Nearly 30 million accidents occur each year in the United States – 10 percent causing serious enough injury to require hospital care. Accidents happen, but sometimes accidents are not merely accidents. One person’s negligent, reckless, or even intentional behavior can injure an innocent individual and cause catastrophic, life-changing, or fatal injuries. If you were hurt by another’s bad behavior, it’s possible to hold them liable for your damages. Each year, close to 400,000 personal injury suits are filed to try and hold wrongdoers responsible for their damages. If you were injured in an accident, contact an experienced Perris Personal Injury Attorney to see if this option might be right for you.
Risk of Personal Injury in Perris
A growing town of over 77,000 like Perris has a number of hidden risk factors that make personal injury accidents more common than most might think. The city is located in Riverside County between the busy 215 freeway and State Route 74, and Riverside County is the third busiest county in California for heavy commercial trucking miles at nearly 3 million each day. Nearly 70 percent of Perris residents commute to work, putting them on these busy roadways very frequently. The growing population of the city means higher risk of construction accidents, and visiting any establishment for work or play could result in slip and falls or premises liability claims from death- or injury-causing accidents at any time.
How Do Personal Injury Claims Arise?
A personal injury claim arises anytime a victim suffers psychical, emotional, or financial injury due to another’s negligence, recklessness, or intentionally wrongful act. Common situations giving creating the opportunity to recover for personal injury are:
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle Accidents
- Slip and falls
- Brain injuries
- Dog bites
- Premises liability claims
- Nursing home abuse and neglect and
- Construction site accidents.
If you have been injured, it’s advisable to speak with a Perris Personal Injury Attorney to understand if your situation allows you to pursue a personal injury claim for compensation.
How Do I Win My Case?
The usual way personal injury victims argue for compensation is the theory of negligence. Once that is proven, a defendant will be liable for the victim’s damages unless they have a valid legal defense. Negligence is proven by demonstrating it’s more like than not:
- Defendant owed you a legal duty of care;
- Defendant breached their duty by act or omission; and
- Defendant’s breach caused you harm.
Most types of personal injury require proving negligence to recover; however, some have other standards for recovery. Dog bites, for example are strict liability cases which require less proof. In other cases, negligence per se presumes the defendant was negligent if they broke a law, rule, or regulation when they injured you. It’s advisable to consult a skilled Perris Personal Injury Attorney to understand more about your particular case.
How Much is My Case Worth?
A Perris personal injury victim may wonder how much they can recover. Once a defendant is proven negligent, without a defense they’re responsible for all damages you can prove. Compensatory damages are designed to make a victim whole for their injuries. Some damages are designed to make up for quantifiable economic injuries, such as:
- Property damage;
- Lost wages; and
- Medical bills.
Other compensatory damages may address more abstract, less quantifiable harms a victim suffered. These often reflect mental and psychological traumas like:
- Loss of consortium;
- Scarring or disfigurement;
- Pain and suffering; or
- Mental anguish.
Some victims may be awarded additional damages to punish a defendant’s vile behavior. The burden of proof is high and the punitive damages are discretionary, so it’s advisable to consult an experienced Perris personal injury attorney to avoid potentially costly mistakes in your case.
Can I Recover If I am Partly Responsible for the Accident?
Even if you were partly at fault for your accident, in California under the theory of comparative negligence you may still recover some damages. The court will review your case and assign each party involved a percentage of fault. Any damages you were awarded will be by your percentage of fault.
What Should I Do?
Any accident is stressful and can make the idea of taking steps immediately after overwhelming; however, these small steps can make a big difference both for your recovery as well as any legal claim you bring. It’s also important to move quickly due to California’s 2-year statute of limitations for filing personal injury claims. If you don’t file your claim within 2 years of your injury, you permanently lose the right to file a suit for compensation in court.
Get Medical Treatment
As quickly as you can, see a medical professional after your accident. You should get treatment for your injuries as well as screened for injuries you may not know you sustained; injuries like traumatic brain injuries may not present symptoms or days or even weeks after your accident. Proof of medical evaluation and treatment for injuries can also help verify your injuries for any legal claim you bring.
Collect Documentation
It’s important to gather as much documentation as possible about your injuries to help your case later. If possible:
- Photograph the accident and your injuries;
- Collect eyewitness information;
- Notify law enforcement and provide a statement for the accident report and get a copy from the local police department or your insurer;
- Collect any medical records, receipts, paystubs, medical bills, or other documents showing financial damage you incurred from your injuries; and
- Contact an attorney experienced with personal injury cases.
Speak to a Perris Personal Injury Attorney
If you or a loved one has been hurt in an accident in or around Perris, don’t delay – contact the skilled Perris Personal Injury Attorneys at Walton Law. Our attorneys have spent years providing comprehensive, tailored representation for victims just like you and have recovered millions in compensation for our clients. Contact us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling (866) 338-7079 or going through our online Contact Us page to schedule risk free case review today. The initial consultation is free, and you pay nothing until we win your case. Our knowledgeable attorneys can evaluate your evaluate the facts of your unique situation and start working to secure the best possible outcome for you from an unfortunate situation.