Can I Talk to Insurance Companies after a Personal Injury Accident in Los Angeles?

One common question many people have after being involved in a personal injury accident in Los Angeles is whether they can talk to their or the other party’s insurance company. As much as possible, you should avoid talking to insurance companies. Initially, you do have to contact your insurance provider to tell them about the accident and obtain a claim number. It is okay to supply them with the police report case number, as well as information about the other person who caused the accident, like their name, address and insurance company. However, after you offer this initial information, you need to refrain from talking with them further until you have had time to consult with a personal injury attorney.

If you already know you intend to speak to an accident lawyer, you could inform your insurance company during the initial call, though it is not necessary. If the lawyer believes you have grounds for filing a personal injury suit against the other party, they will contact your insurance company to handle any further interactions.

In addition, if the other party’s insurance provider attempts to contact you directly, you should politely respond to them by saying you are unable to discuss or talk about the case with them at this time. If they inquire why, or press the matter, simply inform them you have scheduled an appointment with an attorney to find out your legal rights, first, and after your initial consultation, either you or your lawyer will be in contact.

Why is all of this important? Insurance companies have their own teams of lawyers on retainer ready to deal with personal injury cases. You should, too, in order to protect your legal rights. Further, anything you tell insurance adjusters in detail or elaborate on could have an impact on the type of personal injury settlement you may be entitled to receive as you run the risk of it being used against you later.

A Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorney Handles Loss of Life Cases

Sometimes people experience life-altering events which leave them in a state of financial distress, due to the loss of a loved one and their financial support. You and your partner may not have prepared ahead of time, and the reason for the loss could catch you completely off guard. Unlike terminal medical conditions, where you have time to plan and prepare, you are not afforded this opportunity with certain types of accidents.

For example, your spouse may have been at work, on the job, and a piece of machinery or equipment malfunctioned, resulting in serious injuries and their eventual death. Who is to blame for this accident? Their employer could be held accountable for the accident and their death, if they were aware of unfavorable working conditions or other such details but failed to take steps to correct the problems. The equipment or machinery manufacturer might also be responsible, such as if it was defective. When a life is lost due to the negligence of another, you can have grounds for filing a personal injury case with the help of a local Los Angeles attorney.

Even though you might have life insurance, it may not be enough to help you adjust financially. You also do not want to give up your legal rights if the employer or the manufacturer were at fault for the death of your loved one. Your Los Angeles attorney understands this is a difficult time in your life, and wants to do everything he can to help, including seeking the maximum amount of monetary damages as possible under the law, when you have grounds for a personal injury law suit.

After a Slip and Fall Accident Should I Contact Personal Injury Attorneys?

You may not think much about contacting personal injury attorneys if you slip, trip or fall down on a sidewalk outside of a business. Other pedestrians will most likely stop and ask if you are okay and help you back up. The store owner or one of their employees might notice and come out and verify you are okay, too, but this does not always occur. If you are experiencing any type of pain or discomfort, or are bleeding, it is best to remain on the ground and ask someone to call an ambulance. Attempting to get up could result in injuring yourself further.

After receiving medical treatment, you may provide your own insurance information and pay the remaining balances out of your own pocket. However, what you might not realize is the business owner or their landlord could be responsible for all of your medical bills. Sidewalks and other public walkways have to be well maintained in order to avoid slip and fall accidents. If the store owner or their landlord is aware that the sidewalk is in need of repair, but took no steps to remedy the situation, they can be held liable for your injuries because they were negligent.

To find out if you have legal recourse to recover money you spent out of your own pocket for your medical bills and treatments, you need to schedule a free consultation with experienced slip and fall attorneys. Your lawyer is able to review the information and details about your accident, obtain additional information from the store owner and their landlord, and determine if they were at fault for your injuries. If they were negligent, you have grounds for filing a personal injury claim.

Use a Personal Injury Attorney to Seek Monetary Compensation after an Accident

After being seriously hurt in an accident, your quality of life can be affected. You may no longer be able to do all the things you enjoy. You could end up losing your current job and having to find a new way to support your family. You might become depressed, experience long-term pain and suffering, and face other obstacles. However, you do not have to face these problems alone, when the accident was not your own fault. As long as the other party was partially to blame, you often have the right to sue them in a court of law with help from an experienced personal injury attorney.

Filing a case starts by making sure you have grounds. First, there must be some form of negligence present. Negligence means the other party was responsible for causing the accident. If their actions had been different or altered in some manner, you would not have necessarily been hurt. Once negligence is established, the next thing required is gathering evidence to support your claim. Evidence can be in the form of police reports, medical reports, accident reports, witness testimonies and your account of the incident.

Your accident injury attorney will go over the process in more detail during your initial meeting. It is important to remember good lawyers do not always establish a monetary figure immediately, but wait until after evidence has been collected. If your lawyer just throws out an amount without performing a detailed case analysis, you may want to find a different law firm to handle your case.

How Your Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorney Determines the Value of Your Claim

The maximum amount for which you are entitled to sue in a personal injury case in Los Angeles is determined using a variety of factors. First and foremost, you need to have the proper legal representation in order to fully exercise your rights and be able to seek the maximum amounts. Without an attorney helping you, the other party’s insurance company’s lawyers are not as cooperative. In fact, they will take anything you tell them and use it against you, if it serves their interests. Ideally, it is in your best interest to not speak to the insurance company or their lawyers until you have had time to consult with one of your own.

Another factor used to determine the maximum amount of your case is based on the insurance coverage the other person has in effect. While it is possible to seek a larger amount, it does not always mean you are always able to recover the full amount filed. However, if the other party has substantial assets, then it might be possible to win your case at the higher amount. Your Los Angeles personal injury attorney will discuss this in more detail during your initial consultation.

The extent of your injuries, medical costs, and other expenses incurred from the accident are also used to determine your maximum amount. In certain cases, you may be able to include pain and suffering with your claim. Additionally, your injury claim can include reimbursement for minor expenses, such as transportation, as well as physical disability, permanent scars, mental anguish, loss of wages, including overtime, and other out of pocket expenses.

Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorneys Help Protect Your Legal Rights

Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorneys Help Protect Your Legal Rights

It is your responsibility to protect your legal rights after being involved in an accident that resulted in personal injury to your person. If you fail to exercise your rights, you run the risk of not receiving the best settlement or verdict in your favor. Further, you may end up having to pay for medical bills out of your own pocket, which could have serious financial implications for you and your family.

The first thing to do after an accident is to seek medical treatment, regardless of the extent of your injuries. Even if you only have a few contusions, a sprain, or other minor injuries, obtaining medical treatment is part of your legal rights. During your examination, it may be discovered there are other complications that could result in requiring surgery to fully correct the damage.

After obtaining medical treatment, the next thing you will want to do is contact your local Los Angeles personal injury attorneys at Madison Law Group. The other party’s insurance company has attorneys representing their interests, so you should, too. Your lawyer is able to meet with you wherever it is convenient, including in your home or at the hospital, if you are unable to come to our offices.

How Much Can I Recover from Filing a Personal Injury Case in Los Angeles?

How Much Can I Recover from Filing a Personal Injury Case in Los Angeles?

The amount you are able to recover from a personal injury law suit in Los Angeles is based upon the type of accident and extent of your injuries. Further, there must be another party that was negligent in some manner involved in the accident. What this means is that the amount of negligence does vary, from one case to another. In some situations, the other party is entirely at fault, so the maximum amount for the case can be sought.

On the other hand, if they were only partially to blame, then the amount is adjusted accordingly. For example, you were 25 percent at fault for causing the accident. The other party would be held accountable for the other 75 percent. The maximum monetary damages for your type of lawsuit are reduced by 25 percent. Your personal injury lawyer in Los Angles will cover this in more detail after your initial consultation and case evaluation.

In addition, the amount you recover can be different, if you accept a settlement offer, instead of taking your case to court in front of a judge. Some people choose to take the settlement, rather than having to relive the pain and suffering they experienced while they recount their testimony to the judge. It should be noted that in certain situations, it might be more beneficial to go to court, like if the insurance company does not want to meet your settlement proposal. Again, your attorney will work in your best interests to guarantee you receive the maximum amount possible, either with a settlement, or by taking your case to court.

Use a Personal Injury Lawyer in Los Angeles to Talk to Insurance Companies on Your Behalf

If you have been injured in an accident that was caused by someone else, it can be frustrating attempting to deal with this all on your own. Not only do you have to deal with your insurance company, but you will be contacted by the other party’s. While their insurance company may seem friendly and helpful, you should avoid talking to them directly. By discussing the accident with them, you run the risk of forfeiting your legal rights to future claims. Further, the insurance company is going to want to offer you a settlement for the least amount of money possible. In the event you do speak to them, and later refuse their offer, they are going to use anything you said to them directly against you in order to attempt to devalue your case.

Rather than dealing with this unwanted stress during this difficult time in your life, it is better to consult with a personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles. Your attorney is able to handle all aspects of helping you file claims against the other party’s insurance party, as well as handle situations where your company and theirs is the same. In the event you both have the same provider, you should avoid speaking to them, even to discuss your own claim against your policy.

Regardless of whether you are dealing with one or two different insurance carriers, it is often better to tell insurance companies you are in the process of retaining a personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles, and they can direct all inquiries to your attorney once you have hired them. By taking the time to retain a personal injury lawyer, not only do you protect your legal rights, but you are also ensuring the lawyer will seek the maximum amount of monetary damages for you as allowed under the law.

In Los Angeles the Amount of Monetary Damages Your Personal Injury Attorney Can Seek Depends on Several Factors

One question most people have when they find out they have grounds to file a personal injury claim using a lawyer in Los Angeles is the amount of money they could be awarded. The amount of monetary damages you are able to file for depends upon several factors, including the extent of your injuries, level of pain and suffering, and whether you lost wages from employment. Further, since these types of cases often involve suing insurance companies, there are frequently caps on the total amount an insurance company is able to pay. 

The caps placed on personal injury claims also depend on the type of personal liability insurance carried by the other party. Businesses often have a much higher coverage limit than individuals. For example, if you slipped, fell, and sustained serious injuries while in a place of business, you might be able to seek more in monetary damages. On the other hand, if you had a similar accident on the sidewalk leading up to someone’s home, you would be limited to the amount of coverage provided under their homeowner’s policy. 

In certain cases, your personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles can also recommend filing against people other than the insurance company. For instance, if you were walking down the sidewalk and were hit by a company-owned vehicle, you might have grounds to not only sue the driver’s insurance company, but also the business’s insurance company, and the business owners. Further, if the driver has any substantial assets, your attorney might decide to include them in your lawsuit.

Selecting the Right Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorney Is Important

Selecting the Right Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorney is Important

When filing a lawsuit using a Los Angeles personal injury attorney, there are a few things you need to know ahead of time. First, your lawyer should have a full understanding of personal injury laws. Using a law firm that deals with other kinds of civil suits does not always provide you with the expertise you require. It is better to use a firm which only deals with these types of cases. Next, it is important your lawyer knows who exactly to file your claim against, in order for you to be able to recover damages. There have been cases in the past where an attorney has gone through the process of suing another party, only to lose the case in court, because they sued the wrong party. Because personal injury cases can be long and drawn out, by the time your lawyer discovers he or she made a mistake, you could be well past the statute of limitations and have no further recourse.

Just remember to use the five major factors you should know and consider any time you need the help of a personal injury attorney in Los Angeles. First, know who you are hiring to represent you, and their experience in this area of the law. Next, determine your level of confidence and trust you could have if you retained the attorney. This can be established by taking advantage of a free consultation, where you get to meet the attorney and discuss your situation. Thirdly, evaluate the type of guidance you receive in understanding what is required from you, what you need to do, and how detailed the processes involved in a personal injury case are explained. Next, be cautious if the lawyer rattles off a figure for monetary damages without obtaining detailed information. Proper case valuation takes time and detailed information to correctly establish. Finally, consider the compensation the lawyer requires up front. If they work for free and only take payment if they win your case, your attorney ends up working harder.