San Bernardino Personal Injury Lawyer

San Bernardino Personal Injury Attorney

A personal injury can have significant consequences that affect you for the rest of your life. An incident that results in serious injury and damages to property may cause financial issues and emotional trauma. In these situations, someone must be held accountable for the actions or lack of action that caused these damages. A San Bernardino personal injury lawyer can aid in the pursuit of compensation and justice for victims of accidents, negligence, and intentional acts.

Our team at Corrales Law Group understands that victims may face several challenges after sustaining a personal injury. With our years of experience helping personal injury victims, we can provide you with the support and assistance you need to secure compensation and rebuild your life. Our lawyers provide clients with complete transparency and open communication for the duration of the case. We make sure our clients are aware of everything that happens with their cases.

How a San Bernardino Lawyer Can Help You

The assistance you can receive from a professional and experienced San Bernardino lawyer is invaluable. They can help you in multiple aspects of your case, from start to finish, offering you legal guidance, advice, and proper support throughout the process. A skilled lawyer can take a look at your case and let you know if it holds any merit, how strong of a claim you have, and calculate the potential amount of compensation you could receive.

In order to build a stronger case for you, a lawyer can do several things on your behalf, such as gathering evidence, speaking with witnesses of the accident, and investigating everything that has to do with your case. Your lawyer can also ensure you are treated fairly by insurance companies by handling all correspondence with them. Many insurance companies want to settle personal injury claims without giving victims a fair settlement. Your lawyer can keep this from happening.

Through negotiation, your lawyer can work hard to ensure either the insurance company or the person responsible for your injuries gives you a settlement amount you rightfully deserve. Because a fair settlement is not always the first offer, negotiations may take some time. In the event that a settlement cannot be reached and your case goes the route of litigation, you will have the representation of the person who has been assisting you the entire way.

The lawyer you choose can advocate for your interests and your rights aggressively and tirelessly. While they are focusing on your case and handling the legal aspects, you can focus your time and energy on your recovery. You can prioritize your health without having the stress and heavy burden of dealing with the complexities of the law.

You will not be relinquishing control of your claim. Your lawyer can communicate with you about everything that happens, and you can ask questions and make decisions you feel will benefit you with their guidance. This allows you to remain involved and informed about everything that happens with your case. The most significant thing a lawyer can give you is peace of mind and confidence that your case in San Bernardino is in the hands of a capable legal professional.

Steps to Take After Suffering a Personal Injury

When you’re dealing with injuries following a personal injury accident, trying to deal with what comes next can be a difficult feat. Navigating the situation alone can be overwhelming, especially when your injuries are severe, and you don’t know what your next steps should be. To make sure you maintain your rights and ability to take legal action, you should do the following:

1. Get the proper medical attention. This is the most important step to take as your health should be a priority after any kind of accident. You should pay attention to your health in the days following the accident as well because some injuries do not present themselves immediately. Once fully examined, be sure to stick to the treatment plan created by your doctor.
2. Document everything you can about the incident. Date, time and location are all important factors to include when taking down details of an accident. If you are able to get further information, such as witness statements and photos of the scene, that could further help your case.
3. Report the incident. No accident should go unreported, whether it is a car accident, workplace accident, or an accident that happened on someone else’s property. Reporting it is crucial. A formal report becomes very important when taking legal action, so the sooner you report an incident, the better it will be for you. In some cases, such as a workplace injury, you have a relatively small window of time to report the accident.
4. Contact a San Bernardino personal injury attorney. At Corrales Law Group, we can protect and advocate for your rights as a victim and work diligently to build a strong case for you. We will be your trusted team of legal advisors and counsel, guiding you through the process of settlement negotiations or litigation. Whichever route you choose to take, we will be in your corner.

By taking these steps to start, you can be proactive in preserving your rights and enhancing your likelihood of receiving proper compensation for your injuries.

The Comparative Negligence Rule

Comparative negligence is a legal doctrine that essentially states that multiple parties, including the plaintiff, can share fault in an accident. If the victim of the accident contributed in any way to the accident itself, they can have their compensation reduced in direct proportion to how much fault they are found to have had. In this way, damages from the accident can be distributed equitably. A defendant may use the comparative negligence defense to mitigate their damages.

Most states will either apply the pure comparative negligence rule or the modified comparative negligence rule to a personal injury case. Both systems are seen as being far more equitable than the contributory negligence rule that states if a victim has any fault in the accident, they will receive no compensation.

The state of California applies the pure comparative negligence rule. Unlike the modified comparative negligence rule, pure comparative negligence allows an injured victim to receive compensation even if they hold the majority of the fault. That compensation, however, likely would not cover the majority of their damages. If a plaintiff was 70% at fault for an accident, they may only be able to recover 30% in damages. This is the most equitable system of the two.

Evidence and documentation from your accident will help in determining what parties were at fault, if you had any fault at all, and how much fault each party could potentially hold. Photos, witness statements, police reports, and anything else relevant are essential elements for establishing how the events played out and the role of each person involved.

By working with a San Bernardino personal injury attorney, you can rest assured that all evidence connected to your case will be collected for your attorney to analyze. Your personal injury attorney can figure out a strategy that will strengthen your claim and ensure you get the maximum amount of compensation possible for your case.

Damages You Can Recover From a Personal Injury Case

Personal injury accidents can allow victims to recover several different types of damages that will greatly benefit them. Typically, a personal injury victim can receive both economic and noneconomic damages for what they endured. More specific damages, however, depend on certain factors, like how severe the injuries are, how the victim’s life has been impacted, and how much fault the defendant holds.

Economic damages can include payment for all past, current, and future medical expenses, lost wages from being unable to work, expenses to repair property, and other related costs. These quantifiable financial losses can be calculated with more ease and accuracy than other damages a victim may have incurred.

Although economic damages can be significant in a personal injury case, it is important that the impact of noneconomic damages on a victim is not seen as any less important than it is. Noneconomic damages may include pain and suffering and psychological trauma. Since these losses are not as tangible and can be more difficult to calculate, it would be beneficial to have a lawyer who can help you determine the appropriate amount of compensation.

Another form of damages a victim may be able to recover, that is a little less common, is punitive damages. This is reserved specifically for defendants who behaved in a way that could be considered malicious in their harm to the plaintiff. Punitive damages are awarded to deter the defendant from acting in such a way ever again.

Meet the Burden of Proof in Your Personal Injury Case

Building a personal injury case that is strong enough to prove another person is responsible for injuries and damages you sustained can be fairly difficult. You will likely need an attorney who can meticulously examine your case and determine the optimal way to show that the defendant was negligent, careless, or intended to harm you. Any evidence you can collect after the injury happens will help your case and allow your attorney to properly advocate for your rights.

When a victim of a personal injury takes legal action against the alleged responsible party, they have the burden of proving that the person or entity is indeed responsible. Meeting this burden of proof may be difficult without the evidence necessary to back your claims or even some analysis of the incident in question. To demonstrate the defendant’s fault in your injuries, you must establish a few things:

• The defendant’s duty of care: Show that the defendant had a legal responsibility to keep you safe or, at least, avoid harming you in any way. For instance, the driver in a car accident where someone was injured had a duty to exercise reasonable care while driving. Property owners and managers have a duty to make sure their property is safe for visitors, meaning there should be no hazardous conditions that could cause a person harm.
• The defendant breached their duty of care. The evidence from the incident will need to show that the actions or inaction of the defendant are what led to their breach of duty of care. This could involve illustrating that a reasonable person would not have acted in the way the defendant did if they had been in the same or a similar situation. Negligence, accidental injuries, and intentional injuries must all have proof of a breach of care.
• Establish causation. You have to show that there is a direct link between your injuries and the defendant’s breach of duty of care. This is a very important part of your case. Proving this will increase your chances of getting fair compensation for your damages. It is here that documentation and evidence such as expert testimonies, medical reports, and witness statements will be of importance. Your claims should be substantiated by this evidence.
• Show that you, in fact, have injuries due to the incident. In cases where some injuries may not be immediately apparent or may be invisible, it is important to have medical records, bills, and perhaps a testimony from a doctor. This is a factor that will play a big part in how much money you recover in damages. Showing the extent of your injuries and how your daily life is affected can make a big difference in the outcome of your case.

With the help of our dedicated legal team at Corrales Law Group, the chances of achieving success in your personal injury case in San Bernardino, CA will increase significantly. Our attorneys can look into the details of the incident that caused your injuries and damages to assess how strong your case is and determine what parties should be held liable. We can come up with a highly effective strategy that will benefit you in your pursuit of securing the compensation you deserve.

FAQs

Q: How Long Does a Personal Injury Case Take to Be Resolved in California?

A: There is no definite time frame for every personal injury case in California. Each case has its own unique challenges and details that may contribute to the length of time it takes to resolve it. Generally, it may take a case either a few months or years to be settled. If a case goes to trial when a settlement can’t be reached, the trial period could significantly impact how long the case remains open. There are also details, such as how complex the case is, that may affect the time frame.

Q: How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Claim in California?

A: To file a personal injury claim in California, the victim would typically have to do so within a two year period. You have two years after the date that the injury occurred to open a case against the party you want to hold liable. Refusing to adhere to this deadline means you could lose the right to file the claim at all, thereby losing the right to recover any expenses you had or other damages due to the incident.

Q: How Do I File a Personal Injury Claim in California?

A: To file a personal injury claim in California, you must do a few things. You must make sure you have legal standing and the right to file a personal injury claim. You also have to determine who you will be bringing the case against because you will have to prove that that person or entity is responsible for your injuries. Make sure you are within the statute of limitations. The most important thing you’ll want to do is hire a lawyer who can help file the claim with the court.

Q: Where Do I File a Personal Injury Claim in California?

A: In California, personal injury victims usually file their claims with the civil court in the county where the defendant currently lives or where the injury happened. In San Bernardino, you would likely file your claim with their court. If you are unsure where you should file, consult with a personal injury lawyer. They can help you determine which county you should file your personal injury claim. They can also assist with the process and procedures.

Q: When Should I Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer in California?

A: You should hire a personal injury lawyer in California as soon as you can after you are injured. It would be ideal to seek legal representation a few days or a few weeks after the incident occurs. The sooner you have a lawyer working on your case, the easier it will be to collect the necessary evidence and the sooner you can file a claim with the court. Working with a lawyer earlier on can make the entire process much easier.

Your Team of San Bernardino Personal Injury Lawyers

A personal injury incident can potentially affect a victim in several ways for the rest of their life. A person may experience lasting physical, financial, or emotional damage because of what happened to them. If you were injured in an accident due to someone’s negligence or carelessness or because someone wanted to intentionally harm you, contact Corrales Law Group. Our team of dedicated lawyers can make sure you are properly and fairly compensated.