Personal Injury FAQ: Santa Monica Injury Cases
Santa Monica Personal Injury Attorney
How much is my case worth?
Right after an accident, it is impossible to predict the value an injury claim will have. Any attorney who tells you what your case is worth right after an accident is only trying to dazzle you with numbers to ensure that you retain him. You would be better served by a lawyer who is honest with you. We believe it is irresponsible for an attorney to guess the value of a claim right after an accident. Because that's all it would be at that point - a guess. A guess won't help you, and will probably only let you down later.
The true value of your case cannot be known until:
- The full extent of your injuries is known
- Your future medical prognosis and any anticipated residual problems are known
- The amount of your medical bills is known
- The amount of any accident-related future medical bills anticipated to be incurred is known
- The amount of your lost wages is known
- The extent of the pain and suffering you endured as a result of the accident has been explored
Isn't it expensive to hire a lawyer?
No. You pay us nothing up front. We handle all of our cases on a contingency fee basis. That means that our fee is paid for out of the money we recover for you. If we collect nothing, we are paid nothing.
Can't I deal directly with the insurance company and avoid losing money to an attorney?
It is a well-established fact that those who have legal representation recover far higher settlements. They are on an average 3 ½ times higher in dollar amount than those who try to negotiate the claim themselves. Even when the percentage is paid to your attorney when the case is settled, your settlement amount is likely to be much, much higher with our help.
How long will I have to wait for a settlement, or will there be a trial?
Most insurance companies want to avoid a trial. 98% of our cases settle prior to trial. About 50% of our cases settle within 6 months. Of the remaining 50%, about half will settle within the next 6 months, and half will settle within the next year.
What types of injury cases does your firm handle?
We provide legal representation in all types of serious injury cases, including car accidents,
drunk driving accidents,
truck accidents,
bus accidents,
motorcycle accidents,
bicycle accidents,
dog bites,
swimming pool accidents,
nursing home negligence,
premises liability,
product liability,
wrongful death and
hit and run accident cases, among others.
Do you have a specialty?
Yes. We specialize in serious injury cases. Based on our years of experience handling exclusively personal injury cases, and based on the relationships we have established with some of the best doctors and experts in the community, we believe our clients are best served by our firm's focus on serious injury claims.
Should I allow the insurance company access to my medical records?
In a word: No! Never do so. This can seriously affect your opportunity to get the settlement to which you are entitled. We will carefully manage each part of the claims process, including the other side's access to your medical records. That is your personal, private information and should be protected from unnecessary disclosure. The other side wants access to your medical records, including your prior medical history, so that they can use it against you to pay you as little as possible. Your unrelated prior medical history is none of their business. You want an attorney who will protect your constitutional right to privacy in unrelated prior medical records.
Contact a Santa Monica Personal Injury Lawyer
from our firm to discuss your case and get the answers you need.