Do I Need to Hire an Orange County Personal Injury Lawyer?
Victims afflicted by a personal injury accident that was caused by a reckless individual are granted the legal right to hold that party financially accountable.
However, due to insurance companies’ involvement and the liable party’s dishonesty, many victims are not allotted the full and fair compensation they rightfully deserve. After being injured or affected by an accident, it is vital to consult with an experienced Orange County personal injury lawyer.
Yet, some people question whether or not legal representation is even necessary, which is a valid concern. If contemplating whether or not a personal injury attorney can assist with your case, consider the top five benefits an Orange County personal injury law firm can provide.
What Does “Personal Injury” Mean?
When someone is harmed physically, mentally, or emotionally by the negligence of another party, such as a person, government entity, or business, the affected individual is granted the right to pursue legal action. Examples of common personal injury cases include:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Uber accidents
- Lyft accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Wrongful death accidents
5 Reasons to Hire Personal Injury Attorneys in Orange County, CA
In order to bring a successful personal injury claim, the plaintiff must prove that the defendant was responsible for the accident that resulted in the ensuing damages. Although it is not required to hire an Orange County personal injury lawyer to file a claim, doing so is beneficial for the following five reasons.
1. A Personal Injury Attorney Can Assess Your Case
Working with an experienced personal injury attorney not only improves the odds of recovering maximum compensation, but clients will also be prepared for what to expect during the case proceedings.
This alleviates stress, as well as prevents clients from being caught by surprise, as sometimes, expectations are not always the most plausible outcome. Personal injury attorneys can look at the details of the incident, assess it, compare it with similar personal injury cases, and determine its success rate.
This allows clients to have a better idea of what to expect when working with an Orange County personal injury lawyer. Being provided with a detailed insight into how much personal injury claims are worth, as well as what tactics to expect from the insurance copmanies will better equip clients for the case proceedings.
2. Court Representation if a Personal Injury Lawsuit Is Filed
The odds of most personal injury cases going to trial are not likely, as studies show that settling is more common. However, in the event that a personal injury lawsuit must be filed, due to the insurance company refusing to make a fair settlement offer or for other reasons, it is crucial to have professional legal support.
Orange County personal injury attorneys who are knowledgeable in California’s tort laws will be extremely instrumental in arguing a favorable outcome before a judge and jury during a trial.
The legal system, alone, is complex. Attempting to independently try a case without the help of personal injury lawyers will not only be costly, but the odds of winning the personal injury case significantly decrease.
3. Access to the Best Medical Care in Orange County
Another compelling reason to hire personal injury attorneys is access to the best medical care throughout Southern California. Because some severe injuries will require extensive medical treatment, it is important not to disregard being seen by top physicians and specialists.
Established Orange County personal injury law firms often maintain professional networks of local medical facilities, which are equipped to treat the common injuries that are often sustained in personal injury accidents, such as broken bones, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), and other serious injuries.
Reffarls to these facilities will not only aid in a successful recovery, but the treating physicians can also work as expert witnesses in confirming that serious injuries were sustained and had a detrimental impact on the victim’s livelihood.
Additionally, personal injury attorneys will advise what actions to take while receiving medical treatment, like keeping all medical records, not documenting the recovery on social media, or avoiding sharing medical information with the insurance company.
Note, even if legal representation is not of interest, please still seek immediate medical treatment after a car accident or another type of personal injury accident. This is dire to ensure health and well-being are not jeopardized, as some ailments can develop over time if not properly treated.
4. Strengthen the Personal Injury Claim
Personal injury lawyers that have handled similar cases are privy to how insurance copmanies operate and are aware of the methods they will undergo to get injured victims into accepting meager settlement offers.
Although there are a range of factors that come into play regarding a settlement, most personal injury claims should account for financial loss (medical bills, lost wages, property damage, etc.). In addition to this, non-monetary losses should also be accounted for, but insurance adjusters are often frugal in this area.
Because attorneys understand the true value of damages in personal injury cases, they will push for the highest settlement possible. They can also leverage the possibility of filing a lawsuit with the other party, incentivizing them to settle instead of going to trial.
Going to trial is costly for insurance companies, as well. This is why they will be more open to negotiations, all in an effort to prevent the personal injury case from being tried before a judge and jury.
5. Personal Injury Lawyers Handle All Legal Matters
California has its own personal injury laws. Therefore, it is vital to work with an experienced Orange County law firm that will handle all personal injury matters. This not only alleviates clients from worry about legal complexities, but it ensures accuracy in the case proceedings.
Additionally, legal help prevents oversights, like missing the filing periods for California’s statute of limitations, from being missed. For example, the filing period for motor vehicle accidents in Orange County, CA is usually two years. If that deadline is missed, the victim loses the right to file a personal injury claim.
Additionally, clients are not burdened with having to deal with the bothersome insurance companies. Representatives from these companies are trained to mislead victims into accepting unfair settlements and are even capable of giving the impression that the victim is liable for the accident.
In order to recover maximum damages and streamline the legal process, working with an experienced attorney who is seasoned in the state’s personal injury laws is pivotal.
How Much Is a Personal Injury Claim Worth?
One of the most important questions during the personal injury claims process pertains to a case’s value. Studies show that the average payout was approximately $52,900, but plaintiffs who hired personal injury attorneys received an average payout of $77,600.
It should be clarified that these are case averages, spanning various types of accidents (car accident, truck accident, motorycle accident, etc.) and resulting in varying types of injuries(spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, wrongful death, etc.). As a result, the outcomes will not always be the same, and they will not always be guaranteed.
Every case is unique. Therefore, they will produce varying results. To best determine how much your personal injury case is valued, it is recommended to schedule a case assessment with a qualified Orange County personal injury lawyer.
During the evaluation, the law firm will examine the details of the event and estimate the total losses. Their findings will be based on the following variables.
Liability
This is a legal term that refers to the responsibility of a wrongful act or omission that caused a personal injury accident.
In the context of personal injury law, liability means that a person or entity is legally responsible for the injuries of another person. It is determined by the following factors:
- The duty of care owed by the defendant to the plaintiff
- The breach of that duty of care
- The causation of the plaintiff’s injuries
- The damages suffered by the plaintiff
The strength of the evidence of liability is one of the most important factors in determining the value of a personal injury case. If the evidence of liability is strong, then the plaintiff is more likely to obtain a favorable outcome.
An experienced Orange County personal injury attorney can prove liability by gathering eyewitness testimonies, obtaining medical records to showcase the severity of injuries, and consulting with expert witnesses who will validate the cause of the accident.
Damages
The severity of the damages is a major factor in determining the value of a personal injury case. Economic damages, in particular, can have a significant impact on the value of a claim. This is because these damages are tangible and can be easily quantified. For example, it is relatively easy to calculate the cost of medical expenses or lost wages.
Non-economic damages can also play an important role, although they are more difficult to quantify. This is because non-economic damages are subjective and cannot be easily measured. For example, there is no easy way to measure the pain and suffering that a person has experienced. However, they can still qualify for compensation.
Punitive damages are awarded in rare cases, but they can still have a significant impact on the value of a claim. It is awarded to punish the defendant for their wrongdoing, rather than to compensate the plaintiff for their losses. Punitive damages are only awarded in cases where the defendant’s conduct was particularly egregious or malicious.
Policy Limits
The amount of insurance coverage available from the at-fault party is an important factor to consider in a personal injury claim. Even if the responsible party has liability insurance, not all losses may be fully covered.
In some cases, a personal injury claim may exceed the allowable coverage, which could leave victims facing significant financial hardship. If a personal injury claim exceeds the policy limits, there may be other options for collecting compensation.
A personal injury attorney can help you explore these options, which may include:
- Collecting the at-fault party’s personal assets: If the at-fault party has personal assets, that could be collected as compensation.
- Filing a claim with personal insurance company: If victims have uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage, a claim can be filed with their own insurance company to cover the remaining damages.
- Suing multiple defendants: In some cases, there may be multiple parties who are responsible for the accident. If so, a claim can be filed with each liable party.
Are You Ready to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?
Now that you’ve learned all about the top reasons to hire a personal injury lawyer in Orange County, CA, you can make sure you have the right representation.
Our award-winning law firm is here to help represent your case so that you get the justice you deserve. At Beach Accident Attorneys, we handle a range of motor vehicle accidents, including Uber and Lyft accidents, motorcycle accidents, and other types of personal injuries.
If you’d like to schedule a free consultation or if you have questions regarding your personal injury case, please do not hesitate to contact us.
