Personal Injury Lawyer Serving Jurupa Valley, CA

You could get into an accident in Riverside County despite being careful. A distracted driver on Interstate 15 who’s texting behind the wheel could run your car off the road. You may even slip on a wet floor at 99 Ranch or the Sprouts in nearby Eastvale. A serious injury could keep you out of work and swamped with medical bills.
If you got hurt because of someone else’s negligence, the Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas is here to help. Our team has advocated for accident survivors and their families since 1995. We will level the playing field with insurance companies and take your personal injury case all the way to court if it’s what’s best for you and your household.
For a free case evaluation with our trusted personal injury lawyers near Jurupa Valley, CA, contact our law firm today. You can also reach our attorneys by calling (909) 982-0707.

Signs You Have a Valid Personal Injury Claim

An accident in Jurupa Valley doesn’t automatically qualify you to file a personal injury lawsuit. These four elements must be present to file a legal claim:

• Duty of Care: This means that the other party had a responsibility to act reasonably or keep others safe. Examples of duty of care include clearing away clutter that customers could trip over and following the posted speed limit.
• Breach of Duty: This means that the person or party did not act responsibly.
• Causation: The breach of duty by one party was the cause of an accident or injury. For example, spilled flour or sugar in a grocery store caused someone to slip and fall.
• Damages: The incident led to some kind of measurable harm, such as medical treatment and changes in mobility due to disability.

When you meet with the team at the Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas, our personal injury attorneys will let you know if you have a valid case.

How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit in California?

Per California Code of Civil Procedure (CCP) § 335.1, you have two years from the date of an accident or injury to file a legal claim. Once that two-year statute of limitations has expired, you will no longer be able to take legal action.

There are some exceptions to that two-year deadline. For example, you may have an even shorter window to file a legal claim if the accident involved a government entity. This is why it’s best to discuss your case with a personal injury lawyer near Jurupa Valley as soon as you can.

Damages in a Personal Injury Lawsuit

A major accident can change your life in countless ways. The Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas will carefully consider what you experienced and help you understand the true value of your personal injury claim.

Economic damages are the material and financial losses caused by an accident. Common examples include:

• Hospitalization and emergency medical care
• Current and future medical expenses
• Physical rehabilitation and occupational therapy
• Lost income while healing from injuries
• Reduced future earning potential due to disability
• Damage to property and belongings

Non-economic damages are the subjective changes in a person’s life caused by an injury. These can be more challenging to calculate, but they are still important. Common examples include:

• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Diminished quality of life
• Loss of consortium

While rare, some personal injury cases may also include punitive damages. These are considered exemplary damages since they punish a negligent party rather than compensate someone for losses. Our personal injury lawyers can let you know if these exemplary damages may be available in your accident claim.

Can I Still Collect Damages If I Was Partially Liable?

Yes. California is a pure comparative negligence state, so you can still collect damages even if you were 99% at fault. How much you receive is reduced based on your percentage of shared liability.

For example, say that you are awarded $100,000 for a car wreck in Jurupa Valley but are found to be 20% responsible. You would still receive $80,000 in damages.

Don’t feel intimidated if you have any legal questions. We can provide answers during a consultation. To set up a free and confidential case review, contact our personal injury lawyers.

The Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas can assist you with different kinds of personal injury claims in Jurupa Valley and local communities in the area. You can trust our lawyers to offer strong representation and support during a trying time.

Car Accidents

According to numbers from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), there were 598 injuries or fatalities from car accidents in Jurupa Valley during 2023. While the number seems relatively small, just think of how many people commute from Jurupa Valley and Riverside County into other parts of the greater L.A. area.
Drivers need to exercise caution while taking Highway 60, especially when getting close to I-15 and I-215. While located just north of the city, commuters should also be careful while they’re on I-10. Common causes of accidents in the area include driving under the influence, speeding, reckless driving, and distractions such as checking directions or sending text messages behind the wheel.

Large Truck Accidents

Southern California needs semi-trucks to keep the economy going. Yet these large commercial vehicles have major blind spots on all four sides and could cause catastrophic multi-vehicle pileups. These dangers are particularly pronounced on high-traffic freeways around Riverside County like I-15, I-10, and SR 60.
Driver fatigue is a major cause or contributing factor in trucking accident cases, which makes sense given the long hours truckers have to be on the road. When negligence by a trucker or trucking company leads to a serious collision, our law firm can hold them liable for causing harm.

Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcyclists need to exercise caution while riding on local freeways like I-15, I-10, or SR 60. According to data from OTS, there were 41 injuries or fatalities from motorcycle accidents in Jurupa Valley during 2023. These injuries can be serious even with a helmet and proper protective gear.
Some of these crashes are caused by drivers who fail to check their blind spots while merging onto highways or changing lanes. Other collisions are due to faulty tires or other vehicle parts. Whatever the case, our personal injury attorneys can hold negligent drivers, automakers, and other parties accountable if they caused a collision.

Bicycle Accidents

Bicyclists of all ages need to be careful any time they go out for a ride. The risk of injuries should not be taken lightly. OTS recorded 15 injuries or fatalities from bicycle accidents in Jurupa Valley during 2023. If you got hurt while riding your bike in the city, our personal injury attorneys can hold the negligent party liable for your injuries.

Pedestrian Accidents

Pedestrians need to be extremely careful. According to OTS, there were 41 injuries or fatalities from pedestrian accidents in Jurupa Valley during 2023. Yet these accidents can happen even if you avoid jaywalking and cross at crosswalks. Our personal injury lawyers can help injured pedestrians seek damages from negligent drivers, truckers, and motorcyclists.

Premises Liability

We mentioned earlier that you could get hurt in Riverside County even if you’re careful. You could be out for an evening walk with your family when you hurt your ankle due to uneven or damaged sidewalks in the area. Or you could trip over an extension cord when trying to run an errand at the Shops at Jurupa Valley.
If you get seriously injured on someone’s property or at a business, our personal injury attorneys can let you know if you have a valid premises liability lawsuit. These kinds of claims range from slip and fall accidents, injuries due to insufficient security, and cases involving long-term exposure to harmful substances.

Drowning Accidents

There are hundreds of thousands of residential swimming pools in Riverside County and the Greater Los Angeles area. There are also a number of public pools in the area. If someone drowns at a pool because there are no lifeguards present or there is any sort of injury because of lax supervision, the property owner could face legal consequences.
What’s more, California law considers swimming pools an attractive nuisance that could attract children onto someone’s property. That means property owners could be held liable for injuries even if a child was trespassing on the property.

Dog Bites and Animal Attacks

Dog owners in Jurupa Valley have a responsibility to keep others safe. Their pet needs to be leashed while at Vernola Family Park or Rancho Jurupa Park, and to be monitored while on their property. If their pet attacks a child, a neighbor, or a delivery person, the dog owner needs to be held accountable.
Our personal injury attorneys can help ensure that negligent dog owners are held responsible for any property damage or physical harm their pet may have caused.

Wrongful Death Claims

If you’ve lost a loved one in a fatal accident, you have our deepest condolences. When you’re ready to share what happened, our attorneys can help you file a wrongful death claim against the negligent party. Wrongful death lawsuits can help you seek compensation for funeral expenses, grief counseling, and the pain of losing a spouse or family member.