Slip and Fall Injuries

3 Tips for Maximizing the Payout on Your Slip and Fall Injury Settlement

A slip and fall accident can cause injuries to the legs, arms, or even the face and head. How can you get the settlement you need in order to pay the tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills, not to mention making up for any missed work? Here are three tips to help you maximize your payout.

• See a doctor – Without medically documented injuries, you are unlikely to receive anything in a settlement. You have to be able to prove that there are damages in connection with the injury.
• Gather proof – There are many things that can serve as proof in your personal injury case. Take pictures at the scene of the accident if possible. If they are time-stamped with the location embedded, that’s even better. Get a copy of the accident or injury report you filled out at the scene. Gather any medical bills or other expenses you have receipts for that relate to the injury.
• Call Petrov Law Firm – You want to an experienced personal injury attorney in your corner when dealing with an insurance company, which is just about always the case when a slip and fall injury occurs.

San Diego’s Personal Injury Attorneys

If you have been injured in Southern California, you can find the help you need at Petrov Law Firm. Call 619.344.0360 to get in touch with our experienced team and get started on your personal injury case today. We’re here to help when you need it most!

Compensation When an Accident Makes an Existing Injury Worse

Imagine this scenario. You hurt your back at work years ago and have sought treatment from doctors and chiropractors. Now, you get into a car accident, and your back is worse than ever. What will this mean for your settlement? Is it going to be less because you had a preexisting condition?

That shouldn’t be the case, especially if the injury occurs in California. Here is a trick that insurance companies or lawyers try to pull along with the regulations that California has put in place to block it.

The “Eggshell Plaintiff” Approach

Eggshells are fragile and break easily. If you have a preexisting condition, the defense may claim you are an eggshell plaintiff. In other words, they argue your preexisting condition could be the real reason you got hurt or that you are just more prone to injury than others. Here’s an example.

Let’s say that you injured your neck skiing a few years ago. Now, you get whiplash in a car accident. The insurance company offers a lowball settlement claiming that you were already injured or that maybe you injure easily and that’s why your neck has been hurt multiple times.

California doesn’t allow this type of reasoning and has demonstrated this in previous rulings. Thus, a personal injury attorney can go to bat for you and remind the insurance company they can’t make claims based on preexisting conditions or the idea that certain people are just more susceptible to injury.

The San Diego Personal Injury Attorneys for You

Petrov Law Firm has the experience to help you maximize settlements or win your case in court if need be. Contact us today at 619.344.0360 to get your case started right away.

The Most Crucial Information to Share with Your Personal Injury Attorney

A personal injury case involves damages due to negligence or intent of an individual, property owner, dog owner, or the like. You may experience a car accident, a slip and fall, a bite, or some other type of injury that leads to material loss. Here are some crucial pieces of information that your personal injury attorney will need in order to maximize your settlement.

• How it happened – If the injury was your own fault, it is unlikely you are due any compensation. However, if an individual, business, or public entity was responsible, then you should be able to receive compensation.
• Proof of the damages – Did you fill out an accident report, take pictures of the scene, or are there any eyewitnesses to the event? The more evidence you have, the more likely it is that an appropriate settlement can be reached.
• Direct and indirect losses – You can’t sue if you didn’t lose anything. Losses include medical bills, missed days of work, lack of ability to work, emotional turmoil, and the like. Be sure to track all of your medical expenses, regardless of whether something was covered by insurance or not.

Finding the Best Personal Injury Lawyers in San Diego

Petrov Law Firm is here to help you with your California personal injury case. Contact us right away to get your settlement as soon as possible. Just call 619.344.0360 today and schedule a consultation to see if you are eligible to receive compensation.

The First Three Things to Think About After Experiencing an Injury

Injuries happen every day. If you have been injured in southern California, what are the first three things to consider?

1. Get the medical assistance you require – In the wake of an injury, it is crucial to seek medical attention immediately. The doctors may notice damage that otherwise would not come to the surface until later on, but early treatment could be crucial to avoiding long-term damage. So even when the injuries do not seem life-threatening, you should still call your doctor right away for an exam.
2. Determine who was at fault – How did the injury occur? Whether it was a car accident, a dog bite, or a slip and fall, there is usually a negligent party who needs to be held responsible for any losses that you experience as a result of the injury. Hopefully, you can get some photographic evidence at the scene, but if you were seriously injured, this might not have been possible. In this case, you will want to look for eyewitnesses or other forms of evidence of what happened.
3. Get an experienced personal injury lawyer on your side – In most cases, an insurance company pays for a personal injury claim. So it is you against a big greedy corporation to get what you deserve. Therefore, you should get the help of a personal injury attorney so that you have someone fighting for you.

Experienced Personal Injury Attorneys in San Diego

Petrov Law Firm has the personal injury attorneys that can help you maximize your settlement. Get the compensation that you deserve from the insurance company. Call 619.344.0360 today to get started!

Personal Injury Attorney Expertise to Look for When Hiring in California

When you have been injured due to someone else’s negligence or intent, you deserve full compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and other losses due to the injury. Because the laws regarding personal injuries are so specific, the best way to maximize your settlement is to find an attorney with experience in the precise type of personal injury case you are pursuing.

Here are some examples of personal injury cases so you can hire the right attorney to meet your personal circumstances.

• Motor Vehicle Accidents – This doesn’t always mean that you were a driver or a passenger. You may be a pedestrian or a cyclist injured by a driver. Plus, a motor vehicle accident is not the same thing as just saying “car accident.” You could also be involved with a tractor-trailer or a motorcycle. There are many ways that motor vehicle accidents can lead to injuries.
• Animal attacks – Dog bites, in particular, are common in California. Each state has its own laws regarding animal attacks when a pet is involved.
• Slip and fall accidents – Whether the accident occurred in a private home, at a business, or at a public entity (for example, a government building), you need an experienced attorney to help you build a case.

San Diego’s Experienced Personal Injury Attorneys

If you have been injured in any of these ways in southern California, Petrov Law Firm has the experienced attorneys that you want on your side. Give us a call today at 619.344.0360 to get your case started immediately.

Injuries to Watch for After a Trip and Fall Accident

If you trip and fall on the sidewalk, in a store, or anywhere else, there is always the potential for injury. The fact is that most people will put their arms out to protect themselves from a fall. Therefore, the first type of injury you should be on the lookout for is in your hands and arms.

While a broken bone will probably be immediately noticeable, sometimes a hairline fracture can occur. You may feel an ache in the injured bone following the accident. Don’t ignore the pain. It is worth it to get the injury checked out to make sure that there isn’t any severe damage. Remember that the property owner (likely by means of their insurance) should be expected to cover the medical expenses if the accident was due to negligence on the part of the owner, business, or an employee.

At other times, you may not fall hard enough to need to put your hands out. You may simply land on your knees. While scratches are going to be immediately noticeable, you may not identify underlying damage to the knee until later. Again, it is better to get checked out immediately so that unseen damage doesn’t have time to fester and grow worse.

Personal Injury Attorneys in California

Petrov Law Firm has the personal injury attorneys that you want in your corner if you have been injured in a slip and fall accident. Put our experience to work for you so you can maximize your settlement. Call 619.344.0360 to get started right away.

When Your Injury Is the Fault of a Public Entity

Have you experienced an injury resulting from a public entity? Maybe you first would like a description of what a public entity is in order to be certain. Here are three examples of places or ways you may experience an injury that would qualify as a public entity.

• At a government building (federal, state, or local)
• On roadways operated by federal, state, or local governments
• In an accident involving a vehicle owned by a federal, state, or local government and operated by an employee of such governments

Does this mean you are out of luck because a government agency or employee is involved? Not at all. However, there are a few things that you should know when you seek compensation from a public entity.

• Your statute of limitations is cut to just six months if you are making such a claim in the state of California – the six months begins from the time of the injury
• Claims in California against public entities can include car or bus accidents, medical neglect, school injuries, slip and fall accidents, breach of contract, assault, and several other types of claims – just don’t expect to make a claim if you were injured while breaking the law
• Always hire an attorney before filing a claim with a public entity

Personal Injury Attorneys in Southern California

For a case involving a public entity in southern California, contact Petrov Law Firm in San Diego. Our personal injury attorneys can help you to submit a claim properly and in a timely fashion so you can optimize your compensation. Call 619.344.0360 to get started.

What to Do When You’ve Been Injured on Hotel Property

One common location for slip and fall injuries is at a hotel. Whether you slip on a wet floor in the lobby or get caught up on bunched carpeting in a hallway, you may be able to seek compensation for medical expenses and other losses. Here are a few things that you need to remember.

• You have to prove you belonged there – If you sneak onto hotel property and slip by the pool, that’s your fault. But if you have proof that you were staying at the hotel, then the duty of care to keep you safe is on them.
• File a report – The hotel manager can help you submit an incident or accident report (the title may be different depending on the hotel chain, but the idea is the same). Make sure you get a copy of the report.
• Don’t wait to see a doctor – If you are hurt, don’t put off medical care. Get the help you need first and worry about seeking compensation later. Sometimes you may not realize just how injured you are because of the shock, so don’t think you can just walk it off.
• See if there are any witnesses – If so, get contact information from them so you can get in touch later if the case requires it.
• Take pictures – Just about everyone has a smartphone nowadays, so use yours to take some pictures of the scene and what caused the slip and fall.

Contact a Personal Injury Attorney

If you have been injured in or near San Diego, contact the experienced personal injury attorneys at Petrov Law Firm. We can help you to get the compensation that you deserve. Call 619.344.0360 to get started today.

Two Misconceptions About Slip and Fall Accidents

A slip and fall injury can be caused in many different ways. When it is due to negligence on the part of a business, organization, or individual, you may be eligible for compensation. This can help you to offset medical bills, missed workdays, or other losses that are related to the injury.

We are going to address a couple of misconceptions that people have about slip and fall claims. This will help you to receive the compensation that you deserve.

1. You can take your time making a claim – The fact is that there is a statute of limitations on claims. This limitation on when you can make a claim relates to what you are seeking compensation for as well as who you are seeking it from. The best way to handle a slip and fall injury is to begin your claim as soon as possible.
2. You don’t want a lawyer taking a cut – Yes, it will cost you some money to get assistance in making your claim. However, signing off on a lowball settlement is a lot more costly. An insurance company, corporation, or government agency is never going to offer you what you truly deserve. They pick a number that is just high enough to entice you to walk away. You need professional assistance to get what you deserve.

Trustworthy Personal Injury Attorneys in Southern California

If you have been injured in the San Diego area, choose Petrov Law Firm to represent you. Our experienced attorneys can help you to maximize your settlement. Get started right away by calling 619.344.0360 now!

Personal Injury Claim Statute of Limitations in California

Each state determines its own statute of limitations laws regarding personal injury claims. In California, how long do you have to make a claim if you want to receive compensation? Here are a few different answers based on the type of settlement you are trying to secure.

• Suing a government agency – Let’s say you experienced a slip and fall accident, and the negligent party was a government agency. This is when you have to take your case to a lawyer as soon as possible. California only gives you six months to go after a settlement when a government organization is the negligent party.
• Property damage settlements – If you are settling a property damage case, you get three years to make your claim. This is common in car accidents and cases of that nature. However, it is important to remember that this only applies to the property portion of your claim. The injury claim will have to be filed faster.
• Personal injury claims – In California, you get two years to file a personal injury claim. This should allow you to tabulate the medical bills and missed work. However, some injuries incur long-term care or the inability to continue a career. Therefore, the settlement may have to estimate your continued future losses.

Personal Injury Settlements in San Diego

If you have experienced loss in southern California due to someone else’s fault or neglect, now is the time to get your case started. Call Petrov Law Firm today at 619.344.0360 and let us help you to maximize your settlement.