If you have suffered an injury in a California accident and someone else was negligent, then they should be held accountable. One of the easiest ways to assure that they are is to file a personal injury claim. Your chances of winning that claim go up significantly if you hire an attorney to help you. However, before you choose a personal injury attorney, make sure you know these five facts.
- Get Medical Help Before You Talk to a Personal Injury Attorney One of the most important things to realize is that your first priority is to get medical help. If necessary, take an ambulance from the scene of the accident. If not, go to your doctor as soon as possible. Follow all of their instructions. If you have not yet gone to the doctor, a personal injury attorney is going to request that you do so before they can determine what your case may be worth.
- You Do Not Have an Unlimited Time with Which to File Suit In most cases, a victim of an accident will have two years to file their lawsuit. In some cases, the statute of limitations can be longer and in some it can be shorter. However, the fact that it exists at all is reason enough to call an attorney sooner rather than later. The more time the attorney has to look at your case and gather evidence, the better able they will be to help you.
- You Have the Burden of Proof If your case goes to trial then it will be up to you and your attorney to prove that you were injured. This requires that you have as much evidence as possible, which may include medical records, photos, expert testimony, video surveillance, deposition testimony, written testimony, eyewitness testimony, and testimony from an accident reconstruction expert. Your attorney can help you get much of this evidence.
- Your Case is More Likely to Settle than Go to Trial The vast majority of cases do not go to trial. Instead, we negotiate with the insurance company and get you the best settlement possible. However, if the insurance company is not willing to negotiate a fair settlement then we may take your case to court. Either way, we will discuss the options so that you can make the most informed decision.
- Your Best Option is to Hire a Personal Injury Attorney Are you legally required to hire a personal injury attorney? Of course not – but you will be glad that you did. At Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas we can ensure that a qualified legal expert is on your side. Getting started is easy – just call 909-982-0707 and request a free legal consultation.
