Personal Injury
We’re Not Afraid to Take Them to Court
| October 24th, 2016
There are a number of factors that contribute to the success of an injury claim after a serious accident, such as the circumstances that led up to the accident, the extent of your injuries, and the willingness of the insurance company to pay what is fair. However, there’s another key factor that every personal injury lawyer must have that supersedes the specifics of the case or even the injuries sustained, and that’s a reputation for going to trial.
You see, the insurance company has no motivation or incentive to pay you tens of thousands of dollars for your claim when they know that there’s little you can do to force them to. Consider this scenario. You’ve been injured in a car accident, and based on your estimations, that accident is going to cost you roughly $20,000 in medical expenses, lost wages, and other accident-related costs. The insurance company says they are only going to pay you $7,000. What can you do? The sad reality is you have little power over them and they are aware of it.
That’s why it’s so important to call an experienced San Francisco personal injury lawyer instead. At Berg Injury Lawyers, we know how to make the insurance company pay you what you deserve for your injuries, and if they refuse, we’ll take them to court. Call today for a free consultation and we’ll get started on your case right away.
What Are Slip and Fall Accidents?
| October 17th, 2016
At every business, whether a restaurant, construction site, or corporate office, a quiet workday can quickly turn into a full-on sprint when things get busy. It’s at those times that safety is most important. Unfortunately safety is often the first thing to go when things get hectic, putting both employees and the public at risk.
Premises liability lawsuits are cases that involve someone who was injured due to a business or other entity’s negligence. For example, if a grocery store or restaurant fails to clean up a spill or other hazardous area in their business and someone falls, they may be liable for that person’s injuries. Most often, these are referred to as slip and fall accidents. We’ve helped a number of people in the San Francisco area get compensation after being involved in such accidents. In each of those cases, we had to prove the following:
- The condition of the property was dangerous.
- The owner knew, or should have known, about the property’s condition.
- The owner had a reasonable amount of time to fix the condition of the property.
If you’ve been involved in a slip and fall accident, you need the help of an experienced premises liability attorney on your side to get maximum compensation for your injuries. Don’t try to go it alone. Give us a call today for a free consultation. You’ve been injured and deserve compensation, so contact us today.
California Life Insurance Company Fraud
| August 15th, 2016
Nobody likes a price increase, especially for the same exact product you were paying less for before. In recent years, some large companies have gotten some pretty bad press for increasing their subscription rates with little notice. Though most of the time it only amounts to a few more dollars per month, it’s the principle of the thing. Unfortunately, some life insurance companies are attempting the same thing, but their increases are much more significant, putting customers who have paid premiums for years at risk of losing their policy.
Here’s how it works. You buy a life insurance policy to ensure your family is taken care of in the event of your death. You pay the premiums every month, without fail. Then one day, you receive a notice in the mail that your policy premiums are skyrocketing, leaving you with 3 options:
- Pay the inflated premiums for the exact same policy.
- Cancel the policy that you’ve paid into for years.
- Wipe out the life insurance policy savings you’ve accumulated.
If those options don’t sound fair, it’s because they aren’t. Luckily, there’s a fourth option: call a lawyer. At Berg Injury Lawyers, we hold life insurance companies accountable for their fraudulent practices. If you’ve received a notice that your life insurance premiums are skyrocketing, give us a call immediately for a free consultation. We’ll stand up for your rights as a consumer and fight to make sure you get treated fairly. Contact us today.
Tips for Testifying in Your Personal Injury Case
| July 25th, 2016
You did the right thing after your accident and called our Northern California car accident attorneys. Now you can focus on your recovery while we focus on getting you paid for your injuries. Although we’re working hard on your behalf to maximize your claim, there is one step in the process we can’t do for you: the deposition.
A deposition is an under-oath interview with the opposing attorney. He/she will ask you a number of questions about your accident and your injuries to determine the best defense against you. That’s why it’s vitally important that you do well at your deposition, as the rest of your case may be impacted by your answers.
Here are our 3 top tips for giving a good deposition:
- Think before you answer. The opposing attorney may ask questions that are intended to trip you up. Don’t fall for it. Take a moment after every question is asked to process before you answer. There’s no benefit to answering quickly, so take your time.
- Tell the truth. This is your first opportunity under oath to tell your side of the story. Stick to the truth and don’t embellish any details. In our experience, embellishments or lies always come out at trial. Don’t risk losing your case over false testimony. Stick to the facts.
- Revise your answers if necessary. Although we would prefer that you answer every question with 100% accuracy, we understand that sometimes nerves can interfere with our memories. If you happen to misspeak in the answer of a question, don’t be afraid to correct yourself. It’s much better to set the record straight in a deposition than to be forced to on the witness stand.
Here’s a bonus tip: Be well rested. No amount of preparation can counteract a poor night’s sleep before a deposition. Eat a good meal the evening before and get plenty of rest so you’re alert and ready when you sit down at the table. And don’t worry. Your attorney at Berg Injury Lawyers will be sitting right next to you the whole time.
Advertising is Great…Word-of-Mouth is Better
| April 11th, 2016
At Berg Injury Lawyers, we helped pioneer lawyer advertising more than 20 years ago. We did so because we knew a lot of accident victims in Northern California weren’t getting the help they need after an accident. Simply put, advertising on television gave us the ability to reach and help more people.
Nowadays, almost every law firm advertises. From billboards to TV commercials, you’re likely to run into some form of lawyer advertising on a daily basis in the Bay Area. Although we’re proud of the role we played in helping law firms reach more people, there’s one form of advertising we value above all else, and it’s one that’s been around a lot longer than our firm.
Word-of-mouth.
You see, it doesn’t matter how much you spend on advertising, how often you post to social media, or how many community events you sponsor. Your firm’s reputation isn’t something you can buy. It’s built on years of service to your clients, good or bad. We’re proud to have a reputation for treating our clients with the utmost respect and getting them maximum compensation for their injuries. Because of that reputation, a good portion of our business comes from referrals—satisfied clients that pass our name along to someone else in need.
You hear a lot of promises in lawyer advertising, but if you want to know the true measure of a firm, ask their clients. Advertising on television is great, but word-of-mouth is even better. Thankfully, we excel in both.
Legal Help for Commuter Train Derailment Victims
| March 10th, 2016
It’s the end of a long day at work. You step onto the train, anxious to get home to your family. You’ve taken this trip hundreds of times without incident, but all of that is about to change.
On March 7, a commuter train derailed in Northern California, injuring nine people. The impact and resulting wreckage was so extreme that an Alameda County Sheriff Department spokesperson said it was “an absolute miracle that no one was killed.” Although we are thankful no one was killed, that fact is little comfort to those who were seriously injured in the incident. For them, the hardest part is just beginning, leaving them with a lot of unknown questions.
Your medical expenses won’t end with your hospital stay; who’s going to pay for ongoing treatment? You’re not going to be able to work while you recover; who’s going to compensate you for lost wages? You’ve been through a traumatic, life-changing event; who should be held responsible for your pain and suffering?
If you were injured in the recent Alameda County train derailment in Northern California, call our experienced personal injury lawyers today for a free consultation. The next several days are going to be critical to your recovery and your family’s future. Beyond exceptional medical care, you need an experienced law firm to protect your rights and help you determine the next steps.
At Berg Injury Lawyers, we’ve been helping the injured people of Northern California for more than 30 years, and we’re ready to help you too. To learn more about how we can help after an accident contact us today!
The Only Guarantee You Need
| February 29th, 2016
Guarantees are hard to come by in the legal community. No lawyer can guarantee a certain outcome, no matter how open and shut the case may be. Even if they were confident enough to offer such a guarantee, the California Bar Association wouldn’t allow it. However, there is a guarantee that Berg Injury Lawyers can make you with 100% confidence, and that’s the No Fee Guarantee.
The No Fee Guarantee states that if you don’t win, you pay nothing. Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? We’ll essentially work for free, for however long it takes to settle your case, and if we don’t get you money at the end of that process, you don’t pay.
We can afford to do this for a couple of reasons:
- We have years of experience. We’ve been helping people get the maximum compensation for their injuries for more than 30 years. That experience gives us a unique ability to quickly assess whether or not a case is worth pursuing. When we take on your case it means we whole-heartedly believe we’ll win. In fact, we believe so strongly that we’ll offer a No Fee Guarantee without reservation.
- We know how to win. There’s a level of confidence that comes from our track record of winning significant settlements for our clients. That success doesn’t happen by accident. It comes from winning often and winning big. Because of that success, we’re able to offer our clients a No Fee Guarantee, so they can be as confident in our abilities as we are.
Calling a lawyer to handle your personal injury claim should be the easiest decision you make after an accident. At Berg Injury Lawyers, we make it even easier with our No Fee Guarantee. If you’ve been injured, give us a call today for a free consultation. We’d love to speak with you.
How to Lose Your Case Before It Even Starts
| January 11th, 2016
There are a number of reasons why you shouldn’t attempt to handle your own injury claim. On average, accident victims with an attorney get more money. That fact alone should be enough incentive to call a lawyer after your accident.
But beyond the possibility of getting more for your claim, here are two factors to consider when determining whether or not you need a lawyer: paperwork and deadlines.
If you’re going to handle your injury claim alone, you’ll need to fill out a number of forms and have them approved in order to have your case considered by a court. This paperwork can be confusing and time-sensitive. Missing just one filing deadline could put your entire claim at risk, and your right to compensation may be lost.
Depending on your situation, filing deadlines can vary dramatically. For instance, in the state of California, you have two years to file a personal injury claim against a responsible party. However, if your claim is against a government entity, such as a city or county, you only have six months to file. And that’s just one of the many deadlines you have to consider when filing an injury claim.
Bottom line is injury claims aren’t one-size-fits-all. Each case is different, requiring a unique approach. An experienced California personal injury lawyer will know all the necessary paperwork to file and deadlines that must be met for your specific situation.
If you’ve been injured, put an experienced attorney on your side. Contact us today.
California Environmental Injury Lawyers Discuss Hazards Residents Face After Wildfires
| September 22nd, 2015
In recent weeks, wildfires have ravaged Northern California, destroying homes, businesses, and land along the way. As many residents make their way back to the area after being evacuated, our California environmental injury lawyers would like to warn you of certain risks you may be facing.
Inhalation of smoke is one of the greatest potential hazards in wildfire areas. Breathing in smoke that can be thick in the air can cause lung irritation and other respiratory problems. Even if there’s no smoke, what you’re breathing could be extremely harmful to your health.
According to an article from NBC Bay Area News, the California Department of Health is warning residents who were evacuated from wildfire areas and are now returning to be aware of the risks breathing in ashes could have to your health.
Officials say the ashes of burned structures, buildings, and products could contain harmful chemicals that could include asbestos—a substance often used in construction that can lead to the development of a deadly form of cancer known as mesothelioma if inhaled.
These risks have led officials to advise the public to wash ash from children, pets, toys, and homegrown foods as soon as possible. Officials are also advising against the use of leaf blowers or vacuums to remove ash, as these methods can agitate ash particles into the air where they can then be inhaled.
We hope this information helps to keep you and your loved ones safe from the dangers wildfire ash and smoke can pose.
Slip and Fall Accident Leaves Worker Critically Injured
| December 8th, 2014
The workplace has countless hazards that can put an employee’s health and safety at risk, but one of the most common causes of on-the-job injuries reported today are slips trips and falls. In fact, it’s estimated there were almost 700 slip and fall accident injuries and fatalities reported in the United States workplace last year alone.
To bring into perspective just how easily a slip and fall accident can occur, a San Francisco window washer was seriously injured last week as a result of a fall while he was working. Reports indicate the incident occurred on Friday, December 5, along the 400 block of Montgomery Street downtown.
According to an article from NBC Bay Area News, the victim was washing windows on the 11th story of the building when he plummeted roughly 130-feet to the ground below and landed on top of a Toyota Camry. The impact of the fall caused the worker to suffer a fractured pelvis, broken right arm, and internal bleeding. He’s continuing to receive treatment at a local medical facility and remains in critical condition.
At Berg injury Lawyers, we’ve seen the devastation that can come as the result of suffering a slip and fall accident. That’s why our team of California personal injury lawyers would like to wish the worker who was recently injured a full and speedy recovery.
If you’ve been injured in a slip and fall accident while working, feel free to reach out to our legal team in order to discuss your potential rights to compensation. Our number is (800) 400-2374.
