Accident injuries can interfere with your life, either temporarily or permanently. In addition to the pain and inconvenience of the injury itself, you may be worrying about when you can get back to work or how you will pay for the medical care you need. An El Monte personal injury lawyer can help you fight for compensation to cover your expenses and support your family through this difficult time. Call Jacoby & Meyers Law Offices at (888) 522-6291 for more information.
You Could Be Eligible for Compensation
You may deserve to be paid damages after an accident, but who should you sue to get it? That depends on the specifics of your accident. You may already know the answer to this question, or you may need to conduct some additional investigation (or hire a lawyer to investigate for you) to get to the bottom of who and what caused your accident.
For example, per California Civil Code (CIV) §3342, if you are bitten by a dog, the dog’s owner may be liable for any injuries or damage the dog caused. If you slip and fall on another person’s property, you may be able to sue the property owner for failing to remove potential hazards, as stated in CIV §1714.
Motor vehicle accidents can be caused by a variety of parties, most notably the other driver. Among the risky driving behaviors identified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are drowsy driving, distracted driving, and speeding. However, some motor vehicle accidents are the fault of an irresponsible maintenance company or auto parts manufacturer rather than a driver.
It would be impossible to thoroughly discuss all of the possible personal injury accident causes in one article. To learn more about how your accident happened and what types of compensation you may be entitled to collect, call Jacoby & Meyers Law Offices at (888) 522-6291. The initial case evaluation will cost you nothing.
There Are Different Kinds of Damages
The term “damages” encompasses several types of compensation that accident victims may be awarded. For the purposes of your lawsuit, you only need to concern yourself with two types of damages: economic and non-economic.
To qualify for economic damages, you need to have experienced some sort of financial loss as a result of the accident. These losses can include a wide range of circumstances, including:
- Lost wages: Did the accident or your injuries force you to take time off from work, whether you could afford it or not?
- Lost employment: Are you no longer able to do your job because of your injuries? Were you fired because of the accident and/or your injuries?
- Medical expenses: Did you seek emergency care right after the accident? Will you always need medical care (e.g., a home nurse) to manage your injuries?
- Cost of assistance: Do you need a nanny, a housekeeper, or someone else to do chores that you were once capable of handling yourself?
To qualify for non-economic damages, you need to have been physically and/or mentally injured in the accident, including:
- Pain and suffering: Did your injuries cause you pain, or do they still cause pain? Have you had to deal with nightmares or intrusive memories of the accident?
- Reduced quality of life: Do your injuries prevent you from taking part in fun activities or living independently?
- Loss of consortium: Has any aspect of your relationship with your spouse (emotional, sexual, etc.) been affected by the accident?
- Scarring: Do you have obvious, painful, or disfiguring marks or scars caused by your accident injuries?
Remembering all of the ways your accident has affected you may be painful, but it is a necessary part of any personal injury lawsuit. You may find it easier to complete this task with the help of a lawyer who understands the legal system and can view your accident more objectively than you can. The following section discusses some of the ways a lawyer may be able to help you with your lawsuit.
Taking Legal Action
Getting the compensation you and your family need is often harder than it should be. The liable party’s insurance company will do whatever they can to minimize your payout, regardless of what you actually deserve. You can either fight them on your own or hire an El Monte personal injury lawyer to fight for you.
If you do decide to hire a lawyer, you will not be responsible for any legal task. Your attorney will do it all, including:
- Investigating your accident, so that you have as much evidence as possible to prove that the liable party owes you compensatory damages
- Calculating how much to sue for, so you know that you are asking for the maximum possible amount
- Communicating with others, so that the insurance company’s lawyers do not have a chance to manipulate your statement and deny you compensation
- Filing paperwork, including the official notification of your lawsuit, so that you never have to worry about missing deadlines or filling something out incorrectly
- Negotiating, so that you do not have to deal with the insurance company by yourself
- Going to court, if the insurance company does not offer a pretrial settlement that meets your needs
- Advising you, so you can be sure that you have all of the information necessary to make the right legal decisions for you and your family
If you are looking for legal representation after a personal injury accident in El Monte, call Jacoby & Meyers Law Offices. We can provide you with an El Monte personal injury lawyer who will fight hard for your rights and negotiate tirelessly for the compensation you need. Our phone number is (888) 522-6291. Feel free to call us at any time. We always have team members standing by to talk to you.
Call or text 866-559-7223 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
