Long Beach Personal Injury Attorneys
Serious injuries can be life-altering events that leave you feeling frustrated, vulnerable, and worried about the future. If someone else is at fault for such an injury, you deserve to recover compensation for your losses. However, facing the complicated insurance process or civil court system alone can feel overwhelming when you already have so much on your plate. That’s why it’s essential to find an experienced personal injury lawyer in Long Beach, CA, who you can trust.
Before hiring an attorney, you should consider their experience, approach, and results. For example, if you need to sue an insurance company to recover losses from an injury, you want a lawyer who has successfully taken on these massive corporations before. You also want someone who shares your goal of getting the full compensation that you need—even if the case needs to go to court.
Some Long Beach personal injury lawyers push clients to prematurely settle out of court, even if the offer does not sufficiently cover the client’s needs. However, at Blair & Ramirez LLP, we push for the results that our clients deserve in each individual case. While results vary depending on the facts of your case, we have successfully recovered millions of dollars for our clients in many types of personal injury claims.
Hiring a personal injury lawyer is a decision with potentially major consequences. Understanding what types of cases we take, the general timeline for lawsuits, and an attorney’s pricing structure can help you decide how to proceed.
How do I know if I have a personal injury case?
If someone’s actions caused you emotional, physical, or financial problems, you may have a personal injury case. However, the details of what happened and possible evidence will ultimately determine whether or not you have a case. That’s why it’s important to schedule a free consultation with Blair & Ramirez LLP, an experienced Long Beach personal injury attorney, as soon as possible.
Here are some examples of the types of events that bring about personal injury lawsuits:
Car Accidents
Car accidents cause 2.35 million injuries and 37,000 deaths in the United States every year, and 3,563 of those fatalities come from California alone. Unfortunately, Los Angeles County is the most dangerous county for car accidents in California, with about 670 deaths per year. The causes of these accidents can vary, and may include:
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Texting while driving
- Distracted driving
- Aggressive driving or road rage
Whether another driver has caused you injury or a collision that resulted in the death of a loved one, you may need compensation to cover the costs. In such a case, you may seek money to cover your insurance premiums, anticipated medical costs, unanticipated medical expenses, time away from work, funeral costs, emotional damage, and more.
Truck Accidents
The number of accidents involving commercial vehicles, such as trucks and buses, has been on the rise in recent years, with hundreds of thousands of large trucks involved in crashes across the country in just one year. Worse yet, these accidents continue to get more severe, as the number of fatal truck accidents has been increasing.
As with other types of accidents, driver negligence can cause truck accidents and give you grounds for a lawsuit. Additionally, negligence from the transportation company or faulty equipment may be to blame. Depending on the case, you may need to file claims against the driver, the driver's employer, and/or truck manufacturer to get what you’re owed. This can be complex, and it is just one of the reasons we recommend you speak with an experienced attorney if you have been injured in a collision with a semi-truck here in California.
Motorcycle and Bicycle Accidents
Thanks to our beautiful year-round weather, Long Beach is home to many motorcyclists and bicyclists. While these vehicles provide freedom, convenience, an eco-friendly alternative to driving, they are also potentially at risk in a serious accident.
If another driver causes an accident while you are on a motorcycle or bicycle, your recovery may include long hospital stays and time away from work. All of these costs can add up quickly. Be sure to contact a personal injury attorney who understands the nuances of a motorcycle injury case.
Pedestrian Accidents
Although Southern Californians are known for driving everywhere, most people are pedestrians at least for a few moments each and every day. When you walk from the parking garage to the building or from your parking spot to your apartment, you become a pedestrian for that moment. If a distracted, drunk, or otherwise negligent driver collides with you in that time, you likely have grounds for a lawsuit.
Slips and Falls
You do not have to be on or near the road to be at risk for an accident. Slipping and falling can lead to serious injuries in some cases, including broken bones and head injuries. If you fall in another person’s home, public place, or business, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.
Of course, some slip and falls are complete accidents, and compensation may not be possible. However, slips and falls continue to be one of the most common causes of personal injury cases because they are often preventable. Unmarked spills on the store floor, uneven paving, or hallways covered in debris can be hazardous. If the property owner does not clear these dangerous conditions or provide sufficient warning, those who get hurt from them can file injury claims.
Dog Bites
In California, dog owners are liable for the actions of their pets. While many dogs are furry friends, they can be extremely dangerous if and when they decide to attack. Their strong jaws and sharp teeth can cause injuries and disabilities in the blink of an eye. Furthermore, the emotional trauma from being attacked by a dog can be long-lasting. If you are bitten in a public place or while you are lawfully in a private place, a Long Beach personal injury attorney can help you get the compensation you deserve.
Traumatic Brain and Spine Injuries
While all kinds of injuries can qualify for personal injury lawsuits, damage to the brain and spine tends to be particularly disruptive to the lives of the victims. Such injuries can leave people without certain motor and cognitive abilities. This can affect their earning potential for life and lead to the need for lifelong treatment.
In these situations, it is particularly important to get every cent you need, and our experienced personal injury lawyers can help. We understand the complexities of brain and spine injury cases. While almost any kind of accident can cause these injuries, we find that falls and traffic accidents are among the most prevalent causes.
Wrongful Death
The death of a loved one is devastating, no matter the circumstances. It can be a particularly difficult time if you relied on the person for support, and they pass away unexpectedly. If your loved one died due to the negligence of another person or organization, it may qualify as a wrongful death under California law.
As a general rule of thumb, wrongful death lawsuits apply when the victim could have filed a personal injury lawsuit had they survived. However, the victim’s death means that his or her loved ones must now file the claim.
How much does it cost to hire a personal injury lawyer in Long Beach?
Attorneys can charge clients in different ways, including per-hour or on a contingency basis. The large majority of personal injury attorneys—including ours at Blair & Ramirez LLP—handle injury cases on a contingency basis.
In short: we don’t get paid unless you do. We start with a free consultation. Then, if you get a settlement or win at trial, we take a portion of what the responsible party pays you. This ensures your interests are the same as ours, and you know we will work hard for you to get what you deserve. You also do not need any money to pay us out of pocket, as our fee comes directly from the settlement or award.
How long will it take for a personal injury lawsuit to be completed?
The length of the case can vary substantially based on many factors. Perhaps the most important factor in determining a timeline is deciding whether or not to go to trial. In many cases, the responsible party and their representatives will offer a settlement in order to avoid trial.
Sometimes, this settlement is sufficient to cover your expenses. However, some settlement offers are much less than what the client may get after a trial. That’s why we will not push our clients to prematurely take a settlement unless it is advisable or adequate to cover their losses. During your case, your Long Beach personal injury attorney will advise you on potential timelines.
We also provide legal representation for personal injury in these areas
What is the best way to contact a personal injury attorney in Long Beach?
Blair & Ramirez LLP is proud to represent clients in Long Beach and the surrounding areas. If you’re ready for a free case consultation, contact us as soon as possible. The sooner we start working on your case, the sooner you can access the money you need to cover your injury expenses. Call our office at (213) 568-4000 or contact us today to get started.