You’ve probably been hearing about personal injury lawyers all your life, but do you know what they do? What exactly does “personal injury” entail?
The short answer is this: personal injury lawyers help people who’ve been unfairly injured.
From dog bites to car crashes, any accident that is caused by someone’s careless or lawless behavior (i.e. negligence) might give rise to a personal injury claim.
How do we help as Bakersfield personal injury lawyers? All sorts of ways: tending to paperwork, dealing with bill collectors, representing your interests against insurance companies, and so on.
But the most helpful thing we do may be fighting to maximize the financial compensation you receive after an accident.
In other words, if you’ve suffered a personal injury in California and hire us to help, it’s our job to aggressively pursue the largest amount of money possible for you and your family.
Which kinds of accidents and injuries qualify as “personal injury,” though? Is a personal injury lawyer the right person to call for your current situation? If you aren’t quite sure, don’t worry. We’re here to help.
This page highlights some of the most common types of personal injury cases in California.
Auto Accidents
Car crashes can cause a wide range of injuries, from moderate soft tissue injuries to life-altering disabilities or paralysis. Some auto accidents, such as those involving a pedestrian, a motorcycle, or a large truck or bus, tend to cause especially severe or fatal injuries. All of these may be compensable under California personal injury law.
Indeed, auto accidents are among the most common types of personal injury cases in California. The car accident attorneys at The Law Offices of Mickey Fine have extensive experience in auto accidents of all kinds.
Traumatic Injuries
Claims involving a traumatic injury can be more complex than other injury claims. Because the financial damages tend to be substantial, insurance companies are more apt to put up a fight in the hopes of reducing their liability.
An experienced Bakersfield personal injury lawyer can help. Because the injuries may be medically sophisticated, it is important to work with a law firm that has specific experience in handling medically complex injury claims.
Property Injuries
If you’re injured on someone else’s property, your claim for compensation is governed by an area of California personal injury law known as “premises liability.”
As a general rule, property owners have a duty to maintain their premises in a safe condition, to monitor their property for potential hazards, to address known hazards in a timely manner, and to warn the public about those hazards in the meantime.
These cases often involve a commercial property owner (e.g. grocery store, retailer, movie theater, hotel, apartment complex, etc.) but may also involve private residential property owners.
Slip and Fall Accidents
Slips, trips, and falls are among the most common types of personal injury cases in California. These, too, fall within the area of law known as “premises liability.” From a slick floor to a crack in the sidewalk, a loose wire, or a shoddy staircase, many common slip and fall accidents are caused by unreasonable defects in the property.
Dog Bites & Animal Attacks
When it comes to dog bites and other animal attacks, California has some of the most progressive and victim-friendly laws in the country.
Most pet owners in California are subject to strict liability for their animals, meaning dog bite victims are entitled to compensation for their damages even if their dog has never bitten anyone before. (If the dog is known to be dangerous, the owners may be subject to additional legal duties.) If a dog doesn’t bite but still causes injury, the owners may still be liable if there is evidence that they were negligent.
A Bakersfield personal injury lawyer at The Law Offices of Mickey Fine can help dog victims throughout the state of California.
Construction Accidents
Construction sites can be dangerous places. The companies in charge of performing construction work are aware of these dangers, and they have a duty to take reasonable steps to minimize the risk of harm. If you’ve been injured on or near a construction site (whether as an employee, tenant, patron, or passerby) — or if you’ve been hit by a construction vehicle — a construction injury lawyer can help.
Farm Accidents
Farm accidents aren’t exactly commonplace in every part of the country. But in Bakersfield and other areas of the state, they’re among the most common types of personal injury cases in California.
Farm accident cases might involve more than one area of California law — personal injury, worker’s compensation, employment or agency law, premises liability, and beyond. If you’ve been hurt while working on a farm (or even while on the farming premises as a non-employee), it’s important that you consult an attorney with direct experience in farm accident litigation. We can help.
Oil Field Accidents
Oil fields and oil rigs are critical to Bakersfield’s economy, but they’re also extremely dangerous. Anyone working in an oil field is at a high risk of harm. The employers and corporate parties responsible for overseeing oil fields and rigs have a duty to protect their workers from unreasonable perils. At The Law Offices of Mickey Fine, we have a track record of helping injured oil workers claim the compensation they deserve.
Medical Malpractice and Nursing Home Negligence
When you visit a doctor or hospital, you’re counting on them to make you better, not worse. Medical professionals have a duty to exercise their expertise and provide prompt, reasonable, and appropriate care. Unfortunately, doctors and other health care professionals sometimes fail to meet the standard of care.
Medical negligence is much more common than you might realize. Patients are frequently injured or even killed while receiving medical care. Thousands of people die as a result of medical carelessness each year.
Nursing homes, too, have a duty to provide diligent care to their residents and to avoid violating each patient’s individual rights. Unfortunately, nursing home negligence and abuse persist in California and nationwide.
If you have been injured as a result of medical malpractice, or if your loved one has been hurt or killed because of a medical professional’s carelessness, you may be entitled to substantial financial compensation.
Defective Products
When you buy a product or medication, you expect it to work like it’s supposed to. But when products are defective, or when they don’t come with adequate instructions or warnings, they can cause serious harm. Manufacturers, designers, distributors, retailers, and pharmaceutical companies have a duty to ensure the safety of the products they put on the market.
Workplace Accidents
While many workplace accidents are subject to California worker’s compensation laws, some on-the-job injuries are covered by personal injury law. If you aren’t sure how the law applies to your situation, you should talk to an attorney before making decisions about your rights.
Wrongful Death
If you’ve lost a spouse or close relative in an accident caused by negligence, you may be entitled to substantial financial compensation under California wrongful death law. Wrongful death cases sometimes also involve ordinary personal injury claims.
Mickey Fine Is a CA Personal Injury Lawyer Who Understands That Every Penny Counts
At The Law Offices of Mickey Fine, we are dedicated to fighting for the rights of unfairly injured Californians. We handle most common types of personal injury cases in California — from Bakersfield and throughout the Golden State.
Don’t settle for less than you’re owed. Let our office fight to get you the recovery you deserve.
Contact The Law Offices of Mickey Fine for a free and confidential case review today.