San bernardino
Personal Injury attorneys
San Bernardino Personal Injury Lawyer
Accident victims who suffer serious injuries—and families struggling with the wrongful death of a loved one—deserve quality legal representation that can help them move forward with their lives.If you were injured in an accident caused by the reckless, dangerous, or negligent behavior of another person or entity, you are likely facing lost income, mounting medical bills, vehicle replacement costs, emotional trauma, and physical pain and suffering. To cope with these expenses and support your family while you recover, you can pursue compensation for your injuries with help from a San Bernardino personal injury lawyer.
At Kampf, Schiavone & Associates, our skilled personal injury lawyers have successfully represented thousands of accident injury victims in San Bernardino and throughout the Inland Empire,advocating for them in and out of court since 1985.Widely regarded as one of Southern California’s premier personal injury law firms, we use our decades of experience, legal expertise, negotiation skills, and litigation talents to deliver the best outcomes for our clients. We treat every client with the utmost level of care, compassion, and respect, and our team is dedicated to helping you secure the maximum compensation for your injuries.
The legal professionals at Kampf, Schiavone & Associates have an impressive record of proven results,winning more than $250 million in verdicts and settlements for a broad range of personal injury clients and their families.When working with our firm, you can focus on healing and recovering from your injury rather than preparing paperwork for your claim or fighting with insurance adjusters. Learn more about personal injury law by consulting the information below, then contact us today to get started on your case.
What Kind of Cases Do Personal Injury Lawyers Handle?
Personal injury claims encompass a broad spectrum of unique situations, accidents, and injuries. Kampf, Schiavone & Associates protects the rights of clients who have been injured in many types of accidents caused by negligence, such as:
- Automobile accidents. Car accidents consistently rank as one of the leading causes of accidental injuries and deaths across the country. If you are involved in a car collision due to the actions of another driver, we can help you file a claim with your insurance company, conduct negotiations to reach the maximum settlement amount, or take your case to court if necessary.
- Motorcycle accidents. Motorcycle riders are rated as some of the safest motorists on the nation’s roadways, but they are incredibly vulnerable to sustaining severe, life-threatening injuries. If you or a loved one sustained accident-related injuries while riding on a motorcycle, we can hold the at-fault driver responsible for their negligence and help you recover compensation to cover your expenses.
- Accidents involving large commercial vehicles. Large commercial vehicles can cause catastrophic damage when they collide with other vehicles, posing a significant threat to other motorists. If you were struck by a large commercial vehicle and suffered serious injuries as a result of it, our team will help you navigate your personal injury claim and hold the responsible parties accountable for providing compensation.
- Bicycle and pedestrian accidents. Bicyclists and pedestrians can sustain severe injuries when struck by moving vehicles, ranging from broken bones to head and spinal cord injuries. If you were injured while cycling or walking, we offer top-tier legal representation to help you secure the compensation you need to recover.
- Public transportation accidents. Public transportation is significantly safer than driving in a passenger car, but accidents can occur and lead to devastating results. If you were injured in an accident on a train, bus, or another form of public transit, we could help you obtain compensation to pay for your medical bills, lost income, and other expenses.
- Recreation accidents. Amusement parks, swimming pools, sports fields, playgrounds, and other facilities designed for recreation are expected to adhere to specific standards to keep their visitors safe from harm. If you were injured while participating in a recreational activity, our team can inform you of your options for legal recourse and deliver the compensation you deserve.
- Premises liability, slip-and-fall, inadequate security, and animal attacks. Property owners, managers, and landlords are responsible for keeping their property safe and free from hazards that could result in injury. If you were visiting a grocery store, shopping mall, apartment complex, parking lot, or other location and sustained an injury, we can represent you in a personal injury claim.
- Product liability accidents caused by defective or malfunctioning products. Product manufacturers that fail to follow safety standards can cause severe injuries to consumers. If you were injured due to a defective or malfunctioning product, our team can prove negligence and get money for you.
- Third-party claims for accidents caused by multiple defendants. In personal injury claims involving car accidents, construction accidents, or product liability accidents, several parties may be responsible for causing injuries. If you have a personal injury claim with multiple defendants, we can identify all parties who contributed to the accident and deliver compensation to help you recover.
- Fatal injury wrongful death accidents. If you lost a loved one due to a car accident, workplace accident, medical malpractice, elder abuse, or any other incident involving negligence, our team can hold the responsible parties accountable and help you obtain justice and restitution in your case.
Do I Need an Attorney to File a Personal Injury Accident Claim?
In some cases, it may be possible to handle a personal injury claim on your own, but this course of action is not recommended. Many clients who hope to save money on attorney fees quickly find themselves overwhelmed at the complex nature of these cases and eventually seek assistance from an attorney out of necessity. Moreover, even if your claim seems relatively straightforward, there are a number of unexpected and confusing legal issues that can arise, making your case more difficult to manage. Unfortunately, starting the claims process on your own only to hire a San Bernardino personal injury lawyer at a later date puts you at risk for seriously mishandling your case and unnecessarily complicating the claims process.
When Should a Personal Injury Lawyer Be Used?
Whether you should retain the services of a personal injury attorney primarily depends on the legal components of the accident and the severity of your injuries. In cases such as car accidents with minor injuries and property damage, filing a claim with your insurance company or the other party’s insurance provider may allow you to recover sufficient compensation for covering your medical expenses and the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle. Unfortunately, many claims are rarely as straightforward as they seem, and clients typically regret not contacting an attorney sooner when they encounter difficulties in their case.
You should always hire a San Bernardino personal injury lawyer in the following cases:
- You Have to Negotiate With Insurance Companies
If the insurance company denies your claim, attempts to minimize your injuries, or refuses to offer a fair compensation award, you will be forced to negotiate with the insurance adjusters. It is important to remember that the average person does not have the legal knowledge or experience to conduct these negotiations properly and achieve the best results. If your negotiations fail, you can take your case to small claims court. However, preparing and filing your case requires extensive knowledge of the state laws, and few non-professionals have the time, energy, or resources to understand the specifics of the law. In addition, insurance companies have their own attorneys who represent them, and they are motivated to offer you the lowest possible compensation to maximize their own profits. - Your Injuries Are Severe or Become Worse
Another factor to consider when determining whether you need an attorney is the severity of your injuries.Although some serious injuries are evident immediately, other seemingly minor injuries can worsen over time, requiring more extensive and costly medical treatment. When you accept a settlement from the insurance company, you surrender the right to make any future claims related to the accident. Therefore, many insurance companies will quickly offer you a low-ball amount in the hopes that you accept to save time. If you accept a settlement and then later discover that your injuries are worse than you thought, there will be nothing you can do. A San Bernardino personal injury lawyer will advise you to wait to accept an offer until you understand the full extent of your injuries and advocate on your behalf to deliver a satisfactory settlement. - You Are Partially Responsible for the Accident
Finally, hiring an attorney is imperative if you share any responsibility for the accident that resulted in your injuries. California is a comparative negligence state, meaning that you can still recover compensation for your injuries even if you are partially at fault for the accident. The court will determine a percentage of fault for each party and reduce your compensation amount by your percentage of fault. For example, if you are involved in a car accident in which the other driver ran a stop sign, but you were traveling a few miles per hour over the speed limit, the law may assign 90% of the blame to the other driver and 10% of the blame to you. In this case, a compensation award of $10,000 would be reduced by 10% to represent your portion of fault for the accident.
How Can Personal Injury Attorneys Help Me?
Having a San Bernardino personal injury lawyer on your side from the very beginning can help you with the following components of your case:
- Explaining the claims process and how the law applies to your case
- Investigating the circumstances of the accident
- Gathering evidence to build your case, including police reports, photographs, video footage, medical records, and witness testimony
- Identifying responsible parties who share fault for the accident
- Proving that they were negligent and that this negligence contributed to the accident
- Calculating damages based on the expenses you incurred due to your injuries
- Determining the value of your claim
- Preparing your claim accurately according to state law
- Filing your claim within the statute of limitations
- Communicating with the other party
- Negotiating with insurance companies to reach a fair settlement
- Protecting you from accepting an insufficient settlement award
- Representing you in court if negotiations fail
- Advocating on your behalf at trial
- Hiring experts to support your claim, such as medical professionals or an accident reconstructionist
- Providing legal counsel and advice throughout the entire claims process
Legal representation not only increases your chances of winning your case,but it also causes the insurers and defendants to take your claim more seriously and respond with higher settlement offers. Research shows that claimants with legal representation from an attorney receive settlements over three times larger than claimants who represent themselves.If you are unsure about how to proceed with a personal injury claim, you should contact an experienced attorney immediately after sustaining your injury to discuss your case and determine if you need legal representation.
What Do I Need to Know Before Hiring a Personal Injury Legal Team?
When you consider hiring a San Bernardino personal injury lawyer to represent you, you will quickly discover that this field of law is saturated with thousands of attorneys with various levels of experience, skill, and success in delivering optimal outcomes for their clients. With so many options available, it can be challenging to understand how to select the right attorney for your unique case or even what to look for during your search. Thankfully, you can take steps to streamline this process and ensure you achieve the best outcome in your case.
- Do Your Homework
Before hiring a San Bernardino personal injury lawyer, the first step you must take is to consult with friends, family, colleagues, and other trusted individuals to ask for personal recommendations. Personal injury claims are common, and the chances are high that you already know someone who had a positive experience with a local attorney and is willing to refer you to their firm. Using these recommendations as a starting point, conduct your own research to find qualified personal injury attorneys in your area.Online attorney directories such as Findlaw.com, Lawyers.com, and Avvo allow you to search for nearby lawyers based on their areas of expertise or specific names of attorneys and law firms. Reviews and testimonials on each firm’s website are valuable, but law firms will only promote their most favorable feedback, while these sites offer a more comprehensive look at an attorney’s results from a broader sample of clients.
- Schedule Interviews
After you have narrowed your list of potential attorneys, the next step is to contact these attorneys and schedule phone, video, or in-person interviews with them to discuss your case. Personal recommendations and online reviews help direct your search, but this step is crucial for choosing the right fit for you. Holding interviews allows you to speak directly with attorneys and learn more about their practice philosophy, as well as getting to know their personalities. - Ask the Right Questions
While interviewing candidates, you should come prepared with information regarding your case and compile a comprehensive list of questions to ask. Your San Bernardino personal injury lawyer will serve as your legal representative, advocate, and primary support system during your claim, so taking the time now to learn everything you can about their services ensures you can make an informed decision. The specific questions you choose to ask may vary depending on the circumstances of your case, but make sure to include the following questions in your interview:- How long have you been practicing personal injury law?
- What legal services do you offer?
- How much experience do you have handling cases similar to mine?
- If so, what results did you obtain in these cases?
- Do you think that I have a valid personal injury claim?
- How would you approach my case?
- How long do you think it will take to resolve my case?
- What are my chances of winning my claim?
- What kind of compensation can I expect if my case settles?
- Are you willing to take my case to court?
- How much experience do you have litigating cases in court?
- Will you work on my case directly or involve other staff members?
- What can I expect to pay for your services?
- What do your fees include?
- How much involvement do you prefer from your clients?
- How often will you provide updates on the progress of my claim?
- Select an Attorney
The information you acquired during your interviews should be sufficient to help you choose the best fit for your case. The attorney should be willing to discuss the details of your claim, explain how the law applies to your case, provide transparent answers to your questions, and resolve any concerns you may have about the personal injury claims process. They should also be realistic about the potential outcome of your case without exaggerating the strengths or underplaying the weaknesses. At the end of the interview, you should feel comfortable with them and confident in their ability to successfully handle your case and deliver the best outcome.
Secure the Maximum Compensation for Your Injury Case
If you sustained a severe injury after an accident because of another person’s negligence, you are entitled to receive compensation to cover the expenses you incurred due to your injury. However, personal injury law can be challenging to understand. In addition, insurance companies are notorious for using manipulative, dishonest tactics to minimize claims and prevent you from securing the compensation you deserve. Therefore, the only way to ensure you have the best chance of receiving the maximum compensation award is to retain the services of a San Bernardino personal injury lawyer.
At Kampf, Schiavone & Associates, our team of expert attorneys has decades of experience representing injured clients, negotiating with insurance companies, and aggressively advocating on their behalf in court. Our team is dedicated to offering the most convenient, accessible legal services from the moment we accept your case until we reach a resolution. We remain constantly available to provide expert counsel and make frequent updates on your personal injury claim status so that any sudden concerns or questions you have may be promptly addressed. With our help, you can make a full recovery and get your life back on track.
Contact One Of Our Personal Injury Attorneys Today
Contact Kampf, Schiavone & Associates today to discuss your case and learn more about how we can help you. You can callus toll-free from wherever you are in the Inland Empire at 866-583-1856. Our law offices can also be reached by email, and home and hospital visits are available if you are too injured to travel. The contingency fee basis for our work means that you owe no attorney fee unless we win your case.Se habla español.