San Diego Personal Injury Lawyer

California Personal Injury Lawyer

In San Diego as in other Cities, a personal injury lawyer provides assistance and representation to individuals who have suffered bodily or emotional injury in an accident. Each year in the United States, millions of personal injuries occur as a result of negligence, recklessness, or intentional harm by a person or a company. The party that is found liable (legally responsible) for a personal injury may be ordered by a court to pay money to compensate the victim for his or her losses.

Many Types of Personal Injury

A San Diego personal injury lawyer is familiar with the laws that are specific to California, and with the federal laws that may also have bearing on a personal injury case. Many different scenarios can result in a personal injury, and various fields of law may come into play. The following areas are examples in which California personal injury law would be relevant:

• Medical malpractice — e.g., incorrect diagnosis, failure to diagnose a serious condition, operating on the wrong body part, leaving a surgical instrument inside a patient after surgery, overdose of medication, anesthesia mistakes, and much more
• Slip and fall — thousands of people are injured in unsafe conditions in public places (premises liability)
• Defective drugs, medical devices, and other products — such as vehicles, toys, appliances, and more (product liability)
• Motor vehicle accidents — a staggering number of Americans are hurt each year on public highways and roads
• Assaults — attacks by a stranger or someone known to the injured party; this category includes murders
• Workplace accidents — despite government oversight, thousands of personal injuries occur "on the job" each year
• Airplane crashes — whether in small private planes or large commercial jets, in the air or on the runway
• Building failures — when a structure doesn't conform to building codes, and a fire, collapse or other catastrophe injures people
• Negligent police pursuits, acts of terrorism, or violence in the workplace or school setting

Compensation for Personal Injury-Induced Losses

When you get help and expertise from a San Diego personal injury lawyer, your legal rights will be protected. The court system in California is designed to uphold the rights of the injured. A San Diego personal injury lawyer will work to recover damages for the losses incurred by an injured client, such as:

• Medical bills — hospital, doctors, medicine, etc.
• Rehabilitation costs
• Lost income
• Loss of earning capacity
• Vocational training for a new job after a disability is incurred
• Funeral and burial costs when there is a wrongful death
• Loss of companionship for survivors
• Pain and suffering

In some cases, extra punitive damages are ordered against a defendant corporation that is found liable for a personal injury as a punishment for negligence, recklessness, or intentional harm.

Factors that Affect the Amount of Compensation

The amount of compensation awarded for a personal injury will depend on the unique circumstances that gave rise to the injury and the severity of the injury. For example, the person who was injured may share some of the responsibility for the injury. In such a case, when the liability is not borne solely by a defendant, the compensation would be reduced in accord with the shared liability.

Contact a San Diego, California Personal Injury Lawyer

Get answers to your questions and protect your rights by speaking with a San Diego personal injury lawyer today.