Orange County Personal Injury Lawyer

Orange County Personal Injury Attorney

There are many reasons to hire an experienced Orange County personal injury lawyer to assist with any injury case. Corrales Law Group has a network of experts to help you present and win your case, making sure you are fairly compensated under the limits of the law. Some companies refuse to negotiate with individuals alone, but our team has successfully negotiated higher settlements than our clients were offered when they attempted these negotiations themselves.

Most civil cases are taken on a contingency basis, meaning we do not get paid until we win your case and we have an incentive to obtain the highest award possible for our clients. Contact Corrales Law Group for a free case evaluation. If you already have an Orange County personal injury lawyer, you can always contact us for a second opinion regarding your case.

What Is a Personal Injury Case?

In California, the law recognizes personal injury cases to be any time somebody has sustained bodily wounds or other damages to their emotional or psychological well-being in an incident that was not within their control. Instead, these losses resulted from another’s actions. The physical injuries and damages may be minor, moderate, or severe and permanently life-altering.

Instances of personal injury may also involve a criminal case in which the offending party violated one or multiple laws, such as in a DUI offense. A case of personal injury in Orange County, CA, can also have no element of breaking the law. Instead, it is simply a civil case where a citizen seeks legal action against another person or company.

What Are the Statutes of Limitations for Personal Injury Claims?

The default statute of limitations for filing a personal injury claim or seeking compensation is two years after the incident or injury. It is still possible to take legal action after the standard period of time has passed, but it can be difficult to progress. Usually, the defense will argue that the statute of limitations has expired to get the case thrown out.

In some situations, like when you don’t immediately notice your injuries or later realize that another party’s negligence resulted in your accident, the statute of limitations can be altered. The previously mentioned circumstances allow the two-year time period to begin on the date when you realized the cause of your afflictions, known as delayed discovery.

Several of these extensions exist for particular exceptions. If the offender leaves the state and therefore cannot be served, then the statute of limitations pauses while they are outside California. If you feel unsure about your specific circumstances, getting in touch with a personal injury lawyer can help you find out if your case is strong enough to file a claim or if any legal extensions may apply to your situation.

While it’s true that you can choose to take legal action whenever you want, within the statute of limitations, it is advisable to pursue a personal injury lawyer as soon as you can.

What Types of Injuries Qualify for a Personal Injury Claim?

You may feel you can or should only seek legal action if you received a serious injury, but this is certainly not true. Even minor bodily injuries are subject to some financial recompense or a settlement payout, let alone any emotional suffering and psychological trauma. Medical and therapy bills or wages lost due to recovery time or diminished abilities (economic damages) typically refer to losses caused by bodily injuries.

Relatedly, you must seek medical attention as soon as possible following any sort of accident, even if you feel okay enough. There may be internal or otherwise latent damages and symptoms that don’t present right away. For other types of injuries, it takes time for you to realize or discover them. If you start to feel unwell, in pain, or notice new signs of injury after going to the doctor, do not hesitate to obtain another medical opinion.

However, accidents and negligent actions may also cause injuries that can’t be bandaged or healed. Some may not even be immediately visible. These are non-economic damages, and they can also call for compensation. A few examples are mental and emotional anguish, permanent disfigurement/dismemberment, and prior injuries worsening in condition.

Types of Personal Injury Accident Cases We Can Help With

Our Orange County personal injury attorneys can assist with several types of injurious circumstances and civil matters, including:

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Various kinds of motor vehicle incidents (automobile, motorcycle, truck, bicycle, and bus accidents) can result in damages that a personal injury claim can pay for.

Car Accidents

A car accident can occur due to numerous causes, such as a drunk or reckless driver, weather conditions, or traffic violations. These vehicle collisions can result in serious injuries, such as concussions or other sustained brain traumas. Included in these may be cases of wrongful death, though instances of wrongful death tend to be more common in other motor vehicle accidents.

Motorcycle and Bicycle Accidents

Motorcyclists and bicycle riders are more susceptible to severe harm in traffic accidents than other vehicles. This is due to the exposed nature of their method of transportation on their body and their smaller amount of occupied space. They are also more vulnerable to being accused of being at fault by other drivers and police. These cases have slightly different circumstances, and their victims’ legal counsel needs to have detailed knowledge about the laws governing them.

Trucking Accidents

Truck/trucking accidents are any incidents with vehicles larger than a typical automobile. Besides the level of potential damage due to the size of these motor vehicles, truck accident cases can also be difficult to navigate because of:

• Truck drivers traveling over state lines
• Insurance company communications
• Victims’ loss of property/transport while still being required to work

Applicable vehicles include big rigs, logging trucks, car haulers, garbage trucks, and buses.

Accidents Involving Public Transportation

Public transport buses can get into accidents and leave you less protected than if you were in a car, as seatbelts are not required or even provided in most cases. Personal injury claims can be particularly tricky in these circumstances because determining who’s at fault may not always be clear.

The bus driver could be at fault for a variety of potential reasons, or the bus company could be at fault for improper maintenance or having more passengers than their legal capacity. A third party could also be at fault, such as a car driver not adhering to proper driving conduct or traffic laws. Exterior obstructions, like untended potholes, can also be responsible for an accident. There could even be a scenario where multiple parties could be responsible.

Abuse

Cases of inflicted abuse and negligence could include the following:

Elder Neglect and Abuse

Cases of the elderly (65+ years old) and other dependent adults (aged 18-64 with restrictions in day-to-day self-support from physical or mental disabilities, whether congenital/developmental or declined from age) receiving improper treatment or insufficient care within assisted living facilities may be civil and/or criminal cases, as there are applicable laws for both violations.

Law Enforcement Abuse

It can be intimidating to take legal action against instances of police brutality, but it is your right as an injured citizen. It’s even possible that your bravery could spare future victims from suffering as well. Excessive use of force is a form of misconduct that law enforcement officers commit by relying on their authoritative power. It can involve physically or sexually assaulting victims.

Child Sexual Abuse

Unfortunately, children’s trust and safety are all too often betrayed by those in positions of authority, or the very people meant to care for and nurture them. Perpetrators may be:

• Adults in daycare
• Teachers and other educational figures
• Religious leaders
• Therapists/counselors

An abuse attorney can build a case against any of these parties.

The statute of limitations for pursuing legal action against these crimes is your 40th birthday or 5 years after the assault on a child has been discovered (whichever is later).

Negligence Disputes

Some personal injury cases can appear to have a clear guilty party. However, proving negligence on their part, instead of injuries resulting from an unfortunate coincidence, can be tricky. Accident attorneys are well-equipped to deal with disputes concerning negligence laws.

For the offending party’s actions to be considered negligent in the accident, three conditions must be met or proven:

1. The defendant had a duty to those around them, whether it was to avoid a violation or carry out an act.
2. The accused must be proven to have somehow breached their duty.
3. That breach caused harm, and there is proof that this breach caused your injury. There must also be proof that the defendant should’ve known the dangers.

Medical Malpractice

These cases are viewed and treated differently within the law and in court. The statute of limitation for medical malpractice is one year from the date of treatment. Winning compensation in these cases requires a personal injury lawyer with specific knowledge and experience.

Wrongful Death

This type of personal injury case is for the surviving family members, including spouses, parents, and children of the deceased victim. A wrongful death claim allows them to seek legal action and compensation for the death of the victim. These relatives may pursue a wrongful death case if they believe that their loved one’s demise resulted from another party’s intentional, reckless, or negligent behavior or actions.

Pet Attacks

A dog bite is a personal injury that can result from a dog attack, in addition to scratches, punctures, and possible infection. Unattended or aggressively defensive animals can often lash out at unsuspecting or non-engaging passersby because of their owner’s reckless or negligent conduct.

Corporate Liabilities

Businesses, as with individuals, have a duty of care toward their customers. When they violate this duty, they become liable for any resulting damages.

• Rideshare liability. Personal injuries acquired while riding in an Uber, Lyft, or any other ridesharing service vehicle are eligible for injury claims. An accident lawyer can help you determine if just the driver or both the driver and the rideshare company can be held accountable for the incident. This process can get complicated and affect the level of compensation you are entitled to.
• Premises liabilities (including trip/slip-and-fall cases). Slip and fall mishaps can occur when staff fails to properly indicate a slippery surface. This can happen in several environments, like office buildings, public pools, and stores. Stores also have the potential for heavy merchandise to fall from high shelves and harm you. Similar hazards can occur on the premises of construction sites.
• Defective products. Cases involving defective products hold the product’s manufacturers, distributors, and/or vendors liable for any resulting damages. Defective products are flawed by a specific feature that leads to their intended function being dangerous. The defect may apply to one faulty batch of the product or its initial design.

What Personal Injury Damages Are You Able to Recover in a Claim?

“Compensation for damages” refers to the settlement payout you are granted from a personal injury. It’s viewed as financial compensation for the damages and losses you were forced to deal with because of an accident.

Economic Damages

Economic damages are those that are easily quantified and recorded, such as bills. These damages encompass:

• Immediate and future medical expenses, including prescribed medications and assistance devices while in the healing process
• Rehabilitation
• Physical and other therapy service
• Wages lost due to medical leave or diminished earning potential

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages are more ambiguous and subjective. These non-monetary damages and losses can be harder to measure or equate in terms of financial value. This can encompass bodily afflictions, like disfigurement/dismemberment, prior injuries worsening in condition, and new physical impairments or pains.

Additionally, there are more abstract effects of the suffering that an accident can cause. An accident victim may experience disruptive fear or apprehension following the event as well as anxiety, depression, anger, grief, shame, humiliation, and other psychological anguish. These traumas can impact a person’s daily life and ability to function or recover. Some evidence of these distresses is:

• A lack of sleep
• Crying
• Lack of movement/lethargy
• Your personal journals
• Testimonies from family members or counselors

An injured person could feel that the accident led to other losses too. They may have lost their enjoyment or quality of life, no longer finding joy in previously enjoyable activities or hobbies. In other cases, they may simply not have the full capability to engage in the life that they had previously due to extreme bodily wounds. An accident victim may also suffer a loss of companionship, as they are no longer able to be intimate with their spouse or affectionate and nurturing to their children.

While it is not uncommon for those who have acquired physical injuries, especially severe or permanent ones, to go through emotional turmoil and psychological trauma, you don’t need to have moderate, or even any, bodily injury to get compensation for your experience.

If you find that this is the case, it is recommended for you to seek mental health counseling. Your counselor may provide poignant and relevant testimony concerning your struggles and any newly occurring disorders, such as insomnia or PTSD.

What’s Considered When Determining the “Cost” of Your Pain and Injuries?

There’s no formula or standard when figuring out how much your injuries are “worth” when deciding your exact compensation amount. Instead, the court will have to take several factors into account when considering your payment.

Some of these circumstances that they will consider include:

• All available evidence
• The economic losses (wages and expenses)
• The anticipated time of your recovery and expected overall outcome
• The degree and extent of your injuries
• Reported physical/emotional distress experienced by those with similar injuries
• Your well-being and the influence of these afflictions on your daily activities (ex. going to the bathroom, parenting duties).
• Your profession or career
• Treatments that you’ve received and the required ongoing care
• The intentions within the accident that the injuries resulted from
• The extent of the defendant(s)’ negligence and carelessness

If your attorney can prove that you are enduring certain bodily injuries, psychological anguish and/or interpersonal or social consequences, the jury or presiding judge will assign a fair monetary value for these damages as a result of your sustained pain and suffering.

Why You Could Benefit From a Personal Injury Lawyer

There are several benefits to hiring a personal injury attorney:

Contingency Fee

The main appeal of filing an injury claim, besides receiving compensation upon validation, is that most injury lawyers operate on a contingency basis. This means that your attorney won’t charge you any fees for their services and guidance unless they’re able to win your case and secure your financial recompense.

A contingency approach not only demands no risk on your end but aligns your legal representation’s motivations with your own. Your injury attorney wants to succeed in getting you the maximum settlement or compensation amount that you’re entitled to. There’s no paying out of your own pocket; if your case is awarded compensation, your lawyer’s fees are paid from a percentage of your repayment.

Ability to Handle Your Case

Another advantage of hiring an attorney for your personal injury claim is they can handle all the technical and legal aspects of your case while you maintain ultimate control over your situation. An attorney’s duties consist of, among other tasks:

• Maintaining correspondence with the defendant’s legal team
• Disputing with insurance companies
• Protecting you from insurance adjusters
• Informing medical providers of your case and billing situation

Your lawyer is there to assist and educate you, ultimately working for you while you have the final word on all matters, such as whether a fair settlement has been reached or not. Your injury attorney can negotiate on your behalf financially, even trying to reduce your hospital and doctor costs.

An experienced personal injury lawyer also knows the ins and outs of what’s expected and needs to get done. Your attorney is more than willing to help you through filing reports and claims, obtaining the required medical treatments, dealing with insurance companies, and more. They can even pressure your insurance company to take swift action in the replacement or repair of your car or other damaged properties. That way, you can still meet your obligations.

Detailed Knowledge

Besides assisting you in managing all the claims to file and providing legal knowledge and skills gained from experience, your attorney can help explain these to you. A capable lawyer is ready to apply their knowledge of the law, and even some medical technicalities and relevancies, no matter how complex the case ends up being. In certain situations, their help is more warranted and necessary than a simple injury claim.

For example, in accidents where the at-fault party is more unclear, you may be accused of partial or total responsibility for your own injuries. A personal injury lawyer can defend you in the face of unjust insinuations as well as ensure that you can still receive some payment if you are found somewhat liable.

Your legal counsel can also relieve some of your distress from an already stressful situation. They can keep you updated on the progress of your case, only requiring your input in relevant meetings so you can take the time needed to fully recover and recuperate.

FAQs About Orange County, CA Personal Injury Laws

How Much Do Personal Injury Lawyers Charge in California?

The majority of personal injury attorneys don’t require or expect any payments or fees upfront. They operate on a contingency basis, which means that you only have to pay lawyer fees if they win the case for you. The contingency fee you’re required to pay is a percentage of your compensation, whether it’s through trial or in a settlement.

What Is Considered a Personal Injury in California?

The state of California considers personal injury cases to be any instance where someone suffers from physical injury or psychological and emotional trauma from an accident caused by another party’s actions. Physical injuries encompass all types of damage and levels of severity, including external and internal wounds. Damages from a personal injury claim can be economic and non-economic.

What Percentage Do Most Personal Injury Lawyers Take in California?

The contingency fee percentage can range from 30%-40% of your awarded compensation. Typically, your personal injury attorney can outline all the exact percentages in a contingency fee agreement that you’re to sign before moving forward, along with any additional costs that are not on the contingency. There will likely be different potential percentages depending on whether your case goes to trial or reaches a settlement agreement.

When Should I Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer in California?

There are many scenarios when it might be effective to hire a personal injury lawyer. Some instances are:

• You’re feeling overwhelmed while trying to file an injury claim during your recovery.
• Who’s at fault is a bit more vague, and you’re trying to figure out your portion of blame.
• If the injuries are especially serious, an attorney’s legal knowledge is required to parse your case’s complexity and ensure that you get the deserved amount of recompense.

Don’t Suffer in Silence, Get Repayment

Peter Corrales and Corrales Law Group have helped clients receive the help they need after being hurt by others. Our office can help you obtain medical treatment, fix your property, and obtain fair financial compensation. We also pride ourselves on our client communication– you will always know how your case is progressing because you will always be able to talk to an attorney, not just support staff.

Schedule a free consultation with an attorney for more information and to have your questions answered. Do not wait, protect your rights today.