It’s an unfortunate reality, but accidents happen every day to innocent, unsuspecting individuals. Though some of these just end up with minor embarrassment or bumps and bruises, serious accidents can result in catastrophic injuries or even death in the blink of an eye. Over 39.5 million people visit their doctor for unintentional injuries annually, and this doesn’t take into consideration injuries that go unreported or where no medical care was sought. In Riverside County, with a population of 2,323,892 residents, these injuries can happen through an almost unlimited number of situations.
Depending on the city where you reside some accidents are more common than others – for example, it’s far more likely for you to be injured in a car accident in busy Riverside, with a population of over 318,000 and access to multiple major freeways, than in smaller cities like Perris, Lake Elsinore, Cathedral City, Lakeview, or Mesa Center. No matter where you live, though, it’s true that most accidents and injuries occur as a result of negligence, recklessness, or intentional conduct perpetrated by someone else. Whether or a loved one you were injured in Banning, Coachella, Perris, Indio, Menifee, Moreno Valley, or any other city in the area, contact a Riverside County personal injury attorney in Riverside to see if you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.
What Counts as a Personal Injury?
Personal injury claims may arise whenever anyone is hurt in an accident and another party may be legally and financially liable for causing the injury due to their bad behavior. Liability for personal injuries can come from negligent, reckless, or intentional behavior, or can attach in strict liability cases even if a party didn’t act negligently. Victims who can establish liability for their injuries may recover for any number of injuries – physical, mental, emotional, psychological, and financial harms may ball entitle victims in Riverside County to compensation. Injuries do not have to be severe or result in death to qualify the harmed party for an award of damages.
Though personal injury claims may arise from any number of circumstances, some are more common than others. Claims for compensation may arise from:
- Slip or trip and fall accidents
- Dog bites
- Defectively designed, produced, or marketed products
- Brain injuries
- Accidents resulting in wrongful deaths
- Medical malpractice
- Car accidents
- Trucking accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Accidents involving public transportation
- Boating accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Nursing home abuse and neglect
- Construction accidents
No matter the circumstances that cased your injuries, you should contact a Riverside County personal injury lawyer to see if you may have a valid legal claim.
What is my Claim Worth?
After an injury-causing accident has turned your world upside down and jeopardized your financial future, it’s normal to wonder what you can recover to get your life back on track. If you can prove a defendant’s bad behavior caused your injuries, they’re generally liable for your damages. The most common way to seek compensation in personal injury cases is through filing a civil lawsuit and arguing negligence caused your harm. To establish negligence, you must prove a defendant owed you a legal duty of care, breached it, and harmed you.
If you prove negligence, you may be entitled to damages for harms you can prove in court. Many of these can be established through records, receipts, paystubs, repair costs, and other concrete evidence. Injuries that may receive a court award for monetary damages include:
- Hospital bills and other treatment costs
- Lost wages and lost earning potential
- Funeral expenses
- Property damage
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Pain and suffering
- Permanent scarring, disfigurement, or disability
Can I Recover Even if I’m Partly at Fault for the Accident?
In California, injury victims may still recover compensation even if they’re party responsible for the injury-causing incident. Under the doctrine of comparative negligence, a court will review the facts of the case and assign all parties a percentage of fault based on their portion of responsibility for the accident. Any award you receive from the court is reduced by the amount of fault assigned to you.
If I Was Injured, What Should I Do Now?
Accidents can be traumatic, painful events that forever change the lives of those involved. It’s common for victims lucky enough to survive to rack up massive medical expenses, be temporarily or permanently unable to work, and require long-term treatment for physical and emotional injuries. In these cases, it’s understandable that taking action after an accident seems daunting; however, taking even a few simple steps after being injured can greatly help your physical recovery and strengthen any personal injury claim you may bring. It’s also important to move quickly and avoid the California statute of limitations that bars you from filing most personal injury claims for recovery more than 2 years from your date of injury.
After you’re injured:
- Do not apologize, admit fault, say you were sorry, or discuss whether or not you were injured
- Avoid giving any recorded statements or talking to insurance companies without first consulting an attorney
- Seek immediate medical treatment even if you believe you weren’t hurt
- Follow all treatment provider recommendations and treatment plans; attend all appointments and take medication as prescribed
- Photograph the accident scene and any damage
- Collect contact information from any eyewitnesses
- Notify law enforcement and give a detailed statement
- Collect all medical records, receipts, paystubs, bills, and documents reflecting your damages
- Speak to a personal injury attorney
Speak to an Attorney Today
If you or a loved one was hurt in an accident, contact the experienced Riverside County Personal Injury Attorneys at Walton Law, APC without delay. Our skilled team of attorneys has spent years providing compassionate, dedicated, personalized representation for injury victims like you and producing results; we have recovered millions in damages on their behalf to compensate for their harms. Contact us 24 hours a day, 7 days by calling (866) 338-7079 or using our Contact Us page to schedule your risk free, completely confidential case review today. The initial consultation is free, there is no obligation, and you pay nothing until we win your case. Let our attorneys review the facts of your claim, answer your questions, and use our knowledge, skills, and resources to help secure the best possible outcome so you can focus on recovering from your injuries.