From the Aquarium of the Pacific to Naples Canals to Shoreline Village, Long Beach has a lot to offer its residents, including beautiful weather and scenic ocean vistas. However, many sustain serious personal injuries due to the negligence of another party. Examples include car, truck, or motorcycle accidents, slip and falls, and pedestrian or bicycle accidents, which often have a far-reaching impact on their lives. They may face financial instability, pain and suffering, and medical bills. Rebuilding your life after a severe injury is daunting. Fortunately, help is available.
Our team of Long Beach personal injury lawyers at Salamati Law has pursued justice for injured residents for nearly thirty years and has worked tirelessly to recover full and fair compensation for their damages and losses. Schedule a free consultation today.
Common Types of Personal Injury Cases
The most common personal injury cases include but are not limited to the following:
Car Accidents
The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) reports that in 2021, 3,433 people were injured or killed in car accidents in a single year. Over 700 of these crashes were caused by intoxicated motorists or those going over the speed limit.
Truck Accidents
The size and weight disparity between large commercial trucks and smaller passenger vehicles increases the risk of serious injuries when they collide. Unfortunately, truck accidents are rising across the U.S. The National Safety Council (NSC) reports that in 2022, “5,837 large trucks were involved in a fatal crash, a 1.8% increase from 2021 and a 49% increase in the last 10 years.”
Bus Accidents
California also ranks among the states with the highest number of bus accidents. Our Long Beach personal injury attorneys have the skills and experience to fight for compensation when the negligence of Long Beach Transit or charter bus companies causes an accident.
Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcyclists are vulnerable to severe injuries in a crash due to the lack of protection. Our team at Salamati Law has a track record of success with these personal injury claims, reaching multiple million-dollar settlements for clients with catastrophic motorcycle accident injuries.
Bike and Pedestrian Accidents
Long Beach is one of the nation’s most walkable and bike-friendly cities in California. Yet negligent drivers are still a risk even with dedicated bike paths and pedestrian safety features like crosswalks and countdown signals. A bike accident or pedestrian accident claim can hold the negligent party accountable.
Slip and Fall Accidents
Falls are the leading cause of emergency room visits. Wet floors, cluttered walkways, poor lighting, and uneven walkways and aisles can cause devastating slip-and-fall accidents with serious injuries such as concussions, fractures, and spinal cord damage.
Dog Bites
California has adopted a “strict liability” approach to dog bites. Under this legal theory, proving that the dog owner was negligent is unnecessary. A dog bite lawyer in Long Beach can help you establish that your injury resulted from a dog attack and that you were in a public place or, lawfully, in a private residence when the attack occurred.
Wrongful Death Claims
If a loved one has died due to the negligence of another party, grieving family members are often faced with a substantial financial burden. They can file a wrongful death suit. While nothing can bring your loved one back, a successful wrongful death claim can hold responsible parties accountable and secure a more stable financial future for family members and loved ones left behind.ht and opportunity to recover compensation for your losses.
How Salamati Law Can Help
If you have sustained a personal injury and have questions about your rights, the first step is a free, no-obligation consultation with a Long Beach personal injury attorney at Salamati Law. You are encouraged to bring any relevant documentation to your consultation to help us understand what happened and who may be responsible.
Medical records, police reports, and photos or video of the accident scene are beneficial. From there, we assess the strengths and weaknesses of your case to decide if you have a viable claim.
Case Evaluation and Strategy Development
An essential step in the process is determining how your accident occurred and who was at fault. A comprehensive investigation will provide your lawyer with a potential defendant and a theory of negligence. Depending on the nature of the accident, we gather compelling evidence to support your claim, which can include the following:
- Medical records
- The official accident report from law enforcement
- Eyewitness testimony
- Testimony by expert witnesses like accident reconstructionists
- Photos from the crash scene
- Vehicle damage and debris
- Video surveillance footage or dashcam footage
- Truck “black box” data
- Traffic data from GPS and navigation services
Settlement Negotiations
Many personal injury claims are resolved through settlement negotiations, but fair offers take time. We will leverage our experience and resources to secure the best possible offer while advising you against accepting unreasonable amounts. When you hire an attorney to handle your personal injury claim, we can speak on your behalf, including communicating with insurance adjusters and their lawyers.
However, thereare times when filing a lawsuit is necessary because a fair agreement cannot be reached. If that is the case, we are prepared to take your case to court.
Potential Damage Awards
Personal injury victims in Long Beach can recover economic and non-economic damages from a negligent party.
- Economic damages are for hard costs and expenses, such as medical bills, lost wages, and expenses associated with going to and from appointments with physicians and therapists.
- Non-economic damages compensate injured parties for their pain and suffering, which may include PTSD, disfigurement, depression, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Your chances of recovering the full amount of damages you are entitled to increase significantly when a skilled and experienced lawyer represents you. Salamati Law will track down all available evidence and testimony to demonstrate the full extent of your losses.
Proving Negligence in a Personal Injury Lawsuit
The burden is on the plaintiff and their legal team to prove negligence, which requires the following four elements:
- First, we must show that the defendant had a duty to act with reasonable care toward the plaintiff. For example, in a car accident claim, the defendant had a duty of care to drive safely by following traffic rules.
- Next, we must prove the defendant breachedthat duty of care by their actions, e.g., driving while under the influence.
- We also establish causation, showing how the defendant’s breach of duty directly resulted in the plaintiff’s injury. Following the above example, the defendant was intoxicated, ran a red light, and caused an accident that injured the plaintiff.
Finally, the plaintiff must have suffered damages and losses, such as medical bills, lost income, and property damage.
Statute of Limitations
In California, you generally have two years from the date of injury to bring a claim, although there are exceptions. For example, you have less time to bring a claim against a government entity. If you wait too long to act, you may lose your right to compensation, so always check with your attorney.
The Insurance Company Will Try to Minimize Your Financial Recovery
If you don’t hire the right Long Beach personal injury attorney, you may significantly limit the amount of financial compensation you can secure. The defendant’s insurance company is in the business of minimizing your financial recovery. They are fully aware of the physical, emotional, and financial stress that you are experiencing, and will opportunistically attempt to convince you to settle your claim for a fraction of what it is worth.
If you take on an insurance company on your own, you may end up accepting a lowball offer and missing out on a significant amount of compensation.
Insurance companies have teams of lawyers that handle thousands of injury claims every year. They know what motivates an injured accident victim and do everything they can to take advantage of your situation. When you hire a personal injury attorney from Salamati Law, you will level the playing field in negotiations with the insurers.
Schedule a Free Consultation with a Personal Injury Lawyer in Long Beach
If you have been injured due to the negligence of another party here in Southern California, call Salamati Law today to schedule a zero-cost, zero-obligation case review. You can meet with a personal injury lawyer to discuss your case. We work on a contingency fee basis, so you will never see a legal bill from us unless you win your case.
