Why Farar & Lewis – Los Angeles Personal Injury Lawyers

Farar & Lewis LLP is a top-rated Los Angeles personal injury law firm with over 40 years of experience. Our personal injury lawyers have recovered over $100 million, in verdicts and settlements. We believe EACH AND EVERY client deserves concierge service and excellence. Everything we do is focused on giving our clients results. Virtually every single client works with one of our founding partners, which means you’re getting great service.

Our Los Angeles personal injury lawyers have been selected as some of the Top Trial Lawyers in the USA. We offer a risk-free consultation, virtually, in person, or at your place of business. Our goal is to be there for you when you need us the most. There are no upfront fees – we work on a contingency fee basis! When there’s a legal issue, we’re here to work for you and help you.

How much do our personal injury lawyers charge?

Here at Farar & Lewis LLP, we work on a contingency fee basis. We don’t charge any upfront fees. If we don’t win your case, we don’t charge anything. We handle virtually all the costs associated with litigating your case, and as a result – you can focus on recovering.

What happens after I’m injured?

After you’re injured, your first step is to get treatment. It means going to the emergency room, and getting a medical evaluation. The opposing insurance company might argue you’re not hurt if you don’t get medical treatment ASAP. If you don’t get treatment ASAP, you’re just providing the insurance company grounds to attempt to deny your claim.

One of the most important things to worry about when you have a personal injury claim is the statute of limitations. If you were injured due to the actions or negligence of another person, then you may be able to get financial compensation. In order to get this compensation, you have to file a lawsuit, which has to be done within a certain period of time. If you don’t, you forfeit your rights to file the personal injury claim and eventually get compensation. The statute of limitations is strict, and there are virtually no exceptions. This is applied to your case from the day you get injured. It is crucial you start working with a Los Angeles personal injury attorney as soon as possible so you don’t run out of time to file your claim.

How much money can I expect in the final settlement?

The total amount of compensation you can expect from your personal injury case will depend on numerous factors. Your injury can create an immense financial burden and the goal of a personal injury case is to help you recover from that burden. One of the primary things to consider is your finances and medical bills including doctor’s visits, emergency room care, your existing treatment, and the cost of future treatment you may require. Another common example of financial ramifications you may face after an injury is lost wages and income from missing work. In some cases, the judge may award punitive damages as well.

How long does it take for whiplash to occur?

Whiplash injuries are some of the most common car accident-related injuries. Some injuries are very easy to observe, yet others can be harder to diagnose with advanced imaging technology. Typically the whiplash injury happens instantly at the time of the accident, but it can take days or even weeks for the injured person to realize the effects.

It’s not uncommon for an injury to have delayed symptoms. When muscles are first damaged they go into a spasm which pulls the spine/bone out of their normal position. But later, as the muscle heals, they may – or may not, return to their original strength/position. This abnormal change can cause issues in the future. It’s notoriously difficult to tell which whiplash injuries will cause problems later. Some whiplash injuries can cause discomfort after only a few days. Some cause minor aches/pain, which can be treated by over-the-counter pain relievers. These injuries are hard to diagnose, and sometimes the damage is too small to see on x-rays or MRI scans.

We Handle Most Injuries

Our Los Angeles personal injury attorneys handle injuries from most types of accidents. Here are some of the most causes of personal injuries.

Car Accidents

Southern California is notoriously overrun with cars. Due to a relative lack of public transportation in the region, many people have a car, and most houses have multiple cars. Car accidents and car accident injuries are almost an hourly occurrence here. Regardless of when, where, or how, the accident happened – we can help victims of auto accidents. Whether you were a passenger in a car or driving the vehicle yourself – we can help. Our goal is to help victims of auto accidents recover. We can help you get medical attention and help get you back on your feet if medical bills are piling up.

Pedestrian Accidents

Pedestrians are often hit by cars when walking on the street or crossing the street. Often, victims of pedestrians suffer immense injuries to fast/heavy cars. It is not uncommon for pedestrians to wrongly assume it was their fault they got hurt – and don’t look into hiring a personal injury law firm. We recommend you speak to us as soon as possible, so we can conduct a full 360 investigation into the accident if order to determine whether you deserve compensation.

Medical Malpractice

Healthcare providers are people and make mistakes like everyone else. If a doctor or nurse makes a mistake that has harmed you – we can help correct that injustice. We can help by conducting an investigation into their conduct and trying to determine how/when they deviated from an expected standard of care. We can then build a case in order to win you the compensation you deserve. Often, these mistakes can follow you for the rest of your life — but the associated financial burden doesn’t have to.

Slip and Fall

If you trip, slip, or fall, on someone’s property then you may have the ability to pursue a premises liability case. Property owners have a duty to maintain a safe environment for those who are on their property. If you are injured as a result of inadequate or unsafe property conditions then we may be able to help. We’ll conduct an investigation into the property and put together a personal injury claim that shows the property owner was irresponsible and failed to maintain safe conditions. Our goal is to get you the maximum possible compensation.

Construction Accidents

Construction sites are very dangerous. If you suffer an injury due to a defect in machinery, or due to unsafe working conditions – we can help you get compensation. We encourage you to contact us and learn more. We offer a risk-free consultation to discuss your construction accident in order to determine if filing a claim will get you the compensation you deserve.

Premise Accidents

If you suffer an accident while on someone else’s premises – then we encourage you to call us as soon as possible. If there were wet floors, cracked floors, or other hazardous conditions then we encourage you to contact us to get a risk-free consultation. Based on the findings of our investigation, we may be able to get you compensation for your injuries.

Defective Products

Manufacturers are obligated to create safe products. It sounds simple, but often manufacturers, designers, or distributors fail to live up to this expectation. Often, consumers become collateral damage due to unsafe products, for example unsafe toys, gemstones, and other things. We encourage you to contact us, in order to help understand if you have a potential case.

When should I settle my case?

If you have been hurt in a car accident, motorcycle accident, slip and fall, or any other type of accident, you may be entitled to compensation. In some cases, you will be granted a financial award by a jury at the end of a formal trial. However, it may make sense to settle the case long before a jury makes a decision. Never agree to a settlement without discussing it with a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer first, otherwise, you risk accepting an incredibly low settlement that is far less than you deserve. Here are 5 situations where settling may actually be a good option.

1. You Can’t Wait Any Longer to Receive Compensation

A personal injury case can take months or even years to resolve. There may be months of settlement talks or other pretrial activity that occurs before the case is heard in court. From there, a trial and subsequent appeals can mean additional time that passes with no clear answer as to when you are going to get the money that you deserve. In this scenario, it may be a good idea to settle the case, get the compensation that you need to pay bills, and move on with your life. Of course, this assumes that you get a reasonable offer that can help you take care of yourself and your family now and in the future.

2. You May Have a Hard Time Proving Your Case

There may be times when you can’t prove your case in court because evidence is missing or is suppressed. In some cases, a witness may refuse to give testimony in court or may pass away before he or she is able to do so. If the video from a surveillance camera is grainy or there is no eyewitness to back up your version of events, it may be difficult for a jury to agree that you were hurt because of someone else’s negligence. Therefore, it may be best to settle the case as opposed to spending time and money in a potentially losing effort.

3. You Were Partially Responsible for the Accident

If there is any reason to believe that you may have been partially or fully responsible for an accident, it may not be worth it to pursue formal legal action. Instead, it may be in your best interest to simply settle the case for a lump sum payment and hope that it is enough to pay for your medical bills or other costs that you have incurred. While a judge or jury may be sympathetic to your plight, it doesn’t mean that they can award damages if you are not legally entitled to them.

4. The Other Side Gives You Everything That You Wanted

There are times when the party responsible for your injuries is guilty and knows it. Therefore, that person or entity may give you everything that you want in a settlement to make sure that the case stays quiet and goes away quickly. Ideally, you will have your personal injury attorney review any settlement that you are offered to ensure that it is fair, meets your needs, and gives you all the damages that you could be entitled to under the law. Assuming that this is the case, there is no reason to delay accepting the offer and putting the focus back on getting your life back together.

5. The Other Side Is Aggressively Defending Their Rights

Despite the evidence and the law being on your side, some defendants will instruct their lawyers to spend as much time and money on their case as possible. This generally occurs when one side has more money to spend than the other. The goal is to wait the plaintiff out until he or she doesn’t have the time or money to pursue the case any further. While not ideal, it may be possible to come to a fair agreement even if it is less than what you may otherwise be entitled to. Again, your lawyer will advise you of your rights and help you make an informed and educated decision before accepting any offer.

Settling a case may be beneficial both to the party who has been hurt and to the party who caused the injury. For the injured victim, it can end the case quickly without foregoing what he or she is entitled to, which may make it easier to pay medical bills or make up for lost wages or lost future earnings. For the responsible person or business owner, he or she can get out from under the black cloud of lingering litigation and move on with his or her personal and professional life.

What if an insurance adjuster offers me a settlement?

How long does a personal injury case take to finish?

Many people ask about this. If your Los Angeles Personal Injury Lawyer is super busy, it takes longer to expedite and settle the case and handle the issues surrounding the case. Many smaller law firms take longer to handle cases because they don’t have the staff they need. Because the personal injury attorney has fewer resources, he/she spends time doing basic things instead of focusing on your case. IF you hire a bigger Los Angeles personal injury law firm, the firm has enough resources to handle your case.

Another factor that influences how long your case will take to finish is if there is medical treatment involved. It means the bulk of your case is spent waiting for medical treatment to occur. If your medical bills continue to grow, this increases the value of your case. Establishing fault is another potential area that can take time to establish. When liability isn’t clear, it’s easy to assign blame and demand compensation. In some cases, where liability IS NOT clear – your Los Angeles personal injury lawyer will need to conduct an investigation. It means your Los Angeles personal injury lawyer will need to find witnesses who can support your personal injury claim.

Some people think that “faster is better,” when it comes to personal injury claims, but this is not the truth. If the other side makes a fair, settlement offer, fast – then it might make sense to accept it. This is rarely the case. You should take the time to prepare your case, because it could mean a larger settlement. Some cases can take a few months, and some can take 1-2 years. If your case goes to trial, it could take a lot of time; if you decide to appeal the case then it might go even longer. Your personal injury lawyer can evaluate the details of your case and then give you an idea of what to expect.

It’s important to remember YOU are a factor in this as well. If you receive settlement offers but reject them, you’re adding to the overall length of the case. Your personal injury lawyers can work with you to help your case move as quickly as possible.

Should I accept the insurance settlement offer?

It really depends! Often, the first offer an insurance company offers is the lowest possible amount they think they can offer to make you go away. Companies will do this if they think you’re desperate for the money, and will walk away from pursuing greater damages. This is usually the minimum amount of money possible. We don’t recommend you take this without speaking to a personal injury lawyer first. In addition, there are many reasons not to take the immediate settlement offer. For example, if you have future medical bills – the offer being presented may not include compensation for those future bills. In addition, the offer may not include things like loss of income, etc. As a result, you should consider speak to a personal injury attorney.

Can pre-existing conditions be covered in California car accidents?

Many people have pre-existing medical conditions. It might be a bad back from an injury in your childhood. It could be a health condition, like anxiety or depression. When you’re involved in a car accident, you might want to know if that pre-existing condition is covered while you’re getting treatment for injuries. The answer to this question, is – it depends. Typically, no pre-existing medical conditions are covered. But there are things to consider before you think about paying for your medical treatment out of pocket.

Typically, the insurance company will do everything possible to prove your injuries aren’t severe, and were not caused by the accident. They are going to look for pre-existing injuries, or other issues which can limit the amount of money you could get from them. Insurance companies simply don’t want to pay you the money you deserve, so they’re going to do everything possible to prove you don’t deserve a larger settlement. Many insurance companies will probe into your medical history. For example, a judge might require you to provide a full medical history to the opposing insurance company in order to prove you don’t have an existing condition. This can either work in your favor, or it won’t. The insurance company might request proof that your injury was the result of an accident, and this might mean a medical expert witness will be needed to counter-testify. It can become a long, drawn out, process. Bottom line, sometimes a lawsuit is the only way to get compensation.

What should you do after an injury?

What you do after an injury, can be more important the injury itself. Without proper documentation, and without alerting the authorities, the validity of your claim and injuries can be questioned.

Here are some things you should after an accident.

First and foremost, it’s crucial you write down as much about the accident as possible. If you have a cell phone, we recommend taking pictures of the surroundings so you can document what happened. Pictures are valuable because they can be potentially used in court, as evidence. Take as many pictures of the injuries you’ve suffered, in addition to the scene of the accident. The more evidence you have, the stronger your claim is. If you have time, write down information like the date, the weather, the location, and anything else specific that might be asked of you later. Try to also find witnesses, at the scene of the accident. If you can get a witness to corroborate your story to the police at the scene of the accident, the strength of your claim could be higher.

Take as many pictures, notes, and recordings of conversations as possible. After you’ve secured all of this, we recommend you speak to a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. First, you should get medical attention. When you get medical attention immediately after an accident, it established a track record of your injuries – which proves the injuries happened as a result of the accident.

Determining Fault

In order to get compensation, you have to be able to establish fault – and a responsible party. Most accidents aren’t intentional, but they happen. Just because it’s an accident doesn’t mean the other party isn’t responsible. Our job is to show to the court and opposing insurance company that the other party caused you harm – by acting in a manner that is not “reasonable.” We demonstrate that they are responsible and that you have suffered emotionally, physically, and financially, as a result of your injures – which is the basis for the claim. If the court determines that you were acting careless, it may reduce the amount you are entitled to. Our goal is to look at the evidence and then build a personal injury claim which proves you are the victim.

Should I sign a medical authorization for the insurance company?

After you have been injured in a car accident, you will likely receive a number of authorization forms from the at-fault driver’s insurance company. One of these forms may be a medical authorization release form. You should not sign a medical authorization form from the at-fault driver’s insurance company and should instead consult with an experienced personal injury lawyer.