Long Beach Personal Injury Lawyer
The Law Offices of Robert P. Finn

Long Beach Personal Injury Attorney

Long Beach car accident attorney Robert Finn specializes in car accident cases and personal injury cases. When you've been injured by someone else's carelessness, it's important to take some steps to help make sure your claim is settled fairly and quickly:

Write down everything you remember about the accident or injury, such when and where it happened; the names, addresses and phone numbers of witnesses, police officers and insurance company representatives (or company or workers' compensation representatives if it was a work-related injury)
Talk to a California personal injury lawyer before making any statements, written or verbal, to insurance company adjusters or representatives
Let anyone you think may be responsible for the injury know right away that you intend to file a claim against them
Gather and keep evidence, such as photographs of a car accident or injury scene; clothing; damaged personal belongings; etc.

How Do I Figure Out Who Is at Fault?

In most cases, you must prove the person who caused the injury was negligent. That is, he didn't use reasonable care. In California, you must prove:

The person who caused your injury owed you a duty
The other person broke or breached that duty
You suffered damages
The other person's failure caused your injury

Under California's comparative negligence law, if your carelessness or negligence helped cause your injury, the amount you may recover is reduced by your degree of fault.

Under California's joint and several liability rules, everyone responsible for your injury is liable for all of your economic damages. These include medical expenses and lost wages. Each person may be forced to pay all of your damages regardless of their degree of fault.

It's different for noneconomic damages. These include pain and suffering and emotional distress. These damages are split between those who caused your injury according to their degrees of fault.

If you've been injured by a consumer product, the manufacturer or seller may be responsible under strict liability law. Generally, it makes some people responsible for damages caused by their products, regardless of their "fault." Under California law, you need to prove:

The product was in a defective condition, and unreasonably dangerous even if you used it in the way it was intended to be used
The defect caused your personal injury
You suffered damages
The danger wasn't "open and obvious," such as a sharp knife

What Is My Claim Worth?

Under California law, the person who injured you is responsible for:

Past, current and future estimated medical expenses
Time lost from work, including time spent going to medical appointments or therapy
Any property that was damaged, such as your vehicle
The cost of hiring someone to do household chores when you couldn't do them
Any permanent disfigurement or disability
Your emotional distress, including anxiety, depression and any interference with your family relationships
Any other costs that are a direct result of your injury

In medical malpractice cases, there's a $250,000 cap on noneconomic damages. There's no cap on economic damages.

In some cases you may need an expert to explain your injuries and why you're entitled to certain damages. This is very common in medical malpractice cases. A lawyer will know what type of expert witness to hire to best prove your damages.

How Long Do I Have to File a Legal Claim?

In most Long Beach personal injury and car accident cases, you only have two years to file a lawsuit against the person who injured you. If your lawyer hasn't been able to come to an agreement with any involved insurance companies or defendants, you definitely want to file a lawsuit before the two-year statute of limitations runs out.

Questions for Your Attorney

Can I still file a lawsuit if I accepted a settlement offer from the other person's insurance company before I contacted you?
The insurance company seems to be taking me and my injuries seriously. Why do I need to hire a lawyer?
Is the other person's insurance company entitled to look at my medical records without my permission? Should I let it have access to my records?

Contact Robert P. Finn Today

Website: Robert Finn Law
Connect: Lawyerfind Network

Practice Areas:
Personal Injury (80%); Worker's Compensation (10%); DUI (10%).

Personal Injury Cases We Defend:

Car/Auto Accidents
Accidents at Work
Tripping Accidents
Assault Claims
Accidents in the Home
Product Defect Accidents
Holiday Accidents
Medical Negligence

The Law Offices of Robert P. Finn practices law in Long Beach, California and Los Angeles County. Our entire staff is dedicated to helping clients with their legal matters regarding Personal Injury, Workers Compensation and DUI. Please contact our Long Beach law firm with questions regarding your legal issue. Provide as much information as possible regarding your inquiry.

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