Sherman Oaks Personal Injury Lawyer

The California statute of limitations is a deadline you must comply with to preserve your legal right to compensation from another party. You must typically file your personal injury lawsuit within two years of the injury or accident date. However, depending on the circumstances, your case may have a different statute of limitations that provides more or less time.

Contact our Sherman Oaks injury lawyers to discuss your claim and the deadline that applies to it. We’ll monitor all deadlines and ensure that everything is timely filed.

California implements a pure comparative negligence standard when a personal injury victim shares fault for their accident. Under this rule, you’re entitled to compensation from another party as long as you aren’t 100% to blame. Your damages will be reduced by your percentage of negligence.

For example, suppose a court deems you 30% responsible for a boating accident. The defendant would only be liable for 70% of your damages to account for your share of responsibility.

The opposing party may attempt to shift blame to you, even if they don’t have supporting evidence. This is a common tactic used to pay people less than they deserve. Our Sherman Oaks personal injury lawyers will push back and fight for a fair outcome.

All California personal injury cases are unique. We cannot definitively tell you what your claim is worth without knowing more about your situation.

We’ll consider the following factors when putting a dollar figure on your injury case:

• The types of injuries you sustained and their severity
• Whether you’ve been permanently disabled or impaired
• The emotional and physical pain you’ve endured
• The cost of your healthcare, now and in the future
• The effect of your injuries on your employment and ability to earn a living
• Whether you share any blame for your Sherman Oaks accident or injury
• Available insurance policies and their limits
• The parties involved

You should know what your case is worth before negotiating with the opposing party or their insurer. Otherwise, you may not receive an amount that fully compensates you for your damages.

The time a personal injury case takes to resolve varies based on each client’s unique circumstances. Cases may share some of the same steps, but that doesn’t mean they follow the same timeline.

If your claim is relatively straightforward with no contested issues, you may receive a settlement check within a few months.

However, many factors can complicate the process and lengthen the timeline, such as:

• Severe injuries requiring extensive treatment and time to recover
• Disagreements as to who shares liability
• Cases involving significant damages
• Whether experts are needed to resolve complex issues
• Whether the case goes to trial

Even if things seem to be moving smoothly, an unexpected issue can arise and draw out the process. We’ll be here to keep you informed about the status of your case.

It’s unlikely that your case will make it to trial. Only around 5% of personal injury lawsuits are decided by a judge or jury. The majority are resolved during negotiations between the parties.

Many people prefer an out-of-court settlement because it provides more certainty and is quicker and more cost effective than going to trial.

However, our team features skilled and dedicated litigators who won’t hesitate to take your case to trial if necessary. We’re fierce advocates who believe in reaching an equitable outcome in our pursuit of justice for our clients.

Most personal injury matters originate due to someone’s negligence. At-fault parties typically don’t intend to harm someone, but their inattention or recklessness leads to an injury.

As the claimant, you have the burden of proof in your case, meaning you’ll have to demonstrate the following negligence elements:

• You were owed a legal duty of care, such as a responsibility to follow state traffic laws.
• The at-fault party breached that duty, such as by driving over the speed limit.
• The breach directly caused the accident and your injuries.
• You sustained damages as a result of their actions, such as medical expenses and chronic pain.

You can use different types of evidence to prove each element of negligence, such as:

• Surveillance footage of the accident
• Photos and videos of the accident scene
• Accident reports
• Statements from eyewitnesses
• Medical records and reports
• Pain and suffering journal
• Expert witness reports
• Employment records proving lost wages

The experienced personal injury attorneys at JUSTICENTER Personal Injury Lawyers can gather the evidence required to prove your claim.