Injury Lawyer in Riverside, CA

Riverside Injury Lawyer

If you've been injured due to another person's negligence, you have the right to demand financial compensation for the losses you've endured. But pursuing a personal injury lawsuit is no easy task. Offenders and their insurance providers are backed by armies of lawyers ready to defend their clients. Who's looking out for you?

At the Law Offices of Tim D. Wright, we defend personal injury victims. Where possible, we resolve cases out of court so our clients can get back to their lives. If needed, however, we put together a litigation strategy and take the case to trial. In either case, we stand by our clients from beginning to end so they can focus on getting better.

What Is Personal Injury?

The essence of a personal injury claim is negligence. When another person, business, or even a governmental agency acts irresponsibly, others can get injured. The injury is often physical, but it can also be psychological or emotional too.

"Negligence" is a legal term that means failure to exercise an appropriate degree of care under the circumstances. Another way of putting it is failing to act as a reasonably sensible person would. Negligence can be displayed through a person's actions (like speeding or driving intoxicated) or through an omission (such as failing to eliminate a known hazard from one's business property).

To win a personal injury case, the victim needs to prove that the offender was negligent. There are four particular elements that are required under California legislation:

• Duty of care– The defendant must have owed a duty of care to the plaintiff. Occasionally a duty emerges out of a personal relationship between the parties, such as doctor and patient. However this isn't always required. For example, when you drive on a highway, you owe a duty to other motorists not to be reckless.
• Breach– Next, the plaintiff must demonstrate that the defendant breached the duty of care. This is where the defendant's negligent acts and/or omissions are brought out. It also covers situations where the at-fault party breaks a law or participates in deliberate wrongdoing. Breach is generally the most contested part of a personal injury lawsuit.
• Causation– The defendant's breach has to really result in injury to the plaintiff. If the defendant acted negligently but didn't harm the plaintiff, this element fails.
• Damages– These are the losses for which the plaintiff will seek financial compensation. Some of the most common damages are medical costs, lost wages, lost earning capacity, as well as pain and suffering. The nature and amount of damages are hotly contested in most personal injury cases.

Possible Damages In a Personal Injury Claim

The objective of a personal injury lawsuit is to make the plaintiff whole via financial compensation. This compensation is known as damages, and some examples are:

• Medical costs– This broad category can consist of everything from hospital bills and prescription medications to physical therapy and special adaptive equipment to help with a victim's daily activities.
• Lost wages– While you recuperate or are hospitalized for your injuries, you will lose time from work and, with it, potentially considerable amounts of money. You can ask a court to grant you damages to cover this lost income.
• Lost earning capacity– Your occupational prospects might be cut short or severely limited after a personal injury. An expert witness can help approximate the future income you will miss out on as a result.
• Pain and suffering– These damages account for the pain and emotional stress you will likely experience for some time to come. Although difficult to measure, they are essential to catastrophic injury cases.
• Loss of pleasure of day-to-day life– It might not be possible to enjoy your typical daily activities, hobbies, and other passions after a bad injury. These damages help compensate you for the loss.
• Loss of consortium– This category refers to the deprivation of the benefits of a family relationship. It includes the loss of assistance, community, companionship, and sexual relationship between spouses caused by the injury.
• Punitive (exemplary) damages– In rare cases, an at-fault party can be subject to punitive damages. These are meant to penalize the wrongful party and deter others from participating in similar conduct.

Are There Time Limits to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit?

Your right to take legal action against a negligent party will not last forever. In California, personal injury claims are subject to what's called a statute of limitations. This establishes a deadline for plaintiffs to file their lawsuits before they lose the right to do so. For a personal injury, the statute of limitations is two years. In most cases, the clock starts to run when the injury takes place.

However, it's best not to procrastinate taking action on your case. Witnesses' memories can diminish over time, evidence will be harder to obtain, and you might fail to remember critical information if you wait too long. If you or a loved one have been hurt, reach out to a committed Riverside personal injury attorney.

How Can the Injury Lawyers of the Law Offices of Tim D. Wright Assist Me?

Suing a defendant almost always means suing an insurance company, like a motor vehicle insurer. Regardless, you can count on the defendant's lawyers pushing back on your claims or making settlement offers that come nowhere close to covering your losses. You want an attorney who not only understands California personal injury law, but understands how to establish a fair value for your case.

At the Law Offices of Tim D. Wright, we've helped countless personal injury clients obtain the compensation they require to recuperate. We will not accept unfair deals and will stand by you from start to finish. Give us a call or complete the contact form today to get started on your case.