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Get a Free Consultation With a Fresno Personal Injury Lawyer Today

Who will be held accountable for my accident? Am I qualified to acquire recoverable compensation to cover for my losses? Who do I reach out to for help? These are some of many questions that people may think about after getting into an accident.

If you have been involved in an accident and are now facing physical and/or mental anguish, please accept our deepest condolences. No one should ever go through such a traumatic experience. An experienced Fresno personal injury attorney at West Coast Trial Lawyers could help you get through these devastating times.

Get started holding the liable party accountable and recovering the compensation you will need when you contact our office by calling (559) 272-9881 or filling out our contact form to schedule a free consultation.

Types of Cases That We Handle

Our Fresno personal injury attorneys are capable of handling any number of types of personal injury cases. However, there are some accidents, incidents, and events that we handle more frequently than others. Some of the more common types of accidents we take on include:

• Car Accidents
• Uber and Lyft Accidents
• Pedestrian Accidents
• Wrongful Death
• Bicycle Accidents
• Motorcycle Accidents
• Truck Accidents
• Brain Injury 
• Burn Injury
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Food Delivery Accidents
• Dog Bites
• Bus Accidents
• Premises Liability 

If another type of accident caused your injuries, and you do not know where to turn for help, reach out to West Coast Trial Lawyers to schedule a free consultation with our Fresno personal injury attorneys.

Common Injuries to Sue for in Fresno

When you have been involved in an accident, you may be wondering whether your injuries are severe enough to warrant filing a lawsuit against the liable party. However, it is important to keep in mind that your injuries do not need to be life-threatening, catastrophic, or change the course of your life forever for you to have grounds for a claim.

The ways in which your injuries have had an impact on your life, however, will. With that in mind, there are some types of injuries seen more frequently in Fresno personal injury claims than others. Some of these include:

• Paralysis
• Spinal cord injuries
• Head injuries
• Concussion
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Amputation
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Compound fractures and broken bones
• Burn Injuries
• Neck injuries
• Back injuries
• Organ failure
• Internal bleeding
• Lacerations leading to sepsis
• Conclusions and abrasions

If you suffered another injury that was not listed above, that does not mean you do not have grounds for a case. Instead, be sure to contact our office to discuss your injuries, their impact on your life, the accident you were involved in, and more about the details of your case.

Do You Have Grounds for a Personal Injury Claim in Fresno?

Many injury victims wonder whether they have the opportunity to move forward with a claim against the person or entity responsible for causing their injuries. There are many questions you can ask yourself when lying in your Fresno hospital bed, wondering what options are available to you. Here are just a few:

• Is someone else responsible for causing your accident?
• Is someone else responsible for causing your injuries?
• Did someone else’s negligence play a part in the accident that caused your injuries?
• Could another party be at-fault for your suffering?
• Have your injuries had a lasting impact on your life?
• Have your injuries caused you significant financial distress?
• Is the emotional trauma from the accident or your injuries too much to bear?
• Are these physical effects of your injuries taking their toll?
• Are you a Injuries expected to have a continued impact on your life for years to come?

If the answers to one or more of these questions are yes or could be yes, it is important to reach out to a personal injury lawyer in Fresno for help. After carefully examining the circumstances of your accident and injuries, we can provide you with legal guidance and support.

How to Win Your Fresno Personal Injury Claim

If you are hoping to win your personal injury claim in Fresno, your attorney will need to prove liability based on a preponderance of the evidence. Essentially, this means your lawyer must show the defendant’s negligence caused your injuries. The three following elements of negligence must be met:

• Duty of care
• Breach of duty
• Causation

The defendant must have owed you a duty of care in some way. For example, if you were involved in a slip and fall accident, the property owner would have had a duty to ensure their property was safe for invited guests and patrons. If they failed to maintain safe premises, this could be considered a breach in the duty of care.

If you suffer injuries caused by this breach of duty, you may suffer considerable damages. Your attorney will need to present compelling evidence that shows the defendant is more likely than not responsible for causing your injuries if you hope to recover the compensation that is rightfully yours.

Evidence to Include in Your Personal Injury Claim

If you are interested in pursuing legal actions against a negligent party for causing an accident, you will need to gather important evidence that will help you acquire fair compensation.This can be difficult to do on your own, which is where we come in to lend a helping hand. Our experienced Fresno personal injury attorneys will guide you step by step into building a strong claim that will help get you the maximum compensation you deserve.

Below, we have created a list of essential factors you may need to incorporate into your personal injury claim in order to be granted economic and non-economic damages.

• Photos and videos. Photos and videos can play a crucial role in showing proof of the defendant committing negligent acts. We suggest you include images or footage of your injuries, damages, and the location of where the accident took place.
• Witness information. If you notice any witnesses nearby, you should request to obtain their contact information. Witness testimonies will immensely help strengthen your claim.
• Police report. Typically, if an accident involves any injuries or damages, the police and paramedics will arrive at the scene of the incident. Once both parties are present, the police will conduct an official police report, while the paramedics will cater to those who are in need of immediate medical attention. You should request to have a copy of the official police report sent to you as proof that there was, in fact, an accident that took place. It will also indicate other additional information that could help support your claim.
• Your perspective. Make sure you write down exactly what you saw in your journal or diary. Do not forget to include the date and time in your entry.
• Other information. Document the other party’s driver’s license, license plate number, contact information, and insurance information. You should also ask the police officer(s) for their name(s) and badge number(s). Lastly, if you made any doctor or hospital visits due to the injuries caused by the accident, you may request to acquire a copy of your medical records to use as proof that you were, in fact, injured.

Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Claims in Fresno

The statute of limitations to file a personal injury claim is two years starting from the initial date of the accident. If the victim does not file a claim before the deadline, then they will no longer be qualified to pursue legal actions against the party at-fault for causing the accident. However, there are some exceptions that may allow the victim some extra time to submit a claim. The victim must be:

• A minor,
• Out-of-state,
• Legally insane,
• Incapacitated, or
• Incarcerated.

The “discovery rule” may also affect the statute of limitations. The statute of limitations will begin on the initiate date of when the injury was discovered or should have been discovered.

How Are Fresno Personal Injury Claims Paid Out?

After you have been injured in an accident in Fresno, you may be anxious to find out how you are going to recover the compensation you need to get through these difficult times.

There are two primary ways injury victims collect compensation for their damages. This includes obtaining a settlement from the insurance company and awards through trial verdicts.

What to Expect From the Insurance Company
Dealing with the insurance company is never an easy process. Insurance adjusters rarely are willing to provide injury victims with settlements that meet their needs. This is because insurance companies lose money every time they payout on a claim. Their entire business is reliant on paying out less in claims than they bring in through policy premiums.

For this reason, do not be surprised if the insurance adjuster attempts to place unwarranted blame on you, manipulate any statements you give them, deny your claim in bad faith, or make you a lowball settlement offer. You can take steps to protect yourself from being taken advantage of by the insurance company when you have your personal injury lawyer in Fresno step in and negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf.

Insurance Settlements in Fresno
Even when you can recover a settlement through the insurance company, do not be surprised if it is not enough to meet your needs. The amount of compensation the insurance company is required to pay you will be based entirely on the amount of coverage purchased by the policyholder.

The types of compensation you can be awarded will also be dependent on the types of coverage purchased by the policyholder. If the liable party did not purchase insurance or purchased the minimum amounts of coverage, your damages may be greater than the insurance company’s financial obligation. Fortunately, when this happens, you may still have the opportunity to have your case heard in the Fresno civil courts.

What Is Your Personal Injury Claim Worth in Fresno?

Determining the value of your personal injury claim in Fresno will be one of your lawyer’s most important responsibilities. After all, you want to be sure you are recovering compensation for every single loss you endured as a result of the accident itself or your resulting injuries.

You have the right to be made whole, and your attorney will need to analyze your economic damages and non-economic damages to ensure no loss goes unaccounted for.

Some of the most frequently awarded types of damages in Fresno personal injury claims include:

• Mental anguish
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of income
• Loss of companionship and love
• Diminished earning capacity
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Medical expenses and equipment fees
• Property damages
• Disfigurement and skin scarring
• Loss of household services
• Inconvenience
• Damage to your personal and professional reputations

There is also the possibility you could be awarded punitive damages. However, these are awarded rarely, as they are not a compensatory loss you are entitled to recover. Instead, the Fresno civil courts will impose punitive damages when they find the actions of the defendant reprehensible or grossly negligent.

Fresno Personal Injury FAQ

When you are feeling overwhelmed by the personal injury claims process in Fresno, remember you are not alone. Our firm is here to answer all of your legal questions and provide you with the support you need to bring the liable party to justice.

With that in mind, we have addressed some of the most frequently asked questions regarding personal injury claims in Fresno below. If you have additional questions we did not answer here, be sure to contact our office for a free consultation.

What Happens if My Child Was injured?
Child injuries are far more common than you might think. Children have the same right to financial compensation that adults do. However, if you are their parent or legal guardian, it is up to you to advocate for their rights. With help from your personal injury lawyer in Fresno, you can help your child recover the compensation they are entitled to and will need to cope with the severity of their injuries both now and in the future.

Can I File a Claim if I’m Partially At-Fault for the Accident?
Yes, you can. California operates under a pure comparative negligence system. Here, you can share fault for your injuries and still recover compensation for your damages. Even if you are 99 percent responsible for causing the accident, you have the right to be compensated for that 1 percent of fault that is not yours.

Of course, that is an extreme example, but your attorney can help you understand how your case could be affected by sharing fault. You still need to be held accountable when you are partially at-fault for your injuries. You can expect the Fresno civil courts to reduce your injury settlement to account for your portion of liability.

Your injury settlement will be reduced in proportion to your percentage of fault. For example, if you were found 25 percent at-fault for your injuries, you can expect your injury supplement to be reduced by 25 percent. For this reason, it is critical to get an attorney on your side who will ensure fault is assessed accurately in your Fresno personal injury claim.

What Will It Cost to Hire a Fresno Personal Injury Attorney?
If you thought the cost of hiring a personal lingerie lawyer in Fresno was going to hold you back from being able to pursue your case, you will be pleased to learn that this is not the case. Our respected personal injury lawyers at West Coast Trial Lawyers are generally willing to work with injury victims on contingency.

We understand that you are struggling financially and may not be able to cover the cost of hiring an attorney upfront. After analyzing the details of your case, we will have a better idea of whether you could be awarded compensation for your suffering. If so, we may agree to take your case on contingency.

Here, we will handle all of the costs of building your case against the liable party, including covering court fees, cost of hiring expert witnesses, cost of running diagnostic in forensic test, and otherwise working to build your case. Then, if or when we recover compensation in your Fresno personal injury claim, a portion of your award will be used to cover your attorney’s fees.

Meet With a Personal Injury Lawyer in Fresno Today

If you were involved in an accident that was caused by a negligent party, you may be entitled to receive recoverable compensation, such as medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. At West Coast Trial Lawyers, our Fresno personal injury attorneys are available 24/7 to help you get started on filing a personal injury claim.

To schedule a no-cost, risk- free consultation at our Fresno personal injury law firm, contact us today by calling (559) 272-9881 or filling out our online contact form.