Anaheim Personal Injury Lawyer

Anaheim Personal Injury Attorney

Duque & Price has helped thousands of personal injury victims seek justice for their damages in Anaheim and across Orange County, California. Our firm has direct experience in all kinds of personal injury cases, including car accidents, workers’ compensation, and wrongful death claims. If you have suffered from any personal injury caused by the actions of another party, then you should consult with a reputable Anaheim personal injury lawyer who will advocate for you.

Our team of experienced personal injury lawyers consider it an honor to fight diligently on your behalf. We not only believe in a personalized approach to every unique injury case, but we take great pride in delivering the highest standard of care possible to each client we serve. We strive to ensure that you receive the fair compensation you deserve to the fullest extent for your injuries.

We understand that the damages suffered by victims can be overwhelming, and the insurance companies do not hand over money easily. They may actively work to minimize your claim and settle for the lowest amount possible, which is why having an experienced personal injury attorney on your side of the courtroom can make all the difference.

Our team can evaluate the unique details of your injury claim to formulate a personalized strategy for recovering all potential damages. You don’t pay anything unless we win the case, so give us a call to schedule a free consultation.

Anaheim Personal Injury Statistics

As unfortunate as it is, millions of people experience accidental injuries across the country each year. Personal injuries occur as a result of negligence committed by another party that inflicts physical, emotional, and financial harm to the victim. Personal injury claims can include a wide variety of accident types, including car accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, slip and falls, pedestrian accidents, animal attacks, worker’s compensation, medical malpractice, product liability, wrongful death, and more.

Understanding some of the statistics that are available pertaining to personal injuries in Anaheim, the state of California, and across the United States can help provide some clarity on how serious and frequent these incidents can be.

By far, the most common type of personal injury claim is a motor vehicle accident, which makes up the majority of the total cases. After that, medical malpractice is the second most common type of personal injury case, while product liability cases have steadily remained the least common type.

Anaheim is the largest city in Orange County, California, in terms of population, with well over 300,000 residents. This heavily populated area with a tourism-driven economy, thanks to being the home of the Disneyland theme park, naturally leads to much more potential for accidents.

In 2021, 20,879 accident-caused deaths occurred in California, whose accident-related death rate was 50.6 per 100,000 people. This rate was lower than most other states, although there were more total deaths due to California’s high population. That year, accidents were the sixth leading cause of death.

US Personal Injury Statistics

According to the most recently available survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2018, approximately 24.8 million doctor visits occurred in response to unintentional injuries. There were 25.5 million visits to the ER due to unintentional injuries in 2021.

In 2021, 224,935 deaths occurred because of preventable injuries, which was up 11.9% from the previous year. That same year, 62 million preventable injuries occurred that led victims to consult a medical provider. Most of these injuries occurred at home, while others happened at work or in a motor vehicle accident.

Hopefully, these statistics can help provide some additional awareness regarding the sheer volume and frequency of these accidents. Having an understanding of the reality of personal injury cases can help you prepare yourself and safeguard against becoming a victim in any of these scenarios.

Average Personal Injury Settlement Amounts in Anaheim

Every personal injury case has its own unique set of circumstances that factor into the agreed-upon settlement amount, which can lead to a wide range of results. The damages from your case could be valued at as little as $10,000 or less or well into the millions of dollars. In general, the average value of a personal injury settlement most often falls somewhere in the $20,000-$100,000 range.

The severity of the injuries, causation, the finances of the individuals involved, and a litany of other factors come into play when determining the fair amount owed to the victim in damages.

Here are some of the prominent elements that factor into determining the overall financial value of a personal injury claim:

• The overall severity of the victim’s injuries
• Whether the injuries resulted in a temporary or permanent disability
• How long the victim experienced symptoms caused by the accident
• The victim’s age, current income, lost income, and future earning potential
• Related medical expenses and any ongoing medical expenses
• Whether or not the victim is able to return to work
• The extent of the defendant’s insurance policy
• Whether or not there is any permanent disfigurement or scarring
• If the accident caused the wrongful death of an individual

Another important factor to understand in personal injury claims is time. Time is often of the essence when it comes to injury claims. According to California state law, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years from the time the injury occurred.

However, if the injury was not discovered until later on, then the statute of limitations is one year from the time the injury was discovered. This could apply in cases where the victim discovers a condition that developed as a result of exposure to a toxic chemical, for example. Because the timeline for discovery is shorter, it becomes even more important to contact a lawyer in these types of cases.

How Long Does a Personal Injury Case Take?

The average time it typically takes for a personal injury claim to reach an agreed-upon settlement is anywhere between three and 12 months from the time the claim is officially filed. Of course, there are a number of factors that can determine the speed of when a settlement is ultimately reached:

• Overall severity of the injury: The more severe or complex the injuries sustained by the victim are, the more time it can take to properly evaluate.
• Complexity of the Claim: Some cases can be relatively straightforward regarding the cause of the accident and who is at fault. However, procedural delays and discrepancies by the legal parties involved in regard to causation and overall damages can also delay many cases.
• Cooperation of the Insurance Company: Oftentimes, the insurance company may dispute the claim, causation, or severity of the damages in order to settle for a reduced amount or even have the case dismissed altogether. Any disputes or discrepancies can lead to delays. Bringing the case to trial will significantly increase the length of time that it takes to come to an agreed-upon settlement.

This makes it all the more important to contact a reputable personal injury attorney so that they can begin working on your case as soon as possible. Not only can they ensure that your claim is filed within the legally allotted time frame, but it may help them reach a settlement for you quicker to provide the financial relief you need.

Given the large number of relevant factors involved, the most effective way to ensure that your injury claim is calculated accurately is by consulting with an experienced personal injury lawyer. Their direct experience handling similar claims, whether it’s a car accident, workers’ compensation, or wrongful death, and legal knowledge will help them assess the full extent of damages and the appropriate corresponding value of your damages.

Nothing is guaranteed, but an experienced accident attorney can provide you with the legal know-how and negotiation power necessary to reach a fair and accurate settlement for the full extent of the damages you have suffered.

FAQs

Q: How Much Do Personal Injury Lawyers Charge in California?

A: It’s common practice for personal injury lawyers to charge a percentage of the overall compensation recovered for their clients. Most lawyers will charge anywhere from 30%-40%, with some as high as 50% depending on their overall years of practice experience and direct, relevant experience handling your specific type of personal injury case, among other factors. It’s always recommended that you cover their fee percentage during the initial consultation.

Q: How Long Does a Personal Injury Lawsuit Take in California?

A: No two personal injury lawsuits are the same, and the length of which they can take depends on a number of factors. The amount of recoverable evidence, the severity of the injuries obtained, the overall complexity of the case, and willingness of both parties to cooperate can all have a substantial effect on the length of the case.

Claims can take anywhere from a few months to several years to reach a settlement. Consulting with an experienced personal injury lawyer can not only help you reach a fair settlement but also negotiate one more quickly.

Q: Do I Have to Pay Taxes on a Personal Injury Settlement in California?

A: Yes, you do have to pay taxes on a portion of your personal injury settlement, but not the entire amount. In California, you only pay taxes on the portion of your settlement that compensated you for the financial losses that occurred from the injury. However, there are exceptions for medical and legal malpractice claims and workers’ compensation claims. For those types of claims, you are not subject to paying any taxes for your settlement.

Q: How Are Personal Injury Settlements Paid Out in California?

A: Once a personal injury settlement has been agreed upon and both parties have signed the release form, the insurance company responsible will issue a check under the victim’s name. According to California state law, the insurance company must issue a check within 30 days immediately following when the settlement claim is agreed upon.

Q: How Are Personal Injury Settlements Calculated in California?

A: The value of the damages suffered by the victim will determine how much a personal injury settlement amounts to. The higher their medical bills and lost income are, the higher their settlement will be. Whether they contributed to their injuries could affect the amount as well, as their settlement could be reduced by the percentage that they were liable for the accident. Californians can still collect damages if they are more than 50% at fault due to the state’s pure comparative negligence standard.

Although various kinds of personal injuries occur frequently in the United States, California, and even the city of Anaheim every day, you can still arm yourself with the situational awareness of these all-too-common incidents in order to better protect yourself and your loved ones from these situations. However, if an accident does occur, it can be comforting to know that you are not alone.

At Duque & Price, our team of experienced personal injury lawyers is here to help you navigate the overwhelming waters of the legal process as you focus your energy on your recovery.

Finding the Right Legal Representation

The big insurance companies will undoubtedly fight to protect their own interests, minimize their financial responsibility, and may even attempt to state that you were partly liable for the incident in question, but our firm has direct experience in all kinds of personal injury cases. You can rest at ease knowing that your interests are being prioritized as we get to work diligently defending your rights throughout the entirety of the legal process.

We have helped thousands of personal injury victims throughout Anaheim and Orange County, California, fight the insurance giants in order to secure the full amount of damages that are justified, and we would be honored to do the same for you.

If you or a loved one has been a victim of a serious accident, please do not hesitate to contact us as soon as possible so that we can evaluate your unique circumstances, walk you through the details of your injury claim, and begin fighting for the justice you deserve right away.