Do you need a Pasadena personal injury attorney to help you claim compensation after an accident? At SMITH Legal Center, we can represent and guide you as you seek compensation for damages. Call us today.
Sustaining physical injuries and medical expenses occur when you are injured in an accident. However, when your injuries and other damages are due to someone else’s wrongful actions, you can seek financial compensation as a legal remedy.
Filing a successful compensation claim with an insurance company and negotiating a settlement can be challenging. At SMITH Legal Center, we have the legal expertise and experience to take care of the claims process on your behalf. Call us at (866) 777-6484 to schedule a consultation.
Types of Personal Injury Cases That We Handle
At SMITH Legal Center, we handle all types of personal injury cases in Pasadena, CA, whether due to negligent or intentional conduct. The most common types of cases we take on include:
- Road accidents, including truck, motorcycle, and car accidents
- Pedestrian, scooter, and bicycle accidents
- Negligent security cases, slip-and-fall accidents, and other premises liability cases
- Strict liability cases, such as dog bites and defective products
- Public transport cases, such as bus, metro-transit, and rideshare accidents (UBER/LYFT)
- Cases involving catastrophic injuries, including spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, amputations, and severe burns
Our law firm also handles wrongful death cases, aiming to compensate the family members of a person who died unexpectedly because of someone else’s negligence.
Each personal injury case is unique. At SMITH Legal Center, we can provide you with a personalized legal strategy to help you pursue compensation for your medical bills and other damages.
When to Hire a Pasadena Personal Injury Attorney?.
Seek Medical Care First
After sustaining a personal injury, emergency medical care should be your priority for two reasons: Firstly, the symptoms from injuries, such as internal bleeding or traumatic brain injuries, can often take a day or two to develop symptoms. If you don’t receive immediate treatment, these injuries might worsen, leading to complications.
Secondly, seeking immediate medical care can help you file a successful insurance claim. If you wait too long before getting treatment, the insurance company will likely argue that your injuries were not due to the defendant’s liability.
Consult With Your Pasadena Personal Injury Attorney at SMITH Legal Center
After seeking medical care, you’ll need to report the accident to your insurance company within a specific time after the accident. However, insurance companies set up their claims processes to maximize their profits, and any information you provide with the accident report can inadvertently be detrimental to your case.
Before reporting the accident, contact our Pasadena personal injury attorney at SMITH Legal Center. We will help you report the accident in time to your insurance company.
If you already reported the accident to your insurance company, get in touch with our law firm as soon as possible so we can start working on your claim.
How Do You Know If You Are Eligible for a Personal Injury Claim?
A personal injury claim must meet several requirements to be successful. As the plaintiff, you need to demonstrate that the other party is liable for the accident by proving four elements in your claim. You must prove that:
- The defendant had a legal obligation to prevent your injury (duty of care)
- The defendant breached this obligation through negligence
- You suffered real damages
- Your damages are the foreseeable result of the defendant’s negligence
We can explain these elements using a car accident as an example:
All motorists have a legal obligation to obey the rules of the road. However, when a driver exceeds the speed limit, they breach this duty of care.
Suppose this speeding driver collides with another road user, injuring them. In this case, the offending driver’s reckless behavior, or negligence, is the proximate cause of the victim’s actual injuries, which means they are liable for the accident.
Types of Compensation You Can Get from a Personal Injury Case in California
You might be eligible to receive economic and non-economic damages after sustaining a personal injury. Economic damages are direct expenses that are quantifiable using documents and receipts. These damages include:
- Medical expenses
- Cost of rehabilitation or in-home care
- Loss of income
- Loss of earning ability
- Funeral and burial costs
- Property damage
You might also be able to recover non-economic damages. These intangible losses are subjective and more challenging to quantify than economic losses. Examples of non-economic damages include:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium or companionship
- Disfigurement or disability
At SMITH Legal Center, we can gather evidence, such as medical bills, repair receipts, and employment records, to substantiate your damages and claim amounts.
What Happens If You Also Contributed to the Accident?
California follows a pure comparative negligence doctrine, which means that several parties can be responsible for causing the same accident. In this case, the plaintiff and defendant can share fault while the plaintiff receives a compensatory award. However, the plaintiff’s share of fault will diminish the compensatory amount they can claim.
If you also acted negligently and contributed to an accident, you might still be eligible to receive compensation. Contact our legal team at SMITH Legal Center to maximize your compensation amount.
When to File a Lawsuit?
Most personal injury cases involve an insurance claim with no court involvement. However, if a dispute regarding liability or the claim amount exists, you might need to file a lawsuit and litigate the matter before a court of law. At SMITH Law Center, we can help you file a lawsuit before the deadline and represent you throughout the process.
What Can You Expect When You Hire Us at SMITH Legal Center?
Partnering with a reputable Pasadena personal injury attorney is crucial when claiming compensation for damages. At SMITH Legal Center, we can provide you with a wide range of legal solutions:
- Gathering all relevant evidence to prove your damages and the defendant’s liability
- Collecting and reviewing your medical records
- Contacting and interviewing witnesses
- Calculating a settlement amount
- Completing and submitting all relevant insurance forms
Our personal injury lawyer will consult with you throughout the claims process, and we will communicate with the insurance companies on your behalf.
Hire the Best Pasadena Personal Injury Attorney From SMITH Legal Center to Represent You
If someone negligently caused your personal injury, you might be eligible to pursue compensation. Let our legal team at SMITH Legal Center review your case and protect your rights.
Call us today at (866) 777-6484 to schedule a consultation with our Pasadena personal injury attorney and start the claims process. We have offices in Pasadena and Los Angeles, CA, and Phoenix, AZ.
