California Personal Injury Lawyer

Most California personal injury attorneys, including our firm, work on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay no upfront fees and we only get paid if we recover compensation for you. Your initial consultation is always at no fee.

The general statute of limitations for personal injury in California is two years from the date of the injury. Claims against a government entity have much shorter deadlines, sometimes as little as six months, so it is important to act quickly.

Case value depends on the severity of your injuries, your medical expenses, lost income, and the long-term impact on your life. We evaluate each of these factors carefully to pursue fair compensation rather than the quick figure an insurer offers first.

Generally, no. First offers are frequently far below what a claim is actually worth, and accepting one typically waives your right to seek more later. It is worth having an attorney review any offer before you sign anything.

No. California personal injury attorneys generally work on a contingency fee, meaning you pay nothing upfront and the fee comes as a percentage of any recovery. If there is no recovery, you owe no attorney fee.

We represent people injured by another party’s negligence, including car and motorcycle collisions, truck accidents, pedestrian and bicycle injuries, slip-and-fall and premises injuries, and dog bites. We represent injured plaintiffs, not insurers or defendants.

Seek medical care first, report the incident, photograph the scene and injuries, get contact and insurance information from those involved, and avoid giving a recorded statement to the other insurer before speaking with an attorney.

Often yes. California follows pure comparative negligence, so your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault but is not barred entirely, even if you were mostly at fault.

The time a personal injury case takes to resolve varies with the severity of the injuries, the treatment period, and whether liability is disputed. Some claims settle in a few months once treatment is complete; disputed or serious-injury cases that require litigation can take a year or more. Settling too early, before the full extent of injuries is known, is a common and costly mistake.

Most California personal injury cases settle before trial. We prepare every case as if it will be tried, because a credible willingness to go to trial is what drives fair settlement offers.

Recoverable damages can include medical expenses, lost wages and lost earning capacity, property damage, and non-economic damages such as pain and suffering. In cases of egregious conduct, punitive damages may also be available.

A first offer is usually below what a claim is worth. Before accepting, it is worth having an attorney evaluate the full value, including future medical care and lost earnings, because a signed release ends your ability to recover more.