Our team has dedicated attorneys who have obtained millions of dollars in settlements. We understand each case is different and work to meet every client’s specific needs. Meet with us to discuss your accident at your earliest convenience during an initial free consultation.
Why Choose Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos
Personal injury lawsuits can become challenging, especially if the defendant tries to avoid settling. The probability of success is much lower if you attempt to go through the court system alone, which is why you should consider hiring a law firm like Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos.
Our personal injury lawyers have 75 years of experience fighting for our client’s rights to compensation. Our past results include a $4.5 million settlement for a boating accident and a $4.6 million settlement for wrongful death. You can trust us not to back down when complications arise.
We support you at every step of the process and keep you informed on the status of your case. Furthermore, our team provides the care you need during a stressful time. Our main office is in San Mateo, but we are ready to help clients around across the state.
California Personal Injury Laws
When another person or entity behaves negligently or recklessly, they can cause another person injury. Most injured people need medical attention, costing anywhere from hundreds to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Injured people often wonder what options they have following an accident. Can they file an insurance claim? Could they recover financially through the court system? California has personal injury laws to allow victims to file a claim against the negligent party for compensation to cover injuries and other losses.
Multiple laws set requirements about what qualifies as a valid personal injury case. Additionally, specific statutes exist for each type of personal injury lawsuit. These complications are where an attorney can be of great help to navigate and ensure you have the best chance at success.
The Statute of limitations
California’s personal injury laws place a strict deadline on personal injury lawsuits called the statute of limitations. You have two years from the accident date to file a claim against the negligent party. Once the statute of limitation expires, you no longer have the right to bring a case to court.
This amount of time varies depending on the type of accident and action brought. However, you must act quickly regardless if you were in a car accident or had a slip and fall. While exceptions to the statute of limitations exist that could extend the deadline, this only applies in rare cases.
One exception applies if the victim was under 18 at the time of the accident. While a parent can start a claim soon after, the injured child can wait until they turn 18 and file an action themselves. Once the individual turns 18, the statute of limitations begins to run.
In a few cases, the law extends the deadline if the injured party did not suspect their injury was due to negligence. The discovery rule delays the clock until the plaintiff knows of the connection or should have known.
It is important to consult with an attorney to determine how much time you have left to file and if any exceptions apply.
Strict Liability
Usually, the injured party has to prove the defendant acted carelessly to win compensation. However, California has a strict liability law for a couple of accidents. Strict liability holds the other side liable for injuries even if they did not behave carelessly.
Dog owners in the state are strictly liable if their dogs bite another person. They must pay damages regardless of whether the dog has injured someone before or not. Furthermore, the law applies even if the owner is unaware of dangerous behavior.
The court may find the defendant strictly liable in a product liability lawsuit. Of course, you would need to prove you used the product as intended and it had no adequate warning. You do not have to show how the manufacturer failed to meet their duty to keep you safe.
Strict liability applies to a manufacturer, distributor, and seller. Each company in the supply chain must ensure an item is safe for consumers.
Common Personal Injury Lawsuits
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Personal injury law covers a wide range of accidents. A common example is a motor vehicle collision. Annually, about 3,606 fatal traffic crashes happen in California. An accident could include one or more vehicles, a bicycle, a pedestrian, or a motorcycle.
Collisions can take multiple forms, and causes range from large potholes to distracted driving. Even a minor flaw in a vehicle part could result in a severe injury. Any accident could have more than one at-fault party, which an attorney can help establish and name in your claim.
If you need to speak to a lawyer about your accident reach out to our dedicated team about these specific cases:
Premises Liability
Premises liability is when an individual has an accident on someone else’s property due to a hazard or unsafe condition. A broken ladder, unstable railing, and liquid on the ground could lead to a fall or some other injury.
The property owner or manager is responsible for any injuries regardless if the land is public or private. The liable party should regularly inspect the property for hazards and respond timely.
Burn Injuries
Around 73 percent of acute burn injuries happen at home. However, a person may sustain a burn during a car accident or in a public area. Hot objects, scalding liquid, exposed wires, and chemicals can damage the skin.
A burn injury could be minor and heal with little to no treatment. However, a second or third-degree burn usually requires expensive medical intervention. Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos can help you with your claim to get you compensation.
Nursing Home Abuse
Roughly 13 percent of complaints to California’s ombudsman deal with nursing home abuse or neglect. Some facilities have staff shortages, overworked employees, or inadequate management issues. A nursing home may have untrained staff members. In some cases, a nurse or caregiver acts maliciously.
Nursing home abuse puts residents at risk of broken bones, malnutrition, and infections. A victim could suffer from a decline in mental health as well. Therefore, they could be eligible for compensation. Our firm investigates your case to see what the liable party owes for your damages.
Additional Practice Areas
We have also assisted in some other types of personal injury cases, Like:
Still not able to find your case above just give us a call today and discuss your situation
High-Accident Places
Some areas in California are more likely to see negligence-based incidents than others. High-risk locations for personal injuries depend on the nature of the accident.
Nevertheless, the general potentially high-risk places are:
- Urban roads. Around 62 percent of car accidents happen in urban areas. Examples include major freeways like Route 101 and Bay Shore Freeway. Motorists are vulnerable at inner-city intersections and interchanges due to high traffic or fog.
- Residential areas. A burn injury is likely to develop due to a house fire or defective product at home. A dog bite may occur on private property. Additionally, someone’s home may have a premises liability dangers for visitors.
- Public buildings. A slip, fall, and other premises liability issues are more likely to occur on public property. Local grocery stores and shopping malls might have a slippery floor during days of increased rainfall or snowfall.
A serious accident can happen anywhere. You should find a personal injury attorney to hear your case and establish who is liable.
How Much Is a Personal Injury Lawsuit Worth?
The value of a personal injury case depends on the nature of the injuries and additional losses. A lawyer cannot determine the worth until they complete a thorough investigation. Nevertheless, you can expect the claimable damages to affect your potential compensation significantly.
Economic Damages
Most personal injury settlements award compensatory damages to plaintiffs. Compensatory damages are the economic and non-economic losses a person’s negligence causes. Generally, economic losses involve the financial costs the victim accumulates due to the accident.
Injuries and illnesses usually require the person to go to a hospital immediately. The resulting bills cover doctor visits, hospital stays, surgeries, and future treatment costs. Moreover, a significant injury or sickness may leave someone out of work for days. Therefore, the settlement includes the money they lose in income.
Economic damages include any expenses related to property repairs as well. You may have to spend a lot of having a mechanic fix your car after a crash. Other personal injury accidents also could leave you with a broken phone or watch. Keep the repair receipts for your lawyer to use in their settlement calculation.
Non-economic Damages
Non-economic damages are less quantifiable than their economic counterparts. They do not deal with monetary losses. Instead, they cover mental anguish, pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Attorneys have different ways to determine the value since one cannot calculate non-economic damages as easily. One frequent method is to assign a daily rate and add the days you experienced pain and suffering. You can ask your lawyer how they plan to estimate your non-economic losses.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Do You Do After a Personal Injury Accident?
You hopefully have seen a doctor soon after the accident and if not, get a medical evaluation as soon as possible. The insurance company could use the delay in treatment as a means to devalue your claim. Moreover, the bills you obtain prove the severity of your injuries.
After a personal injury accident, write down your experiences in a journal. Describe the mental and emotional consequences of the other party’s negligence. Additionally, write about the extent of your injuries and how your recovery progresses.
Get a copy of the police report if the authorities arrive at the accident scene. The document contains valuable information you can use in your claim. Afterward, find a personal injury attorney. They know what you need to improve your chances of compensation.
Can You Receive Punitive Damages?
Punitive damages work differently than economic and non-economic damages. They exist to punish the liable party for wanton or reckless behavior. The judge may award punitive damages to deter the defendant or others from repeating their actions.
Most personal injury settlements do not include punitive damages. Only a small percentage of plaintiffs who seek punitive damages get the awarded money.
Can You Sue the City?
Your accident may have occurred on government property, or a government employee caused your injuries. Like many states, government agencies in California have sovereign immunity for specific lawsuits. Nevertheless, the California Tort Claims Act allows for several exceptions.
Victims of premises liability accidents, car collisions, and bus crashes may be eligible for compensation from the government. The injured party must prove the municipality failed to correct a property hazard or dangerous road condition. Furthermore, an agency is liable if a worker injures someone while acting within the scope of their employment.
A lawsuit involving the government has different rules than a case against another individual. Before you file a lawsuit, you must submit a notice of claim to the correct department. The government has to receive the document within six months following the accident.
You can face multiple challenges when you sue the government. Find a law firm you can trust to assist you in getting the compensation you deserve.
Call a California Personal Injury Lawyer Today
Personal injury law includes any injuries another person’s negligence caused. However, you might be unsure if your situation qualifies for compensation. At Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos, we are ready to hear your side of the story and help you recover the compensation for your losses.
Our attorneys can investigate your case and determine who is liable and what they owe you. Additionally, we prepare you for any unexpected changes during the process. Contact us at (650) 345-8484 for your free consultation.
Galine, Frye, Fitting, & Frangos, LLP
Phone: 650-250-0566
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