Personal injury. These two words can represent a life altering experience each day for people in Santa Clarita. Because of the negligence of another person or of a business, a person can end up sustaining injuries that cause tremendous pain and permanent damage. California law establishes specific legal rights for a person who sustained injuries due to the negligence of someone else. These rights are best protected by Santa Clarita personal injury lawyers.

Insurance Claim

The first step in pursuing a personal injury case is filing an appropriate claim with the insurance company of the person or business that is responsible for the injuries. If a person (or business) happens to be uninsured, the injured Californian must pursue that individual or entity directly.

In any event, specific rules exist regarding when an insurance claim must be filed. Missing the deadline may prevent a person from obtain compensation all together.

Insurance companies typically take very strong positions when it comes to claims for compensation. Their mission is to protect their policyholders and their stockholders — not to assist an insured person with a valid claim. The objectives, and manner of operation, of insurance companies underscore the importance of an injured person seeking representation from Santa Clarita personal injury lawyers in a timely manner.

Lawsuit

Failing to reach a reasonable settlement with an insurance company, an injured person in Santa Clarita may have no other option but to file a lawsuit. Lawsuits in California are very complicated. In reality, they really can only effectively be undertaken through representation by qualified, experienced and dedicated personal injury attorneys.

An important fact to bear in mind is the California Statute of Limitations. The statute of limitations is a law that sets a final deadline by which a lawsuit for a personal injury must be filed. If an injured person does not file a lawsuit by the end of a two year period from the date of the accident that caused the damages, that person may forever be prevented from suing and obtaining compensation. Different deadlines exist for an injured minor child, which can be complicated in the eyes of the typical layperson. Experienced Santa Clarita personal injury lawyers can provide the professional assistance needed to maneuver through all aspects of personal injury law, including the statute of limitations.

Damages

An injured person typically is entitled to compensation for a range of different types of damages or injuries. These include compensation for pain and suffering, medical bills, lost salary or wages, permanent disability and other types of losses. Compensation generally is available for current losses (for example, existing medical bills or wages lost to date) as well as certain future, reasonably anticipated losses (for example, future medical bills or future lost wages).