San Diego Personal Injury Lawyer

Accidents can be physically, emotionally, and financially taxing. All of a sudden, you could be faced with medical bills, damaged property, and an inability to provide for your family. The effects could be more devastating if you were injured through no fault of your own.

At El Dabe Ritter Trial Lawyers, we understand the repercussions of accidents. We are dedicated to helping victims like you get the compensation they deserve for their anguish. The road ahead is long and winding, but with our guidance you can get where you need to go.

Have you or a loved one been injured in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence? Please contact us to speak to an expert San Diego personal injury attorney about your personal injury claim. 

What Is a Personal Injury Case?

When accidents constitute negligence, they could result in a personal injury case. Negligence refers to a breach of duty of care. For example, if a driver hits your car because they were driving while intoxicated, they are considered to have been grossly negligent.

A driver who causes a collision because they were distracted by their phone shows ordinary negligence. In both instances, the drivers have violated the duty of care owed to other road users. If their actions lead to injuries, they could be liable for damages in a personal injury claim.

• The best way to determine whether your accident is a personal injury case is to speak to an attorney. 

Personal Injury Cases We Handle at El Dabe Ritter

Accidents can happen in different ways. You could get hit by a vehicle while crossing the road or slip on a wet floor at the grocery store. Our San Diego personal injury lawyers handle a wide range of personal injury cases, including:

• Car accidents
• Truck accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Slip and fall accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Product liability
• Catastrophic injuries, e.g. dog bites
• Wrongful death cases, among others.

In most cases, the key question is whether the person who injured you used reasonable care. For example, did a motorist drive with skill and care? Did a property owner use reasonable care when maintaining the premises? If they didn’t, California negligence law gives you the right to seek monetary compensation for your losses.

Damages Available for a Personal Injury Case

The damages you are eligible for in your personal injury case can depend on the nature and severity of your injuries and their effect on your financial and emotional wellbeing. Typically, a personal injury attorney can get you the following damages:

• Medical expenses
• Rehabilitation
• Lost income
• Loss of earning ability
• Property repair or replacement costs
• Pain and suffering
• Burial and funeral expenses
• Punitive damages for outrageous conduct

Many people contact us asking how big of a settlement they can get. This is a tough question to answer without knowing the details of your case. Some accident victims receive a few thousand for their injuries; others receive more than a million dollars. Here is what you should provide an attorney to help calculate damages:

• Your medical bills
• Receipts for any medical treatment, such as prescriptions
• Copies of your pay stubs or self-employment ledgers
• Repair estimates for your car and other damaged property, or receipts if you already had the repairs done
• These documents help us calculate your economic losses following a wreck. It’s usually as easy as adding up the amounts.

On the other hand, calculating pain and suffering is harder. What kind of price tag would you put on being pain-free again? Never spending another night wide awake because you are reliving your accident? These types of losses are harder to translate into monetary terms. Still, El Dabe Ritter Trial Lawyers has handled many personal injury cases over the years. We have a good idea of what is a realistic amount of money you can receive for pain, suffering, and emotional distress. We will include those amounts in an individualized case assessment.

Do You Need a Personal Injury Attorney?

Not every accident will require you to hire a lawyer. However, if you suffer severe injuries, you should consider hiring an expert attorney. The attorney’s experience and expertise will increase your chances of getting compensated.

Another reason to hire an attorney is that they are adept at handling negotiations. They can thwart any attempts by the insurance company to cheat you out of your settlement. Here are some tactics insurers use to reduce the amount of money they pay:

• Delay investigation and communication. You might feel like you are communicating with a gray rock. The insurer never returns your calls and hasn’t even opened an investigation. This is an intentional tactic. They are trying to put pressure on you so you will quickly accept any settlement, no matter how small.
• Deny liability. It might be blindingly obvious that their insured is responsible for your injuries. A driver who runs a red light is surely at fault, right? Nevertheless, the insurer denies liability, which is another way of delaying a case.
• Go to court. Litigation is never ideal. It might take over 2 years before you present your case to a jury and receive a verdict. Insurers use this tactic to make their low-ball settlement offer more attractive.

Insurers realize that accident victims need compensation to cover their bills. They hope that by delaying, they can force you to accept peanuts for your case.

As a rule of thumb, always take advantage of the free consultation offered by most law firms to determine whether you need an attorney. If you hire us, we can immediately counter the tactics listed above. California requires that insurers operate in good faith, and we can lean on these laws to protect your rights.

Call El Dabe Ritter Trial Lawyers to Schedule a Consultation

After an accident, you will probably be bombarded with decisions concerning your health, job, and family. The last thing you want to worry yourself about is negotiations with the insurance company. Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about this.

Our expert personal injury lawyers in San Diego can handle these matters for you. We can oversee investigations to prove negligence. We can also collect enough evidence to back up your personal insurance claim. Generally, we will take care of everything as you focus on getting better. We represent personal injury clients on contingency. So you never have to pay an upfront legal fee to secure our representation.

Our attorneys are always ready to help. Feel free to contact us online or at 213-985-1120 to schedule your consultation.