Personal Injury
How to File a Lawsuit With No Money
| February 22nd, 2021
When you’re seriously injured by someone else’s negligence, you may be legally entitled to money to cover all the costs you’re facing because of your injury. But even if you’re already aware of your rights to compensation, you might be reluctant to pursue the money you’re entitled to.
We know and understand the reasons why you might be, but we’re here to tell you that you don’t have to be, especially if you’re worried you can’t afford to file a lawsuit.
Unfortunately, people often wrongly assume that filing a personal injury lawsuit is too expensive for the average Joe to do. That assumption ultimately leaves them paying all the costs for someone else’s mistake out of their own pocket, simply because they never take legal action.
At Berg Injury Lawyers, we believe everyone should know that they won’t be taking on debt when they decide to file a personal injury claim. Here are a few things you should know when filing a lawsuit when you have no money to hire a lawyer.
Find a Lawyer Who Works on a Contingency Fee Basis
Many personal injury attorneys, including those at our firm, work on a contingency fee basis. At Berg Injury Lawyers, our No Fee Guarantee® is a promise that if you don’t win, you pay nothing, and you never have to pay upfront—not even for your initial consultation.
Though filing a lawsuit can be expensive, you’ll be protected from these costs if your lawsuit is unsuccessful—as long as you hire an attorney who works strictly on a contingency fee basis.
Don’t Forgo Medical Treatment Out of Fear You Can’t Afford It
People sometimes don’t get medical treatment after suffering a serious injury because they’re afraid they can’t afford care. Ironically, this failure to get treatment is then used as evidence by insurance companies that someone isn’t actually injured.
If you have health insurance, it’s possible your insurer will cover your medical bills. However, if the injury was caused by someone else, that person’s insurance company should ultimately cover your injury-related bills once they are found to be at fault.
When your health and the viability of a compensation claim are on the line, don’t fail to seek medical treatment just because of the possible expenses you face. Do everything you can to have your injuries treated and documented. You can then demand payment from the at-fault party’s insurer with the help of your attorney. If you inform your healthcare provider you intend to file a lawsuit to reclaim your damages, they may even agree to cover your treatment under a lien rather than send you a medical bill right away.
Resist the Temptation to Accept an Insurance Company’s First Offer
If you have no money, and the at-fault party’s insurance company offers you a quick settlement, you might be tempted to accept it right away. However, that offer is likely far less than you deserve. There’s no way to know how much you’re owed before your medical treatment is complete, but an attorney can help you calculate not only your medical costs but your non-economic damages as well, such as pain and suffering.
Though it might seem like you’re getting money in your pocket right now, it’s likely you’ll eventually lose money when accepting the insurer’s offer, since the settlement may run out before you’ve finished paying your bills.
Know That a Lawsuit Might Not Even Be Necessary
It’s very likely that you’ll receive the compensation you need without ever filing a lawsuit. Most personal injury claims are settled before they go to court when you have an attorney negotiating with the insurance company for you.
You Don’t Have Money? We Can Help You Fight for Compensation.
At Berg Injury Lawyers, we believe that everyone deserves equal access to the legal system, regardless of how much money they make. That’s why we only get paid if you get paid. If you’re looking for a personal injury attorney in San Francisco or Northern California, contact our team today to schedule a FREE case assessment.
What Exactly Is a Catastrophic Injury?
| December 14th, 2020
Catastrophic injury is a term used to describe only the most severe, debilitating injuries. It’s most commonly used in reference to brain and spinal cord damage, though it can also refer to other life-altering permanent injuries.
Attorneys and doctors use the term catastrophic injury to describe the severity of a client’s or patient’s injury. But for injured people, knowing whether an injury is legally or medically considered “catastrophic” can help them understand their path to recovery and their legal options in personal injury claims.
Hallmarks of a Catastrophic Injury
In general, catastrophic injuries include one or more of the following characteristics:
- Disability or a loss in function of essential body parts
- Extreme cognitive decline or loss of key cognitive functions
- The need for lifelong assistance to perform routine tasks
- Extreme psychological suffering related to the injury
- Dramatic loss in ability to enjoy life’s pleasures
Let’s review specific injuries that the legal and medical community consider catastrophic.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Though traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can include everything from mild brain injuries like concussions to severe brain injuries that dramatically affect a person’s cognitive abilities, catastrophic brain injuries typically refer to the latter type of TBI.
Catastrophic brain injuries often impair a person’s reasoning, memory, and personality. In some cases, catastrophic brain injuries also cause some form of physical impairment.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Catastrophic injuries to the spine often result in paralysis or, at the very least, a reduced ability to use one’s arms or legs. Paralysis is usually permanent, leaving the afflicted with serious challenges performing routine tasks without assistance. These injuries can also be extremely costly, resulting in millions of dollars in lifetime expenses.
Other Injuries Frequently Categorized as Catastrophic
Though serious, debilitating damage to the brain and spinal cord are universally considered catastrophic, other types of injuries are also sometimes called catastrophic because of the serious implications for the sufferer.
Those injuries include:
- Disfigurement
- Loss of Limbs
- Burns
- Paralysis
- Severe organ damage
- Vision loss
You’ll notice that these injuries carry many of the hallmarks of catastrophic injuries. They can all dramatically affect a person’s physical and emotional well-being in profound ways, as well as impact their ability to earn a living for themselves post-injury.
Seeking Damages for Catastrophic Injuries
Catastrophic injury cases are unique. Though some personal injury claims involve comparatively minor injuries, catastrophic injuries have deeply impacted a person’s way of life. Thus, when someone suffers a catastrophic injury and files a personal injury lawsuit, they will typically demand far more in damages than people who suffered a more minor injury.
Damages in catastrophic injury cases can include:
- Medical expenses: The costs of initial, ongoing, and future treatment for the injury itself, as well as costs for physical therapy, psychological counseling, prosthetic limbs, and any other related expenses.
- Loss of income: This includes the income lost during the period in which the initial injury occurs, as well as the income that the injured person won’t be able to earn throughout the remainder of their life because of their injury, including any raises or benefits they may have been eligible for before.
- Pain and suffering: These costs are called non-economic damages, and they include both the physical and emotional suffering one experiences in the wake of a life-changing injury. These damages are typically very substantial in catastrophic injury claims.
How to Determine Whether You Have a Catastrophic Injury Case
Because catastrophic injury is largely a legal term, the best way to determine whether you have a catastrophic injury claim is to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer in California. It’s important to make sure the attorney knows these types of cases well, so they can give you an informed opinion on whether your injury legally qualifies as “catastrophic.”
Let Us Evaluate Your Catastrophic Injury Case
At Berg Injury Lawyers, we know how difficult it can be for an injured person to determine the potential for a successful catastrophic injury claim. That’s why we offer free case reviews to injured people in California.
If you or a loved one has suffered a serious injury, and you want to explore your legal options, our personal injury lawyers want to help. Our consultations are free, and you’ll be under no pressure to move forward with a case unless you wish to do so.
Contact Berg Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation.
What to Do If Injured While Christmas Shopping
| December 7th, 2020
For many people, giving gifts is the most rewarding part of the holiday season. Unfortunately, the chaos at shopping centers that often begins on Black Friday tarnishes that giving spirit and, in the worst of cases, leads to serious consumer injuries.
If you’ve had the misfortune of being injured while shopping or you simply want to know what to do if it happens to you, keep the following tips in mind.
Seek Medical Treatment
It’s most important to get medical treatment as soon as possible. First, you want to be sure your injury is diagnosed and treated by a physician. This will hopefully help you deal with the pain you’re experiencing and prevent the injury from worsening.
Getting medical treatment will also establish a record of your injuries – specifically, what they are and when and how they occurred. That will be critical if you need to file a personal injury claim to get compensation for the damages you’re facing from your injury.
Document Whatever You Can About How the Injury Happened
If at all possible, take pictures of the scene of the incident that led to your injuries. This means taking pictures of the place where the injury happened, the conditions of the property where it occurred or the injury itself. If there were witnesses to the incident, ask them for their contact information.
Talk to a Premises Liability Attorney
Premises liability claims help injured people get compensation when their injuries were caused by conditions of the property. Premises liability claims can also help someone get payment when their injuries were caused by another person on that property, which is typically the case in negligent security claims.
A premises liability attorney will be able to determine your best path forward when seeking compensation.
If You’re Contacted by an Insurer, Don’t Give Them a Statement
It’s possible that you’ll be contacted by an insurance company representing the party at fault for your injuries. If you’re contacted by an insurer’s representative, do not speak to them. They’ll want to get you on record with a statement, and they’ll use that statement against you if at all possible. Tell the representative to talk to your lawyer and say nothing else.
Examples of Shopping-Related Injuries
Causes of shopping-related injuries come in many forms. A few of the most common include:
- An attack by one shopper on another
- A slip and fall injury caused by dangerous conditions in the store
- An injury from the product itself
- A negligent driver in the parking lot of a shopping center
Each of these causes can mean a different legal path to compensation. It’s best to consult an experienced personal injury lawyer to learn your legal options.
Property Owners Have a Responsibility
Property owners must ensure the safety of their premises to reduce the likelihood of an injury. They might fall short of that responsibility when they fail to staff adequate security personnel or when they fail to maintain the conditions of their property.
If you’ve been injured while shopping, know that you likely have legal options available. At Berg Injury Lawyers, we can help you determine whether you’re eligible for compensation through a personal injury claim.
Contact our California premises liability attorneys today for a free consultation.
Can I Sue After a Slip and Fall if a Sign Was Posted?
| November 16th, 2020
If you were injured after slipping and falling but a warning sign was posted, you can still file a lawsuit for your injuries. But several factors will determine whether your case is successful.
Property owners have an obligation to keep people on their premises safe. That legal obligation is called premises liability. Slip and fall cases are the most common type of premises liability cases, and they often involve serious injuries like traumatic brain injuries or broken hips, ankles, or wrists.
All property owners should post a sign if floors are slippery or uneven to let people know conditions aren’t safe. However, simply posting a sign doesn’t automatically absolve a property owner or business from responsibility for the injuries someone suffers.
When Posting a Wet Floor Sign Isn’t Enough
To be effective, a wet floor sign must be visible to people walking on a property. It must also clearly indicate the section of the floor that is slick.
So, if a sign is posted but it’s obscured or placed far away from the dangerous area, a person injured on the slick flooring can still make a strong case that the property owner failed to warn people about the danger.
Warning Signs Aren’t Always Effective
Wet floor signs, even if they’re placed near slippery surfaces, often go unnoticed. One notable study on the impact of these types of signs found that as few as 7% of people that passed by standard wet floor warning signs even notice them.
In some cases, people will move a wet floor sign or inadvertently push them out of the way to the point they’re no longer effective for the other people in the area. In other words, posting a sign and walking away does very little to ensure the safety of people in the vicinity of a slippery floor.
After a Fall-Related Injury, Always Explore Your Legal Options
Never assume that you are without a path toward compensation without first speaking to an experienced premises liability attorney. Slip and fall injuries are often caused by a property owner’s negligence, so if you’ve suffered serious injuries, it’s possible you’re owed a significant amount of compensation for the many damages you’ve suffered.
Don’t pay the price for someone else’s negligence. You have a legal right to pursue legal options for compensation, and you should exercise that right whenever you need it.
We Represent Slip and Fall Injury Victims in Northern California
Slip and fall accidents can cause devastating injuries. We’ve represented many clients in premises liability claims, and we know what it takes to hold negligent property owners accountable for damages facing a fall victim.
We want to meet with you to hear the details of your case. We’ll review your legal options and help you determine whether or not you have a case. If you or a loved one has been injured on someone else’s property, contact the California premises liability attorneys at Berg Injury Lawyers for a free consultation.
How to NOT Get Taken Advantage of by Insurance Companies
| November 9th, 2020
The insurance industry is one of the most profitable in the U.S. These companies make steep profits, and that’s partly because they frequently offer policyholders and injured people far less than they deserve.
If you’re like us, you don’t like it when multi-million-dollar corporations get away with lowballing everyday people who work hard to pay their policies. As a law firm that regularly goes head-to-head with insurance companies, we can tell you that there are many strategies you can use to fight back.
Let’s look at some tips to make sure you’re not taken advantage of by insurance companies.
Consider Talking to an Attorney
Every day, we talk to people who are being given a raw deal by insurance companies. When someone is faced with the pain and stress of an accident or injury, the last thing they typically want to do is deal with the deadlines, paperwork, and endless legal complications surrounding injury claims and actually getting fair compensation.
Simply put, you probably have enough going on in your life without having to worry about playing hardball with the insurance company all by yourself. An experienced attorney can take care of the hard part for you.
Whatever you do, don’t accept an insurance company’s first offer without speaking to an experienced attorney.
Don’t Speak to Anyone Else’s Insurance Company
After an accident, you might be contacted by someone else’s insurance company. If so, you DO NOT want to speak to them. A representative of that insurance company will want you to make a statement on the record, and they’ll use that statement to find ways to deny your claim and offer you less than you deserve.
If you’ve been involved in an accident, you should notify your own insurance company. However, stick to only the basic facts, and avoid giving them any opportunity to offer you less than you’ll deserve.
It’s very likely you won’t know how much compensation you’ll need until you get a clear picture of the damages you’ve suffered, which can often take several weeks or months after an accident.
Keep Copies and Records of Your Damages
The accident-related expenses you’ll face will likely continue to add up over the days, weeks, and months following the accident. As the costs pile up, you should keep records of how much your injuries are costing you.
Keep copies of medical invoices, medication receipts, repair bills, or any other accident-related costs you encounter. Don’t forget to factor in how much income you lose due to your injury, as missed time at work or the inability to work can also be included in the damages you list in your injury claim.
Take Your Medical Care Seriously
After an accident, you should always seek medical care if there’s even a chance that you’ve been injured. Injuries often aren’t immediately apparent after an accident, so visiting a doctor helps ensure any injuries don’t worsen before they can be treated.
If you’ve suffered an injury, follow all your doctor’s orders and go to all your scheduled appointments, whether they’re check-ins, tests, or physical therapy sessions. Failure to do so could indicate to insurers your injuries aren’t as serious as you claim, and it could also lead to the worsening of your injuries and add to your overall expenses.
To thoroughly convey how your injury has disrupted your life, consider keeping an injury journal where you document all the challenges you face and the progress you make in recovery. These notes can help you and your attorney articulate exactly what you’ve gone through because of the accident.
Don’t Give Insurance Companies an Easy Win
Remember that everything you do and say publicly will be used by the insurance companies to reduce the compensation you receive. So, it’s vital to be cautious when talking about your accident or injury.
This is especially true on social media. Even innocent posts of you enjoying dinner or spending time with friends can be misconstrued by insurance companies. They might claim that your injury hasn’t reduced your quality of life in any significant way.
Instead of giving insurance companies this ammunition, refrain from using social media entirely until your claim has been resolved.
Don’t Wait Too Long to File a Claim
There are strict time limitations within which you must act in order to protect your rights. These time limits are complex and vary for different types of cases. You should avoid waiting too long before speaking to an attorney.
The injury claim process can be lengthy, and the longer you delay taking legal action, the more you could complicate your case. In the days, weeks, and months following your accident, there will be opportunities to maximize the value of your claim and potential pitfalls that could cost you dearly.
After you’ve suffered a serious injury in an accident, speak to an experienced, reputable attorney to ensure you’re doing everything you can to get a fair offer from the insurance company.
Let Berg Injury Lawyers Help You
If you’ve been injured and you want an attorney to protect you from the insurance company, Berg Injury Lawyers is here to help. We’ve represented thousands of injured people in Northern California, and we know what it takes to get a fair offer for our clients.
Contact the California car accident attorneys at Berg Injury Lawyers today to schedule a free consultation.
What Is Covered in “Pain and Suffering” in an Injury Claim
| September 28th, 2020
What are the worst parts of living with a serious injury? Most severe injuries are very costly and debilitating. A sufferer might face a stack of medical bills. They might be unable to do their jobs.
But above all else, most people fear the pain and suffering they’ll experience after an injury. Chronic pain and the mental anguish that comes with it become a heavy burden on their lives. They’re obstacles to joy, peace of mind, and meaningful connections with others.
One could easily make the argument that pain and suffering are the worst consequences of a serious injury. Fortunately, when someone files a personal injury claim, they can include pain and suffering as part of the damages they’re owed, in addition to the “economic” damages like medical bills and lost income.
What’s Included in Pain and Suffering?
Pain and suffering are considered non-economic damages, as opposed to economic damages, such as medical bills, property damage, and lost income. Non-economic damages include the physical pain caused by an injury. But they can also include emotional suffering, such as:
- Depression
- Grief
- Anxiety
- PTSD
- Diminished quality of life
- Insomnia
- Humiliation
Pain and Suffering Also Includes Disfigurement
One important form of suffering caused by some injuries is disfigurement. Disfigurement presents both physical and psychological pain. It can cause sufferers to withdraw from others and make it more difficult to form meaningful relationships.
If your case involves any form of disfigurement, it’s important to know that this type of non-economic damage should be central to your case.
The Term “Non-Economic Damages” Doesn’t Tell the Full Story
As any experienced personal injury lawyer will tell you, the fact that pain and suffering is considered “non-economic” is very misleading to injured people. There are very concrete costs of living with chronic pain and emotional suffering.
For example, chronic pain contributes to an estimated $560 billion of overall costs to society every year in the U.S. These costs come via direct medical costs, lost productivity, and disability programs in the U.S.
Meanwhile, depression racks up a societal price tag of approximately $210 billion per year. These expenses are attributed to treating the direct costs of depression and the many associated conditions caused by depression, such as sleep disorders and migraines. Studies have also shown that people suffering from depression are more likely to lose their jobs in difficult economic times.
In other words, non-economic damages can have both direct and indirect financial implications. It’s yet another reason that these damages must be factored into an injury claim.
How Are Pain and Suffering Calculated?
In many cases, damages related to pain and suffering exceed the amount of economic damages an injured person receives in a settlement or judgment. The amount of compensation you should demand for your pain and suffering depends on the circumstances of your case.
Experienced personal injury attorneys use several methods to determine the amount of non-economic damages their clients are owed. They look at precedent in other similar cases, and they’ll get to know their clients to find out how seriously their injuries have affected their quality of life.
In California, there are no caps on the amount of money a person can receive in non-economic damages in most case types. However, there is a $250,000 cap on non-economic damages in medical malpractice claims.
Berg Injury Lawyers Helps Injured People Throughout Northern California
Since 1981, we’ve been helping injured people get the compensation they’re entitled to after accidents caused by others. We can help you determine your legal options after a serious accident, including how much you’re owed in economic and non-economic damages.
Contact our California personal injury attorneys today for a free consultation.
What Is Comparative Negligence in California?
| September 21st, 2020
Comparative negligence refers to the amount of fault assigned to everyone involved in an accident. California’s comparative negligence rule gives someone an opportunity to recover some percentage of damages from a crash, even if they were partially responsible for it. However, compensation is reduced in proportion to fault.
Understanding California’s laws regarding fault as it relates to compensation can help you better understand your legal options after an accident. Let’s look at how this law might be applied in practice.
An Example of Comparative Negligence in a Car Accident Case
San Francisco resident Steve is driving down Polk Street. Though the light is red, he turns onto Geary Street when he is struck by an oncoming vehicle. Steve didn’t see the vehicle when he turned on red, and he’d normally be considered at fault for the collision.
However, the police officer who responds to the scene finds that the driver of the oncoming vehicle that struck Steve’s car is intoxicated. Steve suffered injuries in the crash and demands compensation from the other driver’s insurance company, but the insurer refuses to pay any compensation because Steve turned on a red light without looking for oncoming vehicles.
The personal injury case Steve files goes to trial, where a jury determines that both drivers were 50% responsible for the collision. Steve’s damages total $100,000, but because he is deemed to be 50% at fault, he is awarded $50,000 in damages.
Though this is a completely hypothetical case, it illustrates how comparative fault might play out in a real-life legal dispute.
What Does Comparative Fault Mean for Crash Victims in California?
Each state has its own rules about fault in relation to compensation in injury and accident claims. California’s law is far more favorable for crash victims than laws in other states. Unless you are solely (100%) responsible for a crash, you have the right to get compensation for at least some of the damages you’ve suffered.
How Is Fault Determined After an Accident?
The police report often shapes the way fault is determined in a crash. However, once someone files a personal injury claim, the claimant’s attorney will investigate the circumstances of the crash to determine the true percentage of fault in a crash.
If you file a personal injury claim, your attorney will review the police report and all pertinent evidence that will help make your case. This evidence can often help establish a fairer percentage of fault for an accident.
After a Crash, You Can Improve Your Chances of a Successful Claim with These Steps
If you’re involved in a crash, call the police so they can send an officer to the scene. Cooperate with that officer and let them know what happened. If you see any witnesses to the crash, and you’re able to speak to them, ask them for their contact information. Take pictures of the scene and any vehicle damage you’ve experienced.
Perhaps most importantly, seek medical treatment as soon as possible after the crash. This ensures you get the care you need, and it establishes a timeline of your injuries, which is helpful when building an injury claim.
If You Need Help, Berg Injury Lawyers Is Here for You
At Berg Injury Lawyers, we represent injured people across Northern California. Our Bay Area personal injury attorneys have years of experience and extensive knowledge of comparative fault laws in California. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Subrogation: Why Your Insurance Company Could Take Your Settlement Money
| September 7th, 2020
Medical bills are some of the most expensive costs associated with a serious injury. If you’ve been hurt in an accident through no fault of your own, your auto or health insurance company might pay those medical bills, especially if the at-fault party’s insurance refuses to foot the bill.
However, if you file an injury claim against the party or person who caused your injury, you will be seeking damages for those same medical bills your insurer already paid.
If you’ve ever wondered how you can seek money for bills that were already covered by your insurance company or what happens when those financial obligations overlap, then you’ve stumbled onto an important topic that plays a part in most injury claims: subrogation.
What Is Subrogation?
Subrogation is what happens when an injured person’s insurance company reclaims the money it paid out for accident-related costs. It’s how your insurance company recoups costs that the defendant (the person you’re taking legal action against) owes you.
Subrogation clauses are a part of all insurance contracts. So, insurance companies have a legal right to be reimbursed for the money they pay out if those costs are part of a successful legal claim.
Subrogation only involves recouping payments that their policyholder receives from third parties. So, for example, if your case involves only your insurance company, as it would in an uninsured or underinsured motorist (UIM) claim, subrogation would not be applicable.
Where Does Subrogation Money Come From?
Essentially, the money the insurance company wants to recoup will come from the compensatory damages you received via settlement or judgment. The insurance company will often demand full repayment of the costs they’ve paid for your care once they discover you’ve received compensation from a third party.
How Does the Insurance Company Know About Your Injury Claim?
After a doctor or emergency room visit, you likely received a letter from the insurance company. This letter might include standard language about notifying the insurance company if you file a compensation claim or hire an attorney. That’s because insurance companies often rely on self-reporting from their policyholders about potential injury claims or lawsuits.
Your insurer isn’t necessarily keeping tabs on the cause of the injury that prompted your treatment, so it might not be aware that you are seeking payment via an injury claim or lawsuit.
But insurers sometimes take steps to make sure they aren’t missing opportunities to recoup costs through subrogation. An insurance company will often work with third-party companies to identify insurance claims that are related to ongoing lawsuits or settlement negotiations.
Once an insurance company knows that your injuries are part of a lawsuit or settlement negotiation, they might again rely on a third-party company to stay in touch with you to find out how the situation is being resolved.
Do You Have to Pay the Full Amount Being Sought by Insurers?
Legally, insurance companies have every right to subrogation. In most cases, there’s little room for the policyholder to get out of paying back an insurer.
However, though insurance contracts state that the insurance company has a right to subrogation, it’s often true that attorneys will negotiate on behalf of their clients regarding the amount of money paid back to insurance companies after judgments or settlements. This can save an injured person money and help reduce the amount of settlements or judgments paid out due to subrogation.
If You Need Legal Assistance After a Crash, Get Berg!
Subrogation is one of many topics policyholders and injured people must contend with after a serious accident. At Berg Injury Lawyers, we work hard to ease our clients’ worries about their accidents and injuries. In doing so, we walk them through every aspect of their cases and deal with uncooperative insurance companies on their behalves each step of the way.
Contact the California personal injury attorneys at Berg Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation with our team.
The Importance of Filing an Injury Claim Even During a Pandemic
| August 31st, 2020
While the world struggles to deal with a once-in-a-generation pandemic, we’re constantly reminded of the fact that life goes on. Despite lockdowns and outbreaks, people still have bills to pay, work to do, and injuries to deal with.
Unfortunately, accident-related medical bills won’t go away just because we’re in a pandemic, and the time in which you can file a lawsuit is still ticking down. You can’t afford to waste time waiting for the pandemic to end when you need to file a compensation claim.
At Berg Injury Lawyers, we know the importance of injury claims, which is why we’ve continued to offer the same level of service we’ve always given our clients, despite the limitations posed by COVID-19.
Why a Pandemic Shouldn’t Stop You from Taking Legal Action
Even with lower volumes of traffic on our roads, crashes persist. In some cases, our roads have proven to be even deadlier during the pandemic. Workplace injuries, medical malpractice, and other causes of serious injuries also continue to affect Californians.
Though you might be reluctant to visit a doctor or take legal action during the coronavirus outbreak, you must remember how high the stakes can be if you don’t take a stand against an insurance company.
Personal injury claims are as important as ever, and you shouldn’t give up hope because times are challenging. Many businesses, including Berg Injury Lawyers, have adapted to the pandemic and still offer the same level of assistance as they did pre-coronavirus.
We Remain Committed to Our Clients
Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, we’ve expanded the way we serve our clients by offering remote consultations, case updates, and more.
We know how important getting compensation is for our clients, which is why we guarantee the same level of dedication and service to those we represent whether we meet them in person or over the phone.
For someone dealing with the prospect of an injury claim during the COVID-19 outbreak, it’s important to know that legal options (and legal help) are still available.
The Importance of Personal Injury Claims
People file personal injury claims because it’s usually the only path to getting the compensation that they’re entitled to after an accident that wasn’t their fault. Serious injuries are costly, and insurance companies are often reluctant to offer people the payments they deserve.
By filing a claim, an injured person is seeking compensation for accident-related costs, including property damage, medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering. A successful claim can mean the difference between financial ruin and the path to recovery.
Regardless of whether there are other external factors at play (like the coronavirus), you should always demand what you’re owed from an at-fault party and their insurance company. Otherwise, you risk running the chance of paying these costly expenses out of your own pocket.
The Costs of Waiting to File a Claim
Time is of the essence when you’re considering filing a personal injury claim. First, you need to be mindful of the statute of limitations in these cases. In California, you have two years from the time of your injury to file, and once that period lapses, you won’t be able to demand the payment you’re entitled to. And, if a public entity is involved, you may only have six months to file a claim with the city, county or whichever public entity is involved
Second, the longer you wait to begin the legal process, the greater the risk that important evidence supporting your claim and pinpointing the other party’s liability will be lost. The sooner you can contact an attorney and put them on your case, the better your chances of a successful outcome.
We’re Working Hard for Our Clients
At Berg Injury Lawyers, we never stopped working hard for our clients or accepting new clients to make sure they get the legal representation they deserve. We’re fully capable of meeting with clients and conducting business remotely through video conferencing, phone, and email.
We know how important it is for injured people to have their cases taken seriously and dealt with in a timely manner. If the pandemic is giving you pause from taking legal action, don’t wait any longer to seek help.
If You Need Help, We’re Here for You
At Berg Injury Lawyers, we know that injury claims stop for no pandemic. We’re still here, and we’re ready to help you get the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
Learn the Most Important Thing You Can Do to Help Your Injury Case
| August 24th, 2020
There are several things you can do to improve the chances of a successful outcome in your personal injury case, but one thing stands above the rest: seek medical treatment early and consistently after your injury, and always follow your doctor’s orders.
The longer you wait to get treatment, or if you fail to attend follow-ups with your doctor, the more complicated your case can become. Let’s look at why medical treatment is so important, and why you should seek it as soon as possible.
Medical Treatment Serves Two Very Important Purposes
First, your health should always be your top priority. After an injury, you run the risk of worsening your condition or causing other complications if you don’t get medical help. Recovering from serious injuries takes time, so you should always listen to your doctor and follow their recommendations.
Second, seeking medical treatment establishes a record of your injuries. If you file an injury claim but have no official record to document how the accident impacted you, you’ll face a big challenge when demanding compensation.
However, if you go to a doctor or hospital soon after your injury and go to follow-up appointments in the days, weeks, and months that follow, you and your attorney will be able to clearly show the extent of your injury and its related costs.
Why Many People Don’t Seek Treatment
An injury might not be obvious in the immediate aftermath of an accident. The adrenaline produced during the trauma of a crash, slip and fall, or workplace injury can mask symptoms. It’s always best to visit a doctor or hospital as soon as possible after an accident, even if you’re unsure of the extent of your injury.
Another reason one might delay treatment is a general reluctance to visit the doctor or admit to being hurt. This hesitation to get help causes many problems, including the worsening of a condition and the impact on a person’s ability to get adequate compensation.
If you or a loved one is injured in an accident, remember one thing: go to a doctor soon and follow all the doctor’s orders. Consider getting a second opinion if you disagree with a physician’s assessment. But whatever you do, don’t put off seeking medical attention.
There Are Other Ways to Help Your Injury Case, Too
There are several steps you can take to make sure your personal injury case is positioned for success. For example, you should stay off social media so you don’t give insurance companies reasons to deny your claim. You should avoid speaking to the representative of any insurance company that isn’t your own. You should also contact an attorney early in the process, so they can help you avoid other common mistakes.
Need Legal Help? Contact Berg Injury Lawyers.
If you’ve been injured and you need legal assistance, contact the California personal injury attorneys at Berg Injury Lawyers today. We’ve helped many injured people get the compensation and medical help they need to rebuild their lives after a serious injury.
Contact us today for a free consultation.
