Los Angeles Personal Injury Lawyer

People in Los Angeles can experience a personal injury due to another person’s negligence for a number of reasons. From a car accident to a slip and fall, or a boating accident to a dog bite, there are a number of things that can cause serious trauma. If you are seeking justice and compensation for an accident, you need to find the best personal injury attorney Los Angeles has to offer, and Jacoby and Meyers has been proud to serve LA since 1972 with the most experienced personal injury lawyers in California.

Jacoby and Meyers has been Serving Los Angeles County for Decades

Los Angeles, California is a special city that encompasses a number of unique neighborhoods, cultures, and lifestyles. Covering 503 square miles, the city is expansive and has a growing population currently tipping the scale with more than 4.15 million residents. With miles of beachfront running through areas like Torrance, Santa Monica, Malibu and Oxnard, and with National Parks, miles of hiking trails and cycling paths, and beautiful mountains, Los Angeles is one of the most desired cities to live in.

With a population of this size, millions of tourists, and the booming downtown and business scene, Los Angeles is, unfortunately, more susceptible to accidents of varying natures. If you have been injured and you face expensive medical bills, lost wages, and other hardships, call Jacoby and Meyers for a free consultation with a top personal injury attorney Los Angeles has to offer, and learn what your case is worth and what it will take to get life back on track.

What are the Top Causes Prompting People to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer in Los Angeles?

LA is known for many things, and congested traffic conditions alongside severe car accidents happen to consume the city’s reputation, but for good reason. When it comes to accident fatalities and traumatic injuries, Los Angeles is the most dangerous county in California. In 2016 there were 82,437 deaths and injuries as a result of car accidents–the leading cause for personal injuries across America, let alone the state of California and Los Angeles County.

Any Los Angeles car accident lawyer on our team can tell you that car accidents are the number-one cause of personal injury lawsuits in this city. Here in the City of Angels, any of the following types of crashes warrants legal representation:

• Truck accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Dog bites
• Pedestrian accidents
• Scooter accidents
• Premises liability accidents
• Hit and run accidents
• Bus accidents
• Construction accidents
• Boating accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• Parplegia injuries
• Brain injuries
• Catastrophic injuries
• Burn injuries
• Wrongful death
• Broken bones
• Laceration injuries
• Whiplash injuries
• Orthopedic injuries
• Amputations
• Neck and back injuries
• Quadreplegia injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Rideshare, Uber and Lyft injuries

The best personal injury attorney Los Angeles has to offer can help you get the right medical treatment necessary to getting your life back on track, with no devastating medical bills left over. In addition, the personal injury lawyers of Jacoby and Meyers can help you get the maximum compensation you deserve for your pain and losses.

Successful Personal Injury Cases in Los Angeles

“Success” is a relative term. What one person may consider a successful settlement could be regarded as a lowball reimbursement by others. Jacoby and Meyers defines a successful personal injury case outcome as one that meets the following criteria:

• The victim receives immediate medical attention.
• The right medical treatments and procedures are performed, without delay.
• The maximum case value is established taking into account current and future suffering, losses, and hardships.
• No unpaid medical bills are left for the plaintiff to deal with.
• The highest possible settlement is awarded based on actual hardships, and not based on the summary of an insurance adjuster

In order to get the highest possible settlement and get on the path to making the best quality recovery, you need to get the highest possible settlement. This means you will need to partner with the best personal injury attorney Los Angeles has to offer before the insurance adjusters are able to convince you to settle for a payout that may seem generous, but reflects a fragment of what you are really entitled to.

In some cases personal injury victims may bypass working with a lawyer because they are under the misconception that the process will take too long, the investment will be too high, and after all is said and done, they will be left with little money in their settlement. Furthermore, some people simply don’t want to spend the time to find the best personal injury attorney Los Angeles has in the county, nor do they want an extra entity on their plate to deal with in stressful times.

However, industry data proves that working with a personal injury attorney in Los Angeles increases your ability to get thousands, and in some cases millions more in your settlement than if you simply work with the insurance companies.

The fact is that a truly successful personal injury case results in a settlement amount that justifies the extent of your injuries, your prognosis, losses, and how the injury has impacted your family and your ability to live a full life. Personal injury lawyers in Los Angeles know how to build a case based on these points, with expert witnesses, to ensure you get the highest possible settlement. Furthermore, the personal injury lawyers at Jacoby and Meyers in Los Angeles take a compassionate approach to defending your rights, as we stay by your side through every step of the process.

Personal Injury Lawyer

Types of Personal Injury Cases

Jacoby and Meyers is America’s most influential law firm. With a national reputation that is unmatched in the legal industry, we can handle even the most complex cases. Our focus on communication, our dedication to our clients, and our perseverance is unrivaled. Jacoby and Meyers specializes in many different practice areas, including personal injury, auto accidents, wrongful death, and workers’ compensation.

We are aggressive and compassionate, with the experience, resources, and diligence to exceed your expectations. With the most experienced trial attorneys in the country, Jacoby and Meyers offers an accummulation of experience and knowledge that is second to none. In fact, our team consists of top notch litigators and even some former prosecutors.

Our attorneys have always fought for our clients’ best interests while our clients seek medical treatment and recover from their injuries. We have handled cases ranging from minor injuries that only required physical therapy or chiropractic treatment to cases involving broken bones, amputations and catastrophic injuries to the brain and back which required extensive surgeries. We are experienced in the most complex civil litigation and have won successful verdicts for our clients where liability was initially denied or rejected by the insurance company.

Personal injury lawyers are here to help you understand your personal injury case. If you or a loved one sustained personal injury that was due to the liability or as a result of the negligence of a third party, you can file a lawsuit. Where the injured victim is incapacitated or deceased as a result of the injury causing accident, a family member or relative can bring a claim on the victim’s behalf with power of attorney. Generally, this type of lawsuit seeks to recover monetary damages so that an injured person can pay to fix not only personal property but more importantly pay for medical expenses, lost wages or any other expense caused by the injury such as loss of consortium. The lawsuit can also seek the payment of money to compensate the victim for pain, suffering and/or emotional distress caused by the injury. To the extent possible, if liability is found the recovery or compensation would seek to make the plaintiff or injured party as whole as possible which means the victim can be placed in the position he or she would have been in if the injury had not occurred.

Compensation Following a Personal Injury

Compensation in an injury lawsuit is intended to assure that an injured person is restored–as much as possible–to the level of health, work, activity and life style that he or she enjoyed before the injury. In cases of serious injury, catastrophic injury, or wrongful death, a personal injury lawsuit may also include an award for the physical and mental pain and suffering caused by the accident as well as the economic and personal consequences of the injury.

An injury can be so severe that the person will never have the same level of health or ability to perform normal activities that he or she was able to perform before the accident. In those cases, the personal injury settlement will often include:

• The costs of long-term medical care.
• The costs of physical rehabilitation.
• The payment of wages the victim would have earned if he or she had not been injured.
• The costs of vocational training so that the victim can find work in a different field with the long-term disability.
• Additional compensation for long-term pain, as well as mental and emotional anguish.

If you or someone close to you has suffered medical and other expenses as a direct result of injuries from an accident, a personal injury lawsuit may be a reasonable and effective way to assure that you have the resources to fully recover. For more information, contact a California personal injury lawyer at Jacoby & Meyers to discuss your situation. Many accidents involve hidden factors that play a significant role in causing accidents and that may be completely invisible at the accident scene. These factors can include defects in a dangerous product (such as a truck that was not properly maintained or used, or equipment at work that causes an accident), mechanical errors (someone made a mistake using equipment) or design flaws (the equipment is just not suitable for its intended use). The accidents can also be caused by human decisions, misjudgments or crimes. An experienced injury lawyer knows what these hidden factors may be and has the resources to find out if any of these “hidden” factors could have contributed to your accident and injury.

Personal Injury Statistics

Accidents are the fifth leading cause of death in the United States (2011The National Center for Health Statistics of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention). However, injuries are the number-one cause of death among people between the ages of one year and 44.

Injuries had caused 37.9 million people to seek medical care and caused more than 180,000 deaths in one year. Motor vehicle accidents caused more than 33, 000 deaths, with firearm deaths causing more than 31,000 deaths and falls causing more than 26,000 in the same year (2010).

The estimated cost of these accidents in 2009 was more than $693 billion. Almost half of this amount is attributable to motor vehicle accidents, with work-related motor vehicle accidents accounting for $20 billion. Accidents in public places, the home and the workplace account about equally for the rest of these costs. In recent years, the number of injuries in the home and public areas has been increasing more rapidly than injuries in the motor vehicle accidents and in the workplace.

In California, accidental injuries are the fifth cause of death. Motor vehicle accidents rank first as the cause of these deaths.

What Should You Do After You Have Suffered a Personal Injury?

In any accident, time is critical. This means that you should gather as much information and document the facts at the accident scene when it happens.

Once you leave the scene of any accident and the area is cleared, the witnesses and details of the accident scene disappear. Gathering as much information as possible immediately assures that you have the best opportunity to pursue and win an injury case, if you have been the victim of an accident.

Here are some guidelines for documenting what happened:

• Note the time, date and location of the accident
• Describe any unusual conditions. Rain, fog, ice, construction, heavy traffic, etc. in a motor vehicle accident. Any hazards, wetness, construction or other condition in case of accidents in a workplace, home or public place.
• Gather as much information at the scene as you can. Be sure to include contact information for people involved in the accident, witnesses or owners of the vehicle or property.
• Take pictures. Cell phones and computers have cameras. Use them to document the details of the scene. Pay particular attention to any hazards or unusual conditions in the area.
• Identify witnesses. Get their names and contact information.
• Get medical care for yourself and anyone else involved in the accident. Even if you feel ok, see a doctor or visit an urgent care facility immediately after the accident.
• In a vehicle accident or act of violence, make a police report, if there were no police at the scene. This creates a record of the accident and the parties involved. Avoid admitting any responsibility yourself or blaming others for what happened. Just discuss the facts of the accident: Who, what, where and when. Again, avoid admitting any responsibility yourself or blaming others for what happened.
• Contact a personal injury lawyer immediately.
• You should also let your insurance company know that there has been an accident, but talk to your lawyer before settling with them.

Tips on What to Do After a Car Accident

Being involved in a car crash in California can be extremely complicated and confusing. Unless you’ve been in an automobile accident yourself or know someone who has been, it is difficult to grasp exactly how chaotic dealing with post-accident problems can be.

In California, traffic accidents occur frequently as the freeways and streets are populated with numerous drivers. In moments after a car accident, drivers can feel disoriented and confused. However, it is important to not let these emotions affect your decision making and know what to do. Here are the proper steps to take after an accident:

• You should check to see if all the drivers and passengers involved are okay. If not, you should immediately contact emergency help.
• Second, stay at the accident. If you leave the accident without taking the proper steps, you can be punished and face serious penalties.
• Third, call the police or California highway patrol immediately. Do not leave the scene until they allow you to.
• Next, exchange contact and insurance information with the other drivers. If there are any witnesses involved, get their information and ask for details of the accident to confirm what happened.
• Finally, never admit fault to the other drivers or authorities. Do not give away any information that would suggest you to be guilty of the accident. Instead, speak to an experienced car accident lawyer first about your legal rights.

Car accidents can be extremely stressful from accident damages, to hospital fees and time lost from work due to sustaining injuries. However, a personal injury attorney can help relieve your stress and emotional burden. Call us for a free consultation at 1-888-522-6291 to understand your legal options and file an injury claim.

Workplace Accidents

If you have an accident in your workplace, follow the company’s guidelines for documenting and reporting an accident. Get the names of any witnesses and note unusual conditions or hazards. Report the accident immediately. See a physician, even if you do not believe you have a serious injury. Follow the company’s procedure for reporting and accident and file all paperwork promptly.

Why Contact The Injury Lawyers at Jacoby & Meyers?

In many personal injury cases, the people injured choose to represent themselves, without consulting a lawyer. This is especially common when the claim involves a relatively small amount of money and the people who caused the accident have insurance.

However, it is impossible to know the seriousness of your injuries at the time of an accident. What at first appears to be a relatively small event can turn out to be something, much, much worse.

Small injuries can grow into problems that have huge long- and short-term costs. Talk to a lawyer who specializes in injury cases even when the injury seems minor because an experienced lawyer will understand all the factors that could have contributed to the accident and all the potential long- and short-term effects.

Here’s why you should contact a lawyer any time you are involved in an accident no matter how minor it may seem at first.

A lawyer can determine the “hidden factors” that might have contributed to the accident. A delay of even a day or two can mean the loss of critical information.

Injuries and damage may not be apparent at the accident scene. People experience an adrenaline rush immediately afterwards that can mask injuries for 36 to 48 hours.

While we all like to believe everyone is honest, quite often people try to modify their stories after they realize that they might be financially responsible for an accident. Other people might innocently forget details of an accident with the passage of time.

Insurance companies may act too quickly to settle a claim in order to manage their costs.

Responsibility for an accident can be more complex than it first appears. If a vehicle accident was caused by a defective part or shoddy repair those causes would not be obvious at the scene.

Consulting a lawyer who specializes in these types of cases soon after an accident can assure that you have the information and advice necessary to receive fair treatment and recovery in any accident. With lawyers affiliated with Jacoby & Meyers, the initial discussion is free.

Who May Be Liable for Your Personal Injury?

Reimbursement for the healthcare and property costs caused by an accident depends on who was negligent or at fault in causing the accident. That determination is often not as clear cut as it seems when the accident happens.

Many factors may be involved in causing an accident. A number of these may not be apparent at the time of an accident. A good injury lawyer will know what these factors may be and will have the resources to research and document them in your case.

Here are examples of individuals or organizations that may be liable for a specific accident and personal injury:

• The owner of a vehicle or property.
• The business that rents a space.
• Parents, if the person who caused the accident was under age.
• Service organizations. Organizations that provide services to buildings and parks may be responsible for a personal injury if their carelessness or other action contributed to an accident.
• Employers. Employers may be held liable when their employees cause an accident. In cases of workplace injury, Workers Compensation sets conditions and compensation. However, employers may be held liable beyond these limits if they knew about an unsafe condition and did nothing, disabled a safety device or caused employees to deliberately take unsafe shortcuts in performing their jobs.
• Third parties at a worksite or business. A “third party” is a business that produces products purchased by a company or that provides a service to another company. If the product or an employee of a third party causes an accident, that business may have liability for resulting personal injuries. An employee injured because of a third party, may pursue a personal injury lawsuit outside the conditions set by Workers Compensation.
• Government agencies. Different governmental agencies have responsibility for care and maintenance of streets and public areas. A local, state or Federal agency could be liable if there are unsafe conditions in an area they are responsible for, if the area has become unsafe or if construction creates hazardous conditions.
• Some government agencies are responsible for overseeing the actions of certain industries or organizations, like the trucking industry. If that agency does not identify unsafe or hazardous situations, the agency may be held responsible for personal injuries that result.
• Manufacturers. Manufacturers may be responsible for personal injuries caused by the design or manufacture of a part or product.
• Repair Services. Repair services that improperly repair a vehicle or other product may also be liable if the faulty repair contributed to an accident.
• Claims involving sources of compensation beyond insurance require knowledge and research. Reliable Los Angeles attorneys like those affiliated with Jacoby & Meyers specialize in personal injuries and know these potential sources of responsibility. They have investigators who know how to research the specific aspects of the accident as well as the legal experience to pursue a claim to final settlement.

What Damages Can Be Awarded for a Personal Injury?

A PI lawsuit is intended to reimburse a person for the mental, physical, economic and emotional injuries he or she has received as the result of another person’s decision or action. In cases where the injuries are severe or life changing, the compensation can consider the cost of changes that affect a person’s ability to care for him or herself, hold a job, maintain personal relationships or pursue interests that he or she had before the accident.

The damages covered in a personal injury case fall into two categories: special damages and general damages.

Special damages are specific, measurable costs that can be documented, primarily medical costs and lost wages.

General damages are not as easy to measure because they include factors like pain and suffering, emotional distress and long-term costs because a person can no longer work or follow the lifestyle he or she had before the accident.

Punitive damages are awarded for wrongdoing and are not usually allowed in accident cases. Punitive damages can be appropriate in cases of law breaking or deliberate injuries.

Compensation for a personal injury primarily depends on the severity of the injury. A serious injury like loss of a limb, a spinal cord injury or brain damage will receive the greatest injury settlements because those injuries often have long-term physical effects combined with intense physical pain and suffering and cause major lifestyle changes.

Determining the recovery appropriate and those responsible for an accident and the resulting injuries can quickly become a complex process. Lawyers who specialize in these types of cases have the experience and resources to make these calculations and determine how to best pursue a claim for these costs.

Jacoby & Meyers handles legal cases and claims resulting in minor injuries to severe life-altering bodily injuries from these types of accidents:

• Catastrophic injuries including spinal cord injuries, brain injury, paraplegia and quadraplegia
• Car/Automobile Accidents
• Trucking Accidents
• Premises Liability and Slip and Fall Accidents
• Product Liability including defective or malfunctioning devices
• Wrongful Death
• Bicycle Accidents

Los Angeles Personal Injury News

Jacoby & Meyers’ legal team offers residents and accident victims throughout California and greater Los Angeles with assistance and guidance in the aftermath of any type of injury-causing accident with an at-fault party. Many different scenarios exist and occur on a daily basis in the world of automobiles and other vehicular accidents that occur. For example, many times pedestrians, bicyclists or motorcyclists are involved who can be susceptible to greater injury and physical devastation due to their limited protection and lack of shielding comparable to that a car would provide. Since pedestrians typically have the right of way, it is not difficult to establish liability when a pedestrian is struck by a car.

Hit and run accidents are increasingly more frequent in California. Especially in very damaging accidents where a person is injured or run over, the stakes are that much higher in hit and run accidents. Wrongful death claims can also potentially result if someone dies as a result of his or her injuries from the accident.

Often times, the injured party is just the driver but the passengers are also at risk. We represent clients with every imaginable circumstance. From minors being passengers in the back of the car, to elderly victims who need to undergo major surgery to recover from their injuries. In addition to car and other auto accidents, we also provide legal counsel and representation in construction accident cases and premises liability claims.

How to Find a Personal Injury Attorney: 5 Tips on Where to Look, and What to Ask

If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident, you know you need to work with a personal injury attorney to ensure you get the compensation you deserve, the right medical treatment, and you want to have peace of mind knowing that you won’t get stuck with any devastating medical bills that can set your family back for decades.

However, knowing how to find the best personal injury attorney from Los Angeles to Sacramento and beyond is no easy task. That said, this article is designed to help make the vetting process less time consuming and easier for you in these trying times.

Can One Personal injury Attorney Really be that Much Better than Another?

Absolutely. Let’s look at what defines a legal champion from a different perspective that most people can relate to. There’s one thing that World Series championship teams have in common: they have, collectively, the best players in all of baseball, who know how to work together at a masterful level. From the way the outfield and infield read each other and recognize the strategy on the pitcher’s mound, to the hitting power of the first baseman and defensive hands of the short stop, there are various people each possessing specialty skills and they all communicate and work together to win big games.

The same holds true when it comes to finding the best personal injury attorney. First of all, where he or she received their training in law school matters. Then the team, or the law firm, is critical to their ability to be successful. Does the attorney have a team of specialists working with them? If so, the personal injury law firm is likely large and growing, with endless resources to help make them successful at winning millions for their clients.

Here are five tips that will ensure you find the best personal injury attorney in all of California.

1. How Long has the Personal Injury Law Firm Been in Business?

When searching for the best personal injury attorney, ask how long the firm has been in business. This is critical, as the length of time is a testimony to the firm’s success to not only stay in business but grow due to their success rate. After all, firms staffed with poorly trained lawyers will see ongoing decreases in clients, and will eventually fold.

Jacoby and Meyers has been serving accident victims all over California for more than 48 years, and through several recessions. Every personal injury attorney attended a top law school, and came to our firm with a winning record.

2. Who Will Work on My Personal Injury Case?

Look for a personal injury attorney that has a team of hand-selected experts. For example, a personal injury attorney from Jacoby and Meyers has expert teams in multiple niche areas of any personal injury case that includes an insurance expert, police report expert, medical record expert, researchers, and a specialist responsible for securing expert witnesses. Your personal injury attorney should have access to such resources, and work directly with them to establish the maximum value of your case, and successfully argue for its payout. That said, be prepared to talk to multiple team members, as this is how big cases are won.

3. How is the Personal Injury Attorney Publicly Represented?

If you grew up in southern California during the 70s and 80s, you will remember Jacoby and Meyers TV commercials, along with some other local favorite ads like Cal Worthington and his dog Spot. While having a catchy jingle, a service provider in a unique outfit, and side gimmicks may motivate people to buy a car, should these same things motivate someone to hire an attorney?

Top performing personal injury attorneys don’t need jingles or specific approaches showing angry lawyers ready to go to war on your behalf. Instead, look for a personal injury attorney from a firm that speaks about their experience, dedication to the community and clients, and their results. It shouldn’t take smoke and mirrors to convince people to have a free consultation.

Also, check the attorney’s LinkedIn account and see what their colleagues and past clients have to say about them. Also, this is a great place to discover who your attorney’s connections are, what organizations they belong to, and really give a good idea of their presence in the personal injury law space. You should also check the firm’s social media accounts and ask yourself if their content is professional and relevant to the needs of injury victims.

4. Has the Firm Won Any Awards (You know, the ones that Actually Matter)?

Look out for “award-winning” firms that showcase awards that really don’t speak to their ability to practice personal injury law at a top level. For example, some online law directories and publications will declare a firm the winner of some specific distinction. However, when researching the award, you will discover that it was chosen by an editor (people who get paid for the publicity) or the award was generated from an entity affiliated with the firm.

The best awards come from bodies made up of other attorneys, or from verified client reviews. For example, Laura Sedrish, one of the partners at Jacoby and Meyers has been nominated to the Top 50 Women Superlawers for the sixth time now–a list of top performing attorneys elected by other lawyers.

Finally, look at the verified reviews in Google Business, Yelp, and on the firm’s website. When looking at client reviews and accolades, you can rest assured you have found a top-performing personal injury attorney that can help you get the maximum settlement you deserve, and one that will monitor your medical treatment.

5. Trust Your Own Instincts

Once you have had a free consultation with a personal injury attorney, you should have a very good idea about the fit. Did the attorney explain everything thoroughly? Did he or she speak to you using a language easy to understand? Was the communication comfortable? Was the attorney friendly enough and did he or she seem genuinely passionate about your case? If so, and the other points in this article fall in line with the lawyer and their firm, it’s safe to say you have a strong contender that you can move from your short list, to your top choices.

Call Jacoby and Meyers and speak to a personal injury attorney today; we are available to take your call around the clock, are eager to hear about your case, your unique situation and needs, and present a clear path that puts you back into the driver’s seat. Together, we can complete this journey and set you and your family up for a life ahead of joy and ease.

Do I Need a Personal Injury Lawyer in Los Angeles?

Due to the overwhelming size of Los Angeles and its sprawling county, the industry tricks insurance companies pull on freshly injured victims to limit their claim, and the complexities of the legal system, partnering with a personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles can make all the difference to protecting and improving your lifestyle and family’s security.

When another person or an organization makes a careless decision and the consequences of that negligence leaves you with an injury, you are entitled to receive justice at the highest possible level within your rights.

Finally, Los Angeles sees more personal injury cases than any other city in California. The California Department of Public Health reported that more than 67,500 personal injuries from an act of negligence led to hospitalization. In addition, it was reported in that same year that Los Angeles had more than two and a half more hospitalizations due to accidental injuries than San Diego the city with the second highest rate of hospitalizations due to another person’s careless actions. It is critical to find the best personal injury attorney Los Angeles has to offer so that you can recover the highest possible compensation when you are injured.

Whether you are left with catastrophic injuries like an amputation, or you have whiplash from a car accident, you deserve the highest possible compensation. Call Jacoby and Meyers for a free consultation with our dedicated and compassionate team; we have the best personal injury lawyers in Los Angeles, and our passion revolves around helping our community members get the justice they deserve for their injuries and losses.

Jacoby & Meyers Offices Near You:

Los Angeles

10900 Wilshire Blvd. , 15th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90024

Long Beach

111 West Ocean Blvd., 4th Floor
Long Beach, CA 90802

Brea

135 South State College Blvd., Suite #200
Brea, CA 92821

 

Call or text 888-522-6291 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form