Personal Injury Lawyers in Orange County, CA

CALIFORNIA PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY

If you have been seriously injured in an accident, an experienced California personal injury law firm can help you get maximum compensation.  It is important that the attorney your hire has experience handling injury cases and negotiating with insurance companies to get you full and fair compensation your injuries.  Chudleigh Law is based in Laguna Beach, CA, but helps clients throughout California with all types of personal injury claims. We have experience handling difficult cases that many other law firms would turn down.  We understand that serious injuries be devastating, and can significantly impair your quality of life. Unpaid time off work, doctors visits, physical therapy, surgeries, emotional distress, pain and suffering are issues many people have to deal with through no fault of their own.  Recovering from a serious accident is difficult, and we want to make the process easy as possible for you, and get you the best outcome possible. If you delay hiring a personal injury attorney, and delay seeking medical treatment, you could jeopardize your legal case. If you delay getting medical treatment the insurance companies will call into question the validity of your claim which could result in a lower settlement.  Additionally, the doctors are better able to diagnose any problems and medical tests will be more definitive immediately following the accident. At Chudleigh Law, we never charge an upfront fee for injury cases because we want to encourage anyone who has been seriously injured to get legal help immediately without worrying about paying for legal fees. We don’t charge any fees until we win your case and you get paid. It is our goal to ensure you fully recover physically, emotionally, and financially from any accident.

WE HANDLE MOST INJURIES

Chudleigh Law is an Orange County personal injury law firm and helps clients throughout Southern California with most types of serious injury claims.  The following are a few of the most common types of injury claims.

Car Accidents:

California is home to more than 39 Million residents and is the most populous state in the United States.  With so many residents commuting by car, California has a substantial number of serious car accidents daily.  Although there are many benefits to cars, unfortunately thousands of drivers, passengers, and bystanders are injured each year in Orange County.  Regardless of when, where, or how the accident occurred, Chudleigh Law can help you if you have been suffered an injury from an auto accident. Dan Chudleigh is an top rated Orange County car accident lawyer and can help you get the representation and recovery you deserve after an automobile accident.

Motorcycle Accident:

Regardless of whether you call them motorcycles, motorbikes, cycles, choppers, or bullet bikes – thousands of riders in Orange County use them to get to work on time each day.

Motorcycles are a great way to beat the traffic, but riders in Southern California know that there are serious risks involved with any type of motorcycle accident.  Even though the majority of motorcycle accidents are not caused by the rider, it is usually the rider that suffers the greatest injuries. Motorcyclists are more likely to suffer serious or fatal injuries in a collision because they are fully exposed and do not have the benefit of seat belts and air bags.  Orange County motorcycle accident lawyer Dan Chudleigh is dedicated to help injured riders get the compensation they deserve. To learn more about motorcycle injuries click here.

Truck Accident Attorney:

With the Port of Los Angeles so close, thousands of trucks enter Orange County on the I-5, I-405, I-15, California 91, California 73, and even the Pacific Coast Highway 1 to deliver goods to businesses each day.  This poses a substantial risk to drivers in Southern California. Compared to cars or even pickup trucks, semi-trucks and eighteen wheelers are much heavier and less responsive to changes in traffic. Heavy loads increase the braking distance, and increase the chances of a rear-end collision.  Additionally, the increased mass of large trucks leads to greater impact forces when there is a collision – which results in greater property damage and bodily injuries. For these reasons truck accidents are more likely to result in serious injury or death. Commercial truck drivers in California spend long shifts on the road which can result in fatigue, speeding, and distracted driving.  Unfortunately, due to the stress of the job, some truck drivers engage in reckless behavior such as drunk driving and substance abuse which increases the risk of a trucking accident. If you have been involved in a trucking accident, get an experienced Orange County truck accident lawyer.

Pedestrian Accident:

Unfortunately, many pedestrians in California are hit by cars when walking on the street, or crossing at a cross walk.  Pedestrian accidents often result in serious bodily injuries due to the weight and speed of cars. Many pedestrians assume it is their fault when the get hit by a car and don’t seek legal help for their injuries.  Even if it is a hit and run accident, an experienced Orange County pedestrian accident attorney can help you get compensation for your injuries. If you have been involved in a pedestrian accident or hit and run accident, call the police immediately to report the incident, seek medical treatment, then call a pedestrian accident lawyer in Orange County to get legal help.

Slip and Fall:

If you are on private property and you fall, slip, or trip due to negligent maintenance of the property, you may have a potential premises liability case.  Property owners have a duty to provide a safe environment and repair known, or reasonably foreseeable hazards on the property. If you are injured from a fall that was a direct result of inadequate or unsafe property conditions, you could be entitled to compensation for your injuries.  An experienced Orange County Slip and Fall lawyer can investigate to see if the property owner was negligent or failed to maintain safe conditions.

Defective Products:

Manufacturers have a duty to produce and sell products that are safe for use and or consumption.  Unfortunately, many dangerous and defective products are sold to consumers. Defective products cases range from defective automobiles, to medical devices, to prescription drugs.  If you have suffered an injury from a defective product contact a skilled Orange County defective product lawyer to find out if you have a valid case.

Personal Injury law covers a wide range of incidents. The following are just some examples of additional cases that fall under the Personal Injury category that Chudleigh Law can assist you with:

• Brain Injuries
• Spinal Cord Injuries
• Wrongful Death
• Bicycle Accidents
• Medical Malpractice Cases
• Uber Accidents
• Lyft Accidents
• Boating Accidents
• ATV Accidents
• Jet Ski Accidents
• Bus Accidents
• Dog bites or attacks

WHAT IS PERSONAL INJURY LAW?

Personal injury law is when an individual uses the legal system to hold people or companies accountable for injuries to someone’s person, property, or reputation.  Personal injury law is also known as “tort” law, which is the area of law that protects people from bad acts, or torts, of another. The rationale behind personal injury laws is to protect injured victims from bearing the burden of injuries caused by someone else.

If you have suffered a serious injury from a car crash, trucking accident, dog bite, or other incident that was not your fault, you should not bear the financial burden of your injuries.  Even if you were partially at fault, but you would not have received the injuries but for the negligent actions of another person, you may still entitled to compensation for the other person’s wrong doing.  Chudleigh Law can help you receive compensation for:

• Lost wages
• Medical bills
• Future medical expenses
• Diminished earning capacity
• Property damage
• Changes to lifestyle
• Loss of consortium
• Loss of companionship
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Other types of loss/injuries

DO I NEED TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY AFTER A CAR ACCIDENT?

On average 18,000 people in Orange County, CA were killed or injured in car crashes each year from 2008 to 2013.  Unfortunately, most of these accidents are caused by the negligence of drivers, and most people are injured through no fault of their own.  If you have been seriously injured, you have probably asked yourself “do I need to hire a car accident attorney?” If you have been seriously injured, the answer is yes.  An experienced car accident lawyer in Orange County will help you get paid for the damage to your car, get your medical bills and lost wages paid for, and also help you get compensated for future medical bills and pain and suffering.  If you or a loved one has suffered an injury from any type of personal injury accident it is important that you have an experienced Orange County personal injury attorney help you navigate this tricky area of the law, and negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf.

HOW DO I WIN MY PERSONAL INJURY CASE?

To prevail on a personal injury claim, you must show that the other party is liable for your injuries.  The extent of your injuries will determine the damages that you are owed.

In California there are three main types of liability.

• Negligence.  Most accidents are caused by negligence (carelessness) of another.  For example, everyone that drives in California has a duty to follow the laws, and use reasonable care when driving.  If someone causes an accident by not following the laws (for example, texting while driving, driving drunk, running a red light) then that person has breached their duty of care and will be found to be liable for any resulting injuries.  
• Intentional Wrongs.  Fortunately, intentional wrongs are less common.  This type of liability arises from assault, murder, and other actions where the wrongdoer plans and is aware of the harm he or she is causing.  Intentional wrongs usually involve criminal and civil liability. Only the government can charge someone criminally, but you can seek compensation through a civil action if you have been wronged by an intentional action of another.
• Strict Liability.  Strict liability is when someone is held responsible for injuries caused even if they to another, even if their actions were not intentional or negligent.  A common example of this is dog bites. Under California law, a dog owner is liable for damages caused by a dog bite, even if the dog has no history of biting, and the owner took precautions to prevent such an action.  

WHAT DO I DO AFTER AN ACCIDENT?

If you have been involved in an accident, there are a few steps you should take right away.

• Call 911 to report the accident.  The police may or may not respond to the accident scene depending on the severity of the injuries.  Either way, it is a good idea to make the call.
• Collect and keep all evidence.  It is important to collect the other driver’s insurance card, drivers license, and license plate number.  Also get the name and contact information for any and all witnesses. Do not make a statement to the other driver regarding fault or liability.  TAKE PICTURES of the accident scene, including damage to the cars, pictures of any faulty products, etc.
• Get medical treatment.  If you are seriously injured, you will likely be taken to the hospital by an ambulance.  However, even if an ambulance is not necessary, it is important to see a doctor right away to receive a full evaluation.  Some injuries develop after time and follow up visits may be necessary. Take pictures of your visible injuries right away, and over time as the injuries may change over time.  If a doctor recommends physical therapy or chiropractic care, do not miss appointments as the insurance companies may try to deny payment after a prolonged “gap” in treatment.
• Contact an experienced Orange County personal injury lawyer.  An experienced attorney will walk you through the process, and answer any questions you may have.  Once they are hired, they will also deal directly with the insurance companies so you don’t have to.
• Do not talk to the other insurance company without your lawyer.  Insurance companies will often times seek to get a statement from you and try to lead you into answering questions in a way that can hurt your case.  They may also offer you a small cash payment up front for your injuries. This is their way of paying you as little as possible and getting you to sign away your right for future compensation.  An experienced car accident attorney will help you get the treatment and compensation you deserve.

HOW DO I HIRE A PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY?

If you have been injured, do not delay contacting an experienced Orange County personal injury attorney.  Chudleigh Law will gladly provide a free, no obligation legal consultation. We do not charge any fees up front, and we only get paid when we win your case.  If you are unable to travel to us, we will travel to you. Call (949) 504-5000, or email info@chudleighlaw.com.  You can also fill out the contact us section on this webpage and we will contact you as soon as possible.  

If you or a loved one has been injured by the negligence of another, contact Chudleigh Law, an Orange County personal injury attorney, today for a FREE consultation.

Chudleigh Law accepts personal injury cases in Orange County, Los Angeles County, San Diego County, Riverside County, and San Bernardino County, and WE WILL TRAVEL TO YOU.

To speak with an attorney now, CALL  (949) 504-5000

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