Personal Injury Lawyer Simi Valley
If you have been injured in an accident, it is important to seek legal assistance as soon as possible. The sooner you start your claim, the better your chances of receiving the compensation you deserve. To schedule a consultation, feel free to contact us at (820) 667-7325 today.
Peck Law is a personal injury law firm that provides legal services to the people of Simi Valley, California. We have a team of experienced and knowledgeable personal injury lawyers who can help you with your claim.
What Counts as Personal Injury?
If you’ve been injured due to someone else’s negligence, you may be wondering if you have a personal injury claim. To determine whether or not you have a viable claim, it is important to understand what qualifies as personal injury. In general, personal injury refers to any physical or psychological injury that you suffer as a result of someone else’s negligence or intentional wrongdoing.
Common Types of Personal Injury Cases
There are many different types of personal injury claims that our lawyers at Peck Law can help you with. Some of the most common types of cases we handle include:
Motor Vehicle Accidents: This is when you or your loved ones suffer injuries in a car, truck, or motorcycle accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence.
Medical Malpractice: This can be anything from your doctor prescribing the wrong medication to a nurse making a mistake that leads to your injury.
Wrongful Death: In some cases, personal injury can, unfortunately, result in death. If this happens, our Peck Law attorneys can help you file a wrongful death claim against the responsible party.
Workplace Accident: If you sustained injuries while on the job, you may be able to file a personal injury claim against your employer to get worker’s compensation benefits.
Premises Liability: This is where you were injured on someone else’s property due to their negligence. For example, if you slipped and fell at a grocery store because there was water on the floor and no one had put up a wet floor sign, you may have a premises liability claim.
Defective Products: If you purchased a defective product and were injured as a result, you may have a claim against the manufacturer of the product. For example, if you were injured by a defective hair straightener, you may be able to file a claim against the company that made the product.
Other personal injury cases also include nursing home abuse, dog bites, aviation and boat accidents, slips and falls, TBIs (traumatic brain injuries), burn injuries, and more.
Types of Compensations You Can Seek
Since there are different types of personal injury claims, compensation will vary depending on the type of claim you have. However, in general, you can seek economic and non-economic damages when filing a personal injury claim. To have a better understanding, here are some examples of economic and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages
Some of the most common economic damages include:
Past and future medical expenses: This covers all medical expenses that you are currently incurring as well as any medical expenses you may have in the future. This is critical as medical expenses can increase very quickly and can put a heavy financial burden on you and your family.
Lost wages: If you are currently working while injured, you may be able to get compensated for the wages you are losing because of your injuries. If you are not able to work at all because of your injuries, you can also get compensated for the wages you would have earned if you were not injured. This usually covers the length of time until you can go back to work or sometimes for the rest of your life.
Loss of earning capacity: Another type of economic damage is the loss of earning capacity. This is different from lost wages because it takes into account your age, experience, skillset, and education. For example, if you are a young adult who is injured and can no longer continue your education or work, the loss of earning capacity may be much higher than the lost wages.
Property damage: This is common for motor vehicle accidents where your vehicle is damaged or totaled. You can also get compensated for any personal belongings that were damaged in the accident.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are a little more difficult to quantify as they do not have a set value. However, they are an important part of your claim. Some examples of non-economic damages include:
Pain and suffering
Emotional distress
Loss of consortium
Disfigurement
Loss of enjoyment of life
Steps You Should Take to Start a Claim
Having someone such as a personal injury attorney in Simi Valley to help you navigate the process can be crucial to getting the best possible outcome for your case. If unsure how to start a claim or what to do next, here are some steps you can take.
1. Get Medical Attention
Your health and well-being should be your top priority after an accident. Even if you feel fine, it is always a good idea to get checked out by a medical professional as some injuries may not present themselves right away.
In addition, getting medical attention will also create a record of your injuries which can be used as evidence in your personal injury claim. If you don’t seek medical attention right away, the insurance company may use that against you to claim that your injuries are not serious.
2. Schedule a Consultation With Peck Law
The next thing you want is to have a consultation with a personal injury attorney in Simi Valley to discuss your case. This is important as an attorney will be able to give you a better understanding of the legal process and what to expect.
3. Set Up Claim
At Peck Law, we will help you file your personal injury claim. We will represent you as we contact the individual liable for your accident as well as their insurance company and inform them about the claim. This is one way to have your claim settled without going to court, which can be a lengthy and expensive process.
4. Gather Information and Negotiate Your Settlement
If the liable party’s insurance company decides to deny your claim or lowball you on the settlement, we will begin gathering evidence to build your case. This can include but is not limited to, medical records, eyewitness statements, police reports, and more.
5. File a Lawsuit
If we are unable to reach a fair settlement outside of court, we will then file a personal injury lawsuit on your behalf. This is where the legal process can become more complicated, but you can rest assured knowing that our experienced personal injury lawyers will be by your side every step of the way.
Schedule a Free Consultation
If you reside in Simi Valley, the San Fernando Valley, or Oxnard, and you or your loved ones have been injured in an accident due to someone else’s negligence, contact Peck Law today to schedule a free consultation. Our personal injury lawyers will review your case and help you determine the best course of action. Contact us today!