PERSONAL INJURY LAW

Personal injury law addresses harm caused by another person’s or business’s careless or wrongful conduct. A claim usually focuses on what happened, who was responsible, whether that conduct caused injury, and the losses that followed.

COMMON PERSONAL-INJURY MATTERS

• Car, motorcycle, bicycle, and pedestrian collisions

• Unsafe-property and slip-or-trip incidents

• Dog bites and other preventable injuries

• Serious injuries caused by defective or dangerous conditions

• Wrongful-death claims brought by eligible family members

• Workplace injuries involving a responsible third party

WHAT A CLAIM MAY INVOLVE

The parties may dispute fault, the medical cause of an injury, the reasonableness of treatment, lost income, future care, or the amount of compensation. Recoverable losses may include medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, emotional harm, and other damages allowed by law. Insurance companies often investigate statements, records, prior medical history, and the timing of treatment.

WHAT TO DO AFTER AN INCIDENT

Seek appropriate medical care, photograph the scene and injuries when possible, identify witnesses, preserve damaged property, save bills and wage records, and avoid signing a release before understanding its effect. In California, many personal-injury lawsuits generally must be filed within two years, but government claims may require much earlier action and medical-malpractice cases follow different rules.

This overview is general information, not legal advice. Deadlines and available claims are fact-specific.