Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorneys

When to File a Personal Injury Claim

If you were recently involved in an accident, injured on someone else’s property, or otherwise harmed in an unexpected traumatic event, you may be wondering if you have a personal injury case.

To determine whether you have grounds for a personal injury claim, ask yourself the following:

• Did someone else—whether another person, a property owner, a business, or even a government entity—have a legal responsibility to act reasonably and prevent you from being injured or harmed?
• Did the other person or party fail to uphold this legal responsibility, either through act or omission? In other words, was the other person or party careless, reckless, or negligent, or did they act wrongfully, intentionally, or unlawfully?
• Were your injuries and damages—including your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering—the result of the other person or party’s act or omission? Would you have been injured had they acted with reasonable care?

If the other person or party (known as the “defendant”) is responsible for your injuries and damages, you likely have a case. As the person bringing the claim (known as the “plaintiff”), you are responsible for proving your case. It is important that you work with an experienced attorney, like those at Ayala, Morgan & Buzzard, who can develop a powerful, evidence-based claim on your behalf.

How Long Do You Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit in California?

You should also know that you only have a limited amount of time to file a personal injury lawsuit in California. Most personal injury suits are subject to the state’s two-year statute of limitations. This means that you typically only have two years from the date of injury to sue the liable party for damages.

Note that this only applies to personal injury lawsuits, not insurance claims. In fact, depending on the insurance company and the specific policy that applies, you may have less time to file an insurance claim after an accident or injury.

In any case, you should contact an attorney as soon as possible after an accident or injury. The sooner you reach out to our team, the sooner we can begin investigating the incident, gathering evidence, and building your case. As time goes on, important evidence can be lost, and your case can become much more difficult to prove. We encourage you to speak to one of our Los Angeles personal injury lawyers right away if you were injured or if someone you love died due to the negligent or wrongful conduct of another.

Cases We Handle

At Ayala, Morgan & Buzzard, our team comprises a group of highly skilled and professional attorneys with extensive legal experience. We have handled all types of personal injury cases, including relatively straightforward claims and immensely complex litigation.

We regularly assist our clients with cases involving:

• Brain injuries
• Car accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Slip and falls

Whether you were injured in a serious motor vehicle collision or your loved one sustained a catastrophic brain injury due to a property owner’s negligence, our team can help you understand your legal options and fight to protect your rights.