Auto Accident
On Which Side of the Statistic Will You Fall?
| April 25th, 2016
There is plenty of statistical data for personal injury claims. For instance, on average, accident victims with a lawyer get more money than those without. That statistic is based on the results hundreds of accident victims, just like you, received from their accident. If he or she had a lawyer on their side, they probably got more money for their injuries. You would think that statistic would lead most accident victims to call a lawyer after their accident, and you’d be right. A great number of accident victims do get a lawyer to represent them, but unfortunately, there are still a lot of people who go it alone. Those folks fail to take that important step for a number of reasons. Some wait too long and the statute of limitations runs out, while others simply didn’t know they had the option of securing legal counsel to defend their right to compensation. Whatever the reason, they’re now forever on the statistical side of folks that probably got less money for their injuries. If you’ve been injured in a car accident, you’ll soon become part of that statistic as well. Which side you fall on is completely up to what you do next: call a lawyer or go it alone. We recommend you call one of our San Francisco car accident lawyers immediately. We have both the experience and the expertise to handle your case with precision, and we’ll do everything within our power to get you maximum compensation for your injuries. Don’t wait to get the help you need. Call us today.The Hardest Part of the Fight
| March 28th, 2016
Our country was built by great men and women who fought for the rights of every American who came after them. Today we enjoy the freedoms we do because of their sacrifice. But if they were alive today, they would tell you the fight was not the most difficult part of their revolution. Standing up was. You see, every fight for justice requires someone standing up for what’s right; someone who is unwilling to back down. The same is true for personal injury cases. If you’ve been injured in a car accident, you have a lot at lose, and the insurance company holds all the cards. If you let them, they’ll determine what your injuries are worth based on their interests, and most often that number won’t even be close. You’ve been through a lot already and may not feel like you have any fight left in you. But you don’t have to fight. All you have to do is stand up, and we’ll do the rest. If you’ve been injured, call our San Francisco car accident attorneys today for a free consultation. We’ve been fighting for the rights of injury victims for more than 30 years, and we’re ready to fight for you as well. Don’t take on the insurance company alone. Call us today.A Difference That Matters
| March 21st, 2016
At Berg Injury Lawyers, our number one priority is getting you a fair settlement in the least amount of time. We’ve done that for hundreds of clients in the past, and we’re ready to do the same for you. However, there’s a difference between settling and winning big. If you’ve been injured, any law firm can get you a settlement from the insurance company. In fact, you can get a settlement from the insurance company without a lawyer. They will more than likely be ready to pay you a small settlement soon after your accident, because after you sign, they’re off the hook. The difference between settling low and winning big boils down to where your settlement or verdict puts you six months down the road. When the insurance company comes back with an offer, ask yourself:- Is this enough money to pay all future medical expenses?
- Does this fully compensate me for all the paychecks I’ve missed due to my injuries?
- Does this number take into account my pain and suffering or the strain put on my family?
Not Exactly Jackpot Justice
| March 7th, 2016
There’s a phrase out there used to attack personal injury lawyers called “jackpot justice.” Wrapped up in those two words are a host of accusations aimed at the legal profession itself. The phrase refers to the supposed greed of accident victims and lawyers looking to cash in on unfortunate events by taking advantage of the legal system. People touting that phrase usually have examples up their sleeves to prove frivolous lawsuits and jackpot justice are a real problem in our court system. The number one case they point to is the McDonald’s hot coffee lawsuit, in which a woman spilled hot coffee on herself and sued the fast food company for millions. We love it when critics use this case as evidence of jackpot justice, because once we bring up the actual facts of the case, their entire argument crumbles. For example, Ms. Liebeck, who suffered 3rd degree burns over 6% of her body, initially asked McDonalds to simply pay for her hospital bills. Only when they refused did she seek legal recourse. In addition, the multimillion-dollar verdict she received was reduced to $480,000 by the judge. Considering she had to undergo expensive skin graft procedures and was scarred for the rest of her life, $480K isn’t exactly jackpot justice. As personal injury lawyers, we’re not looking for jackpot justice for our clients. We’re simply looking for justice. Justice to us means our clients can pay all of their medical bills. It means they can keep food on the table and not have to worry about losing their home. We’re proud of the work we do for the people of California, and if you’ve been injured, we’re ready to put our experience to work for you.More Money, Less Stress
| February 22nd, 2016
There are a number of reasons to call a lawyer after a car accident. For instance, having an experienced lawyer on your side to deal with the insurance company on your behalf allows you to focus on one thing: getting better. In addition, a lawyer fronts all the costs for investigators, experts, and other expenses, so you’re not out of pocket. However, the most important reason to call a lawyer after a car accident is lawyers get you more money. According to the Insurance Research Council, accident victims with a lawyer get more money for their injury claim than those without. That’s more money for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. More money for your family to recover from the financial strain the accident placed on your shoulders. More money to start a new life once you’ve fully recovered from your injuries. Money can’t solve all your problems, but it is necessary if you and your family are going to come out of this accident with as few physical and financial scars as possible. At Berg Injury Lawyers, we’ve been helping the injured people of California get the compensation they deserve for more than 30 years, and we’re ready to help you as well. Call our car accident attorneys today for a free consultation. We’ll fight to get you maximum compensation for your injuries.More People Are Calling Lawyers
| February 1st, 2016
According to the Insurance Research Council, more people are calling lawyers than ever. That’s an important statistic to consider when determining whether or not you should call a lawyer after your accident. After all, there has to be a reason why accident victims are seeking legal help and not going it alone. Here’s why we believe these numbers have spiked recently. Whether it’s a simple fender-bender or a serious wreck, working with the insurance company after an accident can be difficult. Every insurance company has a procedure they must go through in order to pay or deny a claim. That procedure requires information and that information takes time to collect. Essentially, they will investigate all the events leading up to and following the accident. That may require looking into your medical history, interviewing the parties involved, and consulting with the at-fault driver to get their perspective. At the end of the process, they will come to a number. That number represents the least amount of money they are potentially liable for, and that’s what they want to pay you. We can’t blame them. That’s how they make money. They’ll offer you that as a settlement, and if you take it, the insurance company is off the hook for good. Any further expense you incur due to your injuries is no longer their responsibility. Getting them to increase that original number by yourself can be difficult and frustrating. That’s why so many people in San Francisco are calling lawyers following their accident. An experienced car accident attorney can stand between you and the insurance company and work to get you the maximum compensation you are entitled to. At Berg Injury Lawyers, we speak with hundreds of accident victims every year who aren’t willing to risk going at it alone, and we’d be happy to speak with you as well. Give us a call today for a free consultation.Not the Suing Type?
| January 18th, 2016
Many accident victims we speak to don’t consider themselves the suing type. That is to say they don’t feel comfortable taking someone to court to seek compensation for their injuries. These conscientious individuals believe that if they sue, the at-fault driver will have to pay enormous amounts of money out of their own pockets. However, most of the time that’s not the case. If you’ve been injured in a car accident, the individual who hit you should have liability insurance. The insurance company that holds that policy is the one required to pay your medical expenses and other damages, not the individual. That’s an important distinction to keep in mind when considering a lawsuit. In addition, it’s important to know that the at-fault driver has little to no control over how their insurance company will handle the claim. Even if they want to do the right thing and compensate you for your injures, they can’t. It’s up to their insurance company, which is why it’s sometimes necessary to get a lawyer involved on your behalf. An experienced personal injury lawyer can work to make the insurance company live up to their obligation, not the person at fault. Most of the time, personal injury cases are settled outside of court, making it easy on both parties involved. At Berg Injury Lawyers, we’ll do everything within our power to settle your case as quickly as possible, assuming the insurance company plays fair. If you’ve been injured in California, give us a call today for a free consultation.Common Insurance Company Tactics
| January 4th, 2016
A serious car accident can be traumatic. What makes it worse is dealing with the insurance company. You’ve been seriously injured and need to focus on your recovery. You would think the insurance company would be on your side, but unfortunately, that’s not the case. In fact, they’re depending on the fact that you’re desperate so they can pay you as little as possible for your insurance claim. Here are a few common tactics insurance companies will use after your accident: Try to get you to sign quickly. The best-case scenario for the insurance company is to convince you to settle as quickly as possible, often for much less than you deserve. Keep in mind that if you settle before you know the full extent of your injuries, the insurance company is no longer liable for future expenses, which may be substantial. Minimize the extent of your injuries. A common strategy of the insurance company is to convince you and a jury, if it goes to trial, that your injuries are insignificant. In court, they’ll pay doctors to testify that your injuries are minimal and therefore don’t entitle you to compensation. Use social media against you. Insurance companies are notorious for trolling social media feeds of accident victims for information. A simple status update that you’re feeling better can be used against you by the insurance company. Insurance companies are in the business of making money, not helping people. They do that by paying accident victims as little money as possible for injury claims. The California personal injury attorneys at Berg Injury Lawyers know the tactics insurance companies take and can help you avoid the common pitfalls. Give us a call anytime for a free consultation.Working to Combat Drunk Driving this New Year’s Eve
| December 28th, 2015
New Year’s Eve is just around the corner and many residents of the Bay Area are beginning to make their plans for celebrating the holiday. While these events are a joyous occasion a majority of the time, a drunk driving accident too often spoils the fun. Data indicates that each year, an average of 140 Americans lose their lives as the result of a traffic accident that occurs on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day. Approximately 40 percent of these fatalities are drunk driving victims. The California car accident lawyers at Berg Injury Lawyers point out that one way law enforcement in our state is working to combat drunk driving around the holidays is by utilizing sobriety checkpoints. These operations stop motorists in order to ensure they are not driving while intoxicated and are in compliance with all traffic laws. Sobriety checkpoints have been a success too. An article from The Fresno Bee reports that in 2014, sobriety checkpoints were responsible for the arrests of 442 motorists who were suspected of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. We can each do our part to combat drunk driving in California by never getting behind the wheel of a vehicle after consuming alcohol. Instead, utilize a designated driver to get home safely. If you find yourself out on New Year’s Eve after having too much to drink and with no way to get home, don’t forget to use our Safe and Sober program. The campaign offers a free cab ride home for residents of the Bay Area on New Year’s Eve. We hope you have safe travels throughout the remainder of 2015 and into the New Year!California’s Battle Against Distracted Driving is Revving Up
| December 21st, 2015
As technology advances, the risks of distracted driving hit closer to home—especially amongst teens. It’s estimated that approximately 800,000 motorists from The Golden State who are between the ages of 16 and 19-years-old are involved in motor vehicle collisions each year and the California car accident attorneys at Berg Injury Lawyers point out many of those accidents are the result of distracted driving. These dangers are why the California Highway Patrol is hosting the Impact Teen Drivers program. According to KHTS 1220 AM, the campaign aims to educate both teens and parents about the consequences of not being focused when behind the wheel of a vehicle. The program offers materials that offer information regarding some of the most common distractions and what you can do to prevent them, while also providing funding for anti-distracted driving operations as well. Our California personal injury lawyers at Berg Injury Lawyers encourage all young drivers and their parents to participate in the Impact Teen Driver program. We would also urge you to follow these safety tips each time you get into a vehicle in order to ensure that you stay focused on the road:- When driving, turn off electronic devices or use a message-forwarding app for your smartphone
- Select any music or entertainment for the ride before leaving
- Don’t eat or drink in the car
- Limit the number of passengers allowed in the vehicle
- Always wear your seatbelt
