Palm Springs Personal Injury Lawyers

Palm Springs’ many attractions and warm weather have always made it a popular choice for visitors and retirees. Long a favorite vacation spot for those from Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego, Palm Springs has evolved to become an international travel destination. Today, about 1 million people from around the world visit Palm Springs, Palm Desert, and the rest of the Coachella Valley every year.

The city’s permanent population has also experienced considerable growth over the last few decades. What was once a sparsely populated sleepy desert town is now home to over 48,000 year-round residents. This population growth and a massive amount of tourists mean more accidents in Palm Springs and the surrounding cities.

Being badly injured in an accident is always traumatizing. You may also be worried about your finances during such a difficult time. Fortunately, if you were injured in a serious accident in California, you can file a claim against those responsible for your injuries and The Dominguez Firm can help. Call us at (760) 387-8799 for a FREE consultation today. We can travel to your home or hospital at a moment’s notice.

Below we’ve answered some of the most common questions we receive regarding personal injury accidents and your rights.

What Kind of Cases Do Personal Injury Lawyers Handle?

Personal injury law allows an injured person (the plaintiff) to file a civil claim against the person or entity that caused their injury (the defendant). Unlike a criminal claim, where the outcome could involve a prison sentence, a successful civil claim results in monetary compensation for the plaintiff.

Car accidents are probably the most common type of personal injury cases, but they aren’t the only ones. Here at The Dominguez Firm, we handle a wide array of personal injury cases, including:

• Car Accidents
• Truck Accidents
• Pedestrian Accidents
• Slip and Fall Accidents
• Trip and Fall Accidents
• Nursing Home Abuse
• Wrongful Death Claims
• Motorcycle Accidents
• Work Accidents
• Bicycle Accidents
• Pool Accidents
• Dog Bites
• Rideshare Accidents
• Public Transportation Accidents
• Defective Product Accidents

The Dominguez Firm also handles employment law cases. Some of the claims our award-winning attorneys work on include:

• Sexual Harassment
• Workplace Discrimination
• Whistleblower Protection
• Wrongful Termination
• Wage and Hour Claims
• Retaliation

This is an overview of the kinds of personal injury claims our attorneys work on. If you don’t see your injury or workplace issue here, that doesn’t mean we don’t handle it. Instead, call us to see if we can help you with your particular situation.

The Insurance Company Is Asking Me to Deal With Them Directly, Without an Attorney. Should I Try That First?

No. Insurance companies are businesses. Their main objective is to settle your accident claim quickly and for the lowest amount possible, regardless of the extent of your injuries. What’s more, if they can deny your claim outright, they will. One of their tactics is to try and scare you into accepting their first settlement offer. They’ll likely tell you involving a personal injury attorney will complicate matters. That isn’t true.

If you were seriously injured in an accident in Palm Springs or any other part of California, your medical bills can easily go into the tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars. Catastrophic injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and spinal cord injuries can cost the victim millions of dollars over their lifetime. What seemed like a generous $75,000 settlement offer from the insurance company can instead barely cover a few months of expenses.

Also, if you accept the insurance company’s settlement but then suffer medical complications due to your accident injury, there’s no going back and asking for more money. That’s why it’s so important to have an experienced Palm Springs personal injury law firm by your side if you’ve been seriously injured in an accident. In short, don’t take the insurance companies on by yourself.

How Do I Choose the Right Palm Springs Personal Injury Lawyer?

Remember, if you need a personal injury attorney to represent you for your Palm Springs serious accident injury case, you are hiring them, not the other way around. Feel free to ask questions and read their reviews. Here are some of the qualities you should be looking for:

• How long have they been practicing law? – Firms that have years of experience are known to defense counsel and the courts. This gives clients the sort of leverage upstart law firms can’t offer.
• How are their online reviews? – Steer clear of firms with mostly negative reviews. However, also be cautious of firms with only five-star reviews. Look for a firm with mostly positive reviews
• How was the initial phone call with them? - First impressions matter. How did they answer the phone when you called? Were they polite? Did they answer all of your questions patiently? That first call usually sets the tone for the client-attorney relationship.
• Have they won any well-respected legal awards? – Certain legal awards are peer-reviewed and subject to stringent standards. These include being named to the Super Lawyers list and being named one of the top law firms by U.S. News and World Report, a well-known publication. Look for these endorsements when researching attorneys.
• What is their payment model? – Does the firm expect payment upfront? Or do they work on a contingency basis and take a percentage of the final settlement or verdict? These facts are important in determining which firm to hire.
• What resources do they have? – A good personal injury firm should have the resources to take your case to trial if necessary. Going to court is expensive. Some smaller firms can’t afford to do that. They’ll settle your case for less to avoid going to court. You want a firm that has the in-house attorneys, private investigators and personnel to present your case in the strongest light possible. They should also have a strong network of medical providers.

What Compensation Could I be Entitled to For My Accident?

The compensation you could be entitled to for your Palm Springs personal injury accident is legally known as damages. There are two types of damages, economic and non-economic. Economic damages are meant to compensate you for your expenses arising from your accident. These are easy to calculate. Your attorney and you take all your accident bills and add them up:

• Ambulance fees
• Medical costs including emergency room visits, medical treatment and procedures, including surgery.
• Physical therapy and rehabilitation
• Mental health counseling
• Property damage, which is usually damage or the loss of a vehicle
• Lost income
• In-home care
• Home modifications

The victim may be entitled to all or some of these damages. They are clear-cut and easy to figure out. Non-economic damages aren’t based on any bills. They are meant to compensate you for the emotional toll your accident had and is having on your family and you. Examples of non-economic damages:

• Anxiety
• Emotional distress
• Pain and suffering
• Disfigurement and scarring
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Loss of consortium (that is, loss of companionship)

California places no limits on what can be awarded in non-economic damages. Because of this, they usually make up the largest part of a person’s final settlement or verdict.

How Long Will My Case Take?

Your case will take as long as needed to get you the maximum compensation you’re legally entitled to. We know that’s a vague answer, but it’s the truth. At The Dominguez Firm, we won’t settle for less to close your case quickly. We have the experience and resources to go to trial if the insurance companies won’t make a fair offer for your injuries. Not all law firms can say the same.

No personal injury attorney can give you a time frame for your Palm Springs accident case. Many factors come into play, including:

• The number of people involved in the accident that caused your injury. A traffic accident with multiple vehicles and injuries will take longer than an accident between two cars.
• The extent of your injuries.
• If the case goes to trial or not.

Generally, most cases don’t go to trial. It’s common for them to settle beforehand. However, that’s not guaranteed.

What we can do is compare your accident and injuries to similar cases we’ve worked on in the past. That will give us a rough estimate as to how long your case might take. But again, we can’t guarantee any specific time frames.

I May Have Been Partially to Blame for My Accident. Can Your Firm Still Help Me?

Yes. California is a comparative negligence state. That simply means you can share part of the blame for your accident and still seek compensation for your injuries. If you were partially at fault for your Palm Springs accident, a jury will determine your percentage of fault. At the end of your case, that percentage will be deducted from your final settlement or verdict. So, if you were awarded $500,000 and assigned 25% of the blame, you would receive:

$500,000 – 25% or $125,000 = $375,000

If both drivers are injured in an accident, they will occasionally sue each other for damages. What happens is one party files a claim, then the person being sued files a counterclaim. If both drivers are found to be partially at fault, the jury will assign a percentage of blame to each and award damages separately. Those damages will have the assigned percentages deducted accordingly.

Whether you were partially at fault for your accident or not, don’t apologize or say anything that might hurt your case to the other party involved or their insurance company. Instead, call the personal injury lawyers at The Dominguez Firm so we can go over the facts of your accident.

Things can happen very quickly. Adrenaline and shock come into play. Your recollection of what happened can easily be clouded. Instead, let our attorneys and investigators reconstruct the sequence of events that led to your accident. We have helped many accident victims who thought they were at fault when they weren’t. Let us see if we can help you too.

Can I Take Legal Action If My Child Was Injured in an Accident in Palm Springs?

Yes, you can hold those responsible for your child’s injury accountable and collect damages for any injuries. However, personal injury cases involving children proceed a little differently.

Anyone under the age of 18 is considered a minor in California. Because they’re not of legal age, they can’t file a personal injury claim on their own except in some rare instances. Instead, their parents hire a lawyer to file a claim on the child’s behalf. Note that parents who aren’t attorneys can’t represent their children themselves. That would be considered practicing law without a license. If the child’s parents are divorced and one has primary custody, that person files the claim.

If the final settlement or verdict is expected to exceed $5,000 the court will appoint a Guardian ad Litem to look out for the best interests of the child. They can’t be a family member. Instead, they’re an impartial third party. The child’s attorney and parents will go over a list of possible candidates before approving one. That person is then appointed by the court. The Guardian ad Litem has no right to any part of the child’s final verdict or settlement.

Any damages awarded either in a settlement or verdict will be placed in what is known as a blocked account or annuity until the child turns 18, 21 or even 25 years of age. The court will release the funds to the child at that time. Parents can petition the court to release funds only for expenses related to the child’s injuries before that time. This is done to make sure the child’s fund isn’t used frivolously.

Can I File a Claim if I Was Injured While Riding as a Passenger?

Yes, even if the person you were with was completely at fault for the accident. Since you weren’t behind the wheel, you don’t share any blame for the accident, so you can recover damages for your injuries. This is true whether you were a passenger in:

• A rideshare vehicle, such as Lyft or Uber;
• Someone else’s car;
• A passenger in your car or;
• Public or private mass transit, such as a city or private tour bus

Call the Palm Springs Personal Injury Lawyers at The Dominguez Firm

No one goes out expecting to get into an accident, but accidents happen. Sometimes, they can throw a person’s life upside down. While nothing can change that, receiving the maximum compensation allowed under the law will go a long way towards ensuring your financial future and that of your family is secure. After all, the last thing you need to worry about while you recover is money.

The Palm Springs personal injury attorneys at The Dominguez Firm have been helping accident victims throughout Southern California for over 30 years. Let us fight for your rights too.

Our firm works on a contingency basis. That means we receive a percentage of your final settlement or verdict amount when your case settles. You don’t have any upfront or hidden fees to deal with. And in the unlikely event we’re not able to secure any compensation for you, you owe us nothing. In other words, you win or you don’t pay!

Call The Dominguez Firm today at (760) 387-8799 or a FREE consultation. We can travel to your home or hospital at a moment’s notice.