LA County Injury Attorney Ready to Help
When you get injured in an accident, there are often ripple effects that can put additional strain on you and your family. The medical expenses for recovery treatment can be extremely costly, especially if you are unable to work for an extended period of time due to your injury.
The good news is that if you are injured and incur these types of costs because of someone else’s actions, you may be entitled to compensatory damages. If you believe someone else caused the accident which lead to your injury, call a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer today. A qualified personal injury attorney who specializes in personal injury law can have a great impact on your case.
Scott Glovsky’s Personal Injury Practice Areas
Personal Injury
When you have been injured through the negligence of another person or entity, you deserve justice. After all, one moment you are living your life, going about your daily routine, then, in an instant your life has changed, through no fault of your own. When this occurs, you need a strong legal advocate who will fight for your rights passionately, not stopping until you have received the damages you are entitled to receive.
Bicycle Accident
If you have been hit by a vehicle while riding a bicycle, you could have very serious injuries—perhaps even serious enough to keep you from returning to your job, and supporting yourself and your family.
Burn Injury
Burn injuries are not only painful and difficult to recover from, they can also cause disfigurement and permanent injury, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars of treatment costs.
Catastrophic Injury
Catastrophic injuries are those that cause lifelong, permanent disabilities, such as amputations, severe brain trauma, or a spinal cord injury. Catastrophic injuries can also end up literally bankrupting those who must deal with the injuries and their families.
Car Accident
Auto accidents are the most common reason for a personal injury lawsuit. A car accident can result in minor injuries, serious injuries, or life-threatening injuries. Car accidents can also result in financial devastation, depending on the situation.
Defective Drug & Medical Devices
When companies fail to properly test drugs and medical devices, injuries and death can result. Financial resources can be stretched to the limit when such injuries occur.
Elder Abuse
Elder abuse is defined an intentional action or a failure to act by a caregiver or other trusted individual that causes harm to an elderly adult. Elder abuse can encompass financial harm, physical harm, and psychological abuse.
Medical Malpractice
When a medical professional fails to act in the same manner as another medical professional would have done, given the same circumstances, medical malpractice could be present. Medical malpractice can cause years of pain and suffering, not to mention financial distress.
Motorcycle Accident
Like a bicyclist, a motorcyclist has little to no protection when hit by a vehicle. This means the motorcyclist is much more likely to suffer serious injury or death, and much more likely to need help getting the compensation he or she deserves.
Nursing Home Abuse
Nursing home abuse is a horrific crime, perpetrated upon vulnerable elderly persons who are unable to protect themselves. When nursing home abuse occurs, a strong legal advocate is essential.
Premises Liability
When you are injured on another’s property by a dog bite, drowning, or other incident, you may have a premises liability claim.
Product Liability
When you are injured by a dangerous or defective product (including e-cigarettes), you may have a product liability claim.
Slip and Fall
Slip and falls are much more common than you might think. All too often, public areas which should be free of hazards are not. While a slip and fall may sound relatively minor, these accidents can cause serious injuries that can last months, years, or a lifetime.
Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic brain injury can change lives forever—both the life of the victim, and the lives of his or her loved ones. Treating traumatic brain injury can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. If your traumatic brain injury was the result of negligence on the part of another person or entity, you need a strong legal advocate like Scott Glovsky.
Truck Accident
Truck accidents can be much more serious than an accident involving passenger vehicles. Additionally, there are a number of people and entities who can potentially be held liable, including the truck driver, the trucking company, the loading company, the maintenance company, and the company that manufactured the truck or truck parts. Truck accidents require a personal injury attorney with very specialized knowledge and experience, like Scott Glovsky.
Wrongful Death
An accident that would have been a personal injury claim can turn into a wrongful death claim if the victim of the accident dies. The family members of the victim are entitled to receive compensation for the wages the decedent would have earned, as well as the emotional support they no longer have because of the death.
The Role of Negligence in a Personal Injury Lawsuit
The majority of personal injury claims are based on the concept of negligence. In negligence cases, the injured party argues that the accident that caused their injury was the result of a third party’s negligence or carelessness. In California, if the injured person can meet the four elements of a negligence claim, they can be compensated for their resulting damages with the help of a Claremont and Pasadena personal injury lawyer.
The legal definition of liability in California personal injury cases is established under California Civil Code §1714, which states that everyone is responsible, not only for the result of his or her willful acts but also for an injury occasioned to another by his or her want of ordinary care. Under this statute, there are four elements of a negligence claim that the injured party must establish in order to be successful:
- Duty of care
- Breach of duty
- Causation
- Damages
Potential Damages for a California Personal Injury
Damages are the foundation of a negligence lawsuit. If an injured party has not suffered damages, there is really no reason to bring a personal injury claim in the first place. However, California law nonetheless specifies that the injured party must establish that they suffered damages in order to bring a valid claim.
Damages means any physical or emotional injury resulting from the accident. This can include medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and more depending on the circumstances. If the injured party successfully proves all four elements of negligence, they may be compensated for the damages they suffered. Contact a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer for help with receiving compensation for damages.
California’s Pure Comparative Negligence Rule
Under California Civil Code §405, if a court deems that an injured party was partially negligent in causing the accident that injured them, the amount of compensation the injured party may be entitled to would be reduced in proportion to the amount they were negligent. For example, if the defendant was found 75 percent negligent and the injured party was found 25 percent negligent, the final damage award available to the injured party would be reduced by 25 percent.
When To Seek A Personal Injury Attorney
Workplace Injuries
Many problems can occur on the job that pose hazards to the employees. For example, a chemical plant needs to take special precautions to ensure there are no toxic fume leakages that may harm someone. Objects left in public walkways that cause falling accidents may point to negligence by the person who left them there. Although workers’ compensation may handle situations like these, it may be helpful to consult a personal injury lawyer to ask questions and find out for sure.
Public Venues
Recreational parks, parking lots, supermarkets, banks, and other places that are open to the public are expected to maintain safe and hazard-free access for their customers. A shopper who trips and falls on a slippery pharmacy floor and breaks her leg should consult an attorney to find out if the store was at fault. It may be the heel of her shoe twisted unexpectedly and caused the fall. Unless she knows for sure, it is best to seek legal advice.
Animal Attacks
Owners of personal pets that attack, bite, knock down, or otherwise injure a person may be liable for costs incurred for medical treatment, pain and suffering, and loss of work, to name a few potential losses or costs. Neighbors that allow their dogs to dig up the next door yard or tear up lawn decorations may be responsible for compensating the owner for replacement costs. Discussing the matter with a personal injury lawyer will help to clear up fuzzy issues and find out if the situation should be pressed as a claim against someone who has been negligent.
Whenever someone incurs a loss or expense due to another person’s carelessness, negligence, or irresponsibility, the potential exists for litigation. This may end up being a basic claim that can be paid by the guilty person’s homeowner’s insurance policy. Larger claims or more serious losses may lead to large scale lawsuits.
A personal injury attorney thoroughly knows this aspect of the law. The lawyer will listen carefully to the client’s complaint, possibly ask questions, and then give an opinion as to whether another person appears to be guilty of causing harm or loss. If so, the attorney will explain the legal procedure he or she recommends, along with any costs, preparation, and the timeframe.
If the attorney believes the other person is not at fault, the client has the option of seeking another attorney’s opinion or having peace of mind in accepting that the other person did not contribute to the injury or loss.
Contacting a LA County Personal Injury Attorney
If you or a loved one were injured in an accident and believe someone else was at fault, contact a LA County personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. An experienced attorney can analyze your case and help you pursue the compensation you deserve.