Personal injury

Claims for physical injury caused by someone else: collisions, falls, dog bites, defective products. Deadlines can be short, especially when the claim is against a public agency.

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How long do you have to file a personal injury claim in California?Two years for most injury claims. Six months to file a government claim if a public entity is involved. And several rules that can pause or shift the clock — none of which applies automatically, and some of which do not work the way people expect.
Medical liens and why your settlement shrinksA lien is somebody else's right to be paid out of your settlement before you see it. On modest settlements, liens can take a large share of what is left after the attorney fee.
Talking to the other side's insurance adjusterThe adjuster is often professional and friendly — and works for the insurer whose policyholder you are claiming against, not for you. Both things are true at once.
Comparative fault: how partial blame changes your recoveryCalifornia is a pure comparative fault state. Even if you are found mostly responsible, you can generally still recover — reduced by your share.
What decides what an injury case is worth?There is no formula that produces the answer, but a handful of factors tend to drive it — and two of them can outweigh the rest.