Have you or someone you know been injured in an accident in Palmdale? If so, it is important to speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer as soon as you can. You may be entitled to recover compensation for your injuries, and hiring an attorney will help to make sure that you get the money you deserve.
At Citywide Law Group, our Palmdale personal injury lawyers have more than 17 years of legal experience. During this time, we have successfully handled a variety of complex personal injury matters and helped clients just like you recover millions in much-needed compensation. We know that an unexpected injury can be devastating and has the potential to change your life forever.
We also know that the damages you can recover by filing a personal injury claim can help to make a tough situation better. Call a personal injury lawyer at Citywide Law Group today to schedule a free consultation and learn about the benefits of filing a claim for damages.
Accidents in Palmdale
Palmdale is growing in popularity with families, businesses, and tourists. Today, more than 158,000 people called the city of Palmdale home. As Palmdale’s popularity continues to rise, so does the number of vehicles traveling in and through the city. Each day, more than 1.5 Million miles are driven on Palmdale roadways. Unfortunately, congested roadways lead to a number of serious accidents. In 2015, there were 1,205 fatal and injury-causing accidents in the city of Palmdale. Approximately 6 percent of these accidents involved motorcyclists, pedestrians, and/or bicyclists.
Causes of Palmdale Traffic Accidents
Statistics provided by California’s Office of Traffic Safety show that the most common causes of car accidents in Palmdale include:
- Driving under the influence of alcohol (8% of accidents)
- Speeding (13% of accidents), and
- Driving at night (9% of accidents).
Other common causes of Palmdale traffic accidents include distracted driving, aggressive driving, fatigued driving, tailgating, dangerous road conditions, and limited visibility due to weather.
Common Palmdale Traffic Accident Injuries
Our Palmdale personal injury attorneys have helped clients recover millions in compensation for accident-related injuries including:
- Burns
- Fractures
- Spinal cord injury
- Traumatic brain injury
- Amputation
- Catastrophic injury, and
- Wrongful death.
Why Should I Hire a Palmdale Personal Injury Attorney?
Unexpected accidents and injuries can change your life forever in the blink of an eye. After your accident, you may be overwhelmed by the physical, emotional, and financial struggles in front of you. Filing a personal injury lawsuit is a great way to recover the compensation you both need and deserve after an accident. However, personal injury claims can be complex and should be handled by an experienced personal injury attorney.
When you hire an attorney to handle your personal injury claim you have the opportunity and time to focus on your own personal recovery. This can be crucial to your ultimate recovery and future. While you focus on yourself, your attorney will handle every aspect of your personal injury claim, from the initial investigation to the final negotiations. Insurance companies representing the at-fault party will do everything in their power to deny your claim or limit they compensation you receive. Your attorney will have the experience and skills necessary to defeat these attempts. Hiring an attorney can give you peace of mind and time to heal, as well as increase the chances of maximizing the compensation you are awarded.
What Damages Can I Recover From a Personal Injury Claim?
Accidents can be incredibly expensive. Most Americans don’t have a lot of money saved away, so a sudden financial catastrophe can be a nightmare. Fortunately, accident victims in California may have the right to recover damages for their injuries if another person is at fault. These damages can help to minimize the financial pressures you are under as you recover from your accident-related injuries. When you file a personal injury claim you may be able to recover both economic and non-economic damages.
What are Economic Damages?
Economic damages are awarded to put you back in the financial position you would have been in if the accident had never happened. In other words, economic damages compensate for the out-of-pocket (and projected) financial losses you have because of your accident. Economic damages are frequently awarded to Palmdale accident victims to compensate for:
- Hospitalization
- Surgery
- Medical consultations
- Rehabilitation
- Medication
- Medically-necessary devices (e.g., wheelchairs)
- Home alterations (e.g., wheelchair ramps)
- Property damage
- Lost wages, and
- Reduced earning capacity.
What are Non-Economic Damages?
Non-economic damages are awarded to compensate for the physical, emotional, and/or psychological injuries and harms you suffer because of an accident. These injuries may not necessarily cost you anything, financially, but are not any less serious. Non-economic damages are frequently awarded to compensate accident victims for hard-to-value injuries including:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Embarrassment, and
- Loss of consortium.
When Can I File a Personal Injury Claim in Palmdale?
If you’ve been injured in an accident in Palmdale it is important to act quickly. An invisible clock (known as the statute of limitations) will begin to tick as soon as you are injured. In most cases, the clock will run for a period of two years.
If you suffer a bodily injury and don’t file a personal injury claim before time runs out you won’t be able to get the money you need to get better. It is incredibly important to speak with an attorney as soon as possible after your accident to ensure that all of your claims are filed within the applicable statute of limitations.
There are limited situations when the statute of limitations can be extended. If any of the following extenuating circumstances exist, you may be able to file a claim outside of the traditional window:
- You don’t realize you have an accident-related injury right away,
- You were a minor at the time of the injury-causing accident, or
- The defendant in your case (person responsible for your injury) is in prison or can’t be located.
It is important to note that the government may, in some cases, be responsible for your injury. If you want to recover damages from the government you must file a special administrative claim with the government within six months of your accident. Failing to do this will likely bar you from recovering anything, at all.
I’ve Been Injured in a Palmdale Accident – What Should I Do?
The decisions you make right after your accident are incredibly important. Keep the following suggestions in mind to make sure that you are able to recover the money you both need and deserve.
See a Doctor: Seeing a doctor or other medical professional will ensure that all of your injuries are diagnosed and treated. If you have suffered internal injuries, and they are not treated, you could put yourself in danger. The doctor’s report will help to prove that your injuries were caused by the accident.
Report the Incident: A police report can help to establish a timeline of events and connect your injuries to the accident. While the report may not be admissible in court, the information it contains can be incredibly valuable to your attorney. Details about the parties, weather and road conditions, and witnesses will help future investigations.
Refuse Early Offers: Insurance companies may be quick to offer you a settlement. It may be tempting to accept money in hand, but it is important to resist this urge. These early offers will not be enough to cover the full extent of your injuries and harms. Insurance companies aren’t on your side. In fact, they only care about their bottom line.
Call a Lawyer: Hiring an experienced Palmdale personal injury lawyer to handle your case will increase your chances of maximizing the compensation you receive. At Citywide Law Group, our Palmdale personal injury attorneys have extensive experience dealing with difficult insurance companies and know how to get you the money you deserve. We will thoroughly investigate your case, gather evidence to support your claim, and force insurance companies to negotiating table. If you’re not satisfied with the offers you receive we will not hesitate to take your case to court.
Experienced Palmdale Personal Injury Lawyers
Have you been injured in a Palmdale accident? If so, you may be entitled to recover monetary compensation from the person (or people) who are responsible for your injuries. The money you recover can help to relieve the financial and emotional struggles you are dealing with. Call the Palmdale personal injury lawyers at Citywide Law Group to learn more about the benefits of filing a personal injury claim for damages.
Our attorneys have been helping injured Palmdale clients just like you for more than 17 years. During this time we have handled a wide variety of personal injury matters and recovered millions in compensation. We know that an unexpected injury can be devastating, and we will fight to make sure that you are properly compensated for the harms you have suffered. Remember, it is important to act quickly, so do not hesitate to call us today. We offer a free consultation where we will review your case, explain your rights, and answer your questions.