Los Angeles Personal Injury Lawyers
B&D Law Group

We handle personal injury cases on a contingency fee, which means there is no attorney’s fee unless we recover money for you. The fee is a percentage of the recovery and is set out in a written agreement, along with how case costs are handled. California law requires that agreement to be in writing and to state that the fee is negotiable (Business and Professions Code section 6147). The initial consultation is free.

In most personal injury cases the deadline is two years from the date of the injury (California Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1). Claims against a city, county, the state or another public entity work differently: a written claim generally has to be presented within six months (Government Code section 911.2). Some situations change the deadline, including injuries to a minor and injuries that are not discovered right away. Missing the deadline can end an otherwise valid case, so it is worth confirming your date early.

California follows pure comparative fault, so being partly responsible does not bar you from recovering. Your compensation is reduced by your share of the fault. If you are found 20 percent at fault on a $100,000 verdict, you recover $80,000. Insurers often assign a larger share of blame to injured people than the evidence supports, which is one reason to have the facts reviewed before you accept anyone’s assessment of fault.

You are not required to give a recorded statement to the other side’s insurer. Adjusters are trained to ask questions that can limit what a claim is worth, and a statement given before you know the full extent of your injuries can be used against you later. You do need to cooperate with your own insurer under your policy. It is reasonable to give your name and basic contact information, then speak with an attorney before going further.

It depends on the injuries, the course of treatment, and whether the insurer negotiates in good faith. Many claims resolve within several months once medical treatment is complete and the full picture of the injury is clear. Cases that require a lawsuit, discovery and depositions take longer, often a year or more. Settling before treatment is finished is usually what costs people money, not waiting.

Most personal injury claims resolve by settlement rather than trial. Filing a lawsuit does not mean you will end up in front of a jury; many cases settle after filing, during discovery, or at mediation. We prepare every case as though it may be tried, because a case that is ready for trial tends to be taken more seriously by the other side.