Sacramento Serious Injury Lawyer
People suffering from serious injuries might be looking at a number of life-altering changes that are overwhelming to process. This could be a combination of physical pain, emotional distress, and significant financial burdens that are well outside the injured party’s budget. During such a challenging time, having the right legal team by your side is imperative. A Sacramento serious injury attorney can help you navigate the legalities of your case and protect your rights.
At The Ward Firm, our experienced team of accident lawyers is dedicated to providing the type of quality and custom legal representation that makes positive strides for victims of serious injuries. Our years of experience taking on these cases have allowed us to become familiar with the challenges you might face when recovering from an injury, like mounting medical bills and lost wages from work. Allow us to work on your behalf to secure the compensation you need to move forward.
How to Earn Compensation in a Serious Injury Case
To successfully earn compensation in a serious injury case, you face a multifaceted process that may require collaboration with a considerate, skilled Sacramento lawyer. Their legal knowledge, attention to detail, and strategic negotiation experience can make a huge difference in how fast and confidently they can secure the compensation you need to recover.
Some of these necessary steps include:
Establishing Liability
One of the most important tasks of any serious injury case is to establish liability. This means you need to prove that another party’s negligent or intentional actions caused your injuries. For this to be proven, the following four steps must be satisfied:
- Duty of care: You will need to show that the responsible party owed you a legal duty of care. For example, someone driving their vehicle on the road has a duty of care to keep other drivers safe. The same applies to property owners who need to keep their walkways and living spaces free of any dangerous hazards.
- Breach of duty: After a duty of care has been established, you must demonstrate how that duty was breached. This can be through reckless, careless, or intentional actions, as long as you have evidence to prove it. Some common examples include distracted driving or failing to fix a known hazard. A lawyer can help you collect usable evidence.
- Causation: Next, you need to establish a direct link between the breach of duty and the injuries you have sustained. It must be undeniably clear that the injuries would not have occurred if it hadn’t been for the negligent or intentional acts being addressed in this case.
- Damages: Finally, you will need to measure the extent of your damages. Total up your medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage. This is an important step, as it will inform the court how much compensation you should reasonably be able to recover.
Negotiating with Insurance Companies
Most serious injury cases will require your attorney to negotiate directly with insurance companies. It’s important to remember that, in many cases, their primary goal is to minimize payouts. While an initial offer might be tempting, accepting a settlement that is lower than you deserve could leave you without the resources you need for ongoing medical care. At this point, your lawyer can step in to leverage the evidence in your case to push for a fair offer.
Preparing for Trial
If your case needs to advance to a trial, an attorney can help you prepare for this process, where a judge and jury will decide the final outcome. To prepare for this, your attorney can help gather evidence, depose witnesses, and create a persuasive narrative to share in court. During the trial, your attorney can present your case, cross-examine witnesses, and help make creative arguments that show who is liable in your case and how much damage you have suffered.
FAQs
Q: What Should I Do Immediately After a Serious Injury?
A: After being injured, the first step you should take is to seek medical attention. Even if you swear you are feeling fine, it’s important to be checked to ensure there are no injuries that have delayed symptoms. Medical reports are extremely valuable and can be used as evidence down the road in your case. After your health issues are addressed, connect with a serious injury attorney to identify what grounds you have for a lawsuit.
Q: Can I Still Pursue a Claim If I Was Partially at Fault for an Accident?
A: Yes, you still have the right to pursue a personal injury claim for an accident in instances where you were partially at fault. This is possible through California’s pure comparative negligence rule, which means that compensation is reduced by the percentage of each individual’s fault in an injury case. For example, if you are found 30% responsible for causing the accident, you are only eligible to receive 70% of your damages.
Q: How Long Does It Take to Resolve a Serious Injury Case?
A: The timeline of your serious injury case will largely depend on how complicated the details are to understand and solve. More straightforward cases are the strongest candidates to be resolved through a settlement. Avoiding trials saves time and money for all stakeholders in the case. Factors like the evidence that is available, an insurance company’s willingness to revisit an initial offer, and the extent of your injuries can all impact the case’s timeline.
Q: Can I Recover Compensation for Future Medical Expenses?
A: Yes, future medical expenses can be negotiated when trying to recover compensation for a serious injury. This is important to know, as compensation can provide much-needed funds for ongoing treatments, rehabilitation, or any other surgeries you may anticipate. To calculate these costs, your attorney might solicit the help of medical experts who can estimate the long-term impact of your injuries and determine a reasonable amount of compensation to request.
Contact The Ward Firm Today
If you have recently been injured in a serious accident case and are looking for a legal resource that knows how to earn every dollar you need, contact our firm today. We have spent years investigating these exact types of cases and know where to look for persuasive evidence that makes a difference in the outcome of your case.
Schedule a Free Consultation
At your free initial consultation, you will meet directly with Justin, and he will explain how he can best help you with your case. If you decide to work with us, we will immediately get started on creating a strategy that protects your interests.
To get more information, call our office at 916-443-2474 or send us an email using our contact form. We are available by phone 24 hours a day. Se habla español.