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DELIVERING JUSTICE FOR MY CLIENTS
Sacramento Personal Injury Attorney
Sacramento Practice Areas
A personal injury describes any situation in which one person causes physical harm, emotional distress, or economic losses to another through negligence or intentionally harmful actions. When a personal injury occurs in Sacramento, CA, the victim has the right to file a civil claim against the party responsible for causing their personal injury. This civil claim can potentially yield compensation for the victim’s various damages.
Kreeger Law Firm has many years of experience representing all types of personal injury claims for clients in the Sacramento area. We have the resources and skills needed to assess the greatest challenges you are likely to encounter in your recovery efforts and can develop effective strategies for overcoming them. We have built a strong reputation as a top choice for personal injury representation in Sacramento due to our commitment to always focusing on the client’s needs, and we are confident in our ability to guide you to a positive conclusion in your impending personal injury case.
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Legal Representation for Sacramento, CA, Accident Injury Claims
Many personal injury cases appear straightforward at first, but the reality is there are many ways for a case to become a complex legal battle. For example, suppose you or a loved one recently experienced any personal injury due to the actions of another party. In that case, it’s essential to know your rights and what you can do to address the problem through appropriate legal channels. A personal injury lawyer can be a tremendous asset in this situation.
Kreeger Law offers comprehensive and compassionate legal counsel to victims of personal injuries throughout the Sacramento, CA, area. We understand that personal injury victims are likely to have many questions about their rights and legal ability to sue. Our goal is to provide the legal counsel you need during this difficult time and to provide the answers to your most pressing legal questions.
Why Is Legal Representation Important for Personal Injury Cases in Sacramento, CA?
Navigating any personal injury claim is likely more complicated than the average claimant realizes, especially when they do not have legal representation. Unfortunately, many personal injury victims mistakenly believe they can simply handle their claims to save money on attorneys’ fees and other legal costs. The reality is that attempting to handle a personal injury case without legal counsel will likely cost the plaintiff much more than they would have spent hiring legal representation.
While it may be technically possible for a personal injury plaintiff to successfully navigate their case without an attorney, doing so is an incredible challenge. When the average person sees the various procedural obligations they would need to fulfill while simultaneously managing their recovery, it can be overwhelming for anyone to attempt to handle their own legal representation. In addition, making even slight errors with court filings could lead to significant delays. A claim can be thrown out of court due to too many procedural errors in its preliminary stages.
Ultimately, hiring a Sacramento personal injury attorney to handle your claim not only increases your chance of success with the claim but also makes the entire process much easier to manage. Your legal team can manage all the procedural aspects of your case while you rest and recover with peace of mind. In addition, your Sacramento personal injury lawyer can provide detailed guidance to help you make informed decisions about the direction of your case, ultimately helping you navigate a challenging legal situation more fluently. Finally, even if liability for your damages seems clear and your personal injury claim appears to be a straightforward affair, the right legal counsel on your side will make a tremendous difference in the quality of your recovery and the speed at which you obtain it.
Common Causes of Personal Injury Claims in Sacramento
Legal representation is critical for any type of personal injury claim. No matter how your injury occurred, if you have grounds for a personal injury claim against the party responsible for causing it, you need legal counsel you can trust to guide you through your case proceedings. Kreeger Law has years of experience guiding clients in the Sacramento, CA, area through all types of personal injury claims, and we can apply our experience to your case. Some of the most common causes of personal injury claims in California include:
- Motor vehicle accidents. Car, truck, and motorcycle crashes are a leading cause of personal injuries throughout the United States. Every day, drivers all over California experience collisions that result in devastating injuries and significant property damage. If another driver hits your vehicle, your first step toward recovering your losses would be filing a claim against their auto insurance policy. However, if available insurance is not enough to cover your losses, you could pursue a personal injury claim to recover your remaining damages.
- Premises liability claims. Suffering a slip and fall or other injury on someone else’s property can lead to a premises liability claim. All property owners must address known safety hazards promptly and warn lawful visitors of potential dangers if they are likely to encounter them while visiting. Suppose you sustained an injury on someone else’s property due to a safety issue the owner should have addressed or failed to address appropriately. In that case, you likely have grounds for a premises liability claim.
- Workplace accidents. Every California employer must carry workers’ compensation insurance, and an injured worker has the right to claim workers’ compensation benefits after suffering an injury on the job. Workers’ compensation insurance generally shields employers from civil liability for injured employees’ damages. However, depending on how a workplace accident occurs, an injured employee may have grounds for a personal injury claim against a third party to recover damages that workers’ compensation would not cover.
- Dog bite injuries. If you sustain an injury caused by another person’s dog, the dog’s owner is strictly liable for your damages under California law. Dog attacks can cause painful and traumatic injuries, and the dog’s owner is liable even if the dog has no known history of attacking people. You would have grounds for a personal injury claim against the dog owner as long as you did not provoke the dog and were legally present where the attack occurred.
- Defective products. Suppose you or a loved one suffers an injury from a defective or unreasonably dangerous consumer product. In that case, you could file a civil claim against the manufacturer under California’s product liability laws. A Sacramento personal injury lawyer can assist you in proving the nature of the defect that caused your injury and help you hold the manufacturer accountable for your losses.
- Medical malpractice. Medical errors are a leading cause of accidental deaths and injuries throughout the US. For example, suppose you or a loved one developed an illness or suffered an injury due to improperly executed medical treatment. In that case, you likely have grounds for a civil claim against the medical professional responsible for the incident. Medical malpractice claims have unique rules compared to most other personal injury claims, so it is crucial to secure reliable legal representation for this type of case.
Determining Liability for Your Personal Injury in Sacramento, CA
Personal injury claims revolve around the legal concept of “negligence,” or a failure to exercise reasonable care and caution in a given situation. Every adult has various duties of care they must uphold in different situations. For example, a driver has a duty of care to follow the traffic laws and operate their vehicle safely and attentively. Likewise, medical professionals have a duty of care not to harm their patients. Violating a duty of care can lead to liability for a personal injury.
Your Sacramento personal injury attorney can help you gather the evidence you need to establish liability for your personal injury damages. First, you must accurately identify the party or parties you believe responsible for your personal injury. Next, you must use available evidence and witness testimony to prove the defendant failed to exercise reasonable care in the situation that led to your personal injury.
An experienced personal injury lawyer can be invaluable when it comes to determining liability for your damages. They can recover evidence you may need to establish responsibility for your personal injury, such as traffic camera footage that captured your recent car accident or security camera footage that shows a dog attack or slip and fall on someone else’s property.
Comparative Negligence in a California Personal Injury Case
One common problem for many Sacramento personal injury plaintiffs is comparative negligence. This term describes a plaintiff’s shared fault for causing their claimed damages. If you contributed to your personal injury in any way, it’s likely for the defendant in your claim to levy an accusation of comparative negligence.
California enforces a pure comparative negligence rule. This means no threshold of fault would bar a plaintiff from recovering damages. Many states enforce modified comparative negligence laws restricting a plaintiff from recovering damages if they are 50% or more at fault. Other states enforce contributory negligence laws that prohibit plaintiff recovery for any percentage of fault. In California, there is no such limit. A plaintiff could theoretically be 99% at fault and still have the right to claim compensation for damages. However, the plaintiff loses a percentage of their case award equal to their fault percentage. Higher fault percentages may also leave some plaintiffs vulnerable to counterclaims from defendants.
If you have any concerns about comparative negligence influencing the outcome of your personal injury case, discuss these concerns with your Sacramento personal injury lawyer. They can help you gather evidence sufficient for disproving accusations of comparative negligence from the defendant and assist you in maximizing your recovery as much as possible, even when comparative negligence does come into play.
Compensation for Personal Injury Damages in Sacramento, CA
A successful personal injury claim can yield several types of compensation for the plaintiff. California law allows a personal injury plaintiff to recover compensation for all damages caused by a defendant. As a result, it’s common for plaintiffs to discover their claims are worth much more than initially expected after consulting with experienced attorneys. Your Sacramento personal injury attorney can potentially help you recover:
- Medical expenses for treatment of injuries caused by a defendant’s negligence. This includes immediate healthcare expenses like hospital bills and long-term treatment costs you incur. For example, a severe injury may require immediate emergency treatment at a hospital and ongoing rehabilitative care. You could hold the defendant accountable for your short- and long-term medical expenses resulting from a personal injury.
- Lost income and lost earning potential. When a personal injury prevents you from working for an extended time, you have the right to hold the defendant accountable for the income you lost during this time. Your attorney can help you calculate your claimable lost wages. If you cannot return to work at all because of a permanent disability, the defendant would be liable for your lost future earning capacity.
- Property damage. Many personal injuries involve damage to the plaintiff’s personal property, such as their home or vehicle. While insurance can sometimes come into play and cover some property damage, the plaintiff in a personal injury claim has the right to hold the defendant accountable for any property damages that insurance does not cover.
- Pain and suffering. California law allows a personal injury plaintiff to recover non-economic damages in addition to their economic damages. In a Sacramento personal injury claim, physical pain, emotional distress, and psychological trauma are all compensable losses. Your attorney can help you determine a fair amount of non-economic damages to include in your claim based on the seriousness of your injuries and whether you face long-term complications or disabilities due to the defendant’s actions.
Some plaintiffs may also qualify for additional compensation at a judge’s discretion if a defendant acted illegally in any way that resulted in the plaintiff’s injury. For example, drunk driving is against California law, and a drunk driver faces criminal charges and civil liability for victims’ damages if they cause an accident due to intoxication behind the wheel. In any personal injury claim in which a defendant engaged in criminal activity that resulted in the plaintiff’s damages, the plaintiff could receive punitive damages in addition to their economic and non-economic damages. The judge would determine an appropriate amount based on the defendant’s behavior and overall financial status. It’s also possible for the victim to receive restitution from the defendant’s criminal case.
FAQs About Sacramento, CA Personal Injury Laws
It’s natural to have many questions about your legal options following a personal injury. Kreeger Law wants to provide prospective clients with information that helps them make informed decisions about their legal options.
The following are some of the most common questions our team hears from victims of personal injuries in Sacramento, CA.
Is It Worth Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney in Sacramento, CA?
It is always worth having legal counsel on your side when you face a difficult personal injury claim. Your Sacramento personal injury lawyer can handle the procedural aspects of your case so you can recover with peace of mind. In addition, hiring an attorney not only improves your chance of success with your claim but is also likely to generate more compensation than you could have secured on your own.
How Much Does a Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer Charge?
If you are concerned about the potential cost of hiring an attorney, ask the attorney plainly about their billing policy. Make sure you fully understand the attorney’s billing practices before signing a contract for their representation.
How Much Are Lawyer Fees for Personal Injury?
Some attorneys will charge a flat fee for representation; others charge by the hour. Some attorneys will charge for representation and require the client to pay the various legal fees that come into play during their case. Ask your Sacramento personal injury lawyer about their fee policy, whether you are responsible for paying court fees separately from your legal representation costs, or whether the attorney handles these fees as part of the cost of their representation.
What Percentage Do Most Sacramento, CA Personal Injury Lawyers Take?
Most personal injury lawyers use contingency fee billing to provide accessible and affordable representation to those who need it most. When an attorney operates on contingency fee billing, their fee comes out of the client’s case award as a percentage. Most personal injury attorneys who offer contingency fee billing will charge anywhere from 20% to 40% of a client’s case award. Ensure you understand the attorney’s contingency fee policy before agreeing to their representation.
Is It Worth Getting a Sacramento Injury Lawyer?
If you are struggling with painful injuries and economic losses someone else caused, hiring an attorney can make a significant difference in the quality of your recovery. A Sacramento personal injury lawyer can be an invaluable asset as you work toward recovering from your losses, helping you navigate the most challenging personal injury claims with greater confidence.
The average person is likely to have many important legal questions in the immediate aftermath of any personal injury, and a seasoned personal injury lawyer is the optimal resource to consult in this situation. You have a limited time in which to pursue compensation for your damages, so it is always preferable to start the claim filing process as soon as you can. Take time to find an attorney with the skills and experience necessary to handle your case’s most challenging aspects so you can approach your case with confidence.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM A SACRAMENTO PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY
The main objective of any personal injury claim is for the plaintiff to prove fault for their damages and recover compensation for those damages from the party responsible for causing them. Even if your case seems perfectly straightforward, you should not assume that you can simply handle your case alone and save money on legal fees. It is always worth securing legal counsel you can trust. This will not only improve your chances of success but also the quality of the final outcome you reach in your claim.
When you choose Kreeger Law Firm to represent your personal injury case in Sacramento, we will listen to your story so we fully understand the circumstances under which your injury occurred and the impact it has had on your life and your family. We will immediately begin gathering the documentation and evidence we need to compile your claim, identifying all parties who may be liable for your damages. Our firm has years of experience handling some of the most complex civil cases filed in Sacramento, so we are confident in our ability to address the unique challenges you face in your personal injury claim.
Our firm generally aims to settle clients’ cases, shortening the time it takes for them to receive compensation for their damages. When a defendant is clearly liable for a personal injury, it behooves them to seek a swift settlement with the plaintiff to minimize how much they spend on legal fees. We will help draft a compelling civil suit that clearly demonstrates the defendant’s liability and compels them to settle the case as soon as possible. However, if the defendant refuses to settle or if settlement is not possible for any other reason, you can rely on our firm to guide you through litigation as efficiently as possible.
Our Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help With Your Case
You probably have many other questions specific to your unique personal injury claim. The sooner you consult with an attorney about your legal options, the easier it will be for you to approach your case with clarity and understanding. Kreeger Law can provide the comprehensive and client-focused legal representation you need after experiencing a personal injury in the Sacramento, CA, area.
Kreeger Law Firm is ready to provide the guidance and support you need to approach your personal injury case with confidence. The sooner you reach out to our team, the sooner we can address your concerns and start building an effective civil suit for you. If you are struggling with the aftermath of any personal injury and are ready to discuss your legal options with an experienced and compassionate Sacramento personal injury lawyer, contact Kreeger Law today to schedule a consultation with our team.
