Personal injury

Car crashes, negligence of another person , company or governmental agency, and other such events kill and seriously injure over ten million people each year. The resulting medical and financial chaos often turns area families upside-down. Even a brief hospital stay can mean thousands of dollars in medical bills. In serious illness and injury cases, like environmental cancer or a head injury, these costs are usually much, much, greater. As victims slowly recover, once-enjoyable activities are out of the question. Getting out of bed and getting moving is difficult enough.

While all these things are going on, insurance company representatives usually call relentlessly with settlement terms. Just sign here, they promise, and everything will go back to normal. That’s a very tempting offer, and it may be a good idea to accept it. But, there is simply no way to know whether or not the settlement terms are fair.

When things seem bleak, the legal team at Marjiya Law Office  is here to help. We begin every case with a conversation, so that we may understand what you are going through and what your goals are. Next, we lay out all your legal options, explaining the pros and cons of each one. Then, we diligently collect evidence on your behalf and research the applicable law. We believe that thorough preparation is the key to a successful outcome. Finally, we serve as a strong voice for you during settlement negotiations and at trial.

How Do I Know if I Have a Case?

Some of the aforementioned events are truly accidental. For example, assume a driver briefly takes his eyes off the road to adjust the radio, misses a stop sign, and collides with another vehicle. Technically, that conduct is distracted driving. But most Los Angeles County jurors would not hold that driver liable for damages. The victim/plaintiff’s claim usually involves one of the following theories:

 

  • Negligence: This rule of law basically involves a lack of ordinary care. If the tortfeasor (negligent actor) violated a legal duty, and that breach causes injury, the tortfeasor may be liable for damages.
  • Product Liability: In other situations, degree of care is irrelevant. That’s the case with regard to defective product injuries, such as an unsafe airbag or defective tire. Product manufacturers are strictly liable if their products injure someone. The victim/plaintiff need only prove causation.
  • Negligence Per Se: This theory of recovery is a lot like negligence. But in negligence per se cases, state law establishes the standard of care. For example, if a drunk driver causes a car crash, that drunk driver may be liable for damages as a matter of law.
  •  Nuisance: Cases such as opioid painkiller overdoses often involve nuisance claims. Essentially, the victim/plaintiff must prove the defendant created a dangerous condition, did nothing to remedy the situation, and someone got hurt.

 

In all these cases, the victim/plaintiff must establish all facts by a preponderance of the evidence (more likely than not). The more evidence that a personal injury attorney  can collect, the stronger your claim for damages will be.

What Kinds of Matters Do You Handle?

At the Marjiya Law Office, our professional team has a diverse background. Some of us are native Californians who have a lifetime of tenure in the legal field. Others came from different geographic places or different professional backgrounds. This diversity of experience helps us take on a diverse array of personal injury cases. Some of the more common ones include:

 

  • Car Accidents: Today’s vehicles are much more collision-resistant than the ones that were on the road twenty years ago. Even still, a serious car wreck often causes serious injuries. These victims deserve both compensation and justice. We work hard to provide both these things.
  • Slip and Fall: Older people are especially vulnerable to these kinds of injuries. A slightly-uneven walkway or a foreign substance on the floor can easily cause loss of balance and a serious fall. About half of senior fall victims are unable to live independently after their injury.
  • Animal Attacks: California has a strict liability dog bite law. As long as the victim did not provoke the dog and was not trespassing on the property, substantial compensation may be available. The Golden State has more dog bite claims, and higher awards, than almost any other jurisdiction in the country.
  • Brain Injury: A blow to the head, perhaps after a slip-and-fall, is the most common cause of head injuries. Other head injuries are motion related. Whiplash in a car accident is a good example. Just like it’s possible to scramble an egg without breaking the shell, it’s possible to scramble the brain without breaking the skull.
  • Spinal Injuries: Falls, car accidents, and other trauma injuries often permanently injure the spine. These injuries usually result in partial or total paralysis. Sometimes, extensive physical therapy helps victims regain some, most, or even all of their prior mobility. Compensation is available for both the economic and noneconomic damages that spinal injuries cause.
  • Poisoning: Several years ago, poisoning cases (mostly drug overdoses) eclipsed motor vehicle collisions and became the leading cause of injury-related death in the United States. Many opioids are so powerful that they are addictive even if the patient takes them as directed. Accidental overdoses obviously have dire consequences for Pasadena victims and their families.

 

Damages in a personal injury case usually include compensation for both economic losses, such as medical bills, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering. Additional punitive damages may be available as well, in some cases.

Injury victims may be entitled to significant compensation.