Long Beach Personal Injury Lawyer

Experienced Personal Injury Attorney

Long Beach personal injury attorney meeting with an injured client

An unexpected accident or injury can change your life forever. For example, it can take less than a second for a severe car accident to happen, but the resulting physical injuries and emotional distress can last a lifetime. Unfortunately, some personal injury victims never fully recover and are left to navigate through this new reality alone.

At the Belmont Accident Lawyers law firm, our personal injury lawyer in Long Beach understands these accidents' devastating impacts on victims' livelihoods. This is why we have dedicated our practice to defending the rights of our injured clients, fighting to get them and their families the financial compensation they are justifiably owed.

Our Long Beach personal injury lawyers will work on your case on a contingency fee basis. Therefore, we will only collect legal fees if we can successfully recover compensation on your behalf. Contact us for a no-obligation consultation to obtain legal representation for your personal injury matter.

FREE CONSULTATION 24/7

No Fees Unless We Win

20+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

Our team of personal injury lawyers has
20+ years of professional legal experience.

99% WIN RATE

Our law office has a 99% success rate and can improve your chances to recover compensation.

CONTINGENCY FEE BASIS

Our personal injury lawyers will not charge you any legal fees until we win your case.

Why Do I Need A Long Beach Personal Injury Lawyer?

After an accident, many injury victims face countless medical bills, lost wages, and other financial losses that can quickly add up and become overwhelming to maintain. The personal injury lawyers at our law firm in Long Beach, CA, believe no accident victim should have to pay for their injuries that were caused by the negligent actions of another. If someone else's negligence caused your accident, you have the right to hold them responsible.

When someone wakes up and starts their day, the last thing they expect to happen is a life-altering accident. However, personal injury accidents, like auto accidents and workplace accidents, always occur. But what is a personal injury accident in the legal sense? And how do you know if your case qualifies for financial compensation under the law?

FEATURED ATTORNEY

Long Beach personal injury attorney - Diallo Scott, Esq.
Diallo Scott, Esq. - Of Counsel

Personal injury law in California applies to situations where someone else's negligence or reckless manner causes harm to another person. If you were involved in a personal injury accident in Long Beach, you must understand your legal rights.

At Belmont Accident Lawyers, our law offices in Long Beach will guide you through the legal process, handling all the details of your personal injury case from beginning to end with personal attention. This includes pursuing a fair settlement during negotiations or fighting for maximum damages in court. In addition, if you get hurt due to someone else's irresponsible actions, we can help you recover compensation for your serious injuries. Contact us today to find out how.

CALL OUR LONG BEACH PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS

FOR A FREE CONSULTATION TODAY

Personal Injury Cases We Handle

Personal injury cases fall within tort law. This law issues legal liability in the form of financial compensation to a plaintiff that was caused injury or harm due to an at-fault party's negligence. This differs from criminal law, in which the guilty party is punished for intentional wrongdoing.

Here is an overview of the most common personal injury cases we handle:

Multiple car accidents in Long Beach, CA

Serious injury cases:

  • Broken bones and fractures
  • Burns and scarring
  • Spinal cord injury
  • Shoulder and neck injury
  • Head injuries and brain injury
  • Catastrophic injuries, like amputation
  • Wrongful death

You deserve compensation if you were injured in an accident caused by a negligent party. The accident attorneys from our personal injury law firm are skilled in negotiating with insurance companies to get our clients maximum compensation.

We specialize in various car accidents and other personal injury accidents in Long Beach, CA. If you do not see your specific accident on the provided list, please schedule a free consultation with our Long Beach personal injury attorneys to discuss your unique situation in full detail.

CALL OUR LONG BEACH PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS

FOR A FREE CONSULTATION TODAY

Medical care shows up to help an injury victim after a car accident

What You Need To Know About Personal Injury Accidents

For the average person, filing a personal injury lawsuit can be intimidating and scary to handle on your own. In addition, the legal system around personal injury law can be complex and confusing for most people, even though it was designed to be fair and help those who have been wronged.

If you have been injured, you may wonder where to begin and what options are to cover your unplanned expenses, like medical treatment, car repairs, and legal costs. Depending on where the accident happened, each state has its own rules and regulations regarding personal injury law.

In Long Beach, there are a few things you should know before filing a personal injury lawsuit:

You Have A Limited Time To File A Lawsuit

Each state has its laws and statutes of limitations, which are deadlines for filing lawsuits. The statute of limitations limits the period an injury victim has to bring legal action against the negligent party. The amount of time you have to file varies from state to state and depends on the committed act. To proceed with their cases, victims must file their lawsuit within this specific period, or they will lose their right to make eligible personal injury claims.

For most personal injury cases in California, the statute of limitations is (2) years from when the injury occurred. There are some exceptions to this time frame, but only a few. If you file your personal injury lawsuit within two years after the accident, you can collect damages or compensation for your injuries.

The time to pursue legal action for compensation is narrow and rigid, so it is essential to consult with an experienced personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. A personal injury attorney can file the correct paperwork and contact the right people to move your case forward promptly and efficiently. With the help of local Long Beach personal injury attorneys, you could avoid legal issues by following the proper steps and losing out on filing a claim against the responsible party.

Seek And Track Medical Treatment

Your health should always be your first priority whenever there are injuries or risks of catastrophic injuries. If you were in a car accident or a personal injury accident, see a doctor as soon as possible. Everything else – including a lawsuit – can wait. That is one of the reasons the statute of limitations is in place, to give you time to get your affairs in order, especially your health.

Even if your accident did not seem severe, seeking medical attention is a good idea. Certain types of injuries, such as whiplash, sprains, and soreness, may take several days, weeks, or even months to result in symptoms. The body is a delicate system of tissue, bone, and muscles. Once the shock and adrenaline wear off, your body will start feeling any pain sustained from your accident. But once these injuries appear, the symptoms can last for years or a lifetime. Therefore, obtaining medical care can be essential for your recovery.

It is critical to mention that you do not have to wait until you speak to a Long Beach personal injury lawyer to get medical attention, especially if your injuries worsen. The legal side of things can be resolved eventually, but your health is the most important. However, keep all medical records and other documentation, like receipts or accumulated bills.

If you do decide to pursue a personal injury claim, your medical history will be used as evidence in your case. The negligent party and their insurance company can reimburse any medication, physical therapy, tests, or other medical procedure.

The Cost Of A Personal Injury Attorney

Picking the right Long Beach personal injury law firm to represent you and your personal injury lawsuit can be daunting, especially if you have never worked with an attorney. You want to find a Long Beach personal injury lawyer with a proven track record in dealing with your specific type of case.

For example, the personal injury lawyers at our law firm in Long Beach, CA, specialize in personal injury law and cover many types of personal injury cases, such as wrongful death, car accident, motorcycle accident, and many more. If your claim is complicated, ask plenty of questions to see if the attorney fits. For example, have they litigated this kind of lawsuit before? How familiar are they with the laws around this specific subject matter? Feel free to ask a prospective attorney any questions before signing with them.

Some law firms require up-front legal fees. For example, if a personal injury attorney needs to hire special investigators or the case involves travel, you might be responsible for paying those costs before you recover any money from your lawsuit. Be sure to read the fine print in any agreement you sign with accident attorneys since there might not be any room to negotiate later in the process.

However, Belmont Accident Layers do not require out-of-pocket fees and will not charge you anything unless we win your case. Likewise, you will not pay any legal fees if we cannot win your case. This contingency fee basis is in place so you can focus on healing and recovery rather than costly expenses.

Our team is as transparent as possible with our clients to build trust and establish a partnership with victims and their families. Unlike other Long Beach personal injury law firms, we focus on our client’s needs and do not seek to collect a paycheck. First and foremost, we are here to help you recover what was taken from you.

Distracted drivers can cause car accidents and catastrophic injury in Long Beach and throughout Southern California.

Who Is Liable In A Long Beach Personal Injury Accident?

Motor vehicle accidents can include multiple parties, especially in car accident cases and workers' compensation cases. In addition, any person or entity who caused a victim's injury can be found liable in a personal injury case.

Examples of those who can be liable are:

  • The negligent driver of a passenger vehicle
  • Vehicle manufacturers
  • Reckless commercial truck driver or rideshare driver
  • Governmental agencies
  • Employers
  • You, the plaintiff

How Much Is A Personal Injury Case Worth?

After an incident that causes serious injuries, insurance adjusters will make settlement offers to accident victims. Unfortunately, these offers are drastically undervalued and insufficient for a victim's medical expenses and personal needs.

The worth of a personal injury case will vary for everyone based on damages. When estimating the value of your case, an experienced lawyer will consider the following:

  • Coverage of all accumulated medical expenses – medications, surgeries, follow-up appointments
  • Anticipated future medical costs – physical rehabilitation, physical therapy, pain management
  • Lost income – wages that were not earned while recovering
  • Lost earning capacity – lost wages from being unable to return to work
  • Property damage – totaled vehicles, repairs, damaged cellphone
  • Pain and suffering – mental and physical torment
  • Wrongful death – an accident that resulted in a fatality

Workers' compensation cases require further recourse and follow different legal proceedings. If you were injured while working and needed to be sufficiently compensated following the workers' compensation laws, our workers' compensation lawyers in Southern California can assist you.

All economic damages (financial losses) and non-economic damages (non-financial losses) can be legally compensated in a successful personal injury case. Our experienced legal team is skilled in negotiating a fair settlement with insurance companies. During your free consultation, our personal injury attorneys will help you establish the worth of your claim and develop a legal strategy to recover maximum damages on your behalf.

Shared Fault In A Personal Injury Accident Case

It is common for the victim of an accident to share partial responsibility with the other parties involved. In a car accident, for instance, a pedestrian who was jaywalking and hit by a drunk driver could be found partially liable for the incident.

However, California's comparative negligence laws allow a partially negligent plaintiff to recover compensation after an accident. The total compensation will be reduced based on the plaintiff's percent of fault in causing the accident. In the jaywalking example, the courts may find the pedestrian 30% responsible, meaning that the defendant would owe 70%-worth of damages.

The defendant's legal team will argue that the plaintiff was partially or entirely at fault for avoiding paying the owed compensation. To prevent being cheated out of just compensation, especially if you may be partially at fault, seeking legal representation in a personal injury case is imperative.

Allow our experienced Long Beach personal injury attorney to defend your rights and prove liability on the guilty party.

Should I Settle A Personal Injury Claim With The Insurance Company?

No, it would be best if you did not settle with the negligent party's insurance company. Insurance is a financial safety net, protecting you from financial loss in a personal injury accident case. Although these policies are in place to compensate the injured, generally, insurance companies work hard to avoid or limit paying out personal injury victims whenever they can. So instead, they use tactics to trick you into settling low or losing your claim altogether.

Insurance companies have developed strategies to limit compensation or avoid responsibility altogether. Beware of the following ticks:

1. Stalling
Depending on the severity of your accident, you could be facing thousands of dollars in medical bills, loss of income, property damage, or other losses. Therefore, personal injury victims need money from the settlement sooner rather than later to move forward. However, insurance companies know this and will intentionally draw out the legal process as long as possible. They use this strategy hoping you will give up on your claim or accept a lower settlement offer.

2. Offering False Sympathy
The at-fault party's insurance will usually appear friendly and even sympathetic toward your situation. Although they might feel wrong about your injuries, their company cares more about financial responsibility. Anything you say to the insurance adjuster can be used out of context and against your claim, lowering your settlement offer.
Therefore, be wary of what you share with an insurance adjuster or any party representing the defendant. Insurers have extensive experience building trust with accident victims to obtain more insight that could make the victim appear at fault.

3. Lie To You
One of insurance companies' most common tactics to minimize your case is to lie to you. For example, they can lie to you about the severity of your claim or downplay your injuries, attempting to make you believe you do not have the right to the proper compensation needed to cover all of your current and future medical bills.
They will look for evidence in your statements or your activities to contradict your lawsuit. We recommend never talking to the at-fault party's insurance company, a Long Beach personal injury attorney can do that for you.

Many injured victims do not understand how much their case is worth, and many never recover the total compensation they are entitled to. That is why it is vital to have legal representation from an experienced personal injury lawyer familiar with these tactics.

Belmont Accident Lawyers in Long Beach has stood up to countless insurance companies, seeking the highest compensation for our client's claims. Our team will communicate with the at-fault party's insurance so you never have to.

Seeking The Help Of A Long Beach Personal Injury Attorney

No matter how you approach a personal injury claim, the court system is complicated and time-consuming. Especially after a significant accident or injury, pursuing a lawsuit can be stressful and unbearable.

But an experienced personal injury lawyer at Belmont Accident Lawyers can help relieve some of this burden. We can help you understand the law and explain your case's details. In addition, our legal team works on a contingency fee basis and will negotiate with aggressive insurance companies for the best compensation for your pain and suffering.

If you or a family member were injured in a personal injury accident in Long Beach or anywhere else in Southern California, schedule a free consultation with our personal injury law firm today and start getting your life back on track.

Long Beach, CA personal injury lawyer reviewing cases related to personal injuries