Personal Injury Law In California: What you Need to Know.

If you have been injured in a personal injury accident you likely have a lot of questions. After an accident it is common to feel shaken up and nervous about what is to come. How will you pay for your medical bills? How will you cover the cost of car repairs? There are many legal complexities when it comes to personal injury law in California. B|B Law Group is here to help you understand what you need to know before filing a personal injury claim.

Statute of Limitations in Personal Injury Law

Every state will have a different set of Statute of Limitations.

In every state there is a deadline when it comes to trying to claim compensation for your damages. The California Statute of Limitations (SOL) is the rule that every victim has to follow when it comes to how long they have to file a lawsuit. In California, for personal injury, the victim typically has two years from the injury. There are a few exceptions to this. 

• If the victim in a minor, the 2 years doesn’t start until they turn 18. 
• Claims against a government agency has an SOL of 6 months 
• The SOL for a medical malpractice claim can vary between 1-3 years based on the unique circumstances. 

If you want to learn more about the Step by Step look at the personal injury lawsuit process click here. 

What is My Personal Injury Case Worth?

Every personal injury case will be worth different amounts based on the circumstances surrounding the accident and injury. Something personal injury victims should understand is the maximum amount they can receive for damages. The limitations of your case will have major impact on the potential value of your personal injury claim. The personal injury victim can receive economic damages that are based on the amount of compensation they need in order to be restored to the same level of physical and mental health as before the accident. Economic damages include expenses such as hospital bills, prescription medicine, follow up treatment, etc. It also includes lost wages, loss of earning capacity and compensation for disability.

Personal injury victims do have a limit related to the non-economic damages portion of their claim. This includes pain and suffering, inconvenience, and mental anguish. In California, personal injury victims are limited to a single digit multiplier of the economic damages that they receive.

Car Accidents – Personal Injury Law

Car accidents are a common personal injury case. No one wants to be in a car accident, but unfortunately all drivers and passengers are at risk of being in one. Traveling in Los Angeles can be overwhelming. The amount of traffic that we experience day after day provides higher risk to receiving a personal injury from a car accident in Los Angeles. If you have been injured in a car accident you should consult with a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.

California Insurance Requirements

In California, vehicle owners must have insurance that provides liability coverage for the following minimum requirements:

• $15,000 per person
• $30,000 for two or more people
• $5,000 per occurrence for property damage

What is the Difference Between No-Fault and At-Fault States?

Whenever you are in a vehicle, there is a risk of being involved in a car accident. In some vehicular accidents, it is clear who is at fault. In other instances, it is not clear who is at fault. Or, rarely, sometimes no one is at fault.

At Fault States

In at-fault states, the at-fault driver’s bodily injury liability coverage pays for the other driver’s hospital bills. A driver who causes a car crash in an at-fault state is responsible for compensating the victim (or victims) for their damages. This can be done either with an insurance claim, or the at-fault driver can pay the other party out of pocket.

No Fault States

In no-fault states, your personal injury protection (PIP) insurance covers your own medical bills. No-fault should not be confused with “not-at-fault” – as “not-at-fault” accidents can happen in both no-fault and at-fault states.

California Personal Injury Laws

California is an at-fault state, which means that the driver who is responsible for a car accident is liable for paying the costs of any physical injuries and property damage sustained by the victims of the accident. Although, the victim in a car accident can file an insurance claim to the other driver’s insurance. In California, drivers can sue for additional damages on top of what their insurance covers.

Slip and Fall Accidents – Personal Injury Law

Another common personal injury accident are slip and fall accidents. Unfortunately victims are injured in from slip and fall accidents often. In fact more than 1 million people visit the ER each year from slip and fall accidents. If your accident was a direct result of the negligence of someone else, it is important that you reach out to an experienced slip and fall accident attorney as soon as possible.

Truck Accidents -Personal Injury Law

Truck accidents often have deadly or catastrophic results due to the sheer size of commercial vehicles. Victims in a truck accident can sustain major injuries and sometimes permanent disabilities including traumatic brain injuries, damage to the spinal cord, and more. Unfortunately, there are around 500,000 trucking accidents in the United States every year – resulting in too many victims who have serious injuries, expensive medical bills, and other damages.

Truck accident cases can be complex because it can be difficult to determine who (or what) caused the accident and is at fault. Additionally, these complex cases can be made more frustrating by trucking insurance companies who will aggressively defend their side and do whatever it takes to pay out as little as possible to the victims of trucking accidents. If you have been injured in a California truck accident it is important that you reach out to a truck accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Hiring an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney

At B|B Law Group, our goal is simple: preserve and protect the legal rights of the people of Southern California. Our award winning team of attorneys are experienced in the fields of personal injury, employment and habitability law, and it is our mission to provide our clients with the best legal representation.

If we don’t win, you don’t pay

If your case isn’t successful, you have our guarantee that you won’t have to pay for anything. No hidden fees, costs or conditions — that’s our promise.