Personal Injury Lawyer Los Angeles

What is a “Personal Injury”?

A Personal Injury, also known as “P.I.” is when someone is injured as a result of someone else’s conduct. The other person’s conduct can be accidental, negligent, or intentional. A personal injury can also result from someone else’s non-action.

The most common types of personal injury claims are traffic accidents, accidents at work, tripping accidents, accidents in a home you own or rent, product defect accidents (product liability) and holiday accidents.

Traffic accidents include injuries that occur when traveling in a car, motorcycle, bicycle, train, plane, or even while walking as a pedestrian. Virtually any type of transportation related accident falls under the traffic accident category of “personal injury”.

The term personal injury may also incorporate medical and dental accidents or negligence (which lead to numerous medical negligence claims every year). However, most law firms have separate “specialties” that distinguish between “personal injury” and “medical malpractice”.

If the negligence of another party can be proven, the injured party may be entitled to monetary compensation from that party or from that party’s insurance carrier. Most traffic accidents, although not caused intentionally, has an “at fault” party. For example, if a driver rear-ends the driver in front of him, the rear-ending driver is usually the one “at fault”. Another example would be when Driver A runs through a red light while Driver B was proceeding through a green light and the collision occurred in the intersection. Obviously, unless there are some other extenuating circumstances, the driver running the red light will be “at fault”.

Attorneys usually represent a client on a “contingency basis”, in which the attorney’s fee is a percentage of the plaintiff’s eventual compensation, payable when the case is resolved. This enables a client that may not otherwise have the funds, to pursue a “case” and get the necessary medical treatment. Victims of auto accidents may be able to visit a physician, doctor, or therapist on a “lien basis”. This means that the doctor would agree to examine and treat the client without being paid until the case is resolved.

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But why can’t I go directly to my doctor and insurance and leave the attorney out of it?

Oftentimes, having an attorney becomes essential because cases become extremely complex. Moreover, although the insurance companies claim to be on your side, they really put their interests first. When dealing with your own insurance company, it may be easier for them to classify the case as “50/50” liability (meaning that both you and the other driver are “at fault” equally). Insurance companies benefit for two reasons: 1) They can close the file sooner. 2) If you are found to be partially at fault, they can raise your insurance rates. Although they may have to pay for the other party’s damages in a 50/50 case, they may make that money back in insurance premiums. If you retain a law firm that specializes in auto accident cases, this will decrease the chances of your insurance finding you “at fault”.

Another reason to “retain” an attorney is because an attorney can get you monetary compensation above and beyond what is paid to the doctor and the attorney. Almost every person involved in an auto accident experiences what is called non-economic damages, specifically, pain, suffering, inconvenience and the like. Some cases have more non-economic damages than others. However, almost all cases where the client is found not “at fault”, the attorney will be able to recover money for the least enjoyable of circumstances, that is the pain of dealing with the car accident.

Aside for compensation from injuries, the injured person can also get compensated for how the injuries have affected his or her life, such as, a casual tennis player suffers a wrist injury which prevents him from playing tennis. This can be compensated for over and above the award for the injury itself. This is called loss of amenity, and the award for loss of amenity is part of the claim for pain, suffering and loss of amenity.

In the same manner, the injured person can also be compensated if, as a result of the injuries, he was unable to work. This is called loss of earnings.

Time limitation:

Experienced attorneys have several strategies in obtaining the maximum compensation for their client. However, most clients don’t want to wait around for many months and especially not for years until they get the money that they deserve. The attorney should discuss all settlement options with the client in order to expedite the settlement or judgment of the case while making sure that the client will obtain the most favorable outcome. One must understand that in California there is a statute of limitation for injury cases. If settlement is not reached, a lawsuit must be filed against the “at fault” party within two years of the accident.

Other Areas of Personal Injury:

Other examples of personal injury accidents include: slipping and falling in a market, tripping at a gas station, having a heavy item fall on you in a hardware store or being bitten by a dog on private or public property. There are many examples of when an attorney can help you receive the most compensation for your injury.

Free Case Evaluation:

If you are the victim of a personal injury, you should contact a personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles as soon as it is possible to do so and avoid discussing the matter with strangers and/or insurance representatives. You should be cooperative with the police and your own treating physicians. Remember, there is always an in-person free case evaluation consultation available to you with an attorney.

Speak to an attorney at the Friedman Law Offices today! Call us at 323-596-1234.

Ari Friedman, Esq.
Personal Injury Lawyer Los Angeles
Friedman Law Offices
323-596-1234
www.AFriedman.com

Motorcycle Lane Splitting – Legal or Illegal – Who is at fault

This post will be an introduction to an in depth look at liability concerns involving an automobile accident / motorcycle accident. Although Wikipedia is not a legal database (and by far, not a decisive authority), I found this article, although not complete, to be very informative: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lane_splitting

“In California no law explicitly and clearly prohibits lane splitting, and significantly, it has become the traditional policy of law enforcement, the courts, and the public in California to tolerate it when it is done safely.”

More to follow…

 

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If you or someone you know has been involved in a motorcycle accident, after taking care of your imminent medical needs, it is extremely important to seek advice from a personal injury lawyer. It is also advisable to seek an attorney who truly understands what goes on in the mind of a rider – someone who is/was a motorcycle rider. I started riding in 2004 and will ensure that your rights are protected. Please contact the Friedman Law Offices by filling out the online form or calling us at 323-596-1234. It is important to call as close to the time of the accident as possible. Remember, no attorney fee is ever taken unless we get you the money you deserve!

Ari Friedman
Personal Injury Lawyer
Los Angeles, CA
www.AFriedman.com

Android Meets Law Office

Android Meets Law Office

My name is Ari Friedman. I am an attorney specializing in Personal Injury practicing together with my father in Los Angeles. In an effort to move our clients’ files digital, we have recently been scanning files. However, it is still a tedious job scanning every paper coming in.

With the help of my new Android tablet, I’ve saved countless hours of work and taken organization to a new level.

In this brief article I will explain which applications help me run my business more efficiently. Instead of reviewing each app I use one at a time, I will run through it in chronological order. I am hoping that this article will assist people from all types of professions.


The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 setup on my desk, placed in the keyboard dock

 

Applications used in this demonstration:

  • Google Maps, Free
  • EZPdf Viewer, $1.99
  • PicSay Pro, $4.25
  • Screenshot ER, $2.49
  • Dropbox, Free
  • Cloud Print Beta, Free

Scene of the accident:

Since most of my cases that come in are a result of car accidents and motorcycle accidents, I need to better understand the scene of the accident.

First, I open Google Maps and I zoom in to the scene of the accident using Satellite view. I activate the screenshot, then “share” to Picsay Pro.

Once in Picsay Pro, this is where the fun starts.

I use the drawing tool to start drawing on top of the scene .jpg. I indicate where and what direction my client was going as well as for the other party/parties. I crop the image to my liking, throw on the title of the case, save it, then “share” to the appropriate client folder on Dropbox. I also keep a hard-copy of all items, therefore, this must be printed as well.  To do this, I “share” to “Cloud Print Beta” and the scene .jpg is printed.

Screenshot of scene of car accident after editing the photo using PicSay Pro
Screenshot of scene of car accident after editing the photo using PicSay Pro

“New Client Documents”:

When opening a new case there are a number of documents that must be filled out and signed. After trying a few of the PDF annotate apps out there, I’ve chosen EZPdf Viewer. It lets me highlight, add text boxes, and most important, use freehand – for signatures.

Client Information:

My client information database (custom created for me by Pandioncorp) consists of an encrypted web based form, formatted perfectly for a PC as well as for mobile browsers.

 

car-accident-lawyer

Ongoing Case Management:

No law firm is complete without quick access to the states statutes. There are apps available, but I find the California Legislative Information site to be very easy to use on Android’s native browser.


Screenshot of California Code Website

My client database system keeps track of all of my cases and has a reminder window. This is the default screen that my tablet stays on when not using another application.


My office case management system

Conclusion:

I work together with my father who has been an attorney in the field for 40 years. While we focus on the traditional practice of law, I am constantly looking to bring new and innovative techniques into the firm. I’ve always kept my Android playtime separate from work, however, with my Android tablet, the possibilities are endless. Merging the two together enables me to take notes while making direct face to face contact with my client, increases productivity and efficiency, that brings an overall better experience for the client and the firm.

Ari Friedman, Esq.
Friedman Law Offices
www.AFriedman.com