Claims a San Francisco Injury Attorney Can Handle
Personal injury claims arise when someone suffers harm due to another party’s negligence, carelessness, or intentional misconduct. Our personal injury attorneys in San Francisco represent clients in the following types of cases.
Car Accidents
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) reports nearly 200,000 injury-related car crashes annually statewide, with San Francisco ranking as one of the cities with the highest rates of collisions per capita.
Causes often include speeding, distracted driving, and driving under the influence. If you’ve been injured in a car accident, our San Francisco car accident lawyers will help you secure compensation for your medical expenses, vehicle repair, and more.
Truck Accidents
Due to their immense size and weight, large trucks can cause devastating accidents, which are often catastrophic.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), nearly 5,000 fatalities nationwide were caused by truck crashes in 2022 alone. Trucking companies and insurers often use aggressive tactics to avoid liability.
They know that unsuspecting and trusting survivors often fall for such strategies.
However, when you are represented by a professional, the insurer knows that those tactics will not work. Your San Francisco truck accident lawyer knows what your case is worth and will work to get you the compensation needed to cover all your losses.
Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcyclists face a high risk of severe injuries in accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that motorcyclists are 28 times more likely to suffer fatal injuries than passengers in cars.
Common injuries include traumatic brain injuries, fractures, and road rash, often requiring long-term care.
Wrongful Death Claims
Losing a loved one due to negligence is devastating. Wrongful death claims allow surviving family members to seek compensation for funeral costs, lost income, and emotional suffering. These cases often involve fatal car accidents, defective products, or workplace accidents.
Dog Bites
California has some of the strictest dog bite laws in the nation, holding owners strictly liable for injuries caused by their pets.
Strict liability means that the dog does not have to have shown a propensity for being aggressive for you to hold the owner liable. They are responsible regardless of whether they had prior notice of the dog’s aggressiveness.
Dog bites can lead to significant medical costs, scarring, and emotional trauma. Victims may require surgeries, physical therapy, and ongoing psychological support, particularly in cases involving children.
Additionally, dog bite incidents often result in lost income if victims cannot work during their recovery. A good legal team can help you pursue compensation for these losses and protect your rights.
Pedestrian Accidents
San Francisco’s walkable streets are both a benefit and a risk. The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) reports that pedestrian fatalities rose more than 25% between 2018 and 2022. Pedestrians have little protection, and when they are struck by cars, they often suffer costly, debilitating injuries.
Sexual Assault
Sexual assault survivors often face emotional trauma, medical costs, and lost income. Our attorneys work to hold perpetrators and any negligent third parties, such as employers or property owners, accountable for their actions.
Damages
If you’re injured in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to financial compensation for the losses you’ve incurred. Let’s look at some types of damages that are available.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are intended to reimburse you for direct, tangible financial losses related to your injury.
These may include:
- Medical expenses, including hospital stays, surgeries, and physical therapy;
- Lost wages for time missed at work or a lower earning capacity post-accident; and
- Property damage, such as repairs to your vehicle.
For example, according to the National Safety Council (NSC), the average cost of a disabling workplace injury in the U.S. exceeds $45,000. The NSC also reports that the average cost of a disabling car accident injury is around $162,000.
But these averages may be far greater or far less than your losses.
Each case is very different, and your lawyer will ask for receipts, bills, invoices, and pay stubs to assess your specific economic losses.
Noneconomic Damages
Noneconomic damages compensate you for intangible losses, such as:
- Pain and suffering,
- Emotional distress, and
- Loss of enjoyment of life.
These damages address the personal and emotional toll of an injury, recognizing that the impact of an accident goes beyond financial losses.
By working with an experienced San Francisco personal injury attorney, you can ensure these noneconomic factors are thoroughly considered in your claim.
Punitive Damages
In cases involving gross negligence or intentional misconduct, courts may award punitive damages to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar behavior in the future.
Cases involving such egregious misconduct are relatively rare, but your attorney will know if these damages are available to you.
Accurately calculating damages requires in-depth knowledge of personal injury law and often involves input from medical professionals, economists, and other specialists. A personal injury attorney in San Francisco will ensure your claim reflects the full scope of your losses.
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