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Long Beach Personal Injury Lawyer

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You may have been cut off on Artesia Boulevard and rear-ended someone who now denies fault. Or you may have been have been injured after being hit by a drunk driver at an intersection near Long Beach Airport. Maybe a distracted driver in Signal Hill side-swiped you and claims that you cut him off. In Long Beach, traffic accidents also occur regularly in areas south of De Amo Boulevard and the Lakewood area. The I-605 San Gabriel River Freeway also sees many collisions.

Your situation may instead involve slipping on unmarked hazardous spills at a business in Palm Beach or  in the Carson area. Whatever the nature of your loss, whether physical, psychological or economic, you may be able to obtain compensation through a lawsuit. The other party’s actions may have been either intentional or unintentional, but the Long Beach accident attorneys at Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP can help you assess the situation and form a plan for a lawsuit. Our lawyers will take on your cause as their own, remaining compassionate and understanding to your sensitive situation.

Why Choose Us?

  • Our personal injury law firm has an unparalleled track record in terms of successful judgments and settlements. Our skill at trial maximizes each client’s recovery.
  • We are a team of star attorneys who have had tremendous success in and out of the courtroom. We are well-respected by our peers, judges and the community in Long Beach.
  • We believe in one thing – helping our clients. We give our clients the best experience possible and are dedicated to fighting for optimal results until the end.
  • Our law firm accepts cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you won’t pay us anything unless we win your case.

What Do Personal Injury Lawyers Do?

A Long Beach personal injury attorney can represent someone in a settlement when he or she claims injury, physically or psychologically, due to the negligence or wrongdoing of another individual, company, agency, government entity, or other group. Even someone’s loss of reputation can be claimed. Personal injury lawyers specialize in tort law, which is an area of legislation related to damages and losses. Some of the cases personal injury lawyers represent include those caused by work injuries, traffic accidents, defective parts, healthcare mistakes, and stumbling on another’s property.

The responsibility of personal injury lawyers includes both professional and ethical rules set in place by state bar associations. Once an attorney is licensed by a state bar association, he or she is legally permitted to file complaints and represent parties in court as well as write legal documents and provide legal advice.

These plaintiff lawyers interview potential clients to determine whether their situation is a legal concern. When they identify the cause of their client’s circumstance, they will conduct thorough research to form a strong argument to be presented in court. The goal of attorneys is to represent people in court in helping them seek justice and compensation for losses. If a settlement cannot be reached, a trial may be in order.

Most states require a bachelor’s degree in law. California does not require that this degree be obtained from an accredited college, but all lawyers must still pass the high standard of the bar exam. After this exam, certified lawyers must maintain a current knowledge of the state law and legal actions related to their legal practice. This continuing legal education (CLE) is offered through courses, with states requiring a certain number of course hours each year.

Why Do I Need a Long Beach Personal Injury Attorney?

Hiring a personal injury lawyer to represent you during a claim is the best way to ensure the protection of your rights while also relaxing and focusing on healing. A personal injury lawyer has years of education and experience handling these cases. This puts your lawyer in the ideal position to address your specific needs as an accident victim and pursue maximum financial compensation for your injuries. There are several important reasons to hire an attorney, including the ability to:

  • Thoroughly investigate your case and collect key evidence.
  • Expedite the claims process and avoid costly delays.
  • Handle communications with an insurance company.
  • Help your claim reach a successful settlement agreement.
  • Answer your legal questions and address your concerns as a claimant.
  • Have a legal team by your side to explain and protect your rights.
  • Make sure you don’t settle for less than you deserve for a serious injury.
  • Represent you during a personal injury trial in an LA County courthouse, if necessary.

The right personal injury lawyer in Long Beach can make the recovery process much easier for you and your family. While an insurance company doesn’t have your best interests at heart, an attorney works for you and only you. You can trust your attorney to take the steps that will help your case and future. From filing the paperwork before California’s deadline to demanding fair financial compensation for your past and future losses, a personal injury attorney can help your claim in countless ways when you need assistance the most.

How Much Does a Personal Injury Lawyer Cost?

The assumption that a Long Beach personal injury lawyer will cost too much unfortunately prevents many accident victims from obtaining the legal representation that they need for fair case results. Hiring a lawyer does not have to put your family in financial straits. At Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP, we operate on a contingency fee basis. With this billing structure, our clients pay us nothing upfront and nothing if we don’t win the case. If your case does not end in financial compensation for your losses, you won’t owe us a dime, guaranteed.

If your case does succeed, you will pay our fees directly out of the settlement or judgment award won – not out of your own pocket. We charge our attorney’s fees as a percentage of the overall amount achieved. We are transparent and upfront about this percentage with each client so that they know exactly what to expect from the fees surrounding a case. We pride ourselves on providing top-quality legal representation to accident victims in Long Beach at affordable, no-risk rates. Learn more about the price of our services for your case during a free consultation.

How Long Does a Personal Injury Case Take?

In California, you have no more than two years from the date of an accident or personal injury to file a related lawsuit under the state’s statute of limitations. If you don’t discover your injuries immediately, you have one year from the date of injury discovery to file. It is important to act quickly to complete and submit your paperwork so that you don’t miss this deadline, as the courts generally refuse to hear any case that is brought late. The sooner you file your claim, the earlier it can be completed, and you can move on with your life.

While each case is different, the average settlement timeline for a personal injury case in Long Beach is three months. This is about how long it takes for a claim to be received by an insurance company, investigated and paid out (if accepted). Several factors can delay the processing or settlement of a case, however, such as:

  • Unnecessary delays, such as accidentally making mistakes on your paperwork.
  • Serious injuries that take a long time to reach the point of maximum medical improvement.
  • A large claim with a high monetary value.
  • Multiple at-fault parties and insurance companies involved.
  • A liability dispute between two or more insurance providers.
  • A request by the insurance company to extend the investigative period.
  • Intentional delays made by the insurer to avoid paying you (insurance bad faith).
  • A case that cannot reach a settlement and must go to trial.

If your personal injury case ends up going to court, expect a much longer timeframe than an insurance settlement. A personal injury trial based in Long Beach or LA County can take one year or longer due to full court schedules. However, having a personal injury lawyer by your side will speed up the claims process as much as possible. Your lawyer can handle long and confusing paperwork and efficiently take care of legal processes for you. Furthermore, your lawyer won’t rush into a fast settlement that doesn’t adequately pay for your losses.

How Much Compensation Is Available for These Cases?

Every case is unique. The only way to understand how much your case is worth is by consulting with an attorney. Case value is based on a variety of factors that are different from case to case, such as the severity of the victim’s injuries, the age and overall health of the victim, the number of defendants, insurance policy maximums, and damage caps. Some plaintiffs in Long Beach receive tens of thousands of dollars for their injuries after accidents, while others obtain judgment awards in the millions.

The types of compensation that are often available in California personal injury cases include:

  • Medical expenses. Compensation for current and future necessary medical care, such as surgeries, doctor’s appointments, specialists, medications and medical devices.
  • Disability costs. If an accident gave you a long-term injury, you could recover the price of home or vehicle modifications, disability accommodations, rehabilitation, mobility-assistive devices, and more.
  • Lost wages. Reimbursement for money and work opportunities lost from having to take time away from work to heal.
  • Lost capacity to earn. Current and future wages lost due to a temporary or permanent disability that interferes with your ability to do your job – or work at all.
  • Property damage. If you were involved in an accident that damaged or destroyed your property, such as a car crash, you can recoup the costs of repairs or property replacement.
  • Pain and suffering. Your intangible or noneconomic damages are compensable, as well, including physical pain, emotional distress, mental anguish, lost quality of life and post-traumatic stress disorder.
  • Loss of consortium. Losses suffered by loved ones due to the injured victim no longer being able to provide companionship, comfort, love, affection, guidance or sexual intimacy.
  • Out-of-pocket expenses. Any money that you or your family spent because of the accident can be reimbursed, such as travel expenses, rental car costs and attorney’s fees.
  • Punitive damages. All of the damages listed above are compensatory, as they compensate an accident victim for his or her losses. Punitive damages, on the other hand, are awarded to punish a defendant. They are only granted in cases involving gross negligence, a wanton disregard for the safety of others or malicious intent to harm.

Like many states, California has damage caps. These are maximums on the amount of financial compensation available for certain types of cases and damages. Currently, California has a damage cap of $250,000 on noneconomic damages (pain and suffering) in medical malpractice lawsuits. There are no caps on any other types of claims. Be aware that an insurance company may try to protect its profits by offering you far less than the true value of your claim. Before you accept an insurance settlement, consult with our attorneys to make sure you’re getting the amount that you deserve.

client testimonial car accident case

Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP Landmark Personal Injury Cases

At Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP, our Long Beach personal injury lawyers are nationally recognized by their numerous awards. Our lawyers get results because we vigilantly pursue justice on your behalf. Brian Panish won a historic $4.9 billion case against General Motors that set a new American record. He also set the California record with Griggs v. Caterpillar, et al. Compensation of $58 million was won for a man who was caught in a fire caused by a defective O-ring in a tractor cab. He sustained burns that covered 75% of his body.

In Beltran v. Boeing et al, an Army helicopter with defective parts went down while flying over Iraq, injuring two maintenance officers. The case is being prepared for trial and is expected to settle for $13.65 million.

In Doe v. Roe Bus Company, a school bus cut off a Volkswagen van, causing a front-end collision. A female passenger in the van was severely injured by her lap seat belt, which caused damage to her digestive system. She was awarded a $32.5 million settlement.

Winning yearly national awards, the Long Beach personal injury attorneys of Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP win many more cases than they lose. They regularly earn nominations for Trial Lawyer of the Year and make top lawyers lists in California. Our attorneys often write and speak as experts in personal injury law.

Call us at 1-877-800-1700 for your free, no obligation legal consultation today.

How Can We Help You?

If you have a legal matter you would like to discuss with an attorney from our firm, please call us at (310) 477-1700 or complete and submit the e-mail form below, and we will get back to you.

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