen actions are pedestrians and other responsible drivers.
That’s why, despite efforts such as Vision Zero, traffic-related deaths in California have fluctuated unsteadily over the past years. While you cannot possibly prevent an accident forever, you can be prepared to deal with it in a better way should it ever occur. And a prudent personal injury lawyer in LA will play a critical role in this preparation.
Injury at the workplace
A Los Angeles personal injury lawyer also specializes in workers’ compensation claims. Most work-related injuries in LA occur in the construction industry, with a sizable number resulting from fatal falls. So, if you sustain an injury at the workplace, you have the right to demand rightful compensation.
But LA attorneys handle other accidental injury cases as well, such as a slip-and-fall at the grocery store, where the victim has a personal injury case. If the victims were at the store to make a delivery, they would qualify to file a workers’ compensation claim.
Proving negligence
When you file a personal injury case in California, the onus to prove the negligence of the culprit or party-at-fault lies with you, the plaintiff. An excellent personal injury attorney can help you do just that in court.
Typically, the plaintiffs’ lawyers need to prove the following in Los Angeles court to win the compensation.
- Damages suffered – Your lawyer will submit hospital bills, accident site pictures, lost wages, and other such vital documents to prove you have suffered damages due to the accident.
- Duty of care – It must be proven that the person (or persons) responsible for the accident owed you a duty to exercise care at the time of the crash. A lawyer will help justify your case in such a case.
- A breach of the duty of care – The lawyer will help prove that the defendant carelessly or intentionally breached the duty of care towards the plaintiff.
- Causation proved – In such cases, it is not enough to establish that the defendant was negligent. The lawyer will help prove causation – that the negligence led to the plaintiff’s damages and injury.
Handling lawsuits or legal matters like fighting for compensatory claims are matters of sensitive nature. These matters are best handled by professional attorneys who understand the in and out of all legal cases. Hiring a lawyer in case of battling a legal case in terms of personal injury is essential as they help you save the time and energy that you would otherwise have to put in to win the claim yourself. With their expertise, you can save yourself from the ordeal of going from one place to another to handle the case or gather all the evidence to win the suit. Remember to hire an LA lawyer with a considerable amount of experience in personal injury claims. That’s because such professionals will know how to precisely shape your case and the best possible odds of success.
