FAQ

If you were insured at the time of the accident you should promptly report it to your insurance company. Your adjuster must investigate the claim and attempt to negotiate a settlement once liability becomes reasonably clear. If your insurance company refuses to negotiate in good faith to settle the claim an injured person may sue […]

California follows a doctrine called comparative negligence. This means you can recover for the part of your damages caused by another. For example, if you have damages, including out-of-pocket expenses and pain and suffering, of $100,000 and a judge or jury determine that the other person was 75% at fault, you can collect $75,000 from […]

If you have minor injuries from a traffic collision you may not need to hire a lawyer. However, it is easy to make mistakes early on that will damage your claim. If you are seriously injured in a crash or in any manner that could be the result of another persons wrongful conduct, if you […]

How much is my injury claim worth? I have had the privilege of representing people from all walks of life in personal injury and wrongful death cases resulting in awards and judgments from thousands of dollars to over one million dollars. While it is often possible to estimate a ballpark value for a given case […]

I was injured. How can I pay for a lawyer? When you hire an attorney for most legal matters, you either pay the attorney in advance or you pay an initial retainer and receive a monthly billing based on an hourly rate. We work on a contingency fee basis. This means you do not pay […]

I was injured in a crash but I don’t have insurance. Do I still have a claim for my injuries? You are required by California law to be insured or to post a bond as provided by the financial responsibility laws of the state. If you were the owner or driver of a vehicle with […]

Once liability is established against the responsible party, his/her insurance company must either pay the reasonable repair cost of your vehicle or declare it a total loss. If the repairs would cost more than your vehicle is worth, it will be declared a total loss. In that case the insurance company does not have to […]

What if my uninsured-motorist coverage is greater than the other person’s liability coverage? Your uninsured-motorist insurance may also provide underinsured-motorist coverage. If you have more than $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident uninsured-motorist coverage, your higher limits will be available to you after you have exhausted the liability limits of the at-fault persons insurance […]

Statute of limitations Statutes of limitation provide limits on how long you have to commence a lawsuit on your claim. The law sets out different limitation periods for various kinds of cases that can be traps for the unwary. The most common statute for personal injury claims in California is a two-year statute. You must […]

The insurance adjuster is asking me to sign forms and to give a recorded statement. Should I do these things? There is no law that requires you to sign medical authorizations or give recorded statements to an adverse insurance adjuster. If the adjuster is working for another person involved in your accident, the owner of […]

What should I do if I have a claim against a government agency? If you are injured because of a dangerous condition of public property or by the act or failure to act of a public employee you must submit a written claim not later than six months after the incident. It is important to […]

What if my vehicle is declared a total loss but I still want to keep it? You may decide to keep your vehicle even if it is declared a total loss but you will have to reimburse the insurance company for the salvage value of the vehicle. This is the amount of money the insurance […]

What if the other person in the collision did not have insurance? If you have uninsured-motorist coverage, we can present a claim to your insurance company for your injuries or wrongful death up to your policy limits. Your insurance company will pay the amounts you or your heirs would be legally entitled to recover from […]

What should I do immediately after a collision? If you are involved in a collision have someone call 911 to report the crash and secure medical attention for any injured persons. If you are hurt do not make the mistake of refusing medical attention or ambulance transportation to a hospital. One of the most important […]

What should I know about my auto insurance policy? If you have uninsured-motorist coverage, we can present a claim to your insurance company for your injuries or wrongful death up to your policy limits. Your insurance company will pay the amounts you or your heirs would be legally entitled to recover from the owner or […]