If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident in Santa Ana due to someone else’s careless actions, you may be entitled to recover financial compensation. The Santa Ana personal injury lawyers at Bridgford, Gleason, & Artinian are committed to helping injured accident victims seek justice by holding those at fault accountable.
Our experienced trial attorneys have been leaders in personal injury litigation in Orange County since 1990. We are top-rated lawyers who are known for taking on tough cases and achieving life-changing results for clients. Contact us today for a free case consultation.
Why Choose Bridgford, Gleason, & Artinian?
- Collectively, our team of Orange County personal injury attorneys has over 75 years of legal experience. We have represented thousands of clients in California and throughout the country.
- We have achieved outstanding settlements and jury verdicts for our clients, including a $13.5 billion settlement for California wildfire victims.
- When you choose us, you will benefit from services from an attorney – not a paralegal or assistant.
- Our lawyers always put their clients first. Our client testimonials showcase our dedication to client care and success.
- Our Santa Ana personal injury lawyers operate on a contingency fee basis, which means we don’t charge anything for our services unless we win the case.
Areas We Serve
The law firm of Bridgford, Gleason, & Artinian proudly serves clients throughout Orange County, including the cities of Santa Ana, Irvine, Anaheim, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Fullerton and Huntington Beach.
We have multiple offices located throughout the State of California:
- Orange County:
26 Corporate Plaza
Suite 250
Newport Beach, CA 92660
- Santa Rosa:
3558 Round Barn Blvd
Suite 215
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
- Santa Barbara:
7 W. Figueroa St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
We also serve clients in Hawaii from offices in Kihei and Kailua. You can schedule a free initial consultation in person or over the phone at any of our law offices by calling us toll-free at (866) 953-2833.
How Can a Santa Ana Personal Injury Lawyer Help?
Handling a personal injury case unrepresented in Santa Ana can put you at risk of being taken advantage of by an insurance company. Insurers are for-profit organizations that capitalize on inexperienced claimants by convincing them to settle for less than they deserve for serious injuries and expensive medical bills.
When you hire a Santa Ana car accident lawyer and personal injury attorney, you can have peace of mind knowing that your best interests are protected. You can rest and focus on healing from your injuries while your lawyer investigates the accident, gathers necessary evidence, hires qualified experts to strengthen your claim and negotiates with insurance companies on your behalf.
A personal injury lawyer can determine the responsible party, litigate your case, handle any challenges or complications that arise, and make sure your family has everything it needs. From connecting you to top doctors to efficiently handling the legal process, the right lawyer can improve the outcome of your case and your overall legal experience during this difficult time.
What Is a Personal Injury Case?
A personal injury case is a type of civil claim that can be brought when a person suffers injury or harm due to the careless or wrongful actions of another party. In this scenario, the injured party (the plaintiff) has the right to take legal action against the party responsible for the injury (the defendant). If a personal injury case is successful, the plaintiff can receive financial compensation – also known as damages – for the losses suffered due to the accident and injury.
Types of Personal Injury Cases We Accept in Santa Ana, California
It is important to hire a personal injury attorney who has experience with your type of case. This will ensure that your lawyer understands the laws related to your specific legal matter and can overcome potential challenges.
The types of personal injury cases we accept at Bridgford, Gleason, & Artinian include, but are not limited to:
- Amputations
- Brain injuries
- Car accidents
- Catastrophic injuries
- Construction accidents
- Mass torts
- Medical malpractice
- Motorcycle accidents
- Product liability
- Spinal cord injuries
- Truck accidents
- Uber and Lyft accidents
- Wildfire and utility litigation
- Workplace injuries
- Wrongful death
Our trial attorneys will relentlessly fight to protect your rights during your specific kind of personal injury claim using years of knowledge and experience. We treat each case as if it is our only case.
How to Prove a Personal Injury Case
In a personal injury case, the plaintiff must prove that the defendant’s acts or omissions caused the injuries and losses being claimed. Most personal injury claims in Santa Ana are based on the legal doctrine of negligence, which refers to someone’s failure to act with reasonable or ordinary care.
Proving negligence requires evidence of the following elements:
- Duty of care: the defendant owed the plaintiff a legal obligation to act with a certain level of care to prevent harm or injury. For example, all drivers have a responsibility to prevent car accidents by driving safely and prudently.
- Breach of the duty of care: the defendant did not act in a way that a reasonable and prudent person would have, meaning he or she fell below the standard of care. An example is a property owner who fails to maintain a safe, hazard-free premises.
- Causation: the defendant’s breach of duty caused or significantly contributed to the plaintiff’s injury. The plaintiff must demonstrate actual (cause-in-fact) or proximate (legal cause) causation.
- Damages: the plaintiff suffered specific and compensable losses as a result of the defendant’s actions or omissions, such as injuries, medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
The burden of proof in the civil justice system is “based on a preponderance of the evidence,” which is less than the burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt that exists in the criminal justice system. Meeting this burden of proof requires clear and convincing evidence that the defendant is more likely than not to be at fault for the plaintiff’s injuries.
California Personal Injury Laws
A successful personal injury case in Santa Ana requires an understanding of California’s personal injury laws. While an attorney can explain and navigate the laws that apply to your case on your behalf, you can better protect your rights by learning the basics.
Three key California personal injury laws are:
- Fault law: after an automobile accident, the party at fault for causing the crash can be held liable for the victim’s injuries and damages. All drivers in California must maintain minimum amounts of liability insurance to pay for auto accidents.
- Comparative fault law: if an injured victim is found to share fault for an injury, he or she can still recover partial financial compensation. However, the victim’s financial recovery will be reduced by a percentage equivalent to his or her degree of fault.
- Workers’ compensation law: the no-fault workers’ compensation system allows most employees to receive payment for their medical bills, disability costs and partial lost wages after a workplace accident without having to prove anyone else is at fault.
If you do not hire an attorney to navigate California’s personal injury laws for you, you could make a mistake that compromises your ability to recover fair financial compensation.
What Is the Statute of Limitations on a Personal Injury Case in Santa Ana?
One of the most important laws to know as a personal injury claimant in Santa Ana is California’s statute of limitations. This law imposes a strict time limit of two years on the right to file a personal injury claim, in most cases. In general, if you miss this deadline, your case will be time-barred and not allowed to proceed. This is why it is critical to contact an attorney as soon as possible.
California’s statute of limitations, Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1, states:
- CHAPTER 3. The Time of Commencing Actions Other Than for the Recovery of Real Property
- 335.1. Within two years: An action for assault, battery, or injury to, or for the death of, an individual caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another.
Certain exceptions to the general rule may extend or shorten the deadline to file. A claim brought against a government agency, for example, must be filed within just six months of the date of injury under California Government Code Section 911.2. If an injury is not discovered right away, the claimant has one year from the date of reasonable discovery to file. Discuss your case with an attorney to learn your exact time limit.
Types of Financial Compensation Available
The purpose of a personal injury claim is to make an injured accident victim whole again. The civil courts offer financial justice in the form of an insurance settlement or a judgment award to help a plaintiff recuperate the costs associated with an accident and injury. Three different categories of damages may be available: economic, noneconomic and punitive.
Economic damages are monetary losses that the plaintiff has suffered or will suffer in the future due to the event, such as:
- Past and future necessary medical care
- Long-term or permanent disability costs
- Lost wages and employment benefits
- Lost capacity to earn in the future
- Property damage repairs
- Out-of-pocket costs
Noneconomic damages are nonmonetary losses, such as:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Chronic pain
- Emotional distress
- Mental anguish
- Psychological trauma
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Punitive damages are rare, but may be awarded in a case where the defendant is guilty of gross negligence, malice or fraud. Economic damages are quantified using bills, invoices and wage statements. Noneconomic damages are more difficult to calculate since they are intangible and often invisible. Insurance companies and juries can assign values they see fit for pain and suffering damages based on the severity of the victim’s injuries.
How Much Is My Santa Ana Personal Injury Case Worth?
This is a question that can only be answered by a personal injury attorney after a detailed review of your individual case. Settlement and judgment values can vary significantly depending on factors that are unique to each case.
Case values may be based on:
- Injury severity
- Cost of medical expenses
- The victim’s ability to work
- Degree of pain and suffering
- Impact on lifestyle
- Insurance coverage available
- Comparative fault
At Bridgford, Gleason, & Artinian, our attorneys will fight relentlessly for the best possible outcome for your case. We can use aggressive legal strategies to ensure you are treated fairly by an insurance company. Our trial attorneys are also capable of taking cases to court, when necessary.
Are There Damage Caps in California?
In general, a personal injury case in California will not have any damage caps, or limitations on the amount of financial compensation that can be awarded to a plaintiff. However, there is one exception for noneconomic damages in medical malpractice claims. In these cases, the cap is $390,000 if the injuries are non-fatal and $550,000 in wrongful death cases. These caps will increase in annual increments to $1 million by 2033.
Tips for Dealing With an Insurance Company During a Personal Injury Claim
There are several mistakes you should avoid during your personal injury claim in Santa Ana if you wish to preserve your right to recover. One is trusting the insurance company. Even if the insurance representative sounds friendly, he or she does not have your best interests at heart. The adjuster is hired to save the insurance company as much money as possible on your payout.
When dealing with an insurance claims adjuster – the person assigned to investigate your claim – use the following tips to protect yourself:
- Get medical care immediately and keep copies of your health care records.
- Report the incident to the insurance company promptly.
- Have information about your policy and the accident ready.
- Document everything and keep detailed records.
- Do not admit fault for the accident or your injuries.
- Do not agree to give the adjuster a recorded statement.
- Be honest, but keep your answers to questions short and simple.
- Resist accepting the first settlement offer.
Beware of a quick settlement; initial offers are often set intentionally low in the hopes of convincing a claimant to resolve the case quickly and for little money. Before you sign anything, contact an attorney to review your case. Your lawyer can take over negotiations with an insurer to improve the outcome of your case.
Injured in an Accident in Santa Ana? Contact Us for a Free Case Consultation
At Bridgford, Gleason, & Artinian, our lawyers are nationally recognized for providing unparalleled legal representation to clients across California. For more than 30 years, our law firm has successfully represented accident victims and secured the results they need.
To discuss a potential case with a personal injury lawyer in Santa Ana at no cost or obligation, contact us at (949) 831-6611. You can also send us a message online and we will get back to you as soon as possible.