Suffering a personal injury oftentimes represents a truly life changing event. As a consequence, a resident of Westminster who suffers this type of life altering event, must understand the steps that need to be taken to protect his or her rights and interests. At the heart of protecting legal rights in the aftermath of an accident or other even that causes a personal injury is obtaining the services of qualified Westminster personal injury lawyers.
Proving Negligence When an Accident Occurs
A primary element of pursuing a claim for compensation when a personal injury occurs is proving that some other person (or business, depending on the facts and circumstances) is responsible for the injuries sustained. An injured person must demonstrate negligence.
Under California law, a person or business is liable or responsible for another’s injuries if that individual or business failed to act in a reasonable manner. For example, if an automobile driver sped through a pedestrian crosswalk and struck a person lawfully in that intersection, the driver may be deemed negligence under the law.
Identifying Damages and Injuries
A person with a personal injury claim typically is entitled to compensation for a variety of different types of losses. These include compensation for the pain and suffering a person may endure following an accident or other incident that gave rise to injury and damage.
In addition to compensation for pain and suffering, an injured person oftentimes is entitled to payment for medical expenses as well as lost wages. If an individual’s property was damaged as the result of another’s negligence, compensation can be awarded for that loss as well.
California law also includes compensation for future losses that might reasonably be expected to occur as the result of another’s negligence. These oftentimes include compensation for future medical expenses, future pain and suffering as well as future lost wages.
California Statute of Limitations
A key element of personal injury law in California is what is known as the statute of limitations. Pursuant to this law, a person who suffers a personal injury usually must file a lawsuit within two years of the incident that caused the injuries. If a person fails to meet this deadline, he or she nearly always is precluded from pursuing a lawsuit to obtain compensation for damages, injuries and losses.
Protecting Legal Interests
The surest way an injured person can protect his or her legal rights and interests is by retaining qualified and experience Westminster personal injury lawyers. These attorneys know what steps to take to pursue effectively a claim against an insurance company. In addition, Westminster personal injury lawyers understand how to file and pursue a successful lawsuit through the judicial system.